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Wondering how to see the northern lights in Rovaniemi? Thankfully, after an epic trip to Finnish Lapland last winter, I’ve got you covered!
I had never seen the northern lights prior to this trip, but it has been on my bucket list for years. And when my friend Amanda from A Dangerous Business suggested we take a trip to Finland together for the northern lights, I couldn’t resist.
Of course, we did many other winter wonderland activities too including dog sledding, snowshoeing, riding on a sleigh pulled by reindeer, and even doing a polar plunge/sauna combo.
But the main star of the show was to see the northern lights. And we saw them a whopping one time the entire visit. Yup. Turns out it isn’t a guarantee even if you have the best laid plans.
But that’s okay! We still got to see them, and I’ve got tips to help you see them too.
This guide to Rovaniemi includes when to visit to increase your chances, tips and things to keep in mind when it comes to chasing northern lights, best tours (and the one we highly recommend to increase your chances), where to stay to hopefully catch the aurora, and other tips.
Let’s talk about it.
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Table of Contents
- When to Visit Rovaniemi to See the Northern Lights
- Things to Keep in Mind When Chasing the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi
- 1. Sun Activity is Important.
- 2. Space Weather is Important…but So is Earth Weather.
- 3. Less Daylight is Better.
- 4. Time of Night Matters.
- 5. The Northern Lights Look Different to the Naked Eye.
- 6. Northern Lights Aren’t in Full Force the Whole Time
- 7. The Color of the Aurora is Based on Where it is in the Atmosphere.
- 8. And No Matter What the Planning, it Can Still be a Crapshoot.
- Best Northern Lights Tours in Rovaniemi
- 1. Northern Lights Tour with Arctic GM.
- 2. Shorter Tour with Sunsuni Safari
- 3. Ice Floating With Northern Lights With Nordic Adventures
- 4. Enjoy the Northern Lights From Your Glass Igloo/Cabin
- 5. Resort Activities With Northern Lights
- Where to Stay to See the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi
When to Visit Rovaniemi to See the Northern Lights
One of the biggest factors in seeing the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi is darkness. You can’t see the night sky and thus the auroras in it if it is broad daylight.
And, being the arctic, that means they get a LOT of sunshine in the summer months. In fact, in early June and into July, they don’t even have night during their midnight sun. While a stunning time to visit for midnight hiking and summer sports, not so much for the northern lights.
The times to visit Rovaniemi for the northern lights are sometime around late August through March. But again, the more darkness, the more time to potentially see it.
It also appears that the spring and autumn equinoxes also are better for northern lights watching. So September/October and March are great opportunities to catch them.
Also, cloud cover is a factor too. And January tends to be the cloudiest month.
So it can be a tough choice as to when to visit, and if your trip is solely for the northern lights, then September/October and March are great times to go in general.
Sadly, though, you won’t get the magical winter wonderland like you would during the peak winter months of January-early March.
That being said, you’ve got a chance anytime during the fall through winter to see them. So if you want to go for a dreamy winter wonderland in January and February do it! There is still a chance of seeing them!
That being said, let’s talk about things to keep in mind when chasing northern lights in Finland (and in general).
Things to Keep in Mind When Chasing the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi
When to visit is key: autumn and winter! But here are other things to keep in mind if you plan to check out the aurora while in Finnish Lapland.
1. Sun Activity is Important.
That is because the auroras are caused by solar storms happening on the sun. The storms produce clouds of electrically-charged particles that then can travel and be picked up by the Earth’s magnetic field. And where are the magnetic fields the strongest? The north and south poles.
This is why the north and south poles are the most common places to catch auroras. Yes the south pole gets them too, they’re just called aurora australis rather than aurora borealis.
This is a general overview, and you can find out more here.
So having proper sun activity (you want a moody, stormy sun) to create the particles that then get picked up by the magnetic fields.
While these storms can happen any time and cause the auroras, they tend to happen more frequently around a peak every 11 years. That is why 2024 and 2025 have been great times to visit the arctic to see the auroras!
All of that is to say, how do you know when the sun is active enough to create these auroras? Thankfully, Finland has plenty of data and predictors.
