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Santa Claus Secret Forest – Joulukka was created by Finnish entrepreneurs Ilkka Länkinen and Katja Ikäheimo-Länkinen, who have been creating Christmas experiences in Lapland since 1997.

Their dream was to create a true Christmas fairytale in the forests of Lapland. They imagined a secret world where elves with long noses and big ears lived among the trees, Santa Claus always had time for children and magical creatures danced with families around the campfire. And above it all, on the right night, the Northern Lights would dance across the Arctic sky.

The idea grew into Santa Claus Secret Forest – Joulukka, a place where the stories and traditions of Christmas could come to life and families could become part of them.

Joulukka was built on private land beside Lake Sierijärvi, surrounded by the forests of Finnish Lapland.

From the beginning, preserving the character of this special place and respecting the surrounding nature were an important part of its story. Natural materials such as wood, stone and logs were used throughout Joulukka, helping the buildings become part of the forest around them.

Water comes from Joulukka’s own well, candles provide much of the light and food is prepared over the fire. Waste is carefully sorted and recycled, and everything that can safely be burned is used as firewood.

The result is a place that feels closely connected to the forest it calls home, where nature isn’t simply the backdrop to the story but part of the experience itself.

Caring for the environment has been part of Joulukka from the beginning. Santa Claus Secret Forest – Joulukka has been awarded the Green DQN® certificate, recognising its commitment to responsible and environmentally conscious operations.

Santa Claus Secret Forest is part of Santa Park Arctic World family, a collection of high-end destinations rooted in Lapland’s most magical settings. The brand family also includes the iconic Arctic TreeHouse Hotel, the new Aino Private Island Hotel, Santa Park – the Home Cavern of Santa Claus, Lapland Luxury DMC and Hidden Arctic Cloud Villas.

We offer a curated selection of our own guided excursions, known as Extraordinary Experiences, exclusively for guests staying at our hotels.