Saariselkä,Kakslauttanen: Aurora Hunting & Photography Tour.

The clever part of this aurora hunt is that you are not stuck beneath the clouds over Saariselkä. Your guide can drive toward clearer skies, away from the village lights, giving you a better chance of finding the Northern Lights than you would have from one fixed viewing spot. I especially like the warm Mercedes minibus and the small-group setup. You can step outside for photos, then warm up inside instead of shivering through the whole night.

I also like the practical photography help. Guides such as Henry and Jen are described as friendly and committed, and the tour includes photos taken during the outing that may be shared publicly by the operator. The main drawback is simple: the aurora is wild, not scheduled. If the sky stays cloudy or solar activity is weak, no guide can promise a show, and the tour only runs when at least three people have booked.

Key points at a glance

• The minibus can chase clear skies: Your viewing area is much wider than it would be on a snowmobile.
• Warmth matters: You can return to the vehicle between outdoor viewing and photography stops.
• Pickup covers the main local resorts: Collection is available within 20 kilometers of Saariselkä, including Kakslauttanen and Kiilopää.
• Small groups keep things comfortable: The operator uses Mercedes minibuses rather than large coaches.
• Photography is part of the service: The guide takes aurora photos during the evening, with public use included in the agreement.
• The tour needs three bookings: Check this before building the outing into a tight holiday schedule.

Why a minibus gives you a better aurora search

The Northern Lights are not a stage show. Clouds can cover Saariselkä while the sky is clear a short drive away, and village lighting can wash out faint green bands. This is why the moving format makes sense.

The guide watches the conditions and searches around the Saariselkä and Kakslauttanen area for a useful combination of darkness, clear sky, and aurora activity. You are not promised a sighting, but you are given a broader search area than you would have from a hotel yard or one fixed camp.

That flexibility is the tour’s strongest practical feature. A snowmobile outing can be exciting, but a car can cover more road and lets you remain comfortable during the search. If the temperature drops sharply, you can warm up inside. If the lights appear in several places, the minibus can move to more than one photo location.

This also helps families. An evening aurora trip can run late, and young children may struggle with the cold and the waiting. In the minibus, a child can rest or sleep for part of the outing. Parents still need to decide if their children can manage staying up late and spending time outdoors, but the vehicle is far easier on tired bodies than an open snowmobile ride.

Meeting the guide in Saariselkä or Kakslauttanen

Pickup is included within a 20-kilometer radius of Saariselkä. The service covers Saariselkä village, Kakslauttanen East and West villages, Laanila, and Kiilopää.

Your pickup time depends on where you are staying. The guide arrives roughly 35 to 30 minutes before departure in Kiilopää, 25 to 20 minutes before departure at Kakslauttanen East, 20 to 15 minutes before departure at Kakslauttanen West, 15 to 5 minutes before departure in Laanila, and 10 to 0 minutes before departure in Saariselkä village.

That wording matters. You should be dressed and waiting early, not wandering out of the lobby at the scheduled departure time. The minibus has several pickups, and the operator says it cannot wait for late arrivals. A short delay of a few minutes can happen, but a late arrival may cancel your place without compensation.

Guides speak English and Finnish. The team includes guides identified as Henry and Jen in the tour information, though your assigned guide depends on the evening. The best guide for this sort of outing is not only someone who can explain the aurora, but someone willing to keep checking conditions and move when the first location is poor. That is the service you are paying for here.

Leaving Saariselkä village lights behind

The route begins with collection in Saariselkä or Kakslauttanen, followed by an evening search through the surrounding area. Saariselkä itself is a convenient base, but it is not always the best place to watch the sky. The village has stronger artificial light than the darker locations outside town, and cloud cover can settle over the area.

The guide uses the minibus to look for a clearer place. You may spend part of the first section driving and waiting for conditions to improve. That can feel less exciting than an activity with constant motion, but it is the correct rhythm for aurora hunting. The sky decides the schedule.

When conditions look promising, the minibus stops for a guided viewing and photography session. You should expect to get out into the cold, look upward, and wait. The vehicle remains important because it gives you a place to recover between outdoor periods.

The stated duration is three to three and a half hours, with some tour descriptions referring to three to four hours of guided hunting. Starting times vary, so check the available departure when you book. The outing is designed for the evening and night, when darkness gives the aurora the best chance to show.

What happens at the photography stops

The photography element adds useful value, especially if you have come to Lapland with a phone or camera but do not want to spend the night trying to guess the correct settings. The guide takes photos during the tour and provides public aurora photos as part of the service.

You agree that photos taken on the trip can be made available on the operator’s website and social media channels. If you are not comfortable with public use of your image, clarify this before participating. That point is easy to overlook when you are focused on the Northern Lights.

The supplied experience details do not promise private portraits, a fixed number of images, editing, or a personal photography lesson. Think of the included pictures as a useful record of the evening rather than a full professional photo package. The guide’s main job is still to find the aurora and manage the route.

You should bring warm shoes and proper winter clothing. A coat alone is not enough for a long stop in the snow. Warm layers, gloves, a hat, and dry footwear will make it much easier to stay outside when the sky finally begins to move. The vehicle helps, but it does not replace winter clothing.

