Guide · On your own

Can you see the northern lights in Rovaniemi? Yes, here is how it works without a tour

You do not need to book a tour to experience the northern lights in Rovaniemi. With the right location, some distance from the city lights, and a look at the clouds, you have good chances on clear evenings.

Check availabilityfrom $228 · free cancellation

Editorial rovaniemipolarlichter.deUpdated on October 3, 20267 min read14 sources

The Tour for This Guide Rovaniemi: Northern Lights Tour with Guarantee 4.6 (4,381 reviews) 8 hoursAt most 8 guestsPickup Included from$228per person Check availabilityFree cancellation up to 24 hours in advance

In short

01Yes: The northern lights are possible in Rovaniemi from the end of August to the beginning of April, even without a tour.¹
02Where: Ounasvaara is reachable on foot from the center and has elevated viewpoints with a relatively dark surroundings.²
03Darkness: Even a short distance out of the city, to a frozen lake or open fell, makes a real difference.³
04Time of day: Mostly between nine p.m. and two a.m.⁴
05What you need: A clear sky, warm layers, and patience. Without a car you stay close to the city.

Yes, and right in the middle of the season

The short answer to the question is yes. Rovaniemi lies directly on the Arctic Circle, and the northern lights season here runs from late August to early April.⁵ ¹ On any clear, dark evening over the city, lights can appear. A tour is not a requirement for that. It makes some things easier, but you share the sky of Lapland with everyone else, even without a guide.

How often there is activity up there is described by Visit Finland: In northern Finland, the northern lights appear on around 200 nights a year.⁶ That does not mean you see them on all of those nights. Clouds, moonlight, and city lights can work against you. With a good spot and a bit of patience, your chances on your own are still good.

The difference compared to a tour lies mainly in flexibility. A guide with a vehicle can simply drive further when there are clouds over the city. Without a car you are tied to your location and need a clear sky exactly where you are. That is why it is worth checking the cloud cover before each evening. The rest of this page shows you how to make the most of an evening without a tour.

Your evening

An evening without a tour

Afternoon

Check the clouds

First check the cloud cover for the evening.
Early Evening

View activity

The Finnish Meteorological Institute shows auroras and space weather.⁷
Before setting off

Dress warmly

Several layers of winter clothing will keep you warm.⁸
In the evening

To Ounasvaara

Reachable on foot from the center, with elevated viewpoints.²
Until 2 a.m

Be patient

The best window usually lasts until 2 a.m.⁴

Where can you see the northern lights in Rovaniemi?

The most well-known spot for the northern lights within walking distance is Ounasvaara. Visit Rovaniemi describes the hill as reachable on foot from the center, with elevated viewpoints and a relatively dark surroundings for observing the northern lights.² From up there you have a wide view over the forests, and the lights of the city center lie behind you rather than directly in front of your eyes. For a first evening, this is the most obvious place.

Plan the route to Ounasvaara in daylight or at least once beforehand. In the dark and in snow, every path looks different, and a headlamp belongs in your pocket. Once you arrive, find a spot with an unobstructed view to the north and as little light nearby as possible. Then it is a matter of waiting: the northern lights often appear suddenly and change within minutes.

What is important is what Ounasvaara is not: a guaranteed northern lights spot. No place in the city creates the glow, it only makes it easier for you to see it. If clouds lie over Rovaniemi, you will see nothing from up there either. So check the cloud forecast and current camera images from Lapland before setting out, as our guide to the webcam describes.

Compare

On your own or with a guide

Point	Without a Tour	With the tour on this page
Costs	none	from $228 per person
In Case of Clouds	hardly able to move away	Guide follows the clear sky
Spot	Ounasvaara and city edge	away from the city
Getting there	on foot	Pickup Included
Photos	take yourself	the guide takes photos
Guarantee	none	money back if a sighting is impossible

Tour details as per their offer on GetYourGuide; the price is a starting price.

Three options

Ounasvaara, city edge, or tour

Within walking distance

Ounasvaara

Hills at the city edge

Getting there: on foot from the center
Advantage: elevated viewpoints
Good for: the first evening

Tour as plan B

Wider view

city edge

lake or open area

Getting there: a short stretch out
Advantage: darker sky
Good for: unobstructed horizon

Tour as plan B

Mobile

Tour with guarantee

At most 8 guests

Duration: 8 hours
Pickup: included
Good for: cloudy evenings

Tour as plan B

Decision helper

On your own or with a guide?

Choose what applies to you.

I have several evenings free I have only one evening I do not have a car I want photos of myself under the northern lights I want to spend as little as possible

First on your own

Several attempts compensate for cloudy nights; Ounasvaara is within walking distance.²

Book the tour

The guide drives to where the sky is clear and offers a money-back guarantee if a sighting is impossible.

Ounasvaara

The hill is within walking distance from the center.²

Tour with photos

A tour with photos and a money-back guarantee starts from $101.

On your own

Without a tour, the evening only costs you warm clothing.

Ounasvaara is within walking distance from the city center and offers elevated viewpoints and a relatively dark environment for watching the northern lights.

Visit RovaniemiTranslated from English · Source 2

Why a few steps out of the light count

The biggest obstacle in the city is artificial light. Street lamps, illuminated windows, and car headlights make the eyes less sensitive and cause faint northern lights to fade. Visit Finland points out that even Rovaniemi has dark sky nearby and that even a short distance out of the town makes a real difference, for example to a frozen lake or an open fell.³

Also give your eyes time. If you come from a bright room, it takes a while for them to see properly in the dark. During this time, do not look at the bright screen of your phone, or your eyes will have to adjust all over again. A red light on your headlamp helps you find your way without ruining your night vision. This way, you will also notice faint arcs that you would otherwise overlook.

