Seeing the Northern Lights in Finland
Named by the Italian polymath Galileo – after the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, and the Greek god of the north wind, Boreas – the Aurora Borealis have fascinated observers since time began and the indigenous Laplanders, the Sámi, are no exception.
Traditional Sámi tales have long included the colourful natural phenomena with generations passing on the myths and legends associated with the lights in the sky; the most common of which is that the lights are the souls of the dead. Anyone witnessing the Northern Lights in Finland is therefore required to watch with reverence and behave in a manner befitting a solemn occasion. Making too much noise is most definitely discouraged and it’s also said that whistling attracts the souls of the departed closer to the earth which may also result in whistlers being whisked off to join them.
Scientists remain somewhat inconclusive as to what the Northern Lights are. Charged particles from a fluctuating solar wind monkeying with atoms in the magnetosphere, is pretty much the gist of it; although Professor Brian Cox may have more to say on the matter.
Whatever your beliefs, witnessing the Northern Lights firsthand has become one of the top reasons to visit Finland. If you’re looking for more suggestions on the locations, accommodation, activities and the best time of year for success then here is where your quest begins.
Traditional Sámi tales have long included the colourful natural phenomena with generations passing on the myths and legends associated with the lights in the sky; the most common of which is that the lights are the souls of the dead. Anyone witnessing the Northern Lights in Finland is therefore required to watch with reverence and behave in a manner befitting a solemn occasion. Making too much noise is most definitely discouraged and it’s also said that whistling attracts the souls of the departed closer to the earth which may also result in whistlers being whisked off to join them.
Scientists remain somewhat inconclusive as to what the Northern Lights are. Charged particles from a fluctuating solar wind monkeying with atoms in the magnetosphere, is pretty much the gist of it; although Professor Brian Cox may have more to say on the matter.
Whatever your beliefs, witnessing the Northern Lights firsthand has become one of the top reasons to visit Finland. If you’re looking for more suggestions on the locations, accommodation, activities and the best time of year for success then here is where your quest begins.
Our Finland Holidays
Finland Northern Lights holiday, Wilderness Auroras
Winter activities & Aurora hunting in Finland
From
£1785 to £2345
5 days
inc UK flights
Northern Lights family holiday, tailor made
A mix of Lapland family activities and a relaxing spa hotel
From
£1675 to £2010
4 days
inc UK flights
Finland winter activity holiday & Northern Lights
Discover this Finnish winter activity wilderness week
From
£2449 to £2949
8 days
inc UK flights
Northern Lights short break, Finnish Lapland
Unique aurora tour with huskys, snowshoeing and snowmobiling
From
€1215 to €1264
4 days
ex flights
Finland Northern Lights and glamping
4-night break to see the Northern Lights in Finnish Lapland
From
£1650 to £2395
5 days
inc UK flights
Locations
The best place to watch the Northern Lights in Finland is as close as possible to the Arctic Circle in Lapland. National parks, such as Pallas-Yllästunturi, Lemmenjoki and Urho-Kekkonen, are ideal, with organised tours taking you deep into remote, forested regions where a lack of light pollution and localised vantage points provide the best chance of sightings. Lapland’s lakes are also wonderful locations to watch the Northern Lights with Lake Torasjarvi, in the west, and Lake Inari, in the far north (especially the village of Nellim), providing incredible lakeside viewing platforms. Finally, Luosto, in Pyhä-Luosto National Park, is one of central Lapland’s top spots for sightings; this relatively untouched and remote region is just a 90-minute drive from Rovaniemi airport.
Accommodation
Where you stay can really enhance your viewing chances with wilderness hotels (with rooms featuring north facing widows) and awesome Aurora Bubbles (basically, glass igloos) both worth booking around the frozen shores of Lake Inari. Staying at a reindeer farm within Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park is another great way to immerse yourself in the snow covered wilds of Lapland with cosy, yurt-like cocoons with north facing Perspex walls offering a unique alternative to cosy guest rooms. Due to the remote locations, wilderness hotels often operate on a full board basis.Outdoor activities take place close to the accommodation or provide a means of getting from one hotel to the next, perhaps by snowmobile, dog sled or on cross country skis. Nearly all lodgings within the Aurora zone, no matter how remote, will include an outdoor sauna that’s free of charge for guests. If you’re really up for a wild experience, try a traditional kota for a night or two. It may not come complete with sauna but will include a shed stacked with wood for cooking sausages and keeping warm by the fire.
Our top Finland Holiday
Finland Northern Lights holiday, Wilderness Auroras
Winter activities & Aurora hunting in Finland
From
£1785 to £2345
5 days
inc UK flights
Small group travel:
2022: 28 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec, 19 Dec, 26 Dec
2023: 2 Jan, 9 Jan, 15 Jan, 23 Jan, 30 Jan, 6 Feb, 13 Feb, 20 Feb, 27 Feb, 6 Mar, 13 Mar, 20 Mar
2022: 28 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec, 19 Dec, 26 Dec
2023: 2 Jan, 9 Jan, 15 Jan, 23 Jan, 30 Jan, 6 Feb, 13 Feb, 20 Feb, 27 Feb, 6 Mar, 13 Mar, 20 Mar
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Finland or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
01273 823 700
Call us today after 9am
Calling from outside the UK
Best time to see the Northern Lights in Finland
Although December and January are the darkest months in northern Finland and great for seeing the Northern Lights, it is tricky to make the most of the days as the sun barely rises above the horizon. You really want a tour to include plenty of things to do during the day before setting your Aurora alarm. December is also a very popular time for families heading to Lapland to see Father Christmas, which pushes up prices and accommodation can get booked out. Read more about the best time to see the Northern Lights in our guide.
