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Guide · Inari and Ivalo
Northern lights in Inari, Finland: the lake and the airport town
North of Saariselkä the forest opens onto one of Finland's great lakes. Here is what Inari and Ivalo add to an aurora trip, and which hunts start from there, with prices and inclusions as each listing states them.
Check availabilityfrom $160 · free cancellation possible
Editorial team, saariselkanorthernlights.comUpdated October 19, 2026Reading time about 8 minutes29 sources
At a glance
A lake, a village and an airport town
The northern lights in Inari, Finland, come with a landscape that feels different from the fells around Saariselkä. Inari is the largest municipality in Finland and covers 5 percent of the country's total area.3 Its heart is a vast lake dotted with islands, and on its shore lies Inari village, while Ivalo sits further south on the road toward Saariselkä. The road between them runs north through the forest.
For aurora watching, the area offers what FMI recommends for any viewer: a wide view at least toward the northern horizon.6 A frozen lake is about as open as a horizon gets in Lapland. Lapland North, the regional tourism body, describes the whole area as lying directly under the aurora oval, with frequent displays from early autumn until late winter.7 On a still night the ice gives you a horizon that feels endless.
Inari and Ivalo work well in two ways. You can base yourself there for a few nights, or you can stay in Saariselkä and join an evening that drives north to the lake. Either way, the official odds are those of northern Lapland: FMI counts its Lapland resorts at roughly 50 % of dark, cloudless nights, rising toward three nights out of four in the far north beyond Inari.89 The choice comes down to where you prefer to sleep.
A lake evening
How the Lake Inari tour from Ivalo runs
-
Start
Venevalkamantie, Ivalo
Hotel pickup in the Ivalo center area is included; the tour starts at Venevalkamantie 3.
-
First leg
By van to the lake
A drive of about 15 minutes to Lake Inari.
-
On the ice
Sleigh and reindeer
A snowmobile sleigh ride and a chance to meet and feed reindeer.
-
At the lake
Photo stop and dinner
About 3 hours at the lake, with home-made fish or reindeer.
-
Return
Back to Ivalo
Another 15 minutes by van, in a 4-hour evening in all.
Lake Inari after dark
The Municipality of Inari describes the lake as about 100 km long, with an average depth of 14 metres and deepest points of almost 100 metres.10 Visit Finland counts some 3,318 islands and calls it the third largest and second deepest lake in the country.1 In winter the open water turns to a vast white plain, and the islands become dark shapes on the ice under the sky. On a moonlit night the islands are easy to pick out against the snow.
Watching the northern lights over Lake Inari is mostly about space. Instead of a ring of spruce cutting off the lower sky, you get a horizon that runs unbroken for kilometers, and an arc low in the north stays in view from the moment it appears. Before the ice forms in autumn, a calm night can mirror the sky in open water; in deep winter you stand out on the ice itself. Wear boots with good grip, as wind-polished ice can be slippery.
The lake also carries history. Ukonsaari, a rocky island approximately 30 metres high, 50 metres wide and 100 metres long, has been a place of worship for the Sámi people and can be identified from a distance.11 Guides on the lake evenings may point it out, and it is worth treating the island and its story with the same respect you would give any sacred place. Keep to the paths your guide uses and leave nothing behind on the ice.
Time out
How long each Inari-area hunt lasts
hours
Side by side
Aurora evenings from Inari and Ivalo
| Evening | Length | Group | Rating | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car hunt, photo lesson | 4 hours | Min. 2 to book | 4.83 | from $153 |
| Lake Inari, dinner | 4 hours | Up to 12 | 4.37 | from $190 |
| Lake Inari from Saariselkä | 5 hours | Up to 12 | 4.46 | from $213 |
| Ivalo minibus | 3 hours | Up to 8 | No reviews yet | from $168 |
| Hunt with workshop | 4 hours | Not stated | 4.91 | from $206 |
| Hunt with huskies | 2 hours | Up to 6 | 4.86 | from $213 |
From-prices per person as listed, not exact quotes; check the date you want on the booking page.
