Aurora Tour FAQ

We don’t have a fixed departure time or set location — everything depends on the weather and nature. If the skies are very cloudy, we may start as early as 14:00–16:00 to reach clear areas. If the weather is better and the drive is shorter, departure is usually between 17:00–19:00. Early and late in the season (Eng-August & early September / End-March – Early April) the days are longer and, departure is around 18.00–20.30.

The return time is also flexible and depends on how far we travel, as well as the timing of the aurora (it changes night-to-night). We may return any time between midnight and 6:00 AM. For this reason, I strongly recommend not booking my tour if you have an early flight or morning excursion the next day. Ideally, keep your schedule free until at least noon, so you have time to rest.

How to Book a Tour?

You can book my tour on this site using the Booking Calendar. I am not part of mass tourism, and my tours are not available on aggregate sites or booking systems.

The booking is made with credit card, paying the whole tour price in advance. You can see the Cancellation & Refund policy on the Terms & Conditions page.

If there are any problems or questions, don't hesitate to contact me:

WhatsApp: +358 400 825 570
(Alexander Kuznetsov)

If the Client cancels the tour:

• 30 calendar days or more before the tour date – 100% refund
• 15 calendar days or more before the tour date – 50% refund
• less than 15 days – 0% refund
• If the client does not arrive or is late to agreed pickup address by more than 10 mintues – 0% refund

Refunds are usually processed within 10 business days.
Read full Terms and Cancellations before booking.

If Aurora Hunting cancels the tour:

• Tour cancelled / clear skies not found during the tour – 100% refund
• Clear skies found, but aurora activity not visible with naked eyes – 50% refund

If Aurora is seen with naked eyes (regardless of duration and size) – the tour is considered a success, and refund is not available (full or partial).

Aurora Hunting reservers the right to cancel the tour at any moment after the booking was made. Most cancellations are due to bad weather conditions (sometimes, in whole Scandinavia) or low aurora activity. Some tours may also be cancelled due to technical or personal issues. Cancellations are communicated by Whatsapp.

Not Sure Yet?

If you're uncertain about your travel plans, or don’t yet know how many people are in your group — it’s better to wait before booking. I value commitment and honesty — and I offer the same in return.

I keep a close eye on the weather conditions. If the forecast looks unfavorable and there’s availability for the next night, we can reschedule your tour at no extra cost.

If the tour is cancelled, and there is no possibility to reschedule, your payment is fully refunded within 10 working days.

Yes — but you need to join a tour with existing bookings. I require at least 2 people to open a tour date, unfortunately I cannot make private tours for just 1 client. You can check the Booking Calendar for available dates. Most of my guests are couples, and the van has 8 seats.

You're very welcome — we just need to find the right timing!

I offer small-group tours with a maximum of 8 guests, and, with the rare expection, I personally guide every tour. Unlike most other operators, I don’t aim for mass tourism. We use just one van per night — not five or ten — to make it a more profound and enjoyable experience.

Aurora hunting tours involve extended periods of driving across remote areas of Lapland and spending time outdoors in sub-zero temperatures. These conditions can be physically demanding and are not suitable for everyone.

For this reason, I do not recommend the tour for families with children below 10 years of age, elderly guests, pregnant ladies, or persons with disabilities or limited mobility.  Unfortuntely, we don't get to make a lot of easy tours. They do happen, but impossible to know when.

The weather conditions are less harsh in September-October, and at the end of the season in End-March and Early April, so you should consider coming at those times, if you would like to have higher chances for an easy tour.

Generally, winter night temperatures in Lapland are between 0 and –35°C. Staying warm in the cold comes down to layering — the colder it gets, the more layers you’ll need. I recommend that for every –10°C degrees, you would add another layer.

Start with thermal underwear (or even two layers), add a fleece jacket and a woolen sweater. Then some sports trousers and insulated ski pants on top. Use woolen or technical socks — two pairs often work best. Hand warmers and toe warmers can make a big difference, too. And of course, don’t forget good gloves and a warm hat!

I provide warm winter overalls and boots as part of the tour, but they are meant to be the final layer of protection against the cold. You should still arrive wearing your full normal winter clothing — including a proper winter jacket and shoes. Usually, we put on the overalls and boots once we arrive at the spot, as they are too warm and bulky to wear during the long drives.

