Aurora Hunting Tour by Car in Ivalo: Follow the Clear Skies

The guide reads the cloud forecast in real time and drives you toward open sky instead of waiting for the lights to come to you.

An aurora hunting tour by car in Ivalo and Inari, Lapland, where you chase clear skies across the Arctic night instead of staying in one place. The guide follows both cloud and aurora forecasts, moving the group to the best viewing locations within a few hours when conditions shift. In the Ivalo region, the Northern Lights are visible on about 5 out of 7 clear nights, making it one of the world's strongest odds for a sighting. The tour runs 4 hours and includes a professional local guide, transportation, pickup and drop-off in the Ivalo area, and hot berry juice.

The Experience

What makes this tour different is the mobility. Instead of parking at one spot and hoping the sky clears above it, you and your guide spend the night driving through Lapland's wilderness, chasing the forecasts. The guide reads both cloud cover and aurora activity in real time, which means if one location fills with clouds, you move to the next clear patch within a few hours. You stop at quiet locations far from light pollution where the Arctic sky opens up properly, and the vehicle stays warm between stops—if the cold gets to you, you can always step inside and watch from there.

The 4-hour tour starts after you meet your guide in the Ivalo area. Because weather in Lapland shifts fast, the car is what makes a wider search possible; you are not locked into one viewpoint. The guide carries forecasts for both cloud cover and aurora activity, and uses them to steer the route. If the night looks hopeless—heavy cloud cover with no breaks—you will hear about it at least 3 hours before departure, and you can reschedule, cancel, or go anyway and let the guide do the hunting. If you go out, the goal is simple: find clear sky and give you the best chance to see the Northern Lights. Every night in the Arctic is different, so each hunt plays out differently.

Hot berry juice is included, and the guide speaks English or Finnish. Warm jackets are available if you need them. The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and cannot be guaranteed, but in Ivalo the odds are strong—about 5 out of 7 nights when the sky is clear. Children from age 10 are welcome on the tour, and child safety seats are available if you need one; just let the operator know in advance.

What’s included

• A professional guide in English or Finnish.
• 4 hours of aurora hunting by car with real-time forecast tracking.
• pickup and drop-off in the Ivalo area.
• warm jackets available.
• and hot berry juice.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Arctic Guides

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Finnish, so you follow the forecast decisions and the route changes in real time without a language barrier. Book this tour if you want to chase the lights actively across the night instead of watching from a fixed spot.

Top questions

How does the guide decide where to drive on the night of the tour?

The guide follows cloud forecasts and aurora forecasts before and during the tour, moving the car to areas with the clearest skies and the best conditions for seeing the Northern Lights. If one location fills with clouds, you drive to the next open area within a few hours instead of waiting in one place.

What are the actual odds of seeing the Northern Lights in Ivalo?

In the Ivalo region, the Northern Lights are visible on about 5 out of 7 nights when the sky is clear, making it one of the best places in the world for aurora viewing. The lights are a natural phenomenon and cannot be guaranteed, but the odds are strong if conditions cooperate.

What happens if the weather looks too cloudy on the night of my tour?

If heavy cloud cover makes conditions hopeless, the guide will notify you no later than 3 hours before the tour. You can then reschedule to another night, cancel, or still join the tour and let the guide search for any breaks in the clouds.

Is the tour suitable for children, and what about the cold?

Children from age 10 are welcome on the aurora hunting tour. Warm jackets are available, and you can warm up inside the vehicle between stops. Child safety seats are provided if needed—just inform the operator in advance.

What is included in the 4-hour tour?

The tour includes a professional local guide who speaks English or Finnish, transportation by car throughout the night, pickup and drop-off in the Ivalo area, and hot berry juice. Warm jackets are available if you need one.