A free horizon is also very valuable. The northern lights often start low in the northern sky and then rise higher. Between tall buildings or dense forest, you easily miss that beginning. Open areas like a frozen lake or a hill give you the panoramic view you need. Only step onto ice where you know for sure that it can hold your weight.

Map

Rovaniemi at a glance

Ounasvaara is on the edge of town; airport and Santa Claus Village to the north.

Map of Rovaniemi with Ounasvaara, Arktikum, city center, airport and Santa Claus Village — Rovaniemi

1
Ounasvaara
Within walking distance from the center, with elevated viewpoints and a relatively dark environment for watching the northern lights.²
In Google Maps ↗
2
City center
Those who venture just a short stretch outside town already find dark sky, according to Visit Finland.³
In Google Maps ↗
3
Arktikum
Seat of the Arctic Center of the University of Lapland and the Lapland Regional Museum.⁹
In Google Maps ↗
4
Santa Claus Village
Located on the Arctic Circle and open every day of the year.¹⁰
In Google Maps ↗
5
Airport
Rovaniemi Airport is 10 kilometers from the city center.¹¹
In Google Maps ↗

Open the map in Google Maps

Checklist

For your evening out on your own

Take along

Several warm layers
Hat, gloves, and scarf
Hot drink in the thermos flask
Headlamp with red light

Check first

Cloud forecast for Rovaniemi
Aurora borealis at the Meteorological Institute
Tell someone where you are going

Cost calculator

What does the tour cost as a backup plan?

In case you do want a tour: the price for your group.

With guaranteethis tourfrom $228 Guarantee and photoscheaperfrom $101 Short tour2 hoursfrom $83

people 2

Total from$456

from per person $228

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Departure prices according to GetYourGuide, converted at the ECB reference rate. The exact price is shown when you book.

Video

Aurora borealis in Lapland and a husky tour

The video only loads when you tap Play.

How to prepare your evening

Good spots for the northern lights in Rovaniemi have three things in common: they are dark, they offer an unobstructed view, and you can reach them safely. With Ounasvaara and the areas on the edge of town, you have starting points for all of that. But it is not only the location that matters, it is the evening. First check the clouds, then the activity. The Finnish Meteorological Institute shows you a page about the northern lights and space weather.⁷

For the time of day, a rule of thumb from Visit Finland helps: the best time window on a given night usually lies between nine p.m. and two a.m.⁴ Eat in peace beforehand, dress warmly, and take a hot drink with you. Outdoors you should be prepared for a longer stretch of time. Whoever goes home disappointed after half an hour will often miss the display that starts shortly after.

A look at the calendar is also helpful. In deep winter it gets dark very early: in mid-December the sun shines for an average of only 0.9 hours.¹² In autumn, on the other hand, it does not get properly dark until late, and in mid-September it still shines for 12.7 hours.¹² Adapt your evening to this and plan not just one attempt, but several evenings during your stay.

Cold and safety without a guide

Without a guide you are responsible for your own warmth. Visit Finland gives average winter temperatures in Rovaniemi between -10 °C and -20 °C.¹³ When waiting for the northern lights, you stand still for a long time, and the cold then becomes noticeable quickly. Visit Rovaniemi recommends keeping warm with several layers of winter clothing.⁸ Think of a hat, gloves, scarf, and well-insulated shoes.

Tell someone where you are going, especially if you are out alone. Take a fully charged phone with you and carry it in an inner pocket close to your body so the battery lasts longer in the cold. Stay on well-known paths and do not rely on finding a shortcut through the snowy forest in the dark. An evening under the northern lights should remain a beautiful experience.

Ice on lakes and rivers is a special topic. A frozen lake does offer a wonderful view, but you cannot tell from the outside how thick the ice is. Only step onto it where locals are visibly using it, or stay on the shore. From the shore you usually have just as good a view of the sky, without taking a risk.

Photographing the northern lights yourself

Without a guide, you are your own photographer. A smartphone can produce usable images even during strong displays, but it works better with a camera whose settings you can adjust manually. Visit Rovaniemi recommends an exposure time of about 5 to 15 seconds, the widest available aperture, and an ISO between 800 and 3200, depending on the brightness of the aurora.¹⁴

For such long exposures, the camera must remain steady. A small tripod or, in a pinch, a backpack placed on a rock will do the job. Set the focus manually to distant lights or bright stars, because autofocus often finds no anchor in the dark. A tree, a ridge, or a person in the foreground adds depth to the image and shows how vast the sky above Lapland is.

But do not forget to simply look up while photographing. Auroras sometimes change so quickly that by the time you glance at the screen, you have already missed the most beautiful moment. Take a few shots, check the settings briefly, and then enjoy the show with your own eyes. The memory of that moment lasts longer than any photo on your phone.

When a tour is still a good idea

An evening on your own is lovely, but it has its limits. If clouds lie over the city, you will hardly be able to move away without a car. This is where a guided tour really shines. The tour on this page is designed for a maximum of 8 guests, lasts 8 hours, and includes pickup. The guide drives the off-road vehicle to wherever the sky is clear, even across the border if needed.

There is also a guarantee: if conditions make an aurora sighting impossible, you get your money back. In addition, the guide takes photos of the guests under the aurora so that you can focus entirely on watching. From $228 per person, you are in, and you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours beforehand.

If you prefer something more affordable, there are alternatives. A tour with a money-back guarantee and photos starts from $101 per person. A short guided aurora tour of 2 hours is available from $83. A good plan might look like this: spend the first evenings on your own at Ounasvaara, and if the weather does not cooperate, book a tour for the night with the best views.

Book the tour