Homestay in Guovdageaidnu

Sami family welcomes to homestay

We are a sami family living in a small farm. The farm itself has been closed down for several years, but the plan is have some animals like chicken og sheeps and a small garden. We would also have some reindeers around the house, at some time of the year.

The family has reindeerherding as main income where Anders, the father will do most of the work with the herd and is away from home one week at time. Ellen is then home-alone with children, and would love to have someone to talk with be around the kids she is doing some work. Ellen is mother working outside the home and will need help to take care of the house and children. We have four children under age of 9 years old living at home. School children must take the bus everyday to the school as we live 20 km from the town. We eat mostly reindeer meat, and if you are vegetarian or have been, or not tolerate blood or animal intestines, we are not the right place for you.

Sometimes the whole family will go with the reindeer herd and work together to take care of the reindeer and travel by snowmobile or ATV and car during summer.

We are quite busy as the reindeer herding is based on the weather and the changes of the nature. Our days are not the same everyday, and we are flexibel and changing the plans as how the weather and where the animals are. We use the nature and harvest and prepare food and plants during the season.

Our farm has a small cosy cottage by the river where our guest will stay. We live quite remote, but the main road is around 500 meters from our house, and it is 2 km to the neighbours. Winter and arctic light is fantastic in snowy landscape from oktober to may. The river will freeze so its possible to use the snowmobile trail as highway In March 2018 the longest dog-sledge competition in Europe will pass our farm. The midnightsun will appear from may and disappear in august. Nature is just outside the door and you will get closer to an authentic experience about how a sami family lives when you stay at our home.

Cultural exchange and homestay opportunities

To visit us you will be included in a sami family that will cook a lot of reindeer meat and local fish, we are easygoing in cooking and dont do fancy. You will learn how to use nature for food and survive in cold climate. You can learn sami language as this is our main language in our home. A lot of nature is available year around. We have a big family and you will get to understand how indigenous way of living can be like. The Sámi culture is so special and also vulnerable and you would need time to get to understand it, so we prefer that you are here for a longer period. We use lot of time to get u to know the culture so we appreciate to have people here who is willing to understand and is really interested.

Please let us know by email (ellentriumf(a) live.o)  if you want to stay at our place, where the cost is 7500kr pr week. Minimum one week stay is advised. We will provide transport, food and accommodation.

Accommodation

You can live in a cosy cottage with electricity, but not water inside. Camp toilet inside is available or you can use the main house toilet and shower. The cottage has kitchen, livingroom and two bedrooms. Wood fireplace to heat and electricity for heat is available. We have bedroom inside the main house with separate bathroom and small kitchen and livingroom, aswell as separate door if you prefer to live comfortable. Sometimes we live in sami tent called Lavvu and basic cottages in the woods or tundra.