Welcome to Finland – recognized by the U.N.’s report as the world’s happiest country. I could confirm – it also made me the happiest person after getting engaged under the Northern Lights. Discover its Lappish lands which make it the ultimate winter wonderland destination. Expect to visit the village of the real Santa and don’t forget to greet him with hello and get ‘’ho-ho-ho’’ in response. Hop on a husky adventure in the wilderness. Feed reindeers. Look at the quivering Aurora skies painted in different patterns of greens and reds. Walk or ride a snowmobile on a frozen lake. Experience the typical Finnish sauna finishing with a dip in a cold river or rolling in the snow. Pack warm clothes and be ready to be blown away by the coolest winter adventure of your life – literally and figuratively.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Finland is one of the Nordic countries and is home to over 180,000 lakes and 179,000 islands. This Northern European Republic is bordering Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, Russia to the east, the Gulf of Bothnia to the west, and the Gulf of Finland to the south, across from Estonia.
Size: 338,455 km2
Capital: Helsinki
Population: 5,564,791 (2023)
Languages: Finnish, Swedish
Currency: Euro. For reference: 1 EUR = 1,10 USD
Best time to visit: The best time to visit for winter activities and to maximize your chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis is during the winter months – December through March. This is when the nights are at their darkest and longest – factors important to take into consideration if this is the main purpose for your visit. March is the best month for seeing this spectacular light show, while December is considered the wettest month. We stayed 6 nights in Lapland and saw the Northern Lights three times. Don’t forget that this is also the coldest time of the year and by cold, I mean really cold – there was a night when the temperatures went down to -35°C / -31°F.
What to pack: Keep in mind that during the winter months, the lakes and even the sea are frozen so pack wisely and don’t forget to have plenty of thermal underwear; thin and wool socks; gloves (I had wool gloves and ski gloves and was wearing them on top of each other); thin and thick sweaters; leggings; ski/wind and rainproof jacket and pants; scarf; hat; ski googles/sunglasses; hand and foot warmers; backpack; swimsuit (Lapland is home to many hot springs and saunas, so be sure to pack a swimsuit if you plan on taking a dip); warm waterproof hiking boots.
PRO TIP: A tip from a Finnish lady to keep your feet warm is to have more space inside the shoe – size up. She was wearing 4 sizes bigger than her original shoe size.
Apart from taking warm clothing, it is important to bring a good moisturizing face and body cream; lip balm; a torch if you plan to hunt Northern Lights alone in the wilderness; a camera + tripod, etc.
MAXIMIZE YOUR CHANCES OF SEEING THE NORTHERN LIGHTS
In Lapland the odds to witness Aurora Borealis are high, however, remember - the norther you go, the bigger the nature’ spectacle feels – same Auroras but from a different perspective. As you will get closer to the occurrence even if the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi, for example, are visible only on the horizon, you will be able to see them around and above you in Saariselkä. It’s truly mind-blowing. Visit the Aurora band between December and March. You could see Northern Lights starting in September, but you will maximize your chances if you choose this period – especially March.
Always escape the city and avoid any light pollution. You could book an Aurora Hunt tour and enjoy this natural phenomenon hassle-free or learn how to understand and read the Aurora predictions and find them yourself. The darker and clearer the skies are, the higher the chances of beautiful sun-charged particles trapped in Earth’s magnetic fields. For the ‘’hunt’’ target the time frame between 9 PM and 3 AM.
Remember, depending on the chart numbers (density, disturbance of Earth's magnetic field, etc.) you might see a very intense and impressive light show and you might even witness different colors than the most common greens – like red, blue, and purple. However, often the Northern Lights have low intensity, and the human eye couldn’t differentiate them from a grey cloud. The best way to find Auroras in this case is through your camera lens which will see all the colors that the human eye isn’t capable of recognizing.
AURORA BOREALIS FORECAST – LEARN HOW TO READ IT
If you're planning to witness the mesmerizing Aurora Borealis, it's essential to understand how to read the Aurora forecast. The forecast is based on several factors, including the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF), Kp index, Bz value, and Bt value. In this blog post, we'll explain what these terms mean and how to read the Aurora forecast.
Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF)
The IMF is a magnetic field that originates from the sun and extends throughout the solar system. When the IMF enters the Earth's magnetic field, it creates the conditions for the Aurora Borealis. The IMF enters either from the North or South magnetic pole of the Earth.
Kp Index
The Kp index is a measure of the disturbance of Earth's magnetic field. It indicates how far South Auroras can be seen in the Northern hemisphere. The Kp index ranges from 0 to 9, with 0 being the lowest disturbance and 9 being the highest. You need to look for a Kp 0 or a positive Kp value. The higher the Kp number, the higher the intensity of Auroras. However, Kp isn't the most important index, and you can see Auroras even if Kp doesn't play along.
Bz Value
The Bz value is the north-south direction of the interplanetary magnetic field. When the Bz value is negative, the charged particles have been pushed toward the Earth, creating the magical glowing skies of the Aurora Borealis. The Bz value should be negative, and the lower it is, the higher the chances of visible Northern Lights overhead. This doesn't mean that you can't see Auroras with positive Bz, but a negative Bz is better because the show will be more impressive.
Bt Value
The Bt value is the strength of the interplanetary magnetic field. Ideally, the Bt value should be positive. The stronger it is, the brighter and more intense you will see the Auroras.
Other Factors
Apart from the IMF, Kp index, Bz value, and Bt value, there are other factors that affect the Aurora forecast. Cloud coverage and the speed of the solar wind are also essential factors to consider. Always look for clear skies and try to find a gap in the sky or completely escape the clouds if possible. Remember that the lowest clouds are your biggest enemy and destructor of your chances to see Auroras.
Faster solar winds create stronger Northern Lights because they bring charged particles flowing outward from the sun.
Here are some of the best apps that can help you track the Aurora Borealis forecast:
Aurora Forecast - This app provides real-time Aurora Borealis forecast and alerts. It also includes a map that shows the current Aurora activity and cloud coverage.
My Aurora Forecast - This app provides Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis (Southern Lights) forecast. It also includes a map that shows the current Aurora activity and cloud coverage.
Aurora Alerts - This app provides Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis forecast and alerts. It also includes a map that shows the current Aurora activity and cloud coverage.
Northern Eye Aurora Forecast - This app provides Aurora Borealis forecast and alerts. It also includes a map that shows the current Aurora activity and cloud coverage.
These apps are available for both iOS and Android devices and are free to download. They can help you plan your Aurora Borealis viewing trip and increase your chances of witnessing this magical natural phenomenon.
PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS
The freezing temperatures you will encounter in Lapland usually significantly deplete your camera battery life. Cold temperatures not only can drain the battery but also cause condensation to form inside the camera. It’s a great idea to bring extra batteries or a power source/power bank. Trust me you don’t want your camera to give up on you while shooting the most wanted natural occurrence – the Northern Lights. If you don’t have extra batteries, try to prolongate their duration of operation by keeping your battery warm. Don’t keep it in the camera bag – put it closer to your body instead (inside your jacket, inside a blanket). You could also use a hand warmer by placing it in your camera bag or wrapping it around your camera.
DRONES: We didn’t have any problems using our drone, but make sure to ask for permission when flying over glass igloos, because you don’t want to disturb anyone’s privacy.
HOW TO SHOOT THE NORTHERN LIGHTS
First and foremost, you need a tripod to keep your camera stable. Even a minimum movement could destroy the shot. Go out in the dark – avoid any surrounding light sources. If you want to be able to edit afterwards don’t forget to shoot in RAW and put your camera in manual mode. For Aurora Borealis photography you need a camera lens with an aperture of minimum f/2,8 or ideally a higher aperture of f/1,4. Set the ISO depending on how much light you need – higher ISO means capturing more light, but it also makes the shot grainier; try a shutter speed between 5 and 10 seconds and focus on the infinity – point a star, for example.
