🌌 Route for Northern Lights hunters: Lapland with photo spots and life hacks
If you dream not of "one lucky story" but of a real northern lights hunt in Lapland, it's important to choose more than just a beautiful hotel. You need extra nights, backup locations in case of clouds, basic photography training, and realistic expectations.
In this article, we will discuss how to turn a trip to Finnish Lapland into a working itinerary: where to stay, where to go at night, what apps to install and what settings to enable so that the Northern Lights in Finland don't just remain in the forecasts.
Why Lapland is a convenient base for hunting
Finnish Lapland is not just about Santa and huskies. For aurora hunters, it has three strong points:
● more stable weather than on the ocean coast of Norway (fewer sudden fronts and fog);
● a good road network and public transport even in winter;
● lots of compact villages where you live 'by the forest' rather than in a huge city.
Simply put, the chance of having several at least partially clear nights is higher than it seems, especially if you don't limit your trip to 1-2 evenings.
Cloud cover and location ≈ 50%
Your night-time supplies and willingness to travel ≈ 20%
The more nights and location options you have, the less your trip will resemble a lottery.
If you have already seen our winter route through Lapland or the week-long "Helsinki + North" route, you can use this text as an add-on: here we collect everything related to nights, photos and tactics.
Basic 5-night itinerary: Rovaniemi → Levi → north
This is not the only correct option, but it is a good "skeleton" around which it is convenient to build your trip.
How to distribute the nights
Nights 1–2: Rovaniemi
City hub: easy to fly or train to. On the first evening, you will:
● check in and check your equipment;
● try a short night outing within the city or to Ounasvaara Hill (observation tower);
● test your apps, camera and layers of clothing — without any pressure to 'must-see'.
Nights 3–4: Levi or Ylläs
Levi is more "urban" with infrastructure, while Ylläs has long slopes and more tranquillity. In any case:
● stay away from the centre of the lights and closer to the forest/lake;
● keep Immeljärvi and other open areas around Levi handy — these are classic spots for observing the aurora away from streetlights.
Night 5: Northwards – Saariselkä / Ivalo
The closer you get to Ivalo and Saariselkä, the more "Arctic" the sky becomes and the less light pollution there is. This is a convenient place to end your trip — one or two evenings among the fells, far from the lights of the city.
If you only have 2–3 nights, don't spread yourself too thin geographically. It's better to have one base and maximum flexibility in terms of time than three cities in three nights and a continuous bus ride.
Shooting spots: where to turn off the lights and turn on the sky
In Lapland, you can see the aurora from your hotel, but for a good picture you need:
- a minimum of artificial light,
- an open horizon,
- a convenient (and safe) approach/return.
Rovaniemi: a city from which it is convenient to escape into the darkness
Yes, Rovaniemi is quite bright, but even here there are good spots.
● Ounasvaara Hill / Observation Tower — a hill across the river with a view of the sky; about an hour's walk uphill or 10 minutes by taxi, with a wooden tower at the top and forest all around.
● The riverbank behind the Jätkänkynttilä bridge — if you cross the bridge from the centre and walk along the river on the dark side, the light noticeably dims.
● The park at Arktikum — for a lazy evening: walk a little further along the embankment and catch the reflections in the frozen river.
This is good practice before darker places and a test for your kit: night-time Lapland safety, layers of clothing, how children react, etc.
Levi: Immeljärvi and forest "pockets" of darkness
Levi is physically small, and if you walk away from the main slopes, the sky opens up quickly.
● Immeljärvi is a frozen lake about a kilometre from the main village; one of the most popular "open plates" for observing the aurora.
● Laavu by the lake (Korkeaniemi) is a small sheltered fire pit on the western side of Immeljärvi; ideal for warming up between shots.
● The upper slopes — on windless evenings, you can catch the aurora directly from the mountain, but always check the lift schedule and don't go into the forest without knowing your way back.
Saariselkä / Ivalo: open fells and "aquariums"
The further north you go, the fewer lights there are by default.
● Open fells around Saariselkä — climbing just above the village, you find yourself on an open plateau where the sky takes up 80% of the frame. Here it is especially important to keep an eye on the wind and the visibility of the trails.
