1. Come in the aurora season
The northern lights season in Lapland runs from late August to early April. In summer the nights are simply too bright. September–October and March are favourites: many clear nights, milder temperatures and strong geomagnetic activity around the equinoxes. December and January bring the longest darkness.
2. Clear sky beats everything
Lapland — Ylläs, Levi and Rovaniemi — lies under the auroral oval, so aurora activity is common. What decides your night is the cloud cover. That is why northern lights hunting means moving: following cloud maps and driving to where the sky is open.
3. Get away from the lights
Street lights, ski slopes and hotel windows wash out a faint aurora. Even 10–20 minutes’ drive into the forest or onto a frozen lake makes a huge difference. Give your eyes 15 minutes in the dark and avoid looking at a bright phone screen.
4. Know the forecast — but don’t trust it blindly
The Finnish Meteorological Institute’s auroral activity service and apps showing the Kp index and solar wind are useful. In Lapland even a low Kp can give a beautiful aurora. Watch the cloud forecast just as closely — or let your guide do it.
5. Dress for standing still
Aurora hunting means long stretches of standing in the cold. Wear a thermal base layer, a warm wool or fleece middle layer, a windproof outer layer, a warm hat, mittens and proper winter boots with wool socks. Bring more than you think you need.
6. Photographing the aurora
- Phone: night mode, flash off, keep the phone completely still for a few seconds.
- Camera: tripod, manual focus on infinity, wide lens, ISO 1600–3200, 2–10 s exposure.
- Keep spare batteries in an inside pocket — the cold drains them fast.
7. Or let us take you
The easiest way to see the northern lights is to go with people who hunt them every night. Join a northern lights tour with Light Hunters Lapland from Ylläs, Levi or Rovaniemi.