This website shares current probability of the northern lights in Finland based on solar wind parameters and geometric activity. You can check that while in Rovaniemi to see your chances of catching the northern lights.
But, if you don’t want to interpret data and probability, perhaps an app that tells you when you can see them is helpful. Thankfully, during our stay at Apukka Resort, they told us to download this app and input our hotel to get alerts when the Northern Lights were present!
2. Space Weather is Important…but So is Earth Weather.
Look, the conditions for the northern lights could be absolutely perfect. Huge solar storm, tons of activity, and boom! Northern Lights in the sky!
But you don’t see a thing. Why? Weather is weathering.
It’s really hard to see activity happening miles above earth’s surface when clouds are blocking the way. And while winter in Rovaniemi is a pretty good time to spot the northern lights…it also can be cloudy, snowy, and even rainy.
Which is exactly what happened to us. To be fair, winter 2025 was a bit strange weather wise. It was far warmer than normal, and it was really cloudy when we went. We spent a week in Rovaniemi and Finnish Lapland and didn’t see the northern lights at all even though conditions were perfect.
That being said, we did do a chasing tour that went into Sweden where we saw an open sky and eventually a breathtaking hour or two of northern lights watching. It was magical!
So if you’re expecting northern lights from your cozy glass igloo each night, think again. If the weather isn’t great, you won’t see them.
3. Less Daylight is Better.
I mentioned this when discussing the best time of year to go to see the northern lights in Rovaniemi, but less daylight hours means darker skies which means auroras.
So timing it from autumn through winter is your best bet!
4. Time of Night Matters.
The northern lights tend to happen around midnight and in the early morning hours. While they could theoretically happen whenever it is dark outside, this is the best time to potentially catch them.
This means you may have many late nights while trying to witness the auroras. But they’re worth it.
5. The Northern Lights Look Different to the Naked Eye.
While you may catch vibrant greens, purples, reds, and blues on a camera or video… they aren’t so vibrant to the naked eye.
That doesn’t mean you can’t see them or hints of them, but your eyes won’t pick it all up the way a camera does. That’s just because of how our eyes work versus a camera.
I don’t have the length here to discuss why eyes just can’t pick up light the way a camera does, but this article breaks it down more fully.
So don’t be disappointed if the northern lights don’t look as bright as you see online, on your cell phone, or even what your camera picks up. It is still magical!
When we witnessed them, we saw hints of green but mostly white. However, it was still really intense and cool to watch!
6. Northern Lights Aren’t in Full Force the Whole Time
What I mean by that is that it doesn’t just begin super intense and stay that way for hours to come.
We spent about 1-2 hours in a field in the middle of nowhere in arctic Sweden when we saw them, and at first, you could’ve mistaken the aurora for a cloud.
It looks like a wisp of cloud in the air, nothing crazy. Only our cameras could pick up the colors forming. It was hard not to feel a little disappointed.
But then, with some patience, it picked up and the band stretched across the sky and intensified! Then it went away again.
Then, it came back with a vengeance and was so intense it started going in a circle and “dancing” across the night sky. It was so incredible to see that I almost cried.
So while I didn’t see crazy colors, we caught hints of green and lots of white. It was still epic to watch it in person!
7. The Color of the Aurora is Based on Where it is in the Atmosphere.
Yes, the colors you see are where the particles are in the atmosphere and how they interact with the gases in the atmosphere.
The particles that interact with oxygen create green and red auroras. Whereas those that interact with nitrogen tend to be more blue and purple.
Green auroras are the most common and occur at lower altitudes of about 100-300 km (62-186 miles). Red northern lights are usually above 300 km (186 miles).
Check out more information about aurora colors here.
8. And No Matter What the Planning, it Can Still be a Crapshoot.
I don’t want to discourage you, but one thing you need to know about attempting to see the northern lights is that you can go at the perfect time of year with the perfect weather and even perfect predictions and somehow, it just wasn’t the night.
Sometimes it should be there and it isn’t.
Other times, conditions can be less than ideal and bam there they are. Locals will tell you sometimes it can be a little unpredictable in intensity, timing, etc. So you can plan and hope for the best, but it may not work out.
That being said, it could also work out perfectly too! But northern lights are never guaranteed, so going in with that in mind will help prevent major disappointment.
