Aurora Hunting Tour

 
My aurora hunting tour departs from Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland. The tours are organised from end-August until early April on nights when seeing auroras is possible.
The groups are very small, with minimum of 3 and maximum 8 of people.

In Rovaniemi area, the sky is usually clear on only 10–20% of winter nights – the rest is of the time it’s cloudy. This means that going to other areas will greatly increase your chances of seeing the northern lights.

Where exactly? This depends on the night. Before each tour I check different forecast models to determine what area has the best weather conditions. This means that we can travel anywhere from 100 to 500 km away from Rovaniemi to get to clear skies. We often visit the north of Finnish Lapland, or even Swedish Lapland.

With this approach we succeed 95% of the time. Sometimes, even if we do our part and find clear skies, the aurora does not show up. That’s nature. But – you don’t have to worry because you only pay for the tour if you see the lights. Most companies take your money regardless, and they are not motivated to help you experience the auroras.

The tour can last anywhere between 5 to 14 hours. If we find clear skies closer to Rovaniemi, the tour usually lasts about 5–8 hours. If we need to drive many hundreds of kilometres, the tour may last up to 12–14 hours. This is why the departure time is flexible, and can be anywhere between 15.00–19.00. You will get my estimate on the departure time and tour length on the same day, or a day before.

We usually depart early, and don’t leave until the show is over. We skip the “aurora barbeque” because seeing the Aurora is the main thing! 

When the auroras come, we take aurora pictures together. I will be happy to teach you how to make beautiful aurora photos with your own camera. Making aurora photos is fun!  The tour includes all the successful photos without limit, and warm winter clothing – overalls & winter boots. 

Aurora activity varies greatly from night to night. It is possible to see the auroras on about 80% of the nights if the sky is clear. Most of the nights it is possible to see only a small aurora. The aurora activity is hard to predict, and it also changes according to the season. Please check my Aurora info to know which months are the best.

Keep in mind that on some nights it is too cloudy everywhere, or the aurora activity is minimal (Solar Wind Bz staying positive). If the chances are too low, the tour will be cancelled or postponed. For this case, I can mark 2 consecutive nights for you in my calendar to have a better choice. We depart on the 1st possible night that we have agreed. If we succeed on the 1st night, we don’t have to go on the next one.

Departure is between 15.30–19.30, depending on how far we need to drive to find clear skies. You need to arrive to Rovaniemi by 14.30 the latest to join the tour on the same day, otherwise, you first possible try will be on the next day. I can pick you up if you are staying in Rovaniemi centre and 10 km surrounding area. If you leave in remote places like Apukka Resort, Lakelodge Kiehinen, Vaattunki or Nova Galaxy, you need to have a rented car to drive to the city centre to join the tour.

As the tours are often long, I recommend taking water & plenty of snacks with you. You can enjoy them in the car. For the same reason I do not recommend the tour to families with kids under 18th yo, elderly, people with disabilities or movement restrictions, pregnant, or in need of medical attention.

Also, there is usually no access to a warm bathroom, as we hunt for aurora in middle of nowhere, and there is nothing open in Lapland at night time.

P.S. When coming to Lapland, try to avoid Full Moon.  I suggest checking Moon Phase calendar before booking your trip. 

Forecast is short

The aurora & weather forecast are very short term. Once your trip to Rovaniemi is near, I will provide you with the latest forecast.  Sometimes, the decision about the tour is made just a few hours before, or even the last minute. For this reason it is essential that we stay connected. Make sure that you are online, and your Whatsapp notifications are turned ON to receive the latest updates.

Every tour is unique

We do not have a standard departure time or a set location. It all depends on weather & nature. Some nights we can start driving as early as 15.00–16.00 to get to clear skies.
If the weather is good in Rovaniemi area, departure can be later, 17.00–19.00. We can visit one or several spots – it depends on what is necessary for that night. We avoid other groups & mass tourism.