If you want to shoot the movement of the Northern Lights, the best way is to create a time-lapse, which you could transform into a beautiful video.
HOW TO GET FROM HELSINKI TO LAPLAND
To get from Helsinki to Lapland, the best and most popular way is to get a domestic flight to one of Lapland’s regional airports, the most popular of which is Rovaniemi where you could meet Santa Claus, set foot on the Arctic Circle, go to Ranua, etc. If you’d like to visit Inari, Saariselkä, or Ivalo – choose Ivalo Airport. To get to Levi you should land at Kittilä International Airport. The majority of the flights are operated by Finnair. Whatever your choice, once in Lapland nothing will stop you to visit all the other towns you wish. We chose to go around and explore by car.
Other, but much longer ways to reach Lapland from Helsinki are by train, by bus, or by car.
HOW TO GET AROUND LAPLAND
CAR RENTAL – the most convenient for our travel habits and freedom of movement was to rent a car. We picked it up at Rovaniemi Airport and dropped it off at Ivalo Airport. The car rental company choice we made was based on good reviews and good prices and it’s called Enterprise Car Rental. We’ve got a brand new hybrid car – a new Toyota Combi with the usually heated seats, but also a heated steering wheel (believe me, you will appreciate this a lot in Lapland).
DISTANCES / ROADS / DRIVING TIPS
The winter conditions opposite the expectations didn’t stand in the way of good driving. You don’t need a 4WD, but good winter tyres and good driving experience. Don’t forget to always warm up the engine first and be prepared for the possibility of waking up to a dead battery. Get a de-icer presuming the locks on your car doors freeze and of course, don’t forget to always bring warm clothes with you in case of any emergency. Luckily, none of these things happened to us, but it’s better to be prepared than be sorry.
BY BUS AND/OR TRAIN – Lapland has great connections and a timetable you can count on.
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
DAY 1.
We started our journey exploring the capital of Finland. Helsinki is a lovely, laid-back city with typical Nordic architecture and structure. We arrived quite late so the first evening we just went for a nice dining experience at Brasserie Kämp.
WHERE TO STAY
ST. GEORGE HELSINKI
St. George Hotel is snuggled in the heart of Helsinki. Its perfect location, beautiful SPA area, the cosy modern ambience of our Atelier Room with a lovely park/church view made it the perfect staycation and starting point to discover the Finnish capital, do a day getaway to explore another European capital – Tallinn, and head for a Northern Lights hunt in Lapland.
Instagram: @stgeorgehelsinki
Book here: Hotel St. George
DAY 2.
HELSINKI – TALLINN – approx. 87 km
Early wake up to catch a taxi and go to the ferry terminal departing to Tallinn. Just a ferry away and a bit more than 2 hours from Helsinki, say hello to Tallinn – the capital of Estonia. We traveled with Eckerö Line and booked our tickets online a few weeks in advance.
TALLINN
Exploring Tallinn – mainly the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town, which is very cute.
Points of interest: Tallinn Town Hall Square + Town Hall; Niguliste Museum; St. Catherine’s Passage; Masters’ Courtyard; Town Wall – Nunna, Sauna, and Kudjala Tower; Hellemann Tower and the City Hall; Toompea Castle; Piiskopi observation platform; Kohtuitsa viewing platform; Patkuli viewing platform; St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral; The Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin; Kadriorg Palace and park.
Fun fact: Due to heavy taxes alcohol in Finland is very expensive – it has the highest prices in the EU. As a result, a lot of Finnish citizens are doing often this trip to Estonia just to buy cheaper booze. On the way back you will see massive amounts of spirits carried by the passengers on trolley jets.
DAY 3.
HELSINKI
We started the day with breakfast in the room and SPA in our beautiful hotel St. George Helsinki.
The rest of the day we spent exploring Helsinki and preparing for the second part of the adventure – Lapland.
