This post may contain affiliate links, which means we’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure for more information.
Is seeing the Northern Lights on your bucket list? If you haven’t yet experienced this natural spectacle, you’re in the right place. In this article, about hunting the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi we’ll guide you through everything you need to know—from the legends of the Aurora Borealis to the best time to visit Rovaniemi and tips on how to prepare for your trip.
In our article Santa Claus Express, you’ll discover how to travel from Helsinki to Rovaniemi by train.
Table of Contents
BEST TIME TO SEE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN ROVANIEMI
The Northern Lights in Rovaniemi are visible approximately 150-200 days a year, from late August to early April.
The best time of night to see the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi is between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m., when the sky is darkest, making the lights more visible.
Did you know about other natural phenomena that occur in Lapland, Finland, like the Midnight Sun, during which the sun doesn’t dip below the horizon for weeks (from late May to mid-July), or the Polar Night in winter, when the sun doesn’t rise for weeks?
NORTHERN LIGHTS EXPLAINED
The Northern Lights occurs when the solar wind interacts with the Earth’s magnetic field. When a solar storm reaches Earth, charged particles travel into our atmosphere. These particles then collide with gases, causing them to release energy in the form of colorful light displays in the sky. Green is the most common color of the aurora. At higher altitudes, red auroras can occur, while interactions with nitrogen can produce purple and blue colors.
Good news! The year 2025, like 2024, is a solar maximum, the period of greatest solar activity in the solar cycle.
Aurora Borealis
The Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, occurs in the Northern Hemisphere, in regions near the Arctic Circle, including countries like Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Canada, Alaska, and Russia.
Aurora Australis
The Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, occurs near the southern magnetic pole and is mostly visible in Antarctica. It can also sometimes be seen in southern New Zealand, Australia, and the Falkland Islands. Like the Northern Lights, the Southern Lights are caused by the same natural phenomenon.
Did you know that both the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis are present during the day but are not visible due to sunlight?
HUNTING THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN ROVANIEMI WITH A TOUR
If you’re going Northern Lights hunting for the first time, it’s definitely worth joining a tour. Some companies guarantee sightings (if not, they’ll refund the full amount), while others offer additional services like professional photos taken by guides, snacks and hot drinks, or unique experiences such as ice floating with observation.
➡️ Book your Northern Lights hunting here ⬅️
HUNTING THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN ROVANIEMI WITHOUT A TOUR
In Rovaniemi, with the right weather conditions, you have a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights even without a tour. A good option is to either stay in accommodation away from civilization and light pollution or rent a vehicle so you can chase this natural phenomenon yourself.
Keep in mind that even good weather doesn’t guarantee you’ll see the Northern Lights. For more accurate predictions of when and how strong the aurora will be, consider downloading My Aurora Forecast app.
GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
App
Before heading to Rovaniemi to see the Northern Lights, it’s a good idea to download one of the Aurora forecast apps.
We downloaded the free My Aurora Forecast app, which provides a current map showing the aurora’s location, the KP index, the percentage chance of seeing it in your location, and live webcams from Nordic countries.
My Aurora Forecast Google Play
My Aurora Forecast App Store
Clothes
If you are traveling to see the Northern Lights during the winter months, it is important to bring warm, high-quality clothing and shoes. Temperatures around the Arctic Circle in Finland can drop to as low as -30°C.
Expectation vs. Reality
We must emphasize that the Northern Lights are not always as visible as we saw them in Rovaniemi, above the Arctic Circle. This was not our first experience with the lights. During our first encounter in Murmansk, Russia, the glow was not as intense, and the KP index was lower than in Rovaniemi. In fact, it was only really visible in photos, and we saw it with our own eyes for only a few minutes as a faint, greenish cloud that changed shapes.
How many days you should stay
Not every day is suitable for observing the Aurora, so it’s a good idea to plan your trip over several days to increase your chances of seeing it.
➡️ Book your stay in Rovaniemi here ⬅️
Trick to observe the Aurora Borealis better
We tried this trick in Murmansk, where the aurora was not very intense. Before you direct your gaze toward the aurora, close your eyes for about 30 seconds to a minute. This helps your eyes adjust to the darkness. It’s especially useful in areas with light pollution, where the glow of artificial lights can make the aurora harder to see. By giving your eyes time to adjust, you’ll be able to see the colors more clearly, even in less-than-ideal conditions.
Good camera
Some Northern Lights tours offer the added service of taking professional photos with their cameras if you don’t have your own. When the lights are strong, you can also capture great photos with your mobile phone. We took photos with a Canon GX7 mark 2 and an iPhone 12 and 13.
