Lake Inari boat tour from Koppelo: Northern Lights & BBQ dinner

Drift across open water at dark, watching for aurora while the captain finds the clearest sky

A three-hour boat tour from Koppelo harbour crosses Ivalo River to Lake Inari, stopping at Aurora island for a Lappish BBQ dinner cooked over open fire in a teepee before continuing onto the lake to hunt Northern Lights. The captain, who lives on the island with his family, guides the tour in English or Finnish, and the boat has a heated cabin for the return journey after midnight. Children are welcome from age 8; dietary needs can be accommodated with advance notice.

Step-by-step itinerary

Boat tour with BBQ and Northern Lights

• Start boat tour from Koppelo harbour
• Receive safety instructions
• Boat ride on Ivalo River
• Visit Aurora island for BBQ dinner
• Enjoy traditional Lappish BBQ meal
• Watch for Northern Lights on island
• Continue boat tour to Lake Inari
• Explore lake and listen to stories
• View Northern Lights from lake deck
• Return to Koppelo harbour by midnight

The Experience

You board a nine-meter boat at Koppelo harbour, about 10 km from Ivalo village, after a safety briefing. The captain steers into Ivalo River first, then opens toward Lake Inari as the light fades. The boat has a heated cabin, but the outside deck is where you'll stand to watch the water and sky change — the river narrows and widens, the shoreline shifts from forest edge to open water, and by the time you reach Aurora island, the horizon has gone dark enough that any aurora would show.

On Aurora island, the captain's family has built a teepee with an open fire. Dinner is Lappish: reindeer sausages, traditional sausages, warm rieska (Finnish flatbread), homemade potato salad, blueberry pie for dessert, and hot drinks. You eat by firelight and talk with the owners about life on the island — this is their home, not a stage set. After dinner, the boat continues onto Lake Inari itself. The lake is enormous and quiet. The captain knows where the conditions are best for Northern Lights and will position the boat there, but whether the aurora appears depends on the night. What you will have is the silence of the open water and the sky above it, unbroken by anything else.

The return to Koppelo harbour happens by midnight. Life vests and long extra jackets are provided; the heated cabin means you can warm up between deck time. The tour runs year-round, though Northern Lights are only visible in the darker months — the operator does not specify which, so check the season when you book.

What’s included

• Lappish BBQ dinner with reindeer sausages, traditional sausages, warm rieska flatbread, homemade potato salad and blueberry pie.
• hot drinks.
• life vests and long extra jackets.
• boat tour across Ivalo River and Lake Inari with a captain-guide who speaks English or Finnish.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by Ivalo Safaris / Lenje Avoin Yhtiö

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you have a free evening and want to combine a boat journey with a meal cooked over open fire on an island — the three-hour loop means you can fit it into an evening without losing a full day, and the heated cabin makes the return journey comfortable even if the Northern Lights don't appear.

Top questions

Can I see the Northern Lights on this tour?

The Northern Lights depend on clear skies and solar activity, so sightings are never guaranteed. The captain positions the boat on Lake Inari where conditions are best, and the tour runs during the season when aurora is possible, but you may see only stars and darkness instead. Dinner on Aurora island and the boat journey itself happen regardless.

What is the Lappish BBQ dinner like?

Dinner is cooked over an open fire in a teepee on Aurora island and includes reindeer sausages, traditional sausages, warm rieska (Finnish flatbread), homemade potato salad, and blueberry pie, with hot drinks. The meal is served by the captain's family, who live on the island.

How long is the boat tour and when does it end?

The tour lasts three hours total and returns to Koppelo harbour by midnight. It starts in the evening as daylight fades and includes the river crossing, the island stop for dinner, and the Lake Inari viewing time.

Is the boat heated, and what if the weather is cold?

The boat has a heated cabin where you can warm up. Long extra jackets are provided, and life vests are worn during the tour. You can move between the outside deck and the cabin as you choose.

Can children go on this tour?

Children are welcome from age 8. The tour includes a boat journey, an open fire, and time on the water, so children should be comfortable with those elements.

Do I need to tell you about dietary needs before I book?

Yes. The operator can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other dietary requirements, but you must indicate them in the special requirements field at checkout so the captain's family can prepare accordingly.