Chasing the Northern Lights in winter Lapland

Don’t expect a big airport in Kittilä. It’s basically one main building, which isn’t very big and doesn’t offer much. We’ll be mainly interested in baggage collection on arrival, as well as a branch of one of the car rental companies. Both are just a few metres apart.

Another interesting fact is that since Kittilä is deep inside the Arctic Circle and under snow almost all winter, the runway where the planes are parked is also under snow cover. However, the runway itself is for the most part „clear“.

TIP: If you are not flying to Kittilä but to Rovaniemi, please skip to day number 2.

After arriving and picking up the car at the local rental shop, we’ll head to Sirkka, a town about 20 minutes away, which is near the slightly better-known Levi ski resort. It is this area that will become our retreat for the first day and night.

As for accommodation, we recommend the Hotel Levi Panorama, which is located right next to the slopes and offers affordable and modern rooms.

Due to the arrival and transfer, and especially the shorter days in winter, we don’t expect you to get more done on the first day in daylight. In January, for example, the sunrise and sunset are separated by only a little around 1 hour, in the case of October or March it is much better.

But before we go to dreamland, let’s try to make a real dream come true on the first day. And yes, we’re talking about the Northern Lights! The area around Levi is absolutely ideal for viewing this natural phenomenon. And the first thing we’ll do is head to the nearby lake.

TIP: What to pack in your suitcase so you won’t be so cold at night, or what to look out for when photographing the Northern Lights, you can find out in the practical information in the itinerary below.

This lake is one of two tips for very accessible places where you can see the Northern Lights. In general, the aurora is only visible where it is completely dark and there are no clouds in the sky. We were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the aurora at this spot, first over the horizon and then on the way back to the car.

One thing is for sure – when you see the glow dancing in the sky, you will be surprised by the speed of the lights and maybe even by the fact that the glow itself is not as bright as in most of the photos you see on the internet and actually in this itinerary. Cameras, and phones, simply record the glow more clearly, which is why we recommend looking at the sky through your phone’s screen when „looking“ for the glow – because if it’s in the sky, you’ll see it sooner on your phone.

TIP: In case you don’t see the glow at one or the other place immediately, don’t immediately throw in the towel and move on to other places. If there is a glow somewhere in the area or under the clouds, be patient. It can be stronger at times and weaker at others.