Aurora Hunting Photo Tour Rovaniemi: Northern Lights Guide

Hunt the aurora on your own terms, with a guide who frames the shot

An aurora hunting photo tour from Rovaniemi takes you by bus into the Lapland night to chase the northern lights across several viewing spots. A guide photographs you during the tour, shares tips for your own camera settings, and provides hot drinks and gingerbread cookies. The tour runs four hours and includes hotel pickup and drop-off at selected hotels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Aurora hunting and photography tour

• Pickup from Rovaniemi
• Ride around Lapland surroundings
• Stop at several spots to observe auroras
• Guide takes photos with light effects
• Receive camera tips for night photography
• Enjoy hot drinks and gingerbread cookies
• Experience northern lights viewing

The experience

The bus leaves your hotel and drives into the dark around Rovaniemi, stopping at different spots chosen for clear skies and minimal light pollution. You're not sitting in one place waiting. The guide moves the group to wherever conditions look best, covering up to 200 kilometers over the night. This matters because the aurora is not predictable: moving gives you the real advantage of multiple chances instead of betting on a single location.

While you watch the sky, the guide is also working your camera. They'll photograph you with the lights if they appear, playing with exposure and angles to catch effects you wouldn't get on your own. Between shots, they walk you through the settings your camera needs for night sky photography (shutter speed, ISO, focal length), so you can frame your own shots if you want to. The guide speaks English and knows the landscape, so questions about what you're seeing get answered in real time, not after the fact.

Hot drinks and gingerbread cookies arrive during the tour, a practical detail that matters when you're standing outside in a Lapland winter. The bus is heated, so you're not choosing between comfort and a clear view. If the aurora doesn't show, you still leave with photographs the guide took and the skills to shoot night sky on your own camera. If it does dance across the sky, you'll have both the memory and the images to prove it.

What’s included

• Hot drinks and gingerbread cookies.
• a heated bus tour covering up to 200 kilometers around Rovaniemi.
• hotel pickup and drop-off at selected hotels.
• a live English-speaking guide.
• photography instruction for night sky settings.
• and guide-taken photos of you during the tour.

Options for this experience

2 options

Season 26/27Guide in English · Available from 7 Jan 2027Lasts 4 hours, pickup is included

Christmas 26/27 Rovaniemi, includes pickupGuide in English · Available from 27 Nov · 20:00Pickup is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 20:00Last departure this season: 10 Apr 2027

Book up to6h before

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Child (4 to 14 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 10 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Safartica

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to move around Lapland instead of waiting in one spot, and if having a guide teach you camera settings matters as much as the aurora itself. The four-hour drive and multiple stops give you the best odds of clear skies, and you'll leave with both professional photos and the skills to shoot the night sky on your own.

Traveler reviews

4.05★★★★★★★★★★

59 verified traveler reviews

5 ★38

4 ★4

3 ★7

2 ★2

1 ★8

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 14 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What happens if the northern lights don't appear on the night I book?

The tour runs regardless of aurora activity. You'll spend the four hours in the bus traveling to different viewing spots, and the guide will photograph you and teach camera settings for night sky work. Many travelers see the lights, but the tour's value doesn't depend on it. You get the experience, the instruction, and the photos either way.

Can I use my own camera, or does the guide's photography replace mine?

You can absolutely use your own camera. The guide teaches you the settings you need and takes photos of you with the aurora as a keepsake, but they're also there to help you frame your own shots and troubleshoot your equipment if you run into questions about exposure or focus in the dark.

How far does the bus travel, and will we stop at multiple locations?

The bus covers up to 200 kilometers over the four hours, moving between several different spots around Rovaniemi. The guide chooses stops based on cloud cover and sky conditions that night, so you're not locked into one viewing point. You get multiple chances to find clear skies.

Is the bus heated, and what should I wear?

Yes, the bus is heated. Winter clothing is included with the tour, so you're equipped for the cold when you step outside to watch and photograph. You'll be warm in the bus between stops and have the gear you need for the viewing spots.

Does the tour start at a specific time, or can I choose when to go?

The tour is four hours long and includes hotel pickup and drop-off at selected hotels. Check your booking options for available departure times. The exact schedule depends on which option you select at checkout.