Northern Lights in Rovaniemi: Best Spots, Map, Aurora Apps & Tips

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Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland, is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights. With its location close to the Aurora Oval, minimal light pollution just outside the city, and easy accessibility, it’s a fantastic destination for aurora viewing.

In this guide, you’ll find all the information you need to maximize your chances of seeing the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi:

• Best time to see auroras in Rovaniemi
• Aurora viewing checklist (5 essential elements you need to see the Northern Lights)
• Best tours
• Top locations + map
• Best hotels for aurora viewing
• Apps and websites to predict auroras
• Are the Northern Lights guaranteed?

READ ALSO: Best Things to Do in Rovaniemi

Best Time to See Auroras in Lapland

You can see the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi from late August to mid-April, but the best months are between September and March when there’s enough darkness.

That said, if you want to increase your chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis, consider visiting Rovaniemi around the equinoxes (September and March) when aurora activity is the highest.

But don’t worry if you are traveling in December or any other winter month – if the conditions are right (more about this below), you can get lucky anytime during the season. The best auroras I’ve ever seen were in November, so you just never know in advance.

TIP: If you are still in the planning phase and are flexible with your travel dates, I highly recommend visiting Lapland toward the end of the winter season (late February – early March), when there is still plenty of darkness for aurora viewing but also enough snow and daylight to enjoy all the amazing winter activities.

LEARN MORE: Rovaniemi in March

What You Need to See the Northern Lights

Here is a short checklist of the essential elements for seeing the Northern Lights:

• Aurora activity. The higher the aurora activity (measured by the Kp index, from 0 to 9), the better your chances. A Kp index of 6 or higher is very rare, Kp 4-5 is amazing, but thanks to Rovaniemi’s location, you can often see auroras even at KP 2 or lower.

• Darkness. When auroras are strong, they can sometimes be visible even from the city. However, for the best experience, head away from artificial lights to a dark area. When auroras are very weak, total darkness is essential – even a full moon can reduce visibility. That said, I have seen amazing auroras under a full moon more than once, so don’t worry about it too much.

• Clear skies. If you can see the stars, you have a good chance of spotting the Northern Lights if they appear. Clouds, however, will block the view. If it’s raining or snowing and the sky is overcast, auroras won’t be visible. That said, conditions can vary by location and while one area may be cloudy, another might have clear skies. Sometimes you can also see auroras through scattered clouds. This is why aurora tours are so popular; guides track weather patterns in real-time and often drive long distances to find the best viewing conditions. See below for more information about the Northern Lights tours, how they differ, and how to pick the best one.

• Patience. The Northern Lights don’t follow a strict schedule. Sometimes they appear early in the evening; other times, you may have to wait until midnight – or if you are lucky, you may see them multiple times in one night. If the sky is clear, there is no need to drive around ‘looking’ for auroras. Once they’re active, you’ll be able to see them from anywhere with a dark, open view.

• Dedication. If the conditions are good and aurora alerts are going off, you’ll need the willpower to get out of bed, bundle up, and head outside into the freezing cold. Sometimes the green lady dances for hours; other times, the lights disappear in seconds. Since you won’t know in advance, step outside as soon as there’s a chance. Alternatively, take a tour or stay in a glass igloo – more about it below!

Good to know: Weak auroras often appear green on camera, but in reality, they may look like a gray cloud. If you’re unsure whether auroras are active, try taking a few pictures with your smartphone or camera in different directions. If you see a green hue anywhere, that’s it! I often use this trick while waiting indoors – I’ll take a quick shot through the window, and if it’s green, I bundle up and head outside to a darker spot, hoping for more intense activity. Once the auroras pick up, you’ll be able to enjoy them with the naked eye!

READ ALSO: How to Photograph the Northern Lights

Best Aurora Tours in Rovaniemi

When choosing a Northern Lights tour in Rovaniemi, it’s important to know the difference between location-based tours and aurora hunting tours.

Many standard tours take you to a scenic dark spot – often by a lake – with a cozy BBQ dinner by the fire. These can be a great experience if the sky is clear, but they won’t increase your chances of seeing the lights if it’s cloudy.

TIP: For better odds, opt for an aurora hunting tour. The guides monitor weather conditions in real-time and will drive as far as needed to find clear skies, sometimes even over the border into Sweden. Just keep in mind that if the weather isn’t cooperating, you could end up spending hours on the road. Below, we’ve listed some of the best aurora tours in Rovaniemi to help you choose the right experience.

PRO TIP: Book a cancelable aurora tour (or even multiple for different nights) in advance so you can choose the best option based on the weather and aurora forecast. The top Northern Lights tours in Rovaniemi sell out quickly, and if you wait to book until the last minute, you might miss your chance.