October and November can be cloudy, so keep this in mind if you’re thinking of an autumnal Aurora experience. The best time to see the Northern Lights in Finland is February and March, as well as the end of September, when more light allows for lots of things to do during the day and clearer skies conjure up a higher chance of a successful sightings by night. The highest chance of a sighting occurs between 10pm and midnight, although lights can appear anytime between 6pm and 4am.
October and November can be cloudy, so keep this in mind if you’re thinking of an autumnal Aurora experience. The best time to see the Northern Lights in Finland is February and March, as well as the end of September, when more light allows for lots of things to do during the day and clearer skies conjure up a higher chance of a successful sightings by night. The highest chance of a sighting occurs between 10pm and midnight, although lights can appear anytime between 6pm and 4am.
Additional activities
Although your prime objective maybe watching the Northern Lights, they do only come out at night, so do build some winter activities into your itinerary. National parks such as Hossa are full of forest trails and lakeside tracks, with snow shoes and cross country skis just a couple of ways to negotiate snow covered routes. Of course, if you feel the need for speed then a ride on a reindeer drawn sleigh could do the trick, although standing behind a team of huskies might well prove more exciting as you fly through frozen wilderness areas travelling between 25km and 40km in a day.
These sorts of activities can take you ever deeper into Finland’s forests, to overnight wilderness camps and purpose built Aurora accommodation. Snowmobiles are also a speedy way to whisk you from one point to the next with fat biking, on chunky tyres, another activity to add to your Christmas list. Make sure you’re fit enough for the challenge, though, or else you might end up sleeping no sooner than you’ve left the saddle – and missing the nightly show!
These sorts of activities can take you ever deeper into Finland’s forests, to overnight wilderness camps and purpose built Aurora accommodation. Snowmobiles are also a speedy way to whisk you from one point to the next with fat biking, on chunky tyres, another activity to add to your Christmas list. Make sure you’re fit enough for the challenge, though, or else you might end up sleeping no sooner than you’ve left the saddle – and missing the nightly show!
More about Finland
Our Finland travel guide lets you into long and light summer days, for trekking and kayaking, as well as Northern Lights watching, snowshoeing and cross country skiing in the snow covered, darker months of winter.
The best time to visit Finland depends on what you wish to do as winter is ideal for dog sledding and winter sports whereas the arrival of spring in May sees the sun making a return prior to the long hot summer days.
Click on our interactive Finland map and highlights to discover some of the best places to visit in both summer and winter, whether you're seeking wolverines, wild bears, snowshoeing, Santa or Sami hospitality.
From snow shoeing and cross country skiing to husky safaris, Northern Lights and warming fires, Finland in the winter abounds with things to do so slip on your woolly socks, grab a glass of Glögi and read on for more info.
There’s no more exhilarating and rewarding way to discover the snowy Finnish wilderness other than on a husky safari, with a team of dogs pulling you through pure white landscapes and across vast frozen lakes.
Finns grow up learning about jokamiehenoikeus: every man’s right to roam. The Finnish landscape is everyone’s, including yours, to explore and forage – so long as you do so carefully.
You don’t need to travel to Alaska to see brown bears; the Wild Taiga region of Finland is home to these fascinating creatures and a supporting cast of other animals, too, from wolves and wolverine to elk and reindeer.
Travelling in Finland with kids is a wonderful experience for families of any age, with snowshoeing and canoeing on the cards for older children, and snowmen, sledging and reindeer-nuzzling delights for younger ones.
If you think that Lapland is just about snow and Santa then think again as summer holidays in Finland help to create a far more accessible and affordable outdoor experience. including self-drive tours and hiking holidays.
Rail holidays in Finland are far more relaxing than driving. They also encourage an element of destination-hopping, so you will be able to visit Oulu and Kemi instead of heading straight to busy Rovaniemi in Lapland.
Although traditionally semi nomadic reindeer herders, the Sámi are adapting to a changing world with responsible tourism playing a role in keeping alive the languages, music and folklore tales from around the Arctic Circle.
Holidays in Finland don’t have to mean Santa. You could exercise huskies in autumn to help them get fit for sledding season or visit the country in summer, when far fewer people think to come, and try holidaying like a Finn in a log cabin.
The first eSleds have made their debut in Finland, and in the responsible travel stakes, electric beats traditional snowmobiles hands-down, but how can you make sure your snowmobile safari is good for Finnish Lapland?
Finns prize privacy and remoteness above all else, and many choose to holiday in their home country, fleeing to their family cabins in search of solitude. Just like Finns, honeymooners appreciate a bit of alone time – just replace that family cabin with a place for two.
Our specialist holiday companies and travellers have shared their Finland travel advice on everything from cross country skiing and the best time to see wildlife, to packing for the cold and eating locally sourced food.
It's hard to know where to start when planning a trip to Finland but we've picked out our top activities to get you started - from admiring the Aurora to mushing huskies, tracking wolverines and thawing out in a sauna.
If you fancy fat biking in Oulanka National Park, these mountain bikes with big chunky tyres are a great way to enjoy some Arctic exercise and have fun as part of a small guided group without damaging the environment.
When you stay in a log cabin in Finland, you’re often staying in a family’s second home – sauna, open fire and a cupboardful of kayaks and snowshoes included.
Helsinki is the cool capital of Finland – a southerly peninsula city surrounded by lakes, islands and forest parks.
It's hard to go wrong when travelling in this nature loving nation but there are a few things to be aware of including hunting, Sami rights and huskies vs snowmobiles; read our thoughts on responsible tourism in Finland.
Find all our Finland guides in one place, from Husky safaris to the Northern Lights and everything in between.
