Where to Go: the 14 Best Lapland Northern Lights Tours

1.Sauna & Ice Swimming Tour with Dinner and Aurora

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 150 reviews · 4 hours · from $184Our pick

Spend four hours beyond Rovaniemi with an English-speaking guide, a wood-fired Finnish sauna, Arctic lake swimming, and a generous salmon dinner in a cottage by the fire. The Northern Lights are possible on evening departures from late October to mid-March, but never guaranteed. Bring your own swimsuit.

“My friends and I truly enjoyed the experience and would highly recommend this activity. Thank you, Mattei, for being such a wonderful host to us!”

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2.Northern lights tour to Lake Inari from Ivalo, Reindeers & Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 63 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $191

From Ivalo, a local guide takes you by minibus to Koppelo, then by covered, snowmobile-pulled sleigh across the winter wilderness to Lake Inari. You will receive thermal clothing, visit a family island home, feed reindeer, and eat salmon or reindeer soup by an open fire. Guides may include Maksim or Tina’s family team.

“Great your, our guide was excellent, very knowledgeable, kind and friendly. The food was really good (salmon soup, hot berries juice, dessert ) and the view was amazing.”

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3.Northern Lights Auroras from Kemi-Tornio with Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 44 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $118

Join Marko Vapa’s English-speaking team, including guides Marko and Timo, for a three-hour aurora hunt from Kemi or Haparanda-Tornio. You’ll ride 15 to 30 minutes to changing viewing spots, learn northern lights photography, and receive hotel or station transfers. The route and start time may change with the forecast.

“We had a great tour and saw the northern lights very clearly :) Marko and Timo are great guides, who also give a lot of information about the area!”

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4.Northern Lights Reindeer Sledge Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 21 reviews · 3 hours · from $128

Travel from central Rovaniemi or Santa Claus Village to a reindeer farm, then take a peaceful 20-minute sledge ride through the snow. Guides including Sunny lead the visit, followed by hot juice, biscuits, marshmallows, and a talk about reindeer herding and Sami life. Northern lights are possible but never promised.

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5.Northern Lights Trip to a Magical Place in Lapland

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $119Top rated

You’ll leave at 7:00 pm for a high, dark viewing spot in Lapland, far from city lights. A cozy cabin or kota offers warm drinks and snacks between sky checks. Two enthusiastic guides help keep the night moving, while an on-site photographer can send Northern Lights images to your email.

“Transfer experience initially it was wonderful. We did not expect however to be in a bus with over 40 people out to the viewing site however it worked really well. Great building with fantastic fire, small bar and despite a Kp of 3 which was due to peak at 11 pm. What was really wonderful was we were not rushed, we saw the tricky lady so a wonderful night”

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6.Aurora Hunting by Minivan in Ivalo, Inari or Saariselkä

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 19 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $180

Join Johanna and Niilo of Ivalo Experiences for a three-hour Northern Lights hunt by minivan from Ivalo, Inari, or Saariselkä. The small group travels between dark viewing spots, then warms up by a fire with sausages, hot berry juice, and hot chocolate. Warm jackets and photos may be available.

“We were a family of four (2 adults, 2 children aged 13 and 11). We didn’t feel rushed and could make decisions about when we wanted to move on. Effort was taken to find the lights - they were stunning and we felt very lucky to have seen them. Transport was comfortable. We were taken to warm up at the end and eat toasted sausages and warm drinks surrounded by reindeer. It was a lovely evening and we would thoroughly recommend it. There was the offer of photos being taken as the host’s camera was better than our own.”

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7.97.3% Success Rate Aurora Group Tour with Photos

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 10 reviews · 5 hours · from $107

Join a 4 to 8 hour aurora chase from central Rovaniemi, led by two or three English-speaking guides. Your group may visit more than one viewing point, warm up in the bus between stops, and receive edited DSLR photos within 72 hours. Guides such as Dennis and Matias have also served hot tea and coffee during the wait.

“A pesar de que estaba todo nublado, la chica consiguió llevarnos a un sitio para poder verlas.”

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8.Aurora Hunting with Reindeer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $144

At an Ivalo reindeer fence, Johanna and Niilo introduce you to local herding traditions, reindeer life, and suopunki throwing. You will roast reindeer sausages, drink homemade hot berry juice in a traditional hut, and watch the sky for auroras. The two-hour evening outing runs in English for groups of up to eight.

“Expérienbce authentique a IVALO , très bien, sympathique, bon contact avec les rennes notamment des jeunes rennes. Très bonne soupe. Bonnes explications.”

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9.Northern Lights Holiday in Finland

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 6 days (approx.)

Spend six days based at Xwander Nordic in Ivalo, with a small group of up to seven. Your week includes a reindeer farm, Siida Sámi Museum, ice fishing, snow trekking, backcountry skiing, saunas, open-fire meals, and Northern Lights searches. Guides such as Lasse, Anne, Ozzi, Sami, and Elisa may lead activities, depending on the schedule.

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10.Chasing Aurora with Photographer – Small Group

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 5 reviews · 3h 30m · from $210

You’ll travel by minibus from Rovaniemi with a guide such as Luigi, stopping at 2 to 3 dark locations to seek the aurora. Thermal overalls, winter boots, professional photos, grilled Lappish sausages, hot drinks, and accommodation pickup are included. The group is limited to 10 people.

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11.Private Northern Lights Tour With Skis Or Snowshoes in Pyhä

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $169

Join Taste Of Outdoors in Pyhä for a private night trip through Pyhätunturi with snowshoes or OAC skin skis. Guide Mikko teaches beginners, leads you to a traditional campsite, and serves hot drinks with local snacks by the fire. The Northern Lights are possible but never guaranteed.

“We have been walking with snowshoes at -25°c, the environment was immaculate and totally wild, we climbed a hill and had a barbecue in a hut. We also spotted a beginning of northern light, the sky was very clear”

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12.Northern Lights Walk to Old Kemi with BBQ and Arctic Views

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $72Best value

Meet Saku or Saana at Kemi Snowcastle at 8 pm for a 1-kilometer walk across the frozen sea to Laitakari. Explore Old Kemi’s ruins, warm up by a campfire with BBQ, hot berry juice, cookies, blankets, and heat pads, then watch for the aurora before returning to the Snowcastle.

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13.Northern Lights Snowmobile Driving Safari in Kemi

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 3 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $264

You’ll be picked up in Kemi, fitted with winter gear, and driven into the wilderness for a guided snowmobile safari. Learn the basics, ride as a driver or passenger, and pause for a barbecue, lunch, coffee, and tea. The Northern Lights are possible but never guaranteed, especially in cloudy weather.

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14.Capturing Auroras in Pyhä

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · from $105

Meet your Bliss Adventure guide at Hotel Pyhätunturi at 8:00 pm, then walk 10 minutes to Tajukangas for a practical Northern Lights photography lesson. You will set your camera for aurora shots, receive a pocket guide, and use hot berry drinks while waiting. If the sky stays quiet, photograph stars or try headlamp light painting instead.

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