"Excellent sightseeing tour. As they said, there's a guarantee of seeing the northern lights. The guides are very helpful and take as many photos as you want. Excellent choice. I recommend them. They know exactly where to go. We saw reindeer, visited Sweden, and the Northern Lights appeared over an open field with a church from 1600 in the background. It was magical."
CHECK THE SKY
Cloud and darkness decide the night
—
Cloud over tonight’s dark hours
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Kp forecast tonight (NOAA)
—
Moon tonight
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Dark enough tonight
A forecast, not a promise: cloud for Rovaniemi from MET Norway, Kp from NOAA SWPC · Rovaniemi tours drive out of town to lakes and forest clearings away from the city lights. · month by month · checked
Geomagnetic latitude
63.6°
Corrected geomagnetic latitude (IGRF-13) of the nearest observatory, Sodankylä, published by ISGI, adjusted for the distance to Rovaniemi. Source, checked October 2026.
Kp that brings the oval overhead (est.)
≈ Kp 1.2 estimated
NOAA SWPC’s rule of thumb: the oval’s edge sits near 66° geomagnetic at Kp 0 and moves about 2° per Kp step. Source, checked October 2026.
Dark enough for the aurora
September to March
Months with at least 4 hours a night of the sun 12° or more below the horizon; May to August is too light. Computed with JPL DE421, checked October 2026.
Best months, on clear dark hours
December, January and February
Dark hours a night times the share of cloud-free night sky (NASA POWER, 2001–2025), checked October 2026.
Clear dark hours in December
≈ 2.8 h a night
An average, not a forecast: 15.2 h of darkness with 82% typical night cloud. Checked October 2026.
Finland · Lapland · Rovaniemi, Levi and Saariselkä
Northern Lights in Finland: Rovaniemi, Levi and Saariselkä Compared
Finnish Lapland is the guarantee country: its best-selling northern lights tours refund you if the guide's camera catches no aurora. The bases are Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle and the resorts further north.
From
US$78
per person
Free cancellation
- 4.8 / 5 2710+ Reviews
- 10 Aurora Destinations Compared on This Site
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the BookLapland Guarantee Tour Includes
BookLapland's northern lights tour from Rovaniemi.
Highlights
- A 100% money-back refund if no aurora is captured on camera
- Guides who read cloud radar, solar wind and aurora data each evening
- Drives of up to 200 km or more to find clear sky
- Arctic overalls and boots for about minus 40 degrees
- Unlimited DSLR photos, delivered by email
What's Included
- Professional, locally based Northern Lights guide & photographer (English; additional languages available on request, subject to availability)
- Unlimited DSLR photos
- Photos delivered digitally via email
- Arctic winter clothing overalls & boots suitable for temperatures down to −40°C included
- Modern heated vehicles designed for long-distance travel
- Professional drivers experienced in Arctic winter conditions
- Meteorological Observations
- Warm drinks & cookies
- All fees and taxes
How a Night Works
From booking to the lights.
Pick Your Base
Rovaniemi for the most tours, Levi or Saariselkä to start closer to the oval.
Book an Early Night
Book early in your stay; a cancelled night is refunded.
Hunt for Clear Sky
The guide picks the direction from the radar and drives, sometimes into Sweden.
Photos Under the Lights
Your guide photographs you; on the guarantee tours no aurora on camera means a refund.
Photo Gallery
On the Tour
Photos from the tour's own listing.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
What the Tour Brings, and What You Bring
BookLapland includes
- Professional, locally based Northern Lights guide & photographer (English; additional languages available on request, subject to availability)
- Unlimited DSLR photos
- Photos delivered digitally via email
- Arctic winter clothing overalls & boots suitable for temperatures down to −40°C included
- Warm drinks & cookies
From the tour’s GetYourGuide listing, checked October 2026. Check dates for this tour →
Bring
- Layers under a windproof shell, a warm hat and gloves: you stand still for long stretches on an Arctic night
- Warm, waterproof boots with good grip on snow and ice
- A charged phone and a spare battery: cold drains batteries fast
- A head torch with a red light, so you keep your night vision
Month by month
When Rovaniemi Is Dark and Clear Enough
Night cloud, hours of darkness and how often the Kp index reached 3 or more in the dark hours, month by month at Rovaniemi.