Points of interest: Helsinki Cathedral; The National Museum of Finland; Senate Square; Uspenski Cathedral; Temppeliaukion Church; Esplanadi; Linnamäki; Kamppi Chapel; Sibelius Monument; Amos Rex; Market Square; Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma; Art Museum Ateneum; Helsinki Central Library Oodi.
We finished the day with Finland’s only certified Neapolitan pizzeria – Pizzeria Via Tribunali.
DAY 4.
HELSINKI – ROVANIEMI – approx. 810 km
We took the earliest flight to Rovaniemi, operated by Finnair. The flight duration is 1h20.
SANTA CLAUS OFFICE - ROVANIEMI
After landing we picked up our car rental from Rovaniemi Airport and headed straight to the official Santa Claus village. We were a bit too early and Santa’s Office wasn’t open yet, but it was perfect because we had time to walk around and be the first invited by the elves to meet the real Santa. I couldn’t believe that I was finally living my childhood dream.
Santa Claus Office is open every day of the year, but make sure to check the opening times, because they differ depending on the month of your visit. Entrance is free, but anything else you’d like to experience isn’t. The worst part is that you aren’t allowed to take pictures of or with Santa with your phone or camera. The only way to get a digital or printed memory of meeting him is to pay for it. To get digitally all photos that will be taken during this encounter you have to pay 50 EUR. We’ve received 2 pictures and a video of our conversation with Santa. No discounts for good behaviour and trust me, I was a very good kid during the past year. Now let’s hope that Santa will be generous this Christmas. Ho-ho-ho!
In Santa’s village, you could get all the vibes you’ve imagined and watched in the movies. It’s perfect for families with kids and I could only imagine the mood around Christmas.
Here you will not only enter Santa’s Office, find where he receives all his letters, meet his elves, and see where they prepare and pack the gifts for the good kids, but you could also meet his reindeer – Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph. Well, just kidding - there are reindeer, but they are used for tourist purposes (sledding) and their names are unknown. I didn’t like how the reindeer looked and didn’t want to participate in supporting this business. It’s an attraction that many people think is a must and would love to experience when in Lapland, but I couldn’t do it knowing that I am harming the poor animals. This isn’t the case doing Husky sledding, but I will explain and speak about it later in this blog post. Instead of a reindeer ride, I decided to feed these horned cuties during one of our last days in Lapland.
After meeting Santa, we went to have lunch in town (Rovaniemi), and right after we hit the road to Kemi.
ROVANIEMI – KEMI – approx. 120 km
KEMI
WHERE TO STAY
SEASIDE GLASS VILLAS
Seaside Glass Villas won a World Luxury Hotel Award in 2019. This unique accommodation is located in the SnowCastle area and the views from these Finnish-designed, ecological villas with glass sides and roofs are spectacular. Can you imagine waking up in a glass cabin overlooking the sea covered in ice and snow?
After having breakfast at Lumihiutale Restaurant, you can walk on the sea or embark on the famous Sampo Cruise which due to technical reasons couldn’t happen when we were in Kemi. During your stay, you must also visit the SnowCastle which is right next door.
Instagram: @seasideglassvillas
Book here: Seaside Glass Villas
DAY 5.
KEMI
SNOW CASTLE
Open all year round and attracting visitors for some ice and snow fun, the SnowCastle has an inside ice restaurant and snow sculptures. Don’t forget to try their cool ice slide. It woke up my inner kid and I couldn’t help but repeat it over and over again.
The outside SnowCastle park is open in winter when you can do other fun activities like snow tube slide, ice stock, walk in a snow labyrinth, etc. During summer this part of the park is reserved for campers.
ICEBREAKER SAMPO CRUISE
Sampo is the former icebreaker for the Finnish government and brings its passengers from December to April on an Arctic ice-breaking adventure on the Gulf of Bothnia. Somewhere in the middle of the frozen sea, you will be able to walk and dressed in special suits even float in the broken ice. As mentioned, we had it booked but due to technical reasons, the ship didn’t depart that day. Next time.
