Northern Lights Lake Inari tour: Sleigh ride & dinner

Ride a snowmobile-pulled sleigh across frozen Lake Inari hunting the Northern Lights.

This small-group Northern Lights tour departs from Kakslauttanen and Kiilopää area hotels and takes you by sleigh across Lake Inari in search of the aurora, with a local guide, warm gear, and a 3-course dinner cooked over an open fire in a traditional Lappish teepee. The group stays under 10 people, and your guide lives on an island in the lake. You'll visit there and meet reindeer during the evening. Pickup and drop-off from your hotel are included, as are warm clothes and shoes. The tour runs 6 hours. Children from age 8 are welcome, and vegetarian meals are available with advance notice.

Step-by-step itinerary

Northern Lights tour and dinner

• Get warm shoes and clothing
• Travel by snowmobile sleigh
• Watch for Northern Lights
• Meet and feed reindeers
• Dinner in Lappish teepee

The experience

If you've arrived in Lapland without a car or are staying in the Kakslauttanen area, this tour handles the logistics: pickup from your hotel, warm clothes and boots waiting at the office, and return transport at the end. You'll travel by sleigh pulled by snowmobile across the frozen expanse of Lake Inari, the largest lake in Finnish Lapland, with the sky as your focus. The guide is English-speaking and lives locally, not a seasonal operator, so the route and timing follow what actually works for Northern Lights visibility on the night you're there.

The tour visits the guide's island home, where you'll meet reindeer and see how people live outside the tourist circuit. Dinner is a 3-course meal cooked over an open fire inside a Lappish teepee, with hot drinks to keep you warm between courses and between sky-watching. The small group, capped at 10 people, means you're not competing for the guide's attention or jostling for position if the lights appear. The whole outing runs about 6 hours, so you're out long enough to catch the aurora if conditions align, but not so long that the cold becomes the only thing you remember.

Bring sunglasses or a hat if bright snow glare bothers you, though the guide provides everything else: insulated jacket, snow pants, boots, gloves and a hat. If you have dietary needs, let the operator know when you book: vegetarian options are available. The minimum booking is two people, so solo travelers would need to join an existing group or arrange a private departure.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off from Kakslauttanen and Kiilopää area hotels.
• warm insulated jacket, snow pants, boots, gloves and hat.
• 3-course dinner and hot drinks served by campfire in a Lappish teepee.
• English-speaking local guide.
• visit to the guide's island home and time with reindeer.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 17:45

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (13 to 75 years) · Child (8 to 12 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupUp to 10 · max 8 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 5 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.

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Ivalo Safaris / Lenje Avoin Yhtiö

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're staying in the Kakslauttanen or Kiilopää area without a car: the hotel pickup and drop-off mean you don't need to arrange transport, and the fixed 6-hour window fits around other plans. The small group and the guide's local knowledge make it worth choosing over larger commercial aurora tours if you want a more personal experience and a real connection to how people actually live in the region.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (8 to 12 years). Children under 8 can't be included in the booking.

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 are the chances of seeing the Northern Lights on this tour?

The Northern Lights depend on solar activity and clear skies, so there's no guarantee on any given night. Lake Inari sits well inside the aurora zone, and the 6-hour window gives you multiple chances to spot them if they're active. The guide knows the local conditions and adjusts the route and timing to maximize your odds, but the lights themselves are not something the operator can promise.

Do I need to be fit to handle a sleigh ride across a frozen lake?

The sleigh ride itself is passive (you're sitting while the snowmobile pulls you), so it doesn't require hiking or physical exertion. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, though it's not recommended for people with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health because of the cold exposure and the motion of the sleigh. If you have concerns about your health in extreme cold, mention them when you book.

Is the dinner included in the price, or do I pay extra?

The 3-course dinner and all hot drinks are included in the tour price. You eat in the teepee by the campfire, so there's no separate meal stop or additional cost.

What is Lake Inari like, and why is it the destination for this tour?

Lake Inari is Finland's largest lake, located deep in Lapland near the Russian border. It freezes solid in winter, turning it into a vast, dark landscape with minimal light pollution: ideal for watching the Northern Lights. The guide's island home sits on the lake, so the route is personal to them and not a standard circuit.

Can my 8-year-old come on this tour?

Children from age 8 are welcome. They'll need to sit still in the sleigh for extended periods and tolerate the cold in heavy gear, so consider whether your child is comfortable with that before booking. The guide can advise on what works for younger travelers when you contact them.