There’s a moment – and if you’ve experienced it, you already know exactly what I mean – when the sky above Finnish Lapland simply comes alive. One second it’s an inky, star-scattered black. The next, ribbons of green are snaking silently overhead, shifting and shimmering like something out of a fever dream you never want to wake from.
For Australians, the Northern Lights feel like the ultimate pursuit. Not just because they’re rare and jaw-dropping – but because they exist in a world that’s almost the complete opposite of home. No humidity. No heat. No sun that refuses to set. Just cold, still air, dark Arctic skies, and one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena on the planet doing its thing directly above your head.
Finnish Lapland sits inside the Northern Lights Zone – one of the best places on Earth to witness the aurora borealis – and for Australian travellers making the long journey north, it is absolutely worth doing it properly. That means knowing when to go, where to position yourself and how to photograph what you’re seeing in a way that actually reflects the experience. Because there’s nothing more frustrating than watching the sky put on a show and coming home with a blurry green smudge on your phone.
Whether you’re travelling with a dedicated camera, shooting on your smartphone, or somewhere in between, this guide covers everything you need: the science behind the aurora, the best time of year to visit Finnish Lapland from Australia, the top locations to chase the lights, and practical photography tips that work for all skill levels. So when that sky lights up – and it will – you’ll be ready for it.
Start here…
Page Contents
When is the best time to see the Northern Lights in Finnish Lapland?
A guide to aurora hunting
- Your guide to aurora hunting
- Lapland Lowdown episode: All things aurora hunting with Aleksi from Rather Chilly
Aurora photography and videography
- How to video an aurora on a GoPro
- The best travel tripod to capture the northern lights with your mobile phones
Northern Lights group tours
- Northern Lights Group Tours to Finnish Lapland
- Lapland Tour
Best accommodation to see the Northern Lights
Utsjoki – northern most village in Finnish Lapland increasing your chances are to see the Northern Lights, especially as we move towards a less active sun cycle in the years to come.
- Aurora Holidays – free gift inside!
- Lapland Lowdown episode: Lapland as a year round destination and discount code available!
Ruka
Posio
- Livo Arctic, Posio – igloo stay
- Lapland Lowdown episodes:
- No Frills video: Go inside Livo Arctic
- Interview with Livo Arctic Marketing Manager (Jan 2026) on Posio and Lapland
- Lapland Lowdown episodes:
Levi
- Aurora Pyramids, Levi – igloo stay
- Lapland Lowdown episode: No Frills video: Aurora Pyramids and The Elves Village walk through
Northern Lights Finnish Lapland FAQs: Everything Australians Ask Before They Go
Planning a trip to Finnish Lapland to chase the aurora borealis is no small undertaking from Australia – and you’ll have questions. Lots of them. Here are the ones we hear most often, answered honestly.
Is Finnish Lapland the best place to see the Northern Lights?
It’s genuinely one of the best places on Earth – and for Australians, it’s hard to beat. Finnish Lapland sits within the auroral oval, the ring around the Arctic where geomagnetic activity (and therefore Northern Lights sightings) is most concentrated. What makes it stand out from other Northern Lights destinations like Norway or Iceland is the combination of factors that work in your favour: consistently dark skies, low light pollution, a long aurora season, world-class wilderness to hunt from and outstanding tour infrastructure that makes chasing the lights accessible even if you’ve never done anything like this before.
Finland also has one of the highest aurora sighting rates in the world during peak season. That doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed – the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and will always keep you on your toes – but Finnish Lapland gives you an excellent shot.
How many nights do you need in Lapland to see the aurora borealis?
The honest answer – at least four to five nights and more is always better. The Northern Lights are unpredictable. Cloud cover, solar activity and timing all play a role and even in peak season you can have a string of overcast nights before the sky clears and puts on a show you’ll never forget.
Most experienced aurora chasers recommend a minimum of five to seven nights to give yourself a genuine chance. If you’re travelling all the way from Australia, it’s worth building in that buffer – you don’t want to fly 20+ hours and spend only two nights hoping for a miracle. Think of the extra nights as insurance. In the meantime, Finnish Lapland has no shortage of incredible things to do during the day whether you see the lights or not.
Can you see the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi?
Yes – but with a caveat. Rovaniemi is the capital of Finnish Lapland and a popular base for Australian travellers, partly because it’s well connected by direct flights from Helsinki and offers great accommodation, restaurants and activities. The Northern Lights can and do appear over Rovaniemi and many visitors see them right from town.
That said, Rovaniemi is the most built-up part of Lapland, which means more light pollution than the surrounding wilderness. For the best possible aurora viewing, you’ll want to get out of town – even 15 to 20 minutes into the countryside makes a significant difference. Most tour operators run dedicated Northern Lights excursions that take you to dark sky locations specifically chosen for optimal viewing and this is genuinely the best way to maximise your chances while you’re based in Rovaniemi.