More info and reservations: Arctic Icebreaker Cruise (experience365.fi)
KEMI – ROVANIEMI – approx. 120 km
After our failed attempt to embark on the Sampo Cruise, the snow tubing, and the ice sledding fun, we drove back to Rovaniemi to continue our adventure and tick off the list of other dream Lappish adventures.
WHERE TO STAY
APPUKA RESORT
Arctic nature, Aurora hunts on the road or from the comfort of your bed, husky adventures, snowmobiles and so much more – this is on the winter menu of Appuka Resort.
These unique Aurora cabins and suites are spread over a huge area of Arctic wilderness overlooking a frozen during the winter months lake. 18 km away from Rovaniemi city center, Appuka Resort is the perfect place for those of you who want to witness the Northern Lights and feel nature’s tranquility, while staying active. A place where you could immerse yourself in your senses.
The Apukka Resort team also organized a great surprise for our engagement, which will forever remain in our memories. Thank you!
Instagram: @apukkaresort
Book here: Apukka Resort
After we checked-in in Apukka, walked around the resort, and had dinner, we were supposed to go and try if we can join an Aurora Borealis hunt. My boyfriend organized it without telling me, but he was pretending that it was a spontaneous private tour - more about it when I tell you about our second Aurora hunt the day after. Basically, on arrival at Apukka’s reception, they announced that someone might be outside around 8 PM if we decide to go. It was a ‘’conspiracy’’ between Apukka Resort, my partner, and Wild About Lapland Tours, and even if I found it odd that we embark on a trip without any questions asked, I didn’t suspect anything.
On the way to our Northern Lights trip, Nico was holding my hand so strongly that I thought he might break it from excitement. I’ve never seen him so emotional to experience something. Aurora Borealis was a dream of ours, but I didn’t expect him to get so carried away.
We drove about 40 minutes away from Rovaniemi. Once we arrived at the spot where we supposedly had the biggest chance to see this natural phenomenon, we had to walk in 1 meter of snow to get to a frozen lake opening a clear horizon, an opportunity to realize this dream. Unfortunately, despite the clear skies nature didn’t work in our favor this night and the Northern Lights were too shy to show up. After waiting for quite some time on the frozen lake we’ve built a small fire not far from it to warm up our frostbitten toes, hands, and even hair. Despite our patience and checking the probability of seeing Aurora Borealis in the charts, our guide told us that he doesn’t wanna lie, because the chance is very low tonight and it’s better to head back home. We were very sad, but I knew that we had more opportunities to see the skies show in the next few days. Nico started to speak about prolonging our trip if we don’t see the Northern Lights, but deep inside me I knew that they will show up for us in the upcoming days and we will be able to get our toes frozen over and over again. First attempt failed! Time to warm up and recharge for the next one.
DAY 6.
APUKKA HUSKY ADVENTURE
Winter clothing – thermal overall, thermal boots, woolen socks, mittens
Mushing - this was an amazing husky sledding adventure, but before deciding to do it we did our research if this is something we wanna try because as I’ve already mentioned above, we don’t want to harm any animals. I can reassure you that the pack of Apukka huskies is treated with love and care.
The huskies as a breed are very active with a lot of energy to spare – they need to run and burn this spare energy. This is why they love pulling loads and running for kilometers. As for the weight of the sleigh – several huskies are towing the sled and once it’s moving they are unstoppable (you have breaks, but don’t use them if you are not told so). During this husky safari, you will be the musher controlling the sled and you will see for yourself how much fun these little fellas have while running and eating snow.
After we finished this activity and petted the cuties, we went for a walk and some rest, because we had another Aurora Borealis hunt planned for this night + I needed some pampering, because it was International Women’s Day after all (March 8th, 2023).