Three evenings
Car hunt, lake dinner or the longer trip
Booked here
Dinner on the lake
Hotel pickupDecision helper
Which Inari evening fits you
Pick the evening that matches your priority
The car hunt
Its listing includes a short photography lesson.
Lake Inari with dinner
Home-made fish or reindeer, plus a sleigh ride and reindeer.
The 5-hour lake tour
Hotel pickup in the Saariselkä center area is included.
The workshop hunt
Free rescheduling, a switch or a full refund if conditions are poor.
Huskies near Ivalo
A forest walk with a dog and head torches for up to 6.
The holy site of Ukonsaari Island in Lake Inarijärvi has been a place of worship amongst Sámi people. The rocky island is approximately 30 metres high, 50 metres wide and 100 metres long and can be identified from a distance.
Ivalo, the gateway town
Ivalo is the gateway to this corner of Lapland. Lapland North calls it home to the northernmost airport in Finland and in the European Union, serving travelers year-round.2 The airport is only 7 kilometres from the village centre, with daily flights and direct connections from Helsinki.12 The Municipality of Inari says it serves about 250 000 visitors a year.13 Arriving by air can leave the whole evening for the sky.
Seeing the northern lights in Ivalo, Finland, does not need a long drive. The town is small, and dark forest and lake shore begin a short way from its last streetlights. Several aurora hunts start right in Ivalo, from a minibus evening with snacks to a four-hour hunt with a workshop on the science, culture, forecasting and photography of the aurora. A head torch with a red setting helps on those dark paths.
Ivalo also plays a quiet scientific role. The Finnish Meteorological Institute runs a magnetometer station there, code IVA, in the IMAGE network, with records starting on 2001-02-01.14 Stations like it record disturbances in Earth's magnetic field, and FMI uses its station network to tell when auroras are possible and when they are very likely.15 You do not need any of it to enjoy the sky, but it is a nice detail to know.
Map
Where the aurora places of Finnish Lapland lie
Saariselkä next to the other aurora bases of Finnish Lapland, then a closer look at the fells, the airport and Lake Inari north of the village.
1Saariselkä2Ivalo3Inari4Utsjoki5Kilpisjärvi6Levi7Rovaniemi
8Kaunispää9Kiilopää10Kakslauttanen11Ivalo Airport2Ivalo3Inari12Lake Inari
- 1Saariselkä
FMI counts Saariselkä among the Lapland resorts where aurora shows on roughly 50 % of dark, cloudless nights.8
In Google Maps ↗ - 2Ivalo
Home of the northernmost airport in Finland and the EU.2 Some aurora hunts start from here.
In Google Maps ↗ - 3Inari
A village on Lake Inari, in a municipality where three Sámi languages are in official use.4
In Google Maps ↗ - 4Utsjoki
On the northern border: FMI statistics give auroras on three nights out of four here, and the polar night lasts almost two months.916
In Google Maps ↗ - 5Kilpisjärvi
FMI's highest figure for Finland: aurora on about 75 % of dark, cloudless nights.17
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Levi
About 170 km north of the Arctic Circle and 15 km from Kittilä Airport.1819
In Google Maps ↗ - 7Rovaniemi
On the Arctic Circle itself, with auroras from late August to the end of March or early April.2021
In Google Maps ↗ - 8Kaunispää
Saariselkä's own fell, 438 metres, reached on foot, on skis, by car or by ski lift.22
In Google Maps ↗ - 9Kiilopää
A 546-metre fell at a gate of Urho Kekkonen National Park.23
In Google Maps ↗ - 10Kakslauttanen
The glass igloo resort, which places itself 250 km above the Arctic Circle.24
In Google Maps ↗ - 11Ivalo Airport
Only 7 kilometres from Ivalo village, with daily flights.12
In Google Maps ↗ - 12Lake Inari
Finland's third largest lake, with some 3,318 islands.1
In Google Maps ↗
Checklist
Before an evening at the lake
01
Bring
- Warm layers, even when thermal clothing is provided
- Mittens you can pull off quickly
- A phone or camera with a night mode
02
Check
- Which pickup area your listing serves
- The cancellation window before you book
- Age limits on the lake tours
Cost calculator
Price an evening for your group
Starting totals for the main Inari and Ivalo evenings
People
Total from$305
each from $153
Check availabilityfree cancellationTotals start from each listing's lowest per-person price on GetYourGuide, turned into your currency at the ECB rate; the booking screen shows the exact sum.