Here are some of the best tours for aurora hunting:

• Tour with guaranteed sightings. This is one of the most popular Northern Lights tours in Rovaniemi, with amazing reviews and lots of praises in all Facebook groups.
• Unlimited range Northern Lights hunt. This is a great small-group tour in a VIP minivan with an experienced local guide. They also provide photos after the tour.
• Aurora hunt with photos and money back guarantee. This is one of a few tours that offers a full refund if there is no aurora visible in the camera.

   

Here are some of the best location-based tours that offer a more relaxed scenic experience (perfect for families or anyone who doesn’t feel like sitting in a car all night):

• Aurora hunt with BBQ. This popular tour takes you to 3 scenic locations and includes a BBQ at one of them.
• Aurora hunting photography tour with BBQ. This is one of the best-rated tours that simply take you to one location where you sit around a cozy fire, grill sausages, enjoy hot drinks, and wait for auroras.
• Snowtrain to Northern Lights Camp. This is a unique family-friendly tour from Apukka Resort (includes transfers from the city). You travel through forests in a heated snowtrain carriage to a hut where you enjoy light snacks and a warm drink by the fire.

These are just a few hand-picked tours we shortlisted for our trip. There are plenty of similar options, so be sure to read the full description and check reviews to know exactly what to expect. Remember, hunt tours are ideal if it’s cloudy in Rovaniemi, while location-based tours can be fantastic under clear skies.

Good to know: If the conditions look really bad for the night you booked, serious tour companies will cancel the tour on the day itself (and you’ll get a full refund). Try not to get upset about it and be glad that they are honest with you!

Where to See the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi + Map

While you can sometimes see the Northern Lights in the city, for a better view, head to darker locations. If you are not taking a tour and rather ‘hunt’ on your own, here are some of the best spots for aurora viewing in Rovaniemi:

• Arktikum Park (city park behind Arktikum Museum). A short walk from the city center, Arktikum Park offers open views in the northerly direction. It’s one of the best places to view the auroras in Rovaniemi town. Just be careful and don’t walk on the frozen river as it can be dangerous if the ice is too thin.

• Ounasvaara Observation Tower (5-10 minutes walk from the Santasport Resort). Ounasvaara is a popular local spot for aurora watching in Rovaniemi. However, since it’s in a forested area, you won’t get completely unobstructed views – even from the top of the tower. That said, when we visited one night, the atmosphere was wonderfully cozy, with people gathered around bonfires. And when the Northern Lights appeared, the snow-covered trees made the scene feel truly magical. In the same area, Lapland Hotels Sky Ounasvaara has an aurora viewing deck on their rooftop for hotel guests.

• Santa Claus Village (SCV) (10 minutes drive from Rovaniemi city center). While it is a very touristy area with lots of lights, some places around Santa Claus Village can offer good visibility – just find a darker spot like Glass Resort or even near the cabins of Santa Claus Holiday Village.

• Olkkajärvi Lake (15 minutes drive from the city center). The best place to safely stop for aurora viewing is Olkkajärvi Rest Stop next to the lake. This lake is just near the Apukka Resort which is one of the places that issues alerts in the Aurora Alert Realtime app (more about apps below). We stayed at this resort for a few nights and found the app incredibly accurate, but you can take advantage of it even if you are not staying here, but you will need a car or a taxi to get here from the city center.

• Vikaköngäs Nature Reserve (20 minutes from the city, 5 minutes further east from Olkkajärvi Rest Stop). This is a scenic spot with a suspension bridge and river views, and there is also a place to make a fire to warm up or grill some sausages or marshmallows while waiting.

Good to know: These are just a few popular spots, and they can get quite busy when the aurora forecast looks good. But there are plenty of other great places for aurora hunting in Rovaniemi, and we’ve added a few more to our map below. Remember that when conditions are right, you can see the Northern Lights anywhere. Just be mindful – don’t trespass on private property, avoid stopping on roads, and stay off frozen riverbanks. Find a dark, open spot with a clear view north, and be patient – aurora hunting often requires waiting.

PRO TIP: If you’d rather not drive on icy roads at night chasing auroras, consider staying outside the city. Check out our hotel recommendations below for places where you can watch the Northern Lights right from your doorstep.

How to use this map: Use your computer mouse (or fingers) to zoom in or out. Click on the icons to get more information about each place. Click the arrow on the top left corner for the index. Click the star next to the map’s title to add it to your Google Maps account. To view the saved map on your smartphone or PC, open Google Maps, click the menu and go to ‘Your Places’/’Maps’. If you want to print the map or see it in a bigger window, click on ‘View larger map’ in the top right corner.

Best Hotels for Aurora Viewing

There is no better way to increase of seeing your chances auroras every night than by staying in a darker location outside the city. Any accommodation will do – as long as you are willing to step outside at night and wait for the Northern Lights to appear.