AURORA HUNT – THE PROPOSAL
We chose to hire again Aurora hunters to maximize our chances of seeing the Northern Lights because if needed they might drive you hundreds of kilometers away from your current location – even to Sweden or Norway. After some research, we’ve found Arctic Road Trips (Luisa Schaffner and Lorenzo Mirandola). Luisa brought us to watch an Aurora Borealis exclusive show from the front row, and we are so grateful for that. A memorable night and what happened while we were taking pictures made it even more unfading… Another frozen lake, a meter of snow, -27°C, our first Aurora Borealis appearance, going down on one knee followed by a proposal… My proposal! It made me speechless… Both, Nico and I, forgot about the cold and despite the frozen tears of happiness, our love gave us warmth.
Instagram: @arctic_road_trips
Book here: Arctic Road Trips
I SAID ‘YES’ TO A LIFETIME AND BEYOND TOGETHER ∞
It was an unforgettable moment - Sun’s and Earth’s charged particles playfully teasing, dancing, and daring each other to collude and create some magnetic field magic. A spectacle of pulsating skies with different intensity, colors, and fairytale shapes. Not only the Northern Lights were trembling this night, but also our hearts. You, me, and the blessing of the universe sending the Aurora Borealis, Full Moon, and a few shooting stars to beautify our union.
There were so many funny details around the organization of the proposal, but this blog post isn’t about me. Let’s say that the second attempt was successful, and this time Apukka Resort didn’t have to remove the surprise they prepared in our room. Thank you for the lovely wishes and for being part of our celebration.
DAY 7.
APUKKA SNOWMOBILING AND ICE FISHING
Winter clothing – thermal overall, thermal boots, woolen socks, mittens, balaclava
We didn’t do the ice fishing part, but we couldn’t join a normal snowmobiling tour, because we had to hit the road around midday so this was the only available snowmobiling activity we could do. It was soo much fun – another day, another frozen lake, but this time not crossing it on foot. It was super cool to follow each other and breathe the fresh Arctic air instead of the dust of the others.
Ice fishing is one of the most local activities and there you can learn some Finnish fishermen’s secrets like how to make a hole in the ice. This was the only part of the ice fishing activity we tried, and it wasn’t easy to get to the water. Normally, for those of you who might be interested, if you are lucky, you could catch a pike, a perch, or even a trout. I am sorry to say, but I was happy we didn’t witness anyone catching a fish and this made my day.
Thanks to that I found it even cooler. It was amazing to drink a hot coffee prepared on a campfire put on a frozen lake. Fire and ice – the ultimate local experience.
ROVANIEMI – SAARISELKÄ – approx. 260 km
SAARISELKÄ
Saariselkä is the northernmost ski resort in Europe and a great place to see the Northern Lights. The ski season here lasts from November to May with 7 km of slopes and 5 lifts. A perfect place for all typical winter Lappish activities.
WHERE TO STAY
AURORA COLLECTION RESORT
You can choose from an Arctic Spa Suite or Sky View Suite. We stayed in an Arctic Spa Suite and enjoyed the beautiful hill views from the comfort of our room and our private heated outside jacuzzi. Breakfast is served in the room.
Instagram: @auroracollectionresort
Book here: Aurora Collection Resort Saariselkä
Dinner at Fieno – an amazing Italian restaurant recommended by Aurora Collection. After enjoying a good meal we decided to enjoy the jacuzzi instead of going for an Aurora hunt because there was no chance of seeing one – the Kp, Bz, and the moody skies were playing all against.
DAY 8.
SAARISELKÄ
We started the day at the top of the slopes, climbing the picturesque frozen observation deck – Kaunispää Triangulation Tower. If you are interested - a lot of snowmobiling tours are starting there as well.
Lunch at Fieno and heading to our second home in this area – Aurora Queen Resort.
WHERE TO STAY
AURORA QUEEN RESORT
All places we visited during this trip were absolutely amazing, but this one was our favourite. Every detail was done to perfection. The staff, the location, the designer glass igloos, and the restaurant – honestly, I wished we had more than one night there. The food was delicious as well.