However, increasing your stay can increase your chances. That’s why I’m glad we spent a week in Rovaniemi and the surrounding area because it increased our chances of seeing it.
But also, going with a good tour helps too.
Best Northern Lights Tours in Rovaniemi
While one may think you can easily go to a random dark sky cloudless area anywhere and see the northern lights, that isn’t always the case.
Thankfully, there are tours that can help you find the best places to see the northern lights and give you more information about it!
Here are some great northern lights tours in Rovaniemi.
1. Northern Lights Tour with Arctic GM.
This is the tour we went on and highly recommend. That is because it is a northern lights chasing tour. What I mean by that is that it means they will track down the best places to see the northern lights based on the highest probability of seeing them in particular areas and take you there.
The thing is, however, it can be a shorter tour where you leave Rovaniemi, find a great spot, see them, maybe drive to another spot or two, and then you head back and home well before sunrise.
OR
You could be out ALL night long and get home past sunrise. That is what happened with us. We were picked up around 7 pm and we arrived back at our hotel at 6:40 am. That’s because they had to drive us well into Sweden to see them.
I also love that they give you information the morning of your tour detailing your chances of seeing the northern lights. If the chances are low, they do allow you to change your dates or cancel.
That is what happened to us our first night in Rovaniemi. We were set to go out on a chasing tour, and they contacted us and said it was actually canceled because conditions were bad. Then, a few days later when we had rescheduled, they let us know that conditions weren’t great, but they’d do their best.
And thankfully we found the northern lights when we went out!
I highly recommend going on a chasing tour and this company has a ton of knowledge and experience with aurora chasing and photography (they did a photography lesson to help us take photos too)!
2. Shorter Tour with Sunsuni Safari
This tour is a bit shorter so can be a great option if conditions are right! They’ll also do a BBQ if there is time and weather is permitting!
They even do a photography session to help you get epic photos of the northern lights.
3. Ice Floating With Northern Lights With Nordic Adventures
This tour is unique in that you get to potentially enjoy the northern lights as you float in a lake in the wilderness of Lapland!
Don’t worry, you’re wrapped up really good so as to not get cold while floating in a lake in the winter. But people do see the northern lights during good nights with this and is quite unique!
4. Enjoy the Northern Lights From Your Glass Igloo/Cabin
There are many great resorts near Rovaniemi that have glass igloos/cabins and let you know when the northern lights are on display. So no leaving the comfort of your bed to witness them!
We stayed at Apukka Resort where they have glass igloos/cabins and do this!
5. Resort Activities With Northern Lights
Speaking of Apukka Resort, they also offer evening activities like a reindeer sleigh across the night, the snow train to their northern lights camp, horse sleigh through the night, and even nighttime snowmobiling to hopefully catch the northern lights in Rovaniemi in the wilderness.
Where to Stay to See the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi
The best answer to this is outside of the city. That is because light pollution can make it more challenging to spot the northern lights.
But if you plan on doing northern lights chasing tours, staying in Rovaniemi makes it easier to get picked up so that works too.
During our 7 days in Finnish Lapland, we stayed 3 nights in the town and 3 nights at an arctic resort.
We ended up staying at Arctic City Hotel and that was a great option for us! It was close to everything we wanted to see in town and we walked everywhere. They also had very helpful staff, a great breakfast buffet, and warm and cozy rooms.
But the best thing you can do is stay outside the city to potentially catch the northern lights at your resort.
This is where we stayed on our last 3 nights in Lapland. And it was incredible!
They have the cabins with glass roofs to potentially see the northern lights, several activities you can sign up for including dogsledding, the reindeer sleigh across the night, the snowtrain, snowshoeing, a lakeside sauna with a dip in the frozen lake, saunas, etc.
They have autumn activities as well for your stay should you go during that time of year.
Also, they have some restaurants to enjoy tasty food during your stay. I would 100% go back here again and really enjoyed it.
We visited this resort to see the famous ice hotel where you can choose to spend a night if you so wish.
However, they also have glass igloos to enjoy the northern lights! They also offer various winter and autumn activities and you have the chance to visit the ice hotel and explore.