● Aurora villages and glass houses — hotels with glass roofs do not guarantee a bright show, but they greatly simplify life on those nights when the aurora is weak and you want to watch it from the warmth.
Camera settings: quick preset for glow
If you have a DSLR or mirrorless camera, you don't have to be a pro. It is enough to set up a basic preset once and then tweak it slightly to suit the situation.
The basis from which you can improvise (for bright glare):
● M (manual) mode;
● aperture f/2.8–4;
● ISO 1600–3200;
● shutter speed 3–8 seconds — the brighter the glow and the faster it moves, the shorter the exposure time;
● focus — manually, on a star or distant light source (set to infinity and then slightly back).
- RAW + JPEG, so you have something to play with during processing
- White balance — 3500–4000K (auto is fine, but it's better to set it manually)
- 2-second timer or remote control so as not to move the camera
- Tripod or at least a solid support (snowdrift, railing, backpack)
From a compositional point of view, the aurora is a free "leading element of the frame." Try to ensure that the arc or rays do not just "hang above," but lead the eye to the subject: a house, a tree, a person in the frame.
You can save future material on how to photograph the northern lights in a separate bookmark, where you will be able to analyse examples frame by frame.
Smartphone and the aurora: when "a phone is enough"
Honestly, a flagship smartphone often performs better than an inexperienced person with a DSLR. If you don't plan to print photos on the wall, your phone will suffice.
Basic principles:
● turn on Night Mode (iPhone) or Night Sight/Astrophotography (Pixel);
● place your phone on a tripod, railing or backpack;
● use a 3–10 second timer so you don't move;
● do not use digital zoom — it is better to crop the frame later.
- Night mode with maximum exposure, if your phone offers it
- Screen brightness set to minimum so as not to blind your eyes and spoil your night vision
- A warming case or inner pocket — in the cold, the battery drains 2-3 times faster
If you want a little more control, check out third-party apps with manual settings (ProCamera, NightCap, ProCam X and similar apps for Android). They allow you to set the ISO and exposure manually, just like on a camera.
Apps and forecasts: not just the KP index
The main mistake many hunters make is to look only at the attractive KP number in the app and ignore cloud cover.
A mini-stack that is convenient to keep on your phone:
● aurora forecast app (My Aurora Forecast, Aurora Alerts, Hello Aurora) — shows KP, direction and probability;
● weather app with a cloud map (Yr.no, FMI, Meteoblue) — layered/low clouds can kill any KP;
● a map or navigator to figure out where to go +20–40 km if a thick cloud hangs over the base.
KP 1–2 does not mean that nothing will happen; in Lapland, the aurora can be seen even at low activity levels if the sky is clear. However, at KP 5–6, you may not see anything under thick cloud cover.
Clothing, night rhythm and safety
This is the most boring topic, but it determines whether you can withstand 2–3 hours in an open field.
● Layers: thermal underwear, warm mid-layer, windproof outer layer;
● Feet: warm insoles + socks, preferably not cotton;
● hands: thin gloves under mittens so you can press buttons;
● head — balaclava/buff + hat.
If you have already read our guide on what to wear in Finland in winter, just adjust the list for "static" activity: you will be standing more than walking.
- Always leave your route and return time with someone
- Do not go into unfamiliar woods without trails or a torch
- Be aware that roads and trails may be covered in slippery ice
- If you are tired or cold, turn back; the glow will still be there tomorrow
A separate article about where to stay in Lapland at the start will help you choose a base so that dark locations are no more than 10–15 minutes away. The shorter the round trip, the easier it is to go out again if the sky suddenly clears up.
Tour or on your own?
A tour does not guarantee the aurora, but it solves several problems at once: driver, locations, campfire, warm drinks, and sometimes photos from the guide's camera.
A good plan:
● The first 1-2 nights — take a tour from Rovaniemi or Levi, see how the guides work, where they stop, how they read the clouds;
● then use this knowledge and apps to practise going out on your own.
If you are new to the region, it is wise to spend at least one night with a guide and then "push the boundaries" with your own transport and apps.