| Month | Dark hours a night | Night cloud | Clear dark hours (est.) | Dark hours with Kp 3+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January best | 14.5 h | 78% | 3.1 h | 18% |
| February best | 11.8 h | 78% | 2.6 h | 25% |
| March | 8.3 h | 72% | 2.3 h | 28% |
| April | 2.5 h | 67% | 0.8 h | 23% |
| May | Too light | 66% | — | — |
| June | Too light | 69% | — | — |
| July | Too light | 63% | — | — |
| August | Too light | 63% | — | 21% |
| September | 6.7 h | 71% | 1.9 h | 29% |
| October | 10.7 h | 82% | 1.9 h | 26% |
| November | 13.7 h | 82% | 2.5 h | 24% |
| December best | 15.2 h | 82% | 2.8 h | 21% |
Night cloud: NASA POWER climatology (CLOUD_AMT_NIGHT), January 2001 to December 2025, at the Rovaniemi grid cell. Darkness: computed with JPL DE421 via Skyfield (sun more than 12° below the horizon), averaged per night. Kp 3+: share of the 3-hour Kp windows from 2015-01-01 to 2025-12-31 that fell in the dark hours here, from GFZ’s Kp index (CC BY 4.0); September and March run higher, the equinox effect NOAA describes. Clear dark hours are an estimate, dark hours times the cloud-free share. Checked October 2026.
Looking north
The Sky Over Rovaniemi, Facing North
Computed charts of the stars where the aurora usually appears, on a new-moon night. The aurora itself is not drawn: no chart can forecast it.
Tour or on your own?
Lapland on Your Own, or With a Tour?
- Can you get well away from the town lights on your own after dark?
- Will you follow the cloud radar and move when the sky closes?
- Do you have clothing for standing still at minus 20 degrees or colder?
Yes to all three
Go on your own
Away from the lights of Rovaniemi or the resorts, a frozen lake or forest clearing gives a clear northern horizon on a clear night.
No to any of them
Book the tour
A guide who chases the clear sky, Arctic overalls and boots, photos of you, and on the guarantee tours your money back if the camera catches nothing.
Check dates →The Top Three Side by Side
Prices as listed on GetYourGuide, October 2026.
| Feature | TOP PICK Northern Lights Tour – 100% Guarantee … | Northern Lights Tour - 100% Guarantee … | Northern Lights Tour with Guaranteed… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From US$78/per person | From US$78 (Oct 2026) | From US$224 (Oct 2026) |
| Rating | 4.8/5 (2,710 reviews) | 4.7/5 (4,519 reviews) | 4.7/5 (656 reviews) |
| Operator | BookLapland | Arctic GM Experiences OY | Arctic GM Experiences OY |
| Free Cancellation | Yes, up to 24 hours ahead | Yes, up to 24 hours ahead | Yes, up to 24 hours ahead |
| Check Availability | View This Tour | View This Tour |
The Best Tour in Each Finnish Base
Rovaniemi's most-booked guarantee tour, Levi's small group with no time limit and Saariselkä's photography tour.
ROVANIEMIRovaniemi: Northern Lights Tour - 100% Guarantee & Photos
100% Money-Back Guarantee – No Aurora, Full Refund
LEVILevi: Northern Lights Tour with Guaranteed Sightings
Exclusive small-group tour (max 8 guests — never large groups or coach buses)
SAARISELKÄSaariselkä: Aurora Hunting Photography Tour
Embark on a hunt for the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, from Saariselkä
The Finland Northern Lights Guide
Rovaniemi, Levi or Saariselkä
Finnish Lapland's bases and its guarantee tours, compared.
The best northern lights tour in Finland, for most visitors, is a guarantee tour from Rovaniemi: if the guide’s camera captures no aurora during the tour, you get a 100% refund. BookLapland’s guarantee tour is the best rated of them, from US$78 as of October 2026, with Arctic overalls and boots and drives of up to 200 km or more to find clear sky. Rovaniemi sits a little south of the oval’s usual edge, so the resorts further north, Levi and Saariselkä, need slightly less activity.
Check dates for the BookLapland tour →
The Finnish bases compared
| Base | Geomagnetic latitude | Kp needed (est.) | Night cloud, January | Clear dark hours, January (est.) | Northern lights tours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rovaniemi | 63.6° | Kp 1.2 | 78% | 3.1 h | 206 |
| Levi and Saariselkä | 65.0° | Kp 0.5 | 80% | 2.9 h | 97 |
Kp needed: NOAA’s rule of thumb, an estimate. Night cloud: NASA POWER climatology, 2001 to 2025. Tour counts from the GetYourGuide catalogue, 18 October 2026. Checked October 2026.
