The rare time when local landscapes are saturated with bright colors means that winter is coming soon, and if you are a representative of the Sami people, for you autumn means the time for gathering reindeer. The reindeer herders of the Hirvas Salmi, one of the largest Saami groups (about 100 people), live and work eight hours a day in the Arctic Circle. The only indigenous group in Europe, the Sami live in the Scandinavian countries - Norway, Sweden, Finland, as well as in the territory Russian Federation; they speak 10 different languages, but rallied their common culture and traditions. Today it is not easy to be a reindeer herder, it is work all year round, where you need to watch and take care of thousands of deer in vast areas. Among economic, technological and environmental issues modern society this ancient culture forced to constantly put up with radical changes in order to maintain their age-old traditions.

(Total 27 photos)

1.Three galloping deer in the morning mist of Lapland. On the second day of gathering, reindeer herders catch young reindeer and slaughter them the next day. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

2. Deer carcasses after the first slaughter on the first day of livestock collection and. Reindeer are only slaughtered to feed their families. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

3. Reindeer breeder in a warm hat during the corral of young male deer on the first day of collection. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

4. The chief butcher's house. The photo was taken through the window of a slaughterhouse. Days of deer slaughter take a lot of energy and strength. Every year the butchers' hands are scarred and cut from huge knives. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

5. The restored rock art of reindeer and hunters shows the prehistoric origin of the Saami reindeer herders. The roots of the origin of the only indigenous group in Europe - the Saami - go back to the Paleolithic era. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

6. Pauli catches a deer from his herd, which he recognized by the marks on his ears. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

7. 58-year-old Veggai fell to the ground, trying to catch his deer by the antlers. After the corral, he will decide which deer to kill and which one to let go to pasture for another year. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

8. Heads of deer at the slaughterhouse. Five reindeer herders kill 300 reindeer on the fourth day of the round. Workers earn £40 for each reindeer. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

9. A herd of reindeer in the morning fog is trying to escape from the lasso of the Sami reindeer herders. Three weeks later, during which 2,000 reindeer are brought in from the mountain pastures, the Hirvas Salmi reindeer herders (out of 100 owners) gather their animals for herding and selection for meat. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

10. 16-year-old Annirawn Triumph with traces of dirt and deer blood on her face drives her deer for 11 hours in a row. She lives in Norway with her mother, but comes to Finland to this "reindeer herding school" five times a year. That's how these young people live in modern world while maintaining age-old traditions. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

12. 58-year-old Veggai from Lemmokki with a frying pan of venison and potatoes in broth. This is the main dish of the Saami for many generations. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

13. 28-year-old Taneli Nakkalajärvi (left) and friends drink beer on the evening before the 12-hour deer slaughter day, they will have to score 300 goals. Finland is very high level alcoholism, and especially among the Saami. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

14. After waking up his drunk friend, 35-year-old Uule Sara brought his 7-year-old deer into the house. Few reindeer herders survive solely on reindeer herding, for example this reindeer is used for sledding tourists. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

15. After drinking in the morning, 28-year-old Taneli Nakkalajärvi travels to the slaughterhouse for a 12-hour day, during which he must slaughter 300 deer. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

16. The reindeer breeder counts the reindeer in the herd. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

17. 58-year-old Veggai sleeps off after three 14-hour days of work. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

18. Herds of deer cross the stream. On the third day of the 10-day reindeer gathering, it is very important to record exactly how many heads the reindeer herder will drive. Reindeer herders record their numbers by looking through binoculars while the reindeer are grazing. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

19. A herd of deer in a paddock. Then the laborious process of capturing their own deer begins. The reindeer herders grab them by the horns and check the marks on their ears. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

20. Asko with her 7-year-old daughter Evelina are preparing to throw a lasso on the hooves of a galloping deer. The Sámi way of life is under threat - due to low salaries and difficult schedules, very few young people see themselves as reindeer herders. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

21. A deer is brought into a van for transportation. He will go for meat to feed his family. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)25. Two young deer are taken to a separate paddock. Most of the young are slaughtered, otherwise the deer may still not survive the harsh winter. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

26. 16-year-old Annirawn Triumph pulls a deer by the antlers during the gathering. Although she is not an “official” reindeer herder, she comes to herd cattle five times a year. “I can combine my ancient Sámi roots with modern life. This is the only way I can be myself,” he says. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

27. A deer tied to a fence is furiously trying to free itself. Usually the deer are temporarily in this state before they are sent to the slaughterhouse or home to be used for tourism purposes. (© Mark Makela/zReportage.com/ZUMA)

A new attraction has appeared in Finland - deer with luminous antlers! This is not a way to attract tourists, but a measure aimed at protecting fauna. Thousands of wild animals die on the tracks every year, especially at night. Such clashes often end tragically for people as well. To make the deer visible from afar, we decided to paint the antlers with luminous paint.