TIP:
Try a quick light painting technique (flaslight trick) to capture both the Northern Lights and people. Before taking the shot, briefly flash a flashlight on your subjects to make them more visible alongside the aurora.
Did you know that there’s a good chance of catching the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi right from your hotel, if you’re lucky?
Our hotel, Motelli Rovaniemi, is 8 km away from the city of Rovaniemi. We chose it so we could hunt for the Aurora on our own, without a tour.
Hotel stays with Aurora views
🛏️Booking hotels : Booking.com
1.Glass Resort
2.Apukka Resort
3.Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
✨Booking Northern Lights tours : GetYourGuide
1.Northern Lights hunting with BBQ (3hours)
2.Northern Lights Tour with Guaranteed Sightings (8hours)
3.Ice Floating in Lapland With Northern Lights (2.5 hours)
The Northern Lights near our hotel (Both photos taken with an iPhone 12,13 Mini)
OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN ROVANIEMI
We spent two nights in Rovaniemi and had booked a tour to hunt for the Northern Lights on the first night. Unfortunately, our tour was canceled due to bad weather. Luckily, we had already booked two different tours in advance, so we received a refund for the canceled one.
The weather improved the next day, and our second tour started with the driver picking us up in front of our hotel before 8 p.m. We collected other passengers until the van was full. Our first stop was a frozen lake where a barbecue was taking place. In Finland, barbecuing is only allowed in designated areas. It was here that we met our guide, Darya.
Frozen lake near Rovaniemi under full moon and Aurora app during our tour
Under the light of a full moon, we walked on the frozen lake, enjoying the atmosphere of the Arctic Circle beneath the stars, while our guides prepared our dinner. We had a choice of sausages or a vegetarian option, along with hot berry lemonade, which was perfect in the sub-zero temperatures. Later, we roasted marshmallows over a fire. After about an hour, we moved on to our second location. These sites were located on roads without any civilization or light pollution.
At the first location, we were already able to capture the Northern Lights on our phones and cameras. The later the hour, the better we could observe the Aurora Borealis with our own eyes. Initially, the glow was visible to the north, but it eventually spread across the entire sky, forming breathtaking curtains of light. We then drove a few minutes to our final location, where we could already see the lights from the car.
This second location was in deep snow near a hill surrounded by trees. The glow seemed to come from between the trees, and it was a strong, bright light that often changed shapes. After about 40 minutes, the tour ended with a successful Northern Lights sighting. On our way back to the hotel, we continued to observe the Northern Lights, although, near the city, the lights weren’t as prominent as they were in the darker, more remote locations.
Tour van with the Aurora & hunting the Aurora on our own.
Our hotel was located 9 km from the city center (Motelli Rovaniemi), and it felt like too big a chance to miss out on seeing the Northern Lights without a tour. We couldn’t just go to sleep; it was too tempting. So, we set out on our hunt for the lights. We waded through deep snow and were rewarded with various formations of the glow: rainbows, lines stretching across the sky, and strong beams of light emerging between the clouds. We continued our hunt with breaks until about 2 a.m. 🙂
Many people suggest avoiding a full moon for Northern Lights viewing, but during our tour in Rovaniemi, we had a full moon and were lucky enough to witness an above-average aurora display.
➡️ Read our article about Santa Claus Train here ⬅️
MYTHS AND LEGENDS OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS AROUND THE WORLD
The Northern Lights have fascinated people for centuries. Different cultures have interpreted this natural phenomenon in their ways, giving rise to many myths and legends.
In Finland, the Northern Lights are known as “revontulet,” which means “fox fires.” Legend has it that a magical fox running through the snow wags its tail between the trees, sending sparks into the sky and causing the glowing lights.
In other cultures, the Aurora Borealis is often associated with ancestral spirits, celestial beings, and the souls of the deceased, or seen as a sign of good fortune.
Q&A
Which month is the best to visit Rovaniemi?
Rovaniemi can be visited year-round, but it is especially popular during the winter months when the Northern Lights season takes place. You can also combine your visit with a trip to Santa Claus Village (the official hometown of Santa Claus), a well-known winter destination.
Is 2 days enough for Rovaniemi?
Two days in Rovaniemi, Lapland, may not be enough, especially if you’re visiting to see the Northern Lights. The more days you spend, the greater your chance of experiencing the lights. Three or four days seems ideal. We took a bit of a risk and spent two nights in Rovaniemi, but we were lucky and got to see the Aurora.
Where is it best to see the northern lights?
The Aurora Borealis is most commonly seen within the Arctic Circle. Countries where you’re most likely to witness it include Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, and Greenland. Hunting the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi is one of the best places to see it, with sightings occurring 150-200 times a year.