The Finnish tours compared
| Tour (operator) | From | Rating (reviews) | What stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guarantee tour with photos (BookLapland), Rovaniemi | US$78 | 4.8 (2,710) | 100% refund if no aurora on camera; up to 200 km |
| Guarantee tour with photos (Arctic GM Experiences), Rovaniemi | US$78 | 4.7 (4,519) | The most booked of the guarantee tours |
| Aurora hunt, guaranteed (Lapland Explorers), Rovaniemi | US$67 | 4.8 (1,354) | Refund or a free re-hunt |
| Guarantee tour (Polar Lapland), Rovaniemi | US$67 | 4.9 (590) | Max 8 per guide; may cross into Sweden |
| Guaranteed sightings, small group (Arctic GM Experiences), Levi | US$224 | 4.7 (656) | Unlimited time, typically 6 to 10 hours |
| Aurora photography tour (Arctic Timetravels), Saariselkä | US$156 | 4.7 (439) | Pickup within 15 km of the centre |
Prices in US dollars, ratings and review counts as listed on GetYourGuide in October 2026; they change with the date you pick.
Is there a northern lights tour from Helsinki?
Not as a day trip. Helsinki is too far south for the aurora on most nights, at about 56.8° geomagnetic latitude on our estimate (around Kp 5 on NOAA’s rule of thumb), and the one Helsinki listing on GetYourGuide in October 2026 is a multi-day package with no reviews yet. Fly or take the overnight train north to Rovaniemi and book the tour there.
What the guarantee is worth
No tour can make the aurora appear, and the forecast is free. The Finnish guarantee tours are worded carefully: the refund applies when the guide’s camera captures no northern lights, and a camera picks up faint aurora that the eye sees as grey. What the guarantee buys is a guide with every reason to find the lights, who reads the radar, drives as far as it takes, lends you clothing for minus 40 and photographs you when they appear.
In detail: Rovaniemi and Levi and Saariselkä.
Guest Reviews
What Recent Guests Say
4.8/5
from 2710 verified reviews
"Best fucking experience I’ve ever had in my life!!!!"
"Both Tony and Hernán were good guides who gave us wonderful tips surrounding the beautiful star filled night sky as well as nice suggestions for poses for our pictures with the aurora in the background. Hernan has an impressive grasp of multiple languages so i think most people will understand without any grasp of the English language."
"Luca was our guide and put in a lot of effort. He also took good care of the ladies who were traveling with us and who did not understand English. We went to 2 spots. At the second one, Luca built a fire, and we waited for the lights to appear. With a little patience, we were then able to see them. We also saw various shooting stars. It was a great experience, and Luca was an excellent guide."
"A heartfelt thank you to Sara and Tuomo for making our Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) tour such a wonderful and unforgettable experience! 🌌✨ Your patience, dedication, and excellent organization made the trip truly special. We especially appreciate the time and effort you took to capture so many beautiful photographs of us under the magical Northern Lights. Your kindness and willingness to help at every moment made the experience even more memorable. Thank you both for your passion, patience, and for helping us create memories that we will cherish forever. Highly recommended to anyone dreaming of witnessing the magical Aurora Borealis! 💚📸"
"We were initially hesitant about the success of the excursion and the visibility of the northern lights, but it was wonderful. Special thanks to Atte and Sara for their patience in taking photos of everyone. Sara was knowledgeable and gave us information about the northern lights. I highly recommend it."
"A very good experience with Atte and Sara. Good explanations about the aurora phenomenon, and good transportation. We were lucky enough to see them because we had a clear night. It's one of nature's phenomena that you have to see once in your lifetime, and one of the ideal places to do so is Rovaniemi."
"Awesome tour. We only had to drive 45 minutes away. Returned back around 11:45. The tea and cookies were a nice touch. I wouldn’t say this was a small group as it was a full coach bus. Very warm and had USB chargers. Photos they took are also amazing."
Read all 2710 verified reviews
See All ReviewsPick a Night, See the Price
Most northern lights tours on this site cancel free up to 24 hours ahead, and several offer a free second tour or a refund if the lights do not show. Check the terms of the tour you pick before you pay. Starting from US$78 per person.
Check AvailabilityFAQ: Northern Lights in Finland
The tours, the odds and the season, with figures checked October 2026.
For most visitors, a guarantee tour from Rovaniemi. BookLapland, Arctic GM, Lapland Explorers and Polar Lapland all list a 100% refund if their camera captures no aurora, as of October 2026. Compare them in the table above.
The further north, the less activity you need. Levi sits near 65.0° geomagnetic latitude and Rovaniemi near 63.6°; Rovaniemi has the most tours. Data checked October 2026.
Only on rare strong nights. Helsinki is well south of the auroral oval; the tours start in Lapland.
Still have questions? Email us at info@northernlightsdestinations.com
Kp index: GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences (Matzka et al. 2021), CC BY 4.0 · Oval rule of thumb: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center · Geomagnetic pole: NOAA NCEI (WMM2025) · Night cloud: NASA POWER Project, January 2001 to December 2025 · Tonight's cloud: data from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0); Kp forecast: NOAA SWPC · Sun and moon: JPL DE421 via Skyfield · Aurora data checked October 2026.