What could be worse than a deer on the road? Finnish drivers will answer: except that the elk is larger. On the way to Lapland, our film crew met the horned ones three times: the animals calmly licked the salt off the asphalt and nibbled the plants on the side of the road. And, it seems, reluctantly yielded to people carriageway.

Although each of them has an owner, deer roam freely in the forests, which means they can easily enter a busy highway. As the Finns themselves joke, this is a semi-domestic animal. In summer it grazes and does well without people, in winter, when food becomes scarce, reindeer herders feed. Once a year, the herd is gathered in a paddock - to inspect and count the furry ones.

"These bells help to find deer in the forest. We only know the approximate location of the herd. And when we want to collect deer in the corral, as now, we go to the forest and listen to their ringing. This is an old, proven method. But the new one works better - GPS sensors ", says reindeer herder Sami Juusitalo.

Modern means help track the route of movement of animals, but do not save from road accidents. According to statistics, there are 4,000 road accidents involving reindeer in Finland every year. Everyone suffers losses: both car owners and Insurance companies and reindeer herders.

The experiment with painting the antlers began this year. Someone transforms his entire herd, someone only a few of the most valuable specimens.

Paint with reflective elements is specially designed for animals. The procedure is short, but unpleasant, which the deer demonstrated by shaking its head angrily several times. Another experimental subject gave a fight: he almost kicked our operator. Still, it’s not customary in the forest - it’s so disrespectful to grab the horns.

In three hours, the reindeer herders counted the herd, made marks for the young, loaded some of the animals into minibuses - comfort, of course, is doubtful, but these lucky ones will spend the winter on the farm. Now it's time to take a break: sit around the fire and talk quietly.

"It is still difficult to talk about the results of the experiment with reflective antlers. In this area where painted deer live, only two of them were hit by wheels. Although we have already sprayed more than 200. Let's see what happens next," says Veikko, head of the reindeer herders association of the Poikajärvi district. Heiskari.

Meanwhile, the forest starts to get dark. This part of Finland is located on the line of the Arctic Circle. Light day in winter lasts only 4 hours.

It is difficult to notice a deer on a forest road during the day, and even more so at night. However, with reflective paint on the horns, animals become much more noticeable, even the light from mobile phone. What can we say about the light from car headlights?

The Finns jokingly call their deer Jedi - they say, their antlers glow like laser swords in space films. Our compatriots will come to mind another association: this is a new transformation of the Baskerville curse. The deer themselves react calmly: they do not shun their luminous relatives, and they got used to the camera by the end of the shooting day.

Rovaniemi - the home of Santa Claus, a city located right on the Arctic Circle - is deservedly considered one of the best centers winter sports in Finland. The city of Rovaniemi with a population of 35,000 inhabitants is the capital of Lapland. Everyone who wants to get to know the culture and way of life of this northern region, definitely come here.

Thanks to the presence of snow cannons that guarantee snow cover on the slopes and pistes, the ski season here begins in October. There is also a point that is probably photographed more often than all other sights in Finland - a sign located at the northern entrance to the city " arctic circle" with the designation of the exact geographical latitude this imaginary line.

In addition to the main duty to fulfill innermost desires, Santa Claus has a lot of worries. He is a very busy grandfather. Judge for yourself: in a year he reads more than six million letters from 184 countries (even from distant New Guinea and Madagascar!). And then there are messages e-mail throw, there is no time to rest. It's good that the faithful dwarf helpers in red caps and striped golfs sort out the bags of letters. Sometimes Santa can be seen rushing around the city on a deer - there is not enough time, time flies, before you have time to look back, how the new year turns into an old one, years are compressed into centuries, and now the change of the whole millennium has come up.

Deer are everywhere here. This does not mean that they are ownerless, although they can roam without any supervision. They belong to the indigenous inhabitants of Lapland - the Sami, who live here about five thousand. By the way, not only Santa Claus can ride reindeer, but anyone who wants to experience this unusual vehicle. To do this, you just need to take special short-term courses on "driving deer", after which you are awarded "reindeer rights". And then, harness, let's go!