Video
🇫🇮Northern Lights in Finland, Inari is the place! Complete guide of hotels, access, camera settings
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Inari village and Sámi culture
Inari village, on the western shore of the lake, is a center of Sámi life in Finland. The Sámi Parliament describes the Sámi as the sole Indigenous people of the European Union, a status written into the Constitution of Finland.25 Around 10 000 Sámi live in Finland, and the municipalities of Inari, Utsjoki, Enontekiö and northern Sodankylä form the Sámi Homeland.26 Inari is a place to slow down and listen as well as to look up.
In Inari municipality, North Sámi, Inari Sámi and Skolt Sámi are used officially alongside Finnish, and almost one third of the residents are Sámi.4 For an aurora traveler that means a living culture around you, not a backdrop. Ask before you photograph people or reindeer herds, and treat the stories you hear about the sky as part of a heritage that belongs to the people telling them.
The village also gives you a different kind of evening than a resort: a short walk from the main road can bring you to a dark shore with a view across the ice. If you base yourself in Inari, check the weather each afternoon and be ready to step outside late, as a bright display around midnight is the pattern FMI describes for auroras across Finland.27 Pack a thermos and stay out a while longer than you planned.
The car hunt from Inari or Ivalo
The hunt this page recommends is an aurora hunt by car from Inari or Ivalo, sold by Arctic Guides Oy. It lasts 4 hours, starts from $153 and holds 4.83 from 60 reviews. The listing includes car transportation, warm drinks with a light snack, English-speaking guides and a short photography lesson for capturing the northern lights. It is a straightforward evening focused on finding and capturing the lights.
A few practical points come straight from its record. Guides speak English and Finnish, the meeting point is a parking slot at the K-Market, and a minimum of 2 people is required for a first booking. Dropping it is free with 24 hours of notice and nothing is charged up front, which keeps your plans loose while you watch the forecast. Check the exact meeting time in your confirmation.
The photography lesson is the part that sets it apart from a plain viewing trip. Visit Finland notes that a tripod and a camera or phone set to night mode might capture more than the naked eye alone.28 A short lesson on the spot shows you how to set that up with cold fingers. Dress warmly all the same: time outdoors at a viewing spot passes slowly in a Lapland frost. Keep a second battery warm against your body, since frost empties them fast.
Lake Inari evenings with reindeer and dinner
Ivalo Safaris runs a longer evening on the lake itself. From Ivalo, its 4-hour tour starts at Venevalkamantie 3, drives 15 minutes by van to Lake Inari, spends about 3 hours there with a photo stop and dinner, and returns the same way. It starts from $190, holds 4.37 from 86 reviews and is limited to 12 participants. It is a full evening rather than a quick look at the sky.
The inclusions are generous: hotel pickup and drop-off in the Ivalo center area, a snowmobile sleigh ride, warm thermal clothing and shoes, a chance to meet and feed reindeer, a home-made dinner of local fish or reindeer with a vegetarian option on request, and a local guide. It suits travelers who want the lake, the animals and a warm meal in one evening, whether or not the sky cooperates. The warm clothing on loan makes the long hours on the ice far easier.
If you stay in Saariselkä, the same company sells a 5-hour version with hotel pickup in the Saariselkä center area, from $213 and rated 4.46 from 32 reviews. Its inclusions match the Ivalo tour, and it is not suitable for children under 7 years or people over 95 years. Both are limited to 12 participants. Allow for a late return to your hotel after the meal on the ice.
Smaller hunts and how to choose
Ivalo has several smaller options too. Hotelli Ivalo runs a 3-hour minibus search with a guide and snacks for up to 8 people, from $168. Xwander's 4-hour hunt adds the aurora workshop and offers free rescheduling, a switch or a full refund if conditions are not good for auroras, from $206. Each listing states its own pickup points; read them carefully before you book.
