Northern Lights Hunting in Finnish Lapland – When, Where & How to See Auroras

Last Updated 05/2026

Seeing the Northern Lights is one of the top reasons travelers head to Finnish Lapland. Between September and April, the long nights offer great chances to spot this natural wonder, but there are a few things to keep in mind before you start your “aurora hunt.”

Northern lights can’t never be guaranteed!

The aurora borealis is a natural phenomenon created when solar particles collide with Earth’s atmosphere. Even during the current solar maximum, a period of intense solar activity, there are no 100% guarantees. No matter what any company tells you. Forecasts can only predict visibility a few hours ahead.

While winter is the most popular season for visitors, autumn and spring are actually the most active Northern Lights periods. The skies must be dark and cloudless for sightings, so getting far away from bright lights and buildings is essential. Hilltops and lakeshores are excellent view points, and your chances drop to almost zero when it rains or snows as the clouds simply block the view.

Auroras can also be surprisingly local. It’s possible that the sky above you stays quiet, while just a few kilometres away someone else is watching the lights dance at the same moment. Always check local aurora and weather forecasts, and consider downloading aurora alert apps. My favorite app is AuroraAlert! RealTime.

The best time to see the Northern Lights is usually between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m., when the sky is darkest and auroral activity peaks.

On average, in Northern Lapland, auroras can be seen up to 200 nights a year, from September to April, whenever the sky is clear and sufficiently dark. Between end of August 2024 and mid-April 2025, I documented every aurora on Instagram and saw 49 occurrences, even though I often slept by 10 p.m. Many shows were missed simply because I was a sleep or I wasn’t outside at the right time.

Northern Lights are visible in Lapland for over eight months, from early August until late April. Aurora activity is not evenly distributed throughout the season. It peaks twice a year, in autumn and spring. This is caused by the “Equinox Effect”, a scientifically proven phenomenon where Earth’s magnetic field aligns in a way that allows solar particles to interact more efficiently with the atmosphere.

Technically, auroral activity happens all year round. However, due to the Midnight Sun and bright summer nights, the auroras are not visible during summer. Because the nights are very short at the beginning and end of the season, the chances are lower in early August and late April.

Can Northern Lights be “grey”?

Yes, and this is very normal

Not all Northern Lights explode across the sky in bright green, purple, and red waves.

Sometimes auroras appear very faint, almost like thin clouds or a pale mist in the sky. These weak auroras are easy to mistake for cloud cover.

What reveals them as auroras:

• subtle movement (clouds don’t “dance”)
• soft, uneven shapes
• your camera, which often sees colors more clearly than the human eye

In many cases, even a phone camera is enough to confirm whether you’re seeing auroras or just clouds.

How to see faint auroras better with your eyes

If you don’t see much at first, don’t give up.

• Let your eyes fully adjust to the darkness (this takes 15–30 minutes)
• Stay away from streetlights, buildings, and cars (or any light source whatsoever)
• Avoid checking your phone, bright screens ruin night vision

Once your eyes adapt, you’ll often start noticing a soft green glow that wasn’t visible before.

Important:
Faint auroras are often just the beginning. Many strong aurora shows start weak and gradually intensify, so it’s worth waiting to see if the activity builds.

Choose your tour wisely

In Rovaniemi and other Lapland towns, many companies offer Northern Lights tours. Some take large groups by bus to fixed locations every night, regardless of the weather. Others focus on small groups and flexible routes, following real-time aurora forecasts.

It’s important to understand that Northern Lights can never be guaranteed. Despite this, tours are sometimes marketed with strong promises or reassuring wording that may give a misleading impression of certainty. In reality, visibility can range from breathtaking displays to completely zero, and this isn’t always communicated clearly before booking.

Marketing terms such as professional photographer, long experience or authentic local operator are commonly used. While these phrases sound trustworthy, they don’t automatically reflect formal training, deep local knowledge, or the actual quality of the experience. The reality behind these labels can vary significantly from one operator to another.

Responsibility and quality are also often justified through certificates, labels, and large numbers of reviews. It’s worth looking a little deeper into what these actually mean. Some certifications are based on independent assessments, while others rely mainly on applications or paid labels.

Likewise, a high number of reviews or star ratings doesn’t always equal high-quality or responsible practices, marketing strategies play a role here too, which is why critical reading is essential.

Look for tours that promise an experience rather than a guaranteed sighting. Even if the aurora doesn’t appear, a well-designed tour should still deliver value through atmosphere, nature, storytelling, and the overall experience.

Many companies now use the term “Northern Lights tour” for fixed-location experiences, while “aurora hunting” usually refers to actively searching for clearer skies over a wider area. Some hunting tours may travel long distances, occasionally even crossing into Norway to escape cloud cover, while others may be cancelled at the last minute due to weather conditions.

Companies to Avoid (Added. 05/2026)

Many tour companies in Lapland have recently made headlines due to unprofessional practices within the industry. For instance, companies like Arctic GM have been featured in multiple news reports for mistreating staff, providing inhumane living conditions, and overworking employees.

Survey results have further highlighted these systemic issues, particularly regarding unpredictable work shifts, a lack of rest periods and days off, and the non-payment of overtime and bonuses. Furthermore, seasonal workers reported the stretching of contract terms, arbitrary changes to job descriptions, and significant problems with management styles, safety protocols, and the right to take breaks.

Personal and customer safety is a major concern for those interviewed by Yle. “Bus drivers are entitled to breaks, but we aren’t. We drive for 12–16 hours straight,” says French seasonal worker Pierre Laporté. Workers also shared alarming safety violations, such as packing up to 300 liters of gasoline into the back of transport vehicles during Northern Lights tours—often in the same space as the guides.

