Lapland, Finland67°46.8′ N · 025°36.0′ E

Finnish Lapland Planner
Aurora band over Vuopajanniemi on Lake Inari, March

Northern lights in Lapland

Auroras show here even when the sun is quiet

Photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen) / CC BY-SA 4.0

Over Kilpisjärvi, FMI counts auroras on about three dark, clear nights in four. Lapland's ski resorts (Ylläs, Levi, Saariselkä) see them on roughly half. Look around midnight. March and early April are best once weather is counted.

Aurora hunts from Rovaniemi

A guide drives you out after dark, with photos taken for you.

Green northern lights over snowy ground near Rovaniemi, Finland

Top pick

Northern lights hunt from Rovaniemi with photos

Rated 4.8 out of 5. 2,703 reviews

A guided aurora hunt by van from Rovaniemi, with photos. The listing promises a refund if you see no lights.

  • Northern lights above a snow-covered grill hut at Naamijoki, Pello, in Finnish Lapland

    Rated 4.7 (71)

    Small-group aurora hunt with a local guide

    A smaller group with a local guide, and photos included.

    from $143.71

    Check price
  • A frozen waterfall on the cliffs of the Korouoma Nature Reserve, Lapland

    Rated 4.9 (1,665)

    Korouoma Canyon frozen waterfalls hike

    A winter hike to frozen waterfalls in a canyon south-east of Rovaniemi, with a fire and food.

    from $78.11

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Odds by place

How often auroras show on a dark, cloudless night: FMI figures
WhereShare of dark, clear nights with auroraSource page
Kilpisjärvi1About 75%FMI, Auroras in Finland
Northern Lapland, Kilpisjärvi–Utsjoki area2Three nights in fourFMI, Northern lights
Lapland ski resorts (FMI names Ylläs, Levi, Saariselkä)1Roughly 50%FMI, Auroras in Finland
Sodankylä2Every second nightFMI, Northern lights
Central Finland (Oulu, Kuusamo)1Roughly 25%FMI, Auroras in Finland
South coast (Helsinki, Turku)1About once a monthFMI, Auroras in Finland
Checked · 1 source · 2 source

These are FMI statistics for dark, clear nights, not forecasts. FMI adds that in Lapland auroras are common even at solar minimum.

When to look

  • Hours: 21:00–01:00 local time (FMI).
  • Season: late August to early April (Visit Finland).
  • Best months: March and early April, once weather is counted (FMI).
  • Cloud: it decides what a dark night shows, so book several nights.

Questions about Finnish Lapland

How likely am I to see the northern lights in Levi?

FMI puts Lapland's ski resorts, Levi included, at roughly 50% of dark, cloudless nights. Cloud is the main limit, so stay several nights.

What time are the northern lights in Finnish Lapland?

Around midnight, give or take a couple of hours. FMI's other page gives 21:00–01:00 local time.

Can you see the northern lights in Rovaniemi?

Yes. Visit Finland, quoting FMI, says auroras show every second night above Rovaniemi when the sky is dark and clear. FMI's own pages give no Rovaniemi figure.

When is northern lights season in Finland?

Late August to early April, says Visit Finland. Summer nights are too light (FMI).

Can you see the northern lights in Helsinki?

Rarely. FMI says about once a month on the south coast, against roughly 25% of dark, clear nights in Oulu and Kuusamo.

3 picks · from $78.10

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