For something with animals, Ilonka's 2-hour aurora hunt with huskies near Ivalo includes a forest walk with a dog, head torches, drinks and snacks for up to 6 people, from $213. In the Muotkatunturi area of Inari, a 2-hour trip on a traditional Lappish sledge pulled by snowmobile starts from $116 and holds 5.00 from 7 reviews. Both are short evenings that pair well with a longer hunt on another night.
Whichever you pick, the sky makes the final call. Visit Finland names clouds as the most common reason people miss the northern lights entirely.29 A hunt that can drive toward clear sky gives you more chances on a grey evening, a lake dinner gives you a good night even without a show, and several evenings in the area improve your odds the most. Book the first one early in your stay and leave room for another try.
Plan your night
A guide, a minivan and a camera for the dark
Claim a seat in the minivan now, pay nearer the night, and back out free until 24 hours before.
You ask,we answer.
How far is Ivalo Airport from the town?
About 7 kilometres. Lapland North puts the airport only 7 kilometres from the village centre, with daily flights.12
How big is Lake Inari?
About 100 km long. The municipality gives an average depth of 14 metres and deepest points of almost 100 metres.10
What does the car hunt include?
Car, guide, drinks and a photo lesson. Car transportation, warm drinks with a light snack, English-speaking guides and a short photography lesson.
Can I cancel the car hunt?
Yes, up to 24 hours before. Its terms: free to cancel until 24 hours ahead, and nothing to pay at booking.
Is there a hunt with dinner on the lake?
Yes, from Ivalo or Saariselkä. Ivalo Safaris serves a home-made dinner of local fish or reindeer on its Lake Inari evenings.
When is the season around Inari?
September to April. That is the season Lapland North gives for its area, Inari and Saariselkä included.5
Sources
The sources for this guide
- 1Visit FinlandLake Inari↩
- 2Lapland North Destinations (Visit Inari, official tourism region; inarisaariselka.fi redirects here)Ivalo↩
- 3Municipality of InariInformation about Inari municipality↩
- 4Municipality of InariInformation about Inari municipality↩
- 5Lapland North Destinations (Visit Inari, official tourism region; inarisaariselka.fi redirects here)Northern Lights in Lapland North↩
- 6Finnish Meteorological InstituteAuroras in Finland↩
- 7Lapland North Destinations (Visit Inari, official tourism region; inarisaariselka.fi redirects here)Northern Lights in Lapland North↩
- 8Finnish Meteorological InstituteAuroras in Finland↩
- 9Finnish Meteorological InstituteRevontulet↩
- 10Municipality of InariInformation about Inari municipality↩
- 11Lapland North Destinations (Visit Inari, official tourism region; inarisaariselka.fi redirects here)Inari↩
- 12Lapland North Destinations (Visit Inari, official tourism region; inarisaariselka.fi redirects here)Ivalo↩
- 13Municipality of InariInformation about Inari municipality↩
- 14Finnish Meteorological InstituteIMAGE Magnetometer network - IMAGE stations↩
- 15Finnish Meteorological InstituteAuroras and space weather↩
- 16Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (thisisFINLAND)When the sun doesn’t rise in northern Finland↩
- 17Finnish Meteorological InstituteAuroras in Finland↩
- 18Visit Levi (levi.fi)Levi Info | Useful Information about Levi↩
- 19FinaviaKittilä Airport↩
- 20Visit RovaniemiArctic Circle in Lapland Finland↩
- 21Visit RovaniemiNorthern Lights in Rovaniemi↩
- 22Visit FinlandKaunispää Fell↩
- 23Lapland North Destinations (Visit Inari, official tourism region; inarisaariselka.fi redirects here)Kiilopää↩
- 24Kakslauttanen Arctic ResortFAQ↩
- 25Sámi Parliament in Finland (Saamelaiskäräjät)Sámi Parliament↩
- 26Lapland North Destinations (Visit Inari, official tourism region; inarisaariselka.fi redirects here)Sámi Culture↩
- 27Finnish Meteorological InstituteAuroras in Finland↩
- 28Visit FinlandNorthern Lights in Finland↩
- 29Visit FinlandHow to see Northern Lights in Finland↩
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