Orjasniemi is a family-run reindeer farm out in the forests near Kuusamo, and one of the most authentic ways to meet Finland's most iconic animal. Run by the same family for some seventy years, it offers a genuine glimpse of reindeer-herding life and the role the animals play in Sámi culture — from transport to food to clothing.
You can wander the old corral, hand-feed the reindeer their favourite lichen and hear the herders' stories; in the depths of winter, roughly January to April, the visit becomes a sleigh ride through snow-laden forest. Warming up afterwards is the Kuontivaara ski café, set in a 19th-century log cabin serving coffee, buns and sandwiches.
Local tip: It is around 30 km from Kuusamo centre, so you will want a car or a taxi to get out here. Winter is the classic season for the sleigh rides, but wrap up warm whatever the time of year — and bring a camera for the corral.
Book a Kuusamo reindeer farm visit
Good to know
- Where: Kuontivaarantie 51, 93830 Kuusamo
- City: Kuusamo