Instagram: @auroraqueenresort
Book here: Aurora Queen Resort
NORTHERN LIGHTS HUNT BY OURSELVES – MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
We drove far from town and found a great spot where we could have this natural phenomenon all to ourselves. The Aurora Borealis show accompanying our engagement was incredible, but what we witnessed that night exceeded all our expectations – we were laying in the snow surrounded by spectacular views all around and above us. It was unstoppable – a vigorous explosion of colors, shapes, and intensity. Sunset meeting the dancing Northern Lights and seeing several shooting stars at the same time made us scream, laugh, and our hearts might have skipped a beat or two. We watched the saturated skies for ages and whenever we thought that the intensity is slowing down it was starting all over again. We succeeded to enjoy a night full of Northern Lights and had the opportunity to continue being in this fairy tale from our glass igloo.
DAY 9.
At that moment when sleep has erased the day but you still remember the shivering Aurora skies painted in different patterns of greens and reds… and your heart is trembling as well…
Wake up, time for breakfast, and head further north to Ivalo.
SAARISELKÄ – IVALO – approx. 31 km
WHERE TO STAY
AURORA VILLAGE IVALO
This family-owned Aurora Village is located on the shore of a river in a peaceful area near Ivalo town. Their lovely glass cabins, good food, friendly staff, trekking paths, activities, and unique sauna experience made it the perfect finish to our Lappish adventure. We spent two nights here and this enormously helped us to recharge and prepare for going back to reality.
Instagram: @auroravillage_ivalo
Book here: Aurora Village Ivalo
AURORA BOREALIS HUNT BY OURSELVES – WE DID IT AGAIN
Another successful mission to find the Northern Lights in the wilderness. We were so proud that we’d educated ourselves on how to predict and find the best spots to watch them, but unfortunately, this was also the last time we saw Aurora Borealis before going back to Switzerland, because on the day after the forecast probability was really bad – the chances were close to 0.
DAY 10.
AURORA VILLAGE IVALO FINNISH SAUNA + MORNING DIP IN THE RIVER (-22°C)
This is the must-do experience when in Finland. I was very stressed to do it, but I knew we had to. First, you go in the sauna to warm up, and after it’s time for a shock – dip in the cold river at -22°C. The feeling after is amazing - rejuvenating and empowering.
Fun facts about Finnish sauna culture:
Almost everyone in Finland has a sauna at home - imagine a population of 5.5 million and around 3.5 million saunas in the country.
Finnish jails must always have one working sauna - the prisoners have the right to use it at least once a week. This is because saunas are not associated with spas - they are as omnipresent as bathrooms in Finland.
A business invitation to the sauna from people you never met before is perfectly normal.
There are more saunas than cars in Finland.
The Finnish sauna tradition was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
An interesting ritual after coming out of the sauna is to jump in a lake, river, etc., or roll in the snow. In summer you might get a bunch of birch branches (vihta) that you can dip in water and lightly hit parts of your body for stimulating your blood circulation.
DAY 11.
AURORA VILLAGE IVALO FEEDING REINDEER
We decided not to do a reindeer sleigh ride, but to get in touch with the animals in a different way. At Aurora Village Ivalo you could book a slot and interact with the reindeer while feeding them. It’s a 15-minute activity, but I loved being surrounded by and learning more about these cuties. The reindeer we fed were too young to do sleigh rides yet. Another interesting fact is that the reindeer are left to roam free in the wilderness during the summer months.
IVALO – HELSINKI – approx. 1100 km
We took a flight from Ivalo to Helsinki departing around 7 PM.
Overnight in an airport hotel, because of the early flight the day after.
DAY 12.
HELSINKI – GENEVA FLIGHT
GOODBYE FINLAND!
What a trip it has been - glass-igloos, feeding reindeer, husky adventures, snowmobiling, sledding, meeting the real Santa (expecting priority mail from him next Christmas).
Witnessing the fluttering in a passionate dance Aurora Borealis canvas. Watching the universe’s brush painting endless shapes of magnetic field magic and throwing a few shooting stars our way. Capturing some invisible for the human eye saturated green particles. Saying ‘YES’ while having Full Moon and a mind-boggling Northern Lights performance as a backdrop.