About Finland
Finnish Lapland is home to 200,000 reindeer, 178,000 people, 7 national parks but more importantly, it is possible to witness Auroral activity on anything up to 200 nights per year!
There is a reason why we offer more Northern Lights Holidays to Finland than we do anywhere else in the world and that reason is years and years of Aurora hunting experience.
British Airways have launched an exciting new direct route from London Gatwick to Ivalo, Northern Finland! This is a game-changer for travellers eager to experience the untouched beauty of Finnish Lapland, as BA is the only airline offering direct flights from the UK to this enchanting destination. Find out more here…
We have carefully selected the very best places and the most experienced guides for our Aurora holidays because we want to provide our clients with the greatest possible chance of seeing the Northern Lights. We have gone to all four corners of Finnish Lapland in order to locate those extra special destinations which are ideal for experiencing everything the region has to offer, as well as maximizing your Aurora viewing potential.
All of our holidays include dedicated Aurora hunts in the company of expert local guides. Their knowledge gives you a great edge when it comes to the chase. So, whether you want to visit Utsjoki in the north, Torassieppi to the west, Nellim and Muotka to the east or Phya back down towards the Arctic Circle, the choice is yours.
Our holidays combine the best that Finnish Lapland has to offer in terms of Aurora hunting and there’s always plenty to keep you entertained during the day as you wait for darkness to descend. Activities like dog sledding, snowmobiling, reindeer safaris, snowshoeing and ice fishing are amongst the treats on offer. Our range of holidays includes leisurely, balanced and active so you can choose the pace with which you are most comfortable.
Whichever holiday you choose, you can rest assured that you will be exploring one of Europe’s most pristine wilderness environments in the company of experts.
Finnish Winter Wonderland
The Northern Lights return to the skies towards the end of August when the nights are drawing in once more. That’s why our holidays to Finland start in the autumn, when Auroral displays re-emerge in the darkness after the summer’s 24 hours of daylight. This is a wonderful time to travel as you can often see the Aurora reflected in the as yet unfrozen lakes and rivers and guests can take advantage of milder temperatures and quieter destinations during this season. Our autumn tour to Inari with it’s Aurora Cabins is particularly popular.
The snow will arrive in sporadic flurries anytime from the start of October before the heavy falls in late November which typically blankets the landscape until the end of April.
Temperatures can fluctuate this far north but they tend to hover at an average of around -5 to -15°C in the depths of winter. Please remember that we provide your winter outer-clothing and a kit list so staying warm is not something to worry about.
With the winter comes the polar light, a period in which the sun does not appear above the horizon. This typically lasts for around 50 days between December and January.
When the days are so short you can experience what is called ‘blue time’ around midday, when a dusky light illuminates the landscape in a bluish hue. Couple this with the reflection of light off the snow and it rarely feels particularly dark. So, please forget any nonsense you’ve read about 24 hours of darkness for six months of the year.
Indeed, the days begin to elongate rapidly as the season rolls on and by the end of February and into March, you can experience wonderfully long and bright days. The evening and night-time darkness still provide an excellent backdrop for the lights; you just have to be prepared to stay up a little later.
Our Experiences and Innovations
The fact that we spend so much time in the region and have invested so much in our holidays, means that our suppliers are more like friends than business partners. These relationships work wonderfully well for everyone concerned as they mean that we are at the forefront of any new developments or innovations in the region, and can bring these new experiences to our clients before anybody else.
For example, we worked with Jouko and Mari who own the wonderful Nellim, Muotka, Nangu, Inari, and Juutua Wilderness Hotels and their incredible Aurora Bubbles and Aurora Cabin accommodation.
All the holidays we offer include dedicated Aurora activities and so narrowing down your choice can be hard! Fortunately, our Aurora Travel Experts’ knowledge means that they can provide you with inside knowledge of the destinations and provide the insight to help you make the right decision.
We know that if you are keen to have a go at photographing the Aurora, you should travel to see our friend Markku at the Northern Lights Village in Saariselkä. He is an Aurora nut and therefore includes photography tuition in all his Aurora tours; or Juha, at Menesjärvi, who loves nothing more than to share his passion for Aurora images. For those who want to hunt out in the wilderness, the innovative Snow Shuttle at Harriniva is a wonderfully comfortable way to do this.
We know that if you are a foodie then you’ll love Inari as the restaurant menu there is exceptional. If you’re a dog lover then Harriniva is wonderful as the sled dogs are on site. If you want a traditional Sámi reindeer herding experience then the sacred fells of Utsjoki are the place for you, and if you want to combine skiing and Northern Lights hunts then you should head for Levi.
We cover a wealth of destinations in Finnish Lapland and at first glance, the choice can be a tad bewildering. Please, just get in touch with our well-travelled Aurora Experts and they will soon be able to point you in exactly the right Northern Lights direction.