Where the reindeer will take you is impossible to say for sure, but for sure you will not be able to miss one of the main attractions of Finland with the Arctic Circle sign. Taking a picture next to him, you will feel like a real polar explorer and understand that it is time to boldly go to the "places of Santa Claus".

The best Finnish resorts are located in Lapland. These are Levi, Saariselkya and Ylläs. Fans of impeccable service will not be able to find fault with anything. There are high-class hotels and cozy cottages where you can find everything your heart desires: swimming pools, jacuzzis, saunas, GYM's, billiards. Night safari on snowmobiles, reindeer and dog sledding, as well as entertainment in a tropical water park with all the pleasures that follow from this.

Be sure to take the time to ride the dog sled. Finnish huskies, or huskies, conquer everyone with their kindness. Also, they have blue eyes like the sky. While the owner ties them into a harness, the huskies whine and bark with impatience - so you want to hit the road as soon as possible! You can even try to drive a team, although this is not as easy as it seems at first glance.

It can also happen that you get bored with the comfortable atmosphere in the hotel. Then we advise you to experience the proverb known to everyone: "With a sweetheart, paradise in a hut." Everyone can do it in a hut, but what about an ice hut, inside which is minus 3 - 8 degrees? But just imagine that through the transparent ice ceiling you will see the twinkling of the northern lights. According to Japanese belief, it brings happiness in the birth and upbringing of children. Yes, you can endure everything for this (especially since in fact warm sleeping bags will protect you from any cold). You can live in a house made of ice, which is called "igloo", in the town of Saariselkä. There, by the way, there is a whole village: twenty igloo houses, an ice church where the newlyweds are crowned. an ice sculpture gallery and even an ice bar.

In the realm of snow, it is impossible to deny yourself the pleasure of skiing, snowboarding, skating and sledding. Polar windsurfing will give you an extraordinary experience: you get on your skis, pick up a small parachute, and now - catch the wind and go! Inveterate skiers who prefer flat running should go to Kuopio - this city is surrounded by ski slopes over 400 km long. Professionals can recommend the ski stadium on the Pujo fell, where the world's only ski jumping school operates. Skiers and snowboarders are waiting for high-class ski resorts Takho and Himos, and you can rent the equipment of the "snow extreme". If you want to teach your kid to ski, then Jyväskylä is the place for you, where even three-year-olds are trained.

And your child will always remember Lumilinna Castle, located in Kemi. In this shining ice palace, guests are greeted by the "spirits of Lumilinna" Terttu and Arttu - a pair of funny creatures that appear here and there. With them you can ride the hill and see the sights of the castle. For the night, we advise you to stay in an icy two-story hotel at the castle, where the beds are made of wood and snow. Do you think you will freeze in a lambskin sleeping bag, lying on a thick mattress stuffed with straw? In such a bed, by the light of candles, no frost is terrible. But you will feel just like in childhood ..

So, to Lapland! There, where every year the Christmas fairy tale begins and miracles happen. There, where it is frosty and snowy, where the polar night and northern lights. Just try to say at home: "That's enough, we're tired, we're leaving for Santa Claus!", and you will hear a cry of delight from your beloved child, who is already fucking tired of studying and terribly wants adventures in the country of the Snow Queen and the real Santa Claus where, in the words of the Reindeer from Andersen's fairy tale, "wonder as well."

Lapland is perfect a starting point for a variety of safaris: 150 motorized sledges can simultaneously start from here on a journey through unknown expanses. Rovaniemi is also a city of reindeer, from where every tourist can take away not only the unforgettable impressions of a ride on a reindeer sleigh, but also real "rights" to drive this local vehicle.

How much the entertainment costs: A reindeer and dog safari costs about $100 (500 Finnish marks). The same is the cost of a one-day cruise on an icebreaker in the Gulf of Bothnia and a night in an ice hotel. Don't forget to take a picture with Santa Claus (80 FIM) and take a diploma from him for visiting the Arctic Circle.

What else unusual can await a traveler in the land of the aurora borealis? Well, for example, you did not try, emerging from warm waters swimming pool, immediately get on your skis and take off from the hill?