For a truly magical Northern Lights experience consider staying in a glass igloo. When the conditions are right, you can watch the auroras from the comfort of your warm bed. Here are some top options:

• Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos. Located about 30 minutes north of Rovaniemi, this resort offers stunning glass-roofed igloos, a snow hotel, and even an ice restaurant. You can also just visit here for a few hours for a sauna experience and/or dinner and you might be lucky to catch auroras too, but staying here will highly increase your chances since this location is great with plenty of dark open spots.

• Apukka Resort. Just 15 minutes from the city, this resort has all kinds of aurora cabins (also for families), providing uninterrupted views of the night sky. We stayed here for a few nights and saw auroras every night – a few times straight from our bed.

• Santa’s Igloos Arctic Circle or Glass Resort. Situated just near Santa Claus Village, these premium glass igloos offer a luxurious stay with great chances to see auroras right at the Arctic Circle. On a lower budget at SCV, the cabins of Santa Claus Holiday Village or Nova Skyland Hotel are also excellent options, but you will have to step outside for auroras.

• Arctic TreeHouse Hotel. Located between the city center and Santa Claus Village, this hotel features floor-to-ceiling windows in cozy, modern cabins, offering great chances to see auroras without going outside.

LEARN MORE: Where to Stay in Rovaniemi

Best Websites & Apps for the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi

To improve your chances of seeing the auroras, use these apps and websites:

• Aurora Alert Real Time (Apple or Google). This is the best local app with real-time aurora alerts by various locations in Lapland, including the city of Rovaniemi, Apukka, Arctic SnowHotel, Arctic TreeHouse Hotel, etc. Once you download the app, you can choose the locations you want to get alerts from. The moment auroras are visible you get an alert. We used this app during our trip and found it super handy as you don’t have to stand outside for hours.

• My Aurora Forecast & Alerts (Apple or Google). This is the best aurora app overall and I have used it everywhere from Alaska and Iceland to Northern Norway and Lapland. This app not only shows aurora predictions, but also real-time data including current aurora activity and cloud coverage in your area. Plus, it can alert you when there is a good chance to see the Northern Lights in your exact location. It works great!

• Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI). The FMI website offers daily weather and aurora forecasts for Finland.

• Norwegian Meteorological Institute. The yr.no website (they also have an app) is one of the best sources for accurate hour-by-hour weather forecasts worldwide. This is our #1 weather app that we rely on on all our trips and it’s hardly ever wrong. The website offers additional features not available in the app, making it a great tool for planning your aurora hunt. Their ‘other conditions’ section provides aurora forecast with detailed cloud coverage data, including high clouds (where auroras may still be visible), middle, and low clouds (which can block the view completely).

• NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (by USA government). This website is great for more in-depth solar activity reports. But – more importantly – they have an hour-by-hour Kp index forecast that can help you determine the best time to go outside. It’s most accurate on the day itself. On the evening itself, you can also check their 30-minute aurora forecast.

• Geophysical Institute of Alaska University. I first discovered their website while visiting Alaska and later used it for aurora forecasts in Rovaniemi. While they offer a (less reliable) 27-day forecast that can give a rough idea of aurora activity, their 3-day forecast has been the most accurate in my experience. In fact, when I was checking for the best night to see the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi, this was the only site that predicted it correctly three days in advance – others only caught up later. This can be crucial if you’re planning to book an aurora tour on a cloudy night, as the best tours tend to sell out once everyone realizes which night will be the best.

In addition, you can also join local Facebook groups to stay updated on aurora conditions in real time. Just keep in mind that people often become active only after the fact – sharing stunning photos of the Northern Lights they saw the previous night when it’s already too late to plan.

Are the Northern Lights Guaranteed?

No, unfortunately, the Northern Lights are never guaranteed. They depend on solar activity, cloud cover, and other unpredictable factors.

That said, Rovaniemi’s location is great for aurora viewing and if you’re visiting for a few days (in season), you have pretty good chances to catch the Northern Lights.

• If it’s not cloudy, you should be able to see at least some aurora activity every night, especially if you use the tools and tips provided in this guide.
• If the weather isn’t great and there are lots of clouds around Rovaniemi, consider going on a guided aurora hunting tour as that will significantly increase your chances. See the best tours section above for our hand-picked recommendations.

In addition, Rovaniemi offers plenty of other winter experiences – from reindeer and husky sledding, ice fishing, and snowmobiling, to ice hotels and meeting the real Santa Claus. So even if the lights don’t show up, you’ll still have an unforgettable trip!

TIP: Planning a winter visit to Lapland? Don’t miss our detailed itinerary and essential tips for a truly memorable experience: How to Plan a Winter Trip to Rovaniemi (Tips & Itinerary).

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