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Guide · Experiences
Aurora experiences in Rovaniemi: is the tour worth it?
How guests rate the tour with guarantee, what they praise, what bothers them, and for whom a long night in the cold of Lapland is truly worthwhile.
Check availabilityfrom $228 · free cancellation
Editorial rovaniemipolarlichter.deUpdated on October 3, 20266 min read4 sources
In short
- 01Rating
- 4.64 out of 4,381 ratings on GetYourGuide.
- 02Praised
- The guides, their explanations, the many photos, and the search for clear skies, crossing the border if necessary.
- 03Criticism
- The cold, long waiting times, and nights when the lights were only faint.
- 04Worth it
- Yes, if you want a long night in a small group and can be patient.
- 05Price
- From $228 per person, free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.
How guests rate the tour
The aurora tour with guarantee recommended on this site scores 4.64 out of 4,381 ratings. Among the tours compared here in Rovaniemi, none has gathered more reviews. Such a large number makes the result reliable: individual bad nights hardly matter, and what keeps appearing in the reports is no coincidence.
The comparison with other tours is interesting. An aurora chase with guarantee and photos scores 4.85 out of 2,529 ratings, a small-group chase 4.86 out of 348. The tour on this site is therefore slightly lower, but has significantly more guests behind its rating. A higher rating from few reviews is not automatically the better sign.
What a rating does not show is the weather on your own night. Auroras need clear skies, and no tour can order that. It is best to read reviews like reports about people: How was the guide, how did the organization go, how did the group handle a difficult night? That is what a tour can influence, not the sun or the clouds.
What guests especially praise
Remarkably often, guests mention their guide by name. They praise the guides for being patient, explaining a great deal about how the auroras form, and answering every question. Some report that they talked at length with the guide outdoors while others warmed up in the vehicle. This closeness is one of the advantages of a small group where nobody gets lost in the crowd.
The second major topic is the photos. On this tour, the guide is also the group's aurora photographer, and guests report many pictures of themselves standing under the green sky. Some got ideas for poses and subjects, others were simply glad to be able to leave their camera in their bag and experience the moment with their own eyes.
The third topic is the endurance during the search. Several guests write that their guide drove on when clouds appeared, until the sky cleared, in individual cases even into Sweden. This fits the tour: it is designed without a fixed time or distance limit and can cross national borders if necessary. Anyone who has experienced a short tour without success beforehand will notice this difference particularly clearly.
Reviews
Northern Lights Tours in Rovaniemi by Rating
Points
In Comparison
Rating and Number of Reviews
| Tour | Rating | Reviews | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tour on this page | 4,64 | 4.381 | from $228 |
| Hunt with Guarantee and Photos | 4,85 | 2.529 | from $101 |
| Wilderness Tour in a Small Group | 4,34 | 1.530 | from $149 |
| Aurora hunt with photos | 4,85 | 1.296 | from $80 |
| Snowmobile Safari | 4,33 | 1.135 | from $160 |
| Small group guaranteed | 4,86 | 348 | from $149 |
Rating, Number of Reviews and Starting Price according to the offers on GetYourGuide.
Decision helper
Which Tour Fits You?
Choose what matters most to you.
Tour on this page
Long night, guarantee and at most 8 guests.
Hunt with Guarantee and Photos
4.85 out of 2,529 reviews, from $101.
Family tour
Lasts 3 hours and costs from $121.
Snowmobile Safari
With campfire, 4 hours, from $160.
According to statistics from the Finnish Meteorological Institute, in northern Lapland, in the Kilpisjärvi-Utsjoki area, three out of four nights are illuminated by auroras, provided the sky is clear enough of clouds.
What guests criticize
One complaint keeps coming up, and it has little to do with the tour itself: it is cold. In winter, average temperatures in Rovaniemi range between -10 °C and -20 °C.2 Standing outdoors for hours, you feel it despite good clothing. Guests who still enjoyed the night often describe the cold in retrospect as part of the adventure.
Another point is the waiting. Auroras do not arrive on command, and sometimes the group waits a long time in one place before anything appears. Some guests saw the lights only faintly or for a short time and were still satisfied because they saw something at all. Anyone who has glowing images from the internet in mind should know that the eye perceives colors more weakly than a camera.
Then there is the length of the night. The tour is planned for 8 hours, and individual guests report nights that lasted even longer. For the search for auroras, that is an advantage, but less so for the next day. Plan no early appointments afterward and give yourself a quiet morning so you can enjoy the next night again.