Such entertainment offers the water park "Serena" in Helsinki. And dive into the waters of Bothnia, where the icebreaker from the city of Oulu will take you, and swim among the ice, is it weak? If yes, go fishing. True, for this you need to purchase a license, which costs about $ 20. You can fish on the shore of a lake in eastern Finland, and in rapids, and in the sea - on the Aland Islands off the Baltic coast.

For the first time I saw a reindeer in Lapland, in the homeland of Santa Claus, in the village of Rovaniemi, so this time I didn’t have such a “wow” effect as with

But at the same time, we had a very cool time with the deer - we fed reindeer moss, watched their habits, and, of course, took pictures)) and then also had a light snack in the wigwam next door.

After spending a little time with these funny animals, I became interested in learning a little more information about the reindeer, so in this article I will tell Interesting Facts about these amazing animals.

The reindeer lives in temperate forests, mountainous areas and woodlands

They feed mainly on grass, twigs, moss and other plants, generally herbivorous.

Average, reindeer lives 10-13 years in wild nature, but in captivity up to 20 years.

Surprisingly, humans are the biggest threat to deer. Reindeer quite often become victims of motorists in winter.

When we were going to the very north of Finland to ski, such a northern one twice very unexpectedly crossed the road for us, fortunately there was a snowstorm, and we were driving quite slowly, so everything worked out.

In general, according to statistics, about 4,000 reindeer die on the tracks in Finland every year, the Finns even came up with original way– reindeer herders spray deer antlers with a special spray that, when dried, leaves a reflective coating on the antlers

Female reindeer (unlike other species) also have antlers like males, and they are shed for the winter. Reindeer antlers are valued not only as a trophy or wall decor, but it turns out they are often used in the preparation of medicines.

In addition, for some it is also food, the discarded horns are eaten by rodents and other animals, since this is an excellent source of minerals and calcium.

Reindeer milk is the most nutritious mammalian milk, judge for yourself - 22% milk fat and 10% protein (in cow's milk 3-4% milk fat and about 3% protein).

Deer meat is already quite common, not only in some restaurants, but also in stores. Venison, compared to regular red meat, is considered more nutritious

The reindeer is not afraid of the cold and is able to endure temperatures of -60 degrees Celsius, and at the same time travel thousands of kilometers, delivering New Year's gifts to us

Reindeer can travel great distances, averaging 35 km a day. At the same time, they are capable of speeds up to 80 km / h.

This ability gave people the idea of ​​running reindeer races, but unlike horses/camels, here the riders do not sit on their "driving horses", they stand behind the reindeer on their skis, holding on to the rope. Such a race passes through several cities, so many people can watch this amazing race. As a rule, riders dress quite shockingly, in colorful bright costumes.

Reindeer hooves are very unusual, their uniqueness lies in the ability to adapt to the season - in summer time the bottoms of the hooves become spongy, which contributes to comfortable movement on soft ground.

And in winter, the pads are tightened, exposing the hooves, with the help of which you can crash into snow and ice and at the same time not slip at all - such is the "winter rubber" provided by nature)) Also, the winter "version" of the hooves allows them to dig out moss from under the snow

Reindeer are also excellent swimmers, they are able to swim across wide rivers and even the expanses of the ocean, reindeer swim at speeds up to 9 km / h.

To visit deer farm in the Nuuksio park, feed these funny animals with reindeer moss,

and grab a bite to eat at the campfire tepee, contact Sea and Mountain Adventures, detailed information they have it on the website


Review article for the entire tour:

Articles about other sights and activities:

Where to ride reindeer in Finland with a visit to a reindeer farm

Reindeer sleigh safari in Lapland

At the reindeer farm, you will get to know these half-tamed domestic animals. Drive a reindeer sled yourself on a reindeer safari and learn all about reindeer herding, the most traditional activity in northern Finland.

Over a cup of aromatic drink, you will hear a story about deer, reindeer herding and the history of farms. Here you will be shown how to correctly draw a lasso, with the help of which the deer are separated from the herd (and, of course, they will give those who wish the opportunity to do this on their own). After coffee, the reindeer herders will corral part of the herd and show you all the types of work that they have to do on the farm every day. Visitors are given the opportunity, under the guidance of reindeer herders, to take part in the care of reindeer. At the end of the show, the deer will be released back to the pasture. Finally, you can feed the animals with your own hands, ride a reindeer sleigh and drink a farewell cup of coffee.

Reindeer farm trip in Lapland

1. reindeer farm Yaaccola
Located in the town of Luosto. Various recreation programs. Farm accommodation.
Farm site: (