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Chasing the northern lights needs a dash of luck and a sprinkle of the perfect astrological weather. Is it worth taking a northern lights tour in the Finish arctic? Only you can decide, cross your fingers and hope you get the perfect conditions.
What to wear when northern lights hunting?
You need to wrap up warm if your tour company does not offer all-weather gear in your package. Most of the companies I researched in Rovaniemi did offer this but double-check.
- Boots / waterproof shoes
- Warm trousers
- Warm / waterproof Coat
- Thermal bottoms and top
- Hat, Scarf and Gloves
As a minimum, these items are needed. It is going to be cold, ideally, you need clear dark skies. The air temperatures will be low due to the clear dark skies (they say it there is a higher chance of seeing the aurora the colder it is) Any light pollution is going to make sightings of the northern lights more difficult.
How much does an aurora tour cost?
Slightly more than I anticipated. However, it was what you can class as an all-inclusive experience.
€125 per person (£107 / $131)
Included was hotel pick up and drop off, all-weather gear, a professional guide, photographs and photography advice on how to capture the perfect image. My tour was with Beyond Arctic, they picked us up and looked after our group.
How to photograph the NORTHERN lights?
Photographing the northern lights requires as much patiences as hunting them. Once you find your perfect location you will need to set up, but also enjoy the show
Equipment you need:
- Tripod
- A camera that allows for manual settings
- Wide angle lens with manual focus
- Extra batteries (These go flat quickly in the cold)
A rough starting guide is a wide aperture, a high iso 1600 upwards, a shutter speed of 15sec upwards. Make sure your camera is stable on your tripod, your focus point should be manually set to infinity and enjoy the show. Take lots of photos as the lights are ever changing. Adjust your settings as you go.
Is it worth taking a Northern Lights Tour?
The tour taken with Beyond Arctic, even though felt expensive was worth it. Unlike the aurora tour I took in Iceland this was a much smaller group, 6 people in a mini van. It was a personalised experience, the guide knew where to go and took us to more remote spots away from other groups. We also had a mini break with a hot drinks and hot dogs (veggi ones too) to warm up. So yes I would book a tour, especially if you do not have car.