Good to know
Praise and criticism at a glance
01
What guests praise
- Patient guides who explain a lot
- Many photos from the evening
- Persistence in searching for clear skies
02
What guests dislike
- The cold while standing for a long time
- Long waiting times
- Weak lights on some nights
Cost calculator
What the night costs for your group
Calculate what the proven tours cost you.
people
Total from$456
from per person $228
Check availabilityfree cancellationDeparture prices according to GetYourGuide, converted at the ECB reference rate. The exact price is shown when you book.
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For whom the tour is worthwhile
The tour is especially worthwhile for guests who have only a few evenings in Rovaniemi and want to make the most of their chance. A long night in a small group of at most 8 guests with pickup is a good prerequisite for that. Added to this is the guarantee: money back if the conditions make a search impossible.
For families with small children, such a long night is rather tiring. For them, there is a family-friendly aurora tour lasting 3 hours and costing from $121. That one is also limited to at most 8 guests. This keeps the evening short enough for children to enjoy it with wide eyes instead of falling asleep tired in the vehicle.
Those who mainly want to travel on a budget can find chases with guarantee and photos already from $88. One of them scores 4.88 out of 443 ratings. The difference compared to the tour on this site lies less in the rating than in the group size, the duration, and the equipment. Read such offers carefully to see how many guests join and how long the search lasts.
How to get the most out of your night
Good experiences begin even before pickup. Eat warmly beforehand, drink enough, and dress in layers. In Rovaniemi in winter: several layers of winter clothing keep you warm.3 Gloves, a hat, and warm shoes are more important than an expensive jacket, because your hands and feet get cold first.
Bring patience along. Beautiful moments often come only after a long wait, and auroras can change very quickly. The best chances are often between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m.4 Anyone who gets tired early and falls asleep in the vehicle may miss the highlight of the night, which sometimes comes only late.
And talk to your guide. Many good reviews mention the conversations: about the physics of the lights, life in Lapland, the best photo subjects. Those who ask get more from the night than just a photo. And if the lights remain faint, it is exactly this knowledge that makes the evening something special nonetheless.
Honest conclusion
Overall, the reviews paint a clear picture: a well-organized, long night with dedicated guides who take many photos and explain a great deal. The rating of 4.64 out of 4,381 reviews confirms this. The weaknesses lie rather in the nature of the matter: cold, waiting, and a sky that cannot be planned.
The price from $228 is above that of many other tours in Rovaniemi. For that, you get a group of at most 8 guests, pickup, and a guarantee with refund if conditions make a search impossible. Anyone who has only one evening is well advised with this combination, because they get plenty of time for the search.
Those with more time can also start cheaper and add another tour if needed. What matters is that you do not waste your evenings: check the forecast, book flexibly, and cancel for free up to 24 hours in advance if necessary. That gives your trip a good chance at a night under the aurora.
What guests say about organization and pickup
Besides guides and photos, many reviews also cover the process. Guests praise punctual pickup and comfortable vehicles, even though the drive to a spot with clear skies can take a long time. Pickup is included in the offer, and the ride is in an off-road vehicle. That is a pleasant difference compared to tours where you have to get to the meeting point yourself.
Some guests also describe how their guide changed plans on the go when clouds moved in and switched locations several times. Such accounts show that the night does not follow a fixed schedule but follows the sky. Anyone who likes to know when they will be back should keep that in mind: the tour is scheduled for 8 hours but, according to the offer, can continue without a fixed time or distance limit.
What rarely appears in reviews are complaints about the group. With at most 8 guests, it stays manageable, and no one has to push for the best spot. Couples and solo travelers appreciate that because it is easy to start a conversation. Families with older children also come up in the reports and praise the quiet atmosphere outdoors.
Book the tour
Tonight the sky could turn green over the forests.
Reserve now, pay later, and cancel for free up to 24 hours before the start.
You ask,we answer.
How is the tour rated?
With 4.64 points. The rating is based on 4,381 reviews on GetYourGuide.
What do guests praise most?
The guides and the photos. Guests often mention their guides by name and are delighted with pictures of themselves standing under the northern lights.
What is criticized?
Cold and waiting. Some guests saw the lights only faintly or briefly, others found the night very long.
How many guests go on the tour?
At most 8. The tour is a small group with a maximum of 8 participants.
Does the guide speak German?
No, English. According to the offer, the tour takes place with a live guide in English.
Is the tour worth it for small children?
Not really. The night is long; for families there is a tour that lasts 3 hours.
What happens if no northern lights appear?
The guarantee applies. If conditions make the search impossible, you get your money back.
Sources
What this guide is based on
- 1Finnish Meteorological InstituteNorthern lights↩
- 2Visit FinlandWeather and climate in Finland↩
- 3Visit Rovaniemi8 Safety Instructions For Winter Travellers↩
- 4Visit FinlandHow to see Northern Lights in Finland↩
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