It’s really impossible to give a guaranteed answer — auroras are a natural phenomenon.
That said, I estimate that auroras are visible on about 85–90% of the nights, but we need to do a lot of driving to find clear skies.

What you see can with the naked eye varies greatly — from a faint green line on the horizon for a few minutes minutes, to auroras dancing in the sky for many hours, and anything in between!

With typical solar activity, we might witness one or two arcs near the northern horizon, active for 15–60 minutes. They may usually shimmer and move a little but, but  less likely to make a dramatic explosion.

On about 10–15% of nights, auroras may be too faint to see with the naked eye, and they only show up in a long-exposure photo.

We consider the tour a success when we see auroras with our own eyes, even if for a brief moment, and far on the horizon. Unfortunately, the strength and duration of the aurora are not up to me! If it was, we would have a crazy show every night! 😀

The honest answer? It doesn’t really matter what the aurora forecast is. No app, website, or forecast can accurately predict how strong the aurora will be, what it will look like, how long it will last, or whether it’ll burst into a dramatic display or quietly glow in the background for hours. It's a casino!

What we can do is – go with the weather forecast, depart on time, visit the areas with clear skies, and wait for what nature has prepared for us. 

Yes! I take an unlimited number of photos during the tour — both of my guests and of the aurora itself. After the tour, I carefully go through all the shots and edit them professionally. Once they're ready, I'll send you a download link. It usually takes up to 7 days to receive the link, depending on how many photos I took and how busy the tour schedule is at the time.

Yes! My tour departs from Rovaniemi, and I offer pickup from any hotel or Airbnb within the Rovaniemi city center and a 10 km radius. Unfortunately, I’m not able to provide pickup outside this area. This is to keep the departure time flexible, and to be able to depart on a short notice.

The pickup is not available from igloo resorts like Arctic Snowhotel, Aito Resort, Hotel Boreas, Lakelodge Kiehinen, Halo, Nova Galaxy, Vaattunki resort etc.

If you stay ountside the city and nd wish to join the tour, we can meet at the city centre. Or, what I recommend is that you stay in the luxurious igloo hotel on another night, when you are not on a hunt. For a night of hunting,  choose something more modest and convenient such as an airbnb at the city centre – you won't be spending much time there that night anyway!

Short answer — no. Our tour is focused on finding clear skies and capturing the best aurora moments, not on culinary experiences. Most of the time, I’m busy driving, checking data, making decisions, and filming the auroras. Also, having a picnic outside at –30°C isn’t exactly a great idea! There are "aurora barbeque tours" available in Rovaniemi, but they aren't really about the aurora! Some tours make illegal fires on the side of the road — not a brilliant idea either.

I recommend having an early dinner before the tour. Or, if the departure is early, a good late lunch! In rare cases, we can stop at a gas station and grab something to go. You’re also very welcome to bring your own drinks and snacks to enjoy in the car during the night.

Unfortunately, finding a warm working bathroom can be even harder than finding the northern lights! Lapland is mostly wilderness, with only a few small towns and villages scattered across vast distances. And even in those, everything tends to close early — usually by 21:00.

If we leave early, we can stop at a gas station — if there is one on the way. However, on the way back, usually there’s nothing open. So mostly it means you need to find a cosy spot in the nature. 🙂

I recommend bringing your own camera and gear for the best results. However, I do have a couple of spare camera tripods available if you need to borrow one. I'm also happy to guide you and help with taking photos during the tour.

That said, if you have an older DSLR and little to no experience with nighttime photography, it might be better to leave it at home — in many cases, your phone camera will actually capture better results under the aurora.

Congratulations on your romantic plans! Proposing during the tour is absolutely possible — just let me know in advance so I can be ready to capture the big moment.

You can do this by using the Special Requests field when you complete your booking at the Checkout page. Or, just sent me a message on Whatsapp +358400825570. We can even agree on a special cue or word I’ll say to give you the perfect signal to begin your proposal.

Short answer — no. I've done a few private tours in the past, however, usually there is already someone booked for the same date. Technically, you could buy out all 8 spots on the tour, but this won't be cheap.

If you’re a family with small children, I strongly advise against booking this tour — even privately. This is not a comfort-focused experience. It’s designed for those who are serious about seeing the auroras and willing to put in the effort it takes — long drives, cold weather, and late nights.

So, in most cases: no, I do not offer private tours.