What It’s Like to Go Ice Floating in Lapland

Getting Geared Up For Ice Floating

To start off the experience, I bundled up in a huge rescue suit, which is way easier to get into than your typical drysuit, but made us all look like Teletubbies. I wore a base layer under the suit – my wool socks, wool top and bottoms, and a hat.

If you haven’t already, definitely check out my blog post – Lapland Guide: What to Pack for a Winter Trip to the Arctic Circle – so you’re fully prepared for your trip!

Once you’re all geared up, which you do in a warm cabin, you walk down to the lake where they’ll demonstrate how you get down the ladder and how to float, as well as how to move about the water using your arms and legs without splashing anybody.

The rescue suits are a bit awkward to walk around in since they’re so big (they hold a lot of air in them, unlike dry suits), but the hands have rubber gloves, making it easy to grip the icy ladder as you climb down into the water.

The Experience of Night Ice Floating in Lapland

Once I was to the lowest rung, I just squatted, leaned back, and then floated! It’s pretty simple, even if it might feel a bit scary knowing the water is so cold. We floated in -10°F, but I found the suit to be warm and cozy.

I did feel some cold through the suit, but I didn’t find it bad at all. To me, it felt like floating on a cold cloud! That said, others in my group did get cold within about 10 minutes and then got out.

Personally, I probably could have stayed out there and floated for an hour. If you do the floating at night like I did, they can also turn off the lights for a truly zen experience. And if you’re lucky, you might even get to see the Aurora.

Unfortunately, we did not score the Northern Lights during our float, but I was able to stare up at the stars as I laid back and relaxed. It’s a bit like a sensory deprivation experience – it can be very meditative if you let it.

Other Types of Ice Floating in Lapland

Besides what we did, I’ve also seen river ice floating experiences, where you wear the same type of suit and drift down an icy river. It looks like an incredible experience!

I’d call this the more extreme version of the two because while you do this always during daylight, you probably can’t get out as easily if you get cold and are committed to the full-length float. But let me tell you, next time I visit Lapland, I’ll be booking this experience.

While I chose the nighttime float to increase my odds of seeing the Northern Lights, there are a lot of benefits to choosing a daytime tour as well. For one, it’ll be a lot easier to take photos and videos.