How to build a 7–10-day hunting route in Finland
A common scenario: people fly into Helsinki, spend 1–2 days there, and then head into the winter. Here, it is convenient to use ready-made frameworks such as the Helsinki + Lapland route without a car, and simply overlay our "hunting" plan on top.
Example:
● Days 1–2: Helsinki (city/sauna during the day, sleep at night);
● Days 3–7: Lapland according to the route Rovaniemi → Levi/Ylläs → Saariselkä with 3–4 full nights of hunting;
● Days 8–9 (if available): reserve for bad weather or a quiet finish by the sea.
Hunting for the aurora itself should not be the sole purpose of the trip. Skiing, huskies, cottages, saunas and simply the feeling of being in another reality will smooth out any weather vagaries.
The Northern Lights as a ritual, not a checklist
The most important shift is to stop thinking of the aurora as a "tick-box item." It is not a temporary attraction, but a natural phenomenon with its own rhythms, pauses, and character.
If you plan your route with extra time at night, choose bases with dark locations around them and don't skimp on layers, Lapland will reward you: not always with a spectacular show across the entire horizon, but often with quiet green arcs that suddenly break into a "curtain" above your head.
Share in the comments which scenario you prefer: an express raid "arrived — saw — left", a quiet week in one cottage, or a big circle around the north. Tell us which apps worked, which places became your favourites, and which mistakes you wouldn't repeat. This will help us tailor future guides more accurately — not to advertising promises, but to real life.
FAQ
If this is your first time and logistics are important, start with Rovaniemi and Levi: they are easier to get to and have many tours and infrastructure. For a more "wild" sky, Saariselkä or the Ivalo area are suitable, where there is less light pollution and more fells around. Ideally, you should combine at least two types of locations in one trip.
September to March is the basic window for darkness, but based on hunting experience and weather, the most comfortable months in Lapland are from late October to mid-March. In November–January, there is less daylight, but there are more nights for hunting, and in February–March, it is more pleasant to stand in the cold because the sun is already noticeable during the day.
Yes, absolutely: take the VR night train or daytime flight to Rovaniemi/Kittilä/Ivalo, then the ski bus and transfers to the bases. From there, you can either take tours or use short taxi rides to dark places. Our transport guides and "Lapland without a car" guides fit in well with this route.
Most often, manual mode M, aperture f/2.8–4, ISO 1600–3200 and an exposure time of 3–8 seconds are sufficient. Strong, bright auroras require a shorter exposure time, otherwise they will be "smeared", while weaker ones require a slightly longer exposure time, but within 10 seconds. The main thing is to focus manually on a star and use a stable tripod or support.
Yes, if you have a modern phone with night mode or astrophotography. Place it on a tripod or railing, turn on Night Mode/Night Sight, use the timer, and give the device 3–10 seconds of exposure. The image will not be as flexible in processing as RAW from a camera, but it is more than enough for personal archives and social networks.
Temperatures easily drop to –15...–25 °C, and the wind makes them feel even colder. The "cabbage" principle applies: thermal underwear, a warm middle layer, a windproof jacket, insulated trousers, good boots, two pairs of gloves and a hat with a buff. Don't forget hand warmers and spare mittens — standing still is always colder than walking.
Not necessarily, but a tour is useful for the first time: you will see how the guides choose locations where you can safely stop and which places they consider "workable". After that, independent trips are much easier, especially if you have apps with forecasts.
At least three, preferably four to five. This gives you a chance that at least 1-2 nights will be partially clear. One night is pure roulette, especially if you are strictly tied to dates, holidays and are not ready to drive to a neighbouring village or lake at night.
If your budget allows and you want a "lazy" format, one or two nights in such a cabin is a nice bonus, especially in the Saariselkä and Ivalo areas. But even the most beautiful glass roofs do not cancel out the cloud forecast: it's more about romance and comfort than a guarantee of a show.
Firstly, don't consider the trip a failure: snow, silence, sauna, huskies, cottage and forest provide no less of an experience. Secondly, keep an eye out for gaps in the clouds, even in the early hours of the morning: sometimes the sky clears for just 10-15 minutes. And thirdly, plan your next trip more carefully — with plenty of time to spare and, perhaps, in a different region.
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