News about Arctic GM here and here

Other company to avoid at all costs is Nordic Unique Travels. This is the same company that faced tragedy in 2024 February when a safari guide lost their life in a snowmobile accident during a tour. Former employees have since come forward to describe a grueling work environment where 10–16 hour shifts were a daily occurrence. Despite labor agreements requiring a minimum of 11 hours of rest, workers reported starting at 8:00 AM and not finishing until 1:00 AM the following night, day after day. Another worker, mentioned that the pace was so relentless that even lunch had to be eaten while on duty.

In response to these allegations, the owners of Nordic Unique Travels have denied most of the claims, instead accusing the service union PAM of making unreasonable demands and stating that employees today have “too many rights.” However, the accounts from former staff suggest a pattern of unpaid orientation training lasting several years and even the use of residence permits as a means of intimidation. The equipment used has also drawn heavy criticism; guides reported driving customers in aging vehicles, including vans with over 700,000 kilometers on the odometer and minibuses with frozen doors that passengers had to hold shut themselves in the freezing cold.

News about Nordic Unique Travels here and here and here.

Try different ways to hunt Auroras

You don’t have to sit on a bus or a minibus to chase the lights. There are many unique and memorable options:

• Snowmobile Northern Lights Safari: Driving through frozen forests and over silent lakes by snowmobile is a thrill on its own. Even if the sky stays dark, the feeling of speeding through the wilderness at night is unforgettable. PLUS often you would pay around 100€/ person for snowmobiling tour, while Northern lights snowmobile tour go for around 140€/ person, and you drive multiple hours.

• Reindeer Sleigh Ride: A peaceful glide through snowy woods under the stars, and maybe under the aurora connects you to Lapland’s oldest traditions. The quiet rhythm of the sleigh bells and the reindeer’s breath in the cold air make it a truly atmospheric experience. Northern lights Reindeer ride is often also a lot longer reindeer ride that you would get otherwise.

• Aurora by Snowshoes or Huskies: For those who like a bit of adventure, snowshoe hikes or dog-sled rides offer an very unique experience in the dark quiet forests.

These tours turn your aurora hunt into an adventure, not just a waiting game. Pairing aurora hunting with another activity like snowmobiling ensures you get value even if the Northern Lights don’t appear. Many tours combine a few hours of adventure with aurora hunting for a full experience.

DIY Northern lights hunting – Know when and where to go

You do not need an expensive guided tour to witness the Aurora Borealis. If you have a rental car, a bit of patience, you can find them on your own. With a rental car, good aurora apps, and some planning, you can explore independently all around Lapland. Option is also go by foot, but don’t go very far as nights can get freezing cold very suddenly.

Self-guided aurora hunt allows you to move at your own pace and stop whenever the sky looks promising, which is ideal for photography and observation.

To succeed in a self-guided hunt, you need to master two things: Timing and Location.

When renting a car just remember:

• Never stop in the middle of the road in the dark. Use bus stops, designated parking areas, or lay-bys if you need to pull over.

• Keep your engine running and your lights on to prevent the battery from draining, and always make sure you have enough fuel. Gas stations are not frequent in Lapland.

• Stick to main roads and well-maintained routes. Smaller roads, often marked with higher road numbers, are narrower and less maintained. For example road number 4 is our main road.

• Avoid private roads. Fields are always privately owned and used for farming or grazing animals.

In general remember:

• Do not walk on fields and never leave litter behind. Trash can be extremely dangerous to livestock and reindeer.

• Avoid wandering far into dark forests alone. Choose open lake shores, hilltops, or other open areas with a clear view of the sky.

• Use real-time aurora and weather apps to guide your decisions. Windy is especially useful for tracking cloud cover.

• I highly recommend to use some aurora alert apps. My personal favorite is AuroraAlert! RealTime.

Best months for auroras in Lapland:

• September
• October
• March

The Best Months: While auroras happen from late August to April, the “Equinox effect” makes September, October, and March the peak seasons for high activity. These months also tend to have less deep-cloud cover than mid-winter.

The Best Hours: Start monitoring the sky as soon as it’s dark (around 8 PM or 9 PM). The most intense displays usually occur between 10 PM and 2 AM.

For safety tell someone where you are going and keep a warm spare clothes in the car.

Enjoy the athmosphere and dress up warmly

Even without auroras, Lapland nights are pure magic. The crunch of snow, the glow of stars, and the silence of frozen forests create an unforgettable setting. For some the absolut silence might be little spooky, but after a moment you get used to it, and you will forever miss it. The Northern Lights are just one part of a much bigger experience.

It tends to be very cold, especially on clear winter nights when the Northern Lights are most likely to appear. Wear proper winter gear: layers, insulated boots, gloves, and a warm hat. Read more about layering for winter in Lapland here.

A comfortable alternative is to stay in a glass igloo, hut, or cozy cottage built for aurora viewing. You can watch the sky from a warm bed, hot drink in hand.

Local perspective

I’ve lived in Lapland for most of my life and have seen the Northern Lights hundreds and hundreds of times. I don’t remember my first auroras, as it is quite normal part of our life.

Now when I actually understand how lucky I am to live here and see this magical phenomena often, every single time feels special. Travelers often feel disappointed if they only catch a faint glimpse of green in the sky, forgetting that only a tiny fraction of people on Earth will ever see even that.

Of course, everyone dreams of witnessing the sky explode in red and violet waves, but perhaps it wouldn’t be as magical if it happened every night. The beauty of the aurora lies in its unpredictability. Nature decides to surprise us on her own terms.

Find out more about Lapland and Rovaniemi area here!