The further north you go, the better your chances are to see the Northern Lights, especially as we move towards a less active sun cycle in the years to come. Consider destinations like Utsjoki for the best chances – see above for our accommodation recommendation!
What month has the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights in Finland?
The Northern Lights season in Finnish Lapland runs from late August through to early April – roughly the period when the nights are dark enough to see the aurora. Within that window, the sweet spot for most Australian travellers is late September through to March.
Here’s a quick breakdown by month:
September – October: The aurora season is just beginning, nights are getting darker and you’ll catch some of the most dramatic autumn colours during the day. September is also when you’ll find the polar nights haven’t fully set in yet, which some travellers prefer – you still get daylight hours alongside dark evenings.
November – January: This is deep winter and the polar night period means near-total darkness for weeks at a time – which sounds intense, but it’s extraordinary. More darkness means more potential viewing hours each night.
February – March: A favourite for many. Temperatures are still cold (which keeps the skies clear), the days are getting a little longer and snow conditions are typically at their best for activities. March in particular consistently delivers excellent aurora activity aligned with increased solar activity around the spring equinox.
April: The season winds down as nights shorten, but early April can still produce sightings.
How do I get from Australia to Finnish Lapland?
There’s no direct flight from Australia to Lapland, but it’s more straightforward than most people expect. The most common routing for Australians is flying into Helsinki (Finnair operates direct flights from several Australian cities, including via Bangkok or Singapore) and then connecting to Rovaniemi, Kittilä, or Ivalo – the three main airports in Finnish Lapland. Finnair operates these domestic connections and they’re generally smooth and well-timed.
Flight time from Australia to Helsinki is roughly 20 to 22 hours depending on your routing and layover, and the domestic leg into Lapland adds another 90 minutes to two hours. It’s a long journey, but one that’s very well-trodden by Australian travellers – and the moment you land and feel that Arctic air hit you, the travel fatigue becomes a distant memory pretty quickly.
If you’re travelling with Qantas points, it’s worth knowing that Finnair is a Oneworld partner – which makes Lapland surprisingly achievable on points for savvy Australian travellers.
What if it’s cloudy – will I still see the Northern Lights?
This is the question nobody wants to ask but everybody needs to. The honest answer is no – cloud cover is the Northern Lights’ biggest nemesis and if the sky is fully overcast, the aurora won’t be visible no matter how active it is above the clouds.
What this means in practice is that flexibility is everything. A few strategies that help:
Stay multiple nights. Cloud cover rarely persists for an entire week without a break. A clear window – even a few hours – is all you need.
Be willing to move. Weather patterns in Lapland can shift significantly across relatively short distances. Many aurora tour operators actively track weather and will drive (or snowmobile) you to wherever the sky is clearest that evening. This is one of the biggest advantages of booking a guided aurora tour rather than waiting independently.
Use a forecasting app. Apps like Aurora Now, SpaceWeatherLive and the Finnish Meteorological Institute’s aurora forecast give you real-time cloud cover maps alongside KP index activity – so you can identify clear-sky windows and position yourself accordingly.
Cloud cover is frustrating, but it’s also part of the experience. The anticipation, the checking of apps at midnight, the sudden call from your guide at 11pm – that’s all part of what makes a Northern Lights trip feel like a genuine adventure.
Is Finnish Lapland safe for solo travellers?
Finnish Lapland is one of the safest travel destinations in the world – full stop. Finland consistently ranks among the top countries globally for safety, low crime rates and overall quality of life and that absolutely extends to the Lapland region. Solo travellers, including women travelling alone, regularly visit and explore Finnish Lapland with confidence.
That said, the Arctic environment itself does require respect and preparation. Temperatures can drop well below -20°C in winter and venturing into remote wilderness areas without proper gear or guidance is where things can go wrong – not from any threat from other people, but from the environment itself. The practical advice for solo travellers:
- Always go on guided excursions rather than venturing into wilderness areas alone, especially at night
- Dress properly for the conditions (more on that in our packing guide)
- Let someone know your plans if you’re heading out independently
- Travel with comprehensive adventure travel insurance that covers cold-weather activities
If you’re a solo traveller considering a group trip to Finnish Lapland, it’s one of the best ways to experience the destination – you get the safety of a guided experience, the camaraderie of like-minded travellers, and none of the logistical stress of navigating it all alone.
Have a question that isn’t answered here? Jump into the Finnish Lapland From Australia Facebook community – it’s full of Australians who are planning the journey or have made the journey to Finnish Lapland and are happy to share their experiences first-hand.
Erin Parker is a Finnish Lapland specialist, women’s adventure host and founder of Lapland Lowdown & Travel Her Way. She has travelled six continents and brings first-hand experience to every destination she writes about – from the Arctic wilderness of Finnish Lapland to the high Andes of Peru. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Erin helps long-haul travellers plan extraordinary Finnish Lapland adventures and leads small group trips for women who are ready to explore the world boldly.
