Seeing the Northern Lights in Finland
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.
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Locations
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
2021: 7 Feb, 28 Feb, 14 Mar, 21 Mar, 28 Mar, 28 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec
2022: 2 Jan, 9 Jan, 16 Jan, 23 Jan, 6 Feb, 27 Feb, 13 Mar, 20 Mar, 27 Mar
Best time to see the Northern Lights in Finland
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
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!