This resort has a lodge with big windows as well as glass apartments for beautiful views and potential to spot the northern lights! They can also arrange activities like snowmobiling, dogsledding, reindeer sleighs, etc.
Other Practical Tips For Visiting Rovaniemi For the Northern Lights
Before you book your flights and make a bee line for Rovaniemi, here are some practical tips to know before you go!
- You’re Going to Have Some Late Nights. Yes, most of the northern lights activities go into the late evening to even overnight. So be prepared. Finland, thankfully, has a strong coffee culture so that helps. But being mentally prepared for some late and all-nighters is key. It’s worth it 100%, but I was definitely tired.
- Sleep Late. Because you’re going to be out late a lot, sleeping in is key. Get late check outs if need be, and if they’re available. We made the mistake of asking for a late check out when we got back at 6:40 am at our hotel in Rovaniemi and when the checkout was 11 am that morning. They couldn’t accommodate us and that was rough. Perhaps booking tours is best when you don’t have to check out the following morning.
- Warm Gear is Essential. Now some companies provide extra gear to keep you warm (just verify ahead of time!), but you’ll want to pack a lot of warm clothes and layers. I’m talking wool underlayers, thick leggings, snow pants, warm socks, snow boots, thermal shirts, a sweatshirt, a tri-climate jacket, scarf, hat/ear muffs, gloves, etc. You’ll be outside potentially in winter witnessing the northern lights and sometimes you’re outside a long time. It can be COLD in the winter to begin with, combine that with it being nighttime, and you get the idea. Gloves with warming devices in it or handwarmers could be nice too.
- Pack your Camera. Yes, these newer iPhones take incredible photos and videos of the northern lights, but nothing is as good as a real camera. So if you have a mirrorless or DSLR camera, that can be super helpful to bring along and practice shooting ahead of time as you’ll want long exposure. Having a tripod helps too! Check out this article detailing northern lights photography.
- Respect the Northern Lights. The Sami indigenous people of this area have both a healthy fear and respect for the northern lights. There are many legends in regards to them including them being spirits of the dead as well as a fox fire. Check out more here!
- Have Fun! It has been a dream of mine to witness the northern lights in person and to take photos and videos of it. And it did not disappoint! It was incredible to watch the northern lights burst into view and dance across the night sky!
The northern lights are a phenomenal thing to behold while in Rovaniemi. If you’re planning a winter trip to Lapland, then you may be in for a real treat as you enjoy a winter wonderland of activities during the day like snowshoeing, dogsledding, and relaxing in a sauna to evening activities like chasing the northern lights.
I hope you have the best time in Rovaniemi and let me know what luck you had in witnessing the aurora!
Want more winter travel ideas? Check out these posts:
- What to Wear in Europe in Winter
- Ultimate 10-Day European Christmas Market Itinerary
- Cologne Christmas Market Crawl in a Day
- Best Prague Christmas Markets
- Vienna in December Guide
- 4 Days in Budapest
- 2 Days in Budapest
- 2 Days in Vienna
- 1 Day in Bruges
- 1 Day in Antwerp
- How to Spend 1 Day in Bratislava
- 2 Days in Prague
- Where to Honeymoon in December
- Where to Honeymoon in January
- Top Places for a February Honeymoon
- Best Warm Winter Vacations in the USA
- Ultimate 7-Day Galapagos Itinerary
- Galapagos Trip Cost
- 7-Day Puerto Rico Itinerary
- 5 Days in Saint Lucia
- Perfect 10-Day Costa Rica Trip
- How to Spend a Week in Belize
- 10 Days in Thailand
- 3 Weeks in Southeast Asia
- 2 Weeks in South Africa
- 10 Days in South Africa
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Kat is the founder and author of the World Wide Honeymoon blog. She has traveled to 43 countries spanning 5 continents to find the most romantic, unique, and fun places for couples to enjoy time together. She creates in-depth itineraries, honeymoon guides, packing lists, and even travel budget guides (Kat’s a former accountant!). Kat has been blogging since 2017, giving honest opinions and tips from her experiences while traveling. Aside from this blog, she runs a podcast with her husband, Chris, called the World Wide Honeymoon Travel Podcast and a travel blog dedicated to France called France Voyager.