Category B, and only the physical card on some tours
To drive a snowmobile on a safari you need a valid category B car licence. Passengers do not need one. The detail that catches travellers out is the format: several operators accept only the physical card. The Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park states for its evening safari that a temporary licence or a photo of your licence is not accepted. If you normally use a digital licence at home, pack the plastic card anyway.
Some listings go further or add detail. Wild about Lapland also accepts A1, T and A licences. Lapland Royal Adventures asks for a licence that is valid in Finland, so check that yours qualifies before you book. NordicUnique Travels asks drivers to bring their licence along.
◈No card, no drivingIf you arrive without an accepted licence, you ride as a passenger at best. Keep the card with you, not in the hotel safe.
Age limits for drivers and passengers
Where a listing states an age for drivers, it is 18: on Safartica's ice-fishing tour, on the Lapland Royal Adventures ride and on Wild about Lapland's wilderness ride, where every participant must be 18. PolarMax Adventures asks for drivers aged 20 or older. Safartica's full-day safari starts at age 12 for participants, and Wild Nordic's three-hour tour is for adults only. Children ride in a sled or sleigh on the family formats. See our family page.
What you are liable for if the snowmobile is damaged
The driver is liable for damage to the snowmobile up to a deductible. Several operators offer an optional waiver or insurance that lowers this deductible for a fee; Safartica's evening safari lists one, for example. The amount of the deductible, the price of the waiver and the exact terms differ by operator and are stated on each product page. Read them before you book, and decide on the waiver before the tour starts.
Reviewers bring up both sides of this. One reviewer of a combo safari "did not like at all that the company holds you responsible for any damage you may cause to the bike if you crash or overturn, even if it is not your fault". Another describes a snowmobile tipping over on a corner within the first minutes; none of the riders was hurt, but the guide took the whole group back to base. Riding within the pace of the group is the best protection for you and for the tour.
◈Where to find the termsThe driver is liable for damage to the snowmobile up to a deductible. Several operators offer an optional waiver or insurance that lowers it; the amount and the exact terms are on each product page. Where a listing states a figure, it is also in the tour details on this site.
A supplement for riding solo
The standard format is two people per snowmobile, and prices are per person. If you want a snowmobile to yourself, some operators offer it for a solo supplement: Safartica on its evening and full-day safaris, Wild Nordic on its adults-only tour and the Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park on its combination with a reindeer ride. The supplement is shown on the product page. Solo doubles your own driving time on the same tour. Our driving-time comparison shows what that means tour by tour.