Cloud cover, solar activity, and honest expectations

The tour is built around opportunity, not certainty. Northern Lights activity depends on natural conditions, and a clear sky does not always mean a visible aurora. Cloud, weak solar activity, and village lighting can all work against you.

The operator recommends checking the latest cloud forecast and solar activity before the outing. This will not predict the result perfectly, but it helps you understand the odds. I would schedule this tour early enough in your Lapland stay to leave room for another attempt if the first night is cloudy, though the available information does not promise a replacement trip.

The guides can search elsewhere when Saariselkä is covered by cloud, and that is a real advantage. Still, the minibus cannot drive through every weather problem. You might spend much of the three-hour outing looking at clouds or waiting for a break. That is frustrating, but it is part of any Northern Lights trip.

The strongest reports describe a guide arriving on time, chasing the lights, finding a darker place, explaining what was happening, and taking many photos. One outing found the aurora within minutes of the search beginning. That kind of result is possible, but it should not be treated as the normal guarantee for every departure.

Comfort, group size, and the snowmobile comparison

The operator uses Mercedes-Benz minibuses and describes the service as private or small group. The exact group size is not given, so you should not assume a private vehicle unless your booking specifically says so. Still, a minibus is a more comfortable choice than a large coach for an activity that involves waiting and repeated stops.

The comparison with a snowmobile is useful. A snowmobile can put you closer to the feeling of the forest, but the search area is more limited and the cold is harder to escape. On this trip, the vehicle can travel farther in search of clear sky, and you can sit down or warm up between viewing periods.

There is a tradeoff. You will spend time inside a vehicle rather than moving through the night under your own power. If the main purpose of your evening is speed, engine noise, and a snowy ride, choose a snowmobile activity instead. If the main purpose is maximizing your chance of seeing the aurora while staying reasonably warm, the minibus is the sensible tool.

The small-group approach also helps with repeated stops. If activity is strong and the lights remain visible, the guide can move between photography points without managing a large crowd. That gives you a better chance of getting a clear view, although the tour does not specify how many stops will occur.

What the $154 price means

At about $154 per person, this is not the cheapest way to spend an evening in Lapland. You are paying for more than transport from your hotel. The price includes pickup and drop-off within the stated service area, a three to four-hour guided search, an English or Finnish-speaking guide, and aurora photos taken during the outing.

The value depends on your starting point. If you are staying in Saariselkä village, you could walk outside and look up for free. But village lighting can be strong, clouds may block the view, and you would have no vehicle to search for clearer conditions. The tour earns its price through mobility, local route planning, and the chance to move away from poor weather.

It makes less financial sense if you already have a rental car, know the area well, and are comfortable checking forecasts and driving at night. In that case, you may prefer to search independently. You also need to accept that the main product is a better opportunity, not a guaranteed aurora.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure and a reserve-now, pay-later option reduce the risk when your plans are still changing. The three-person minimum is more important than the payment terms. If too few people book, the activity may not operate, so check the booking status before relying on it as your only Northern Lights plan.

Who will enjoy this outing most

I would choose this tour for a first visit to Saariselkä, especially if you are staying in a resort without a car. It suits couples and small groups who want a serious search without committing to a physically demanding snowmobile ride.

It also works well for families with older children who can stay up late. The minibus lets children rest during the drive, but you still need to bring proper winter clothing and be ready for outdoor waiting. Babies under one year are not considered suitable for the activity.

Photographers will appreciate the chance to move between locations and have the guide take aurora photos. However, you should not book it as a dedicated technical photography workshop. The focus is finding the lights, enjoying the sky, and recording the moment.

I would be more cautious if your schedule has only one free evening. The Northern Lights can fail to appear, and there is no stated guarantee or compensation for a cloudy night. A tight schedule does not make the natural phenomenon more reliable.

Practical tips for a smoother night

Arrive early for pickup, especially if you are staying in Kiilopää or at Kakslauttanen. The earlier pickup windows mean you may need to wait outside your accommodation before the official departure time.

Dress for standing outdoors, not just sitting in a warm minibus. Wear warm shoes, several layers, and clothing that lets you stay outside long enough to enjoy a sudden burst of aurora activity.

Keep your camera and phone ready, but let the guide handle the main photo work if you are struggling with settings. The included photos mean you can watch more of the sky instead of spending every minute looking down at a screen.

Treat the drive as part of the search. A quiet stretch with no aurora is not necessarily wasted time. The guide may be checking conditions, moving away from cloud, or choosing a darker place for the next stop.

Finally, check the forecast before you leave. Cloudiness and solar activity are the two key pieces of information provided for judging the night’s prospects. They cannot promise success, but they can help you set realistic expectations.

Should you book the ArcticTours aurora hunt?

Book it if you want the best practical chance of finding clear skies around Saariselkä and Kakslauttanen, and you value a warm vehicle, local guiding, small groups, and included photos. The tour’s strongest feature is its ability to move. That matters far more than a fixed viewing shelter when clouds settle over the village.

Skip it if you have your own car, are happy to search independently, or cannot accept the possibility of seeing nothing. At $154, the outing is a considered purchase, but it provides useful services that are hard to reproduce on foot.

For most visitors without a car, I think the minibus format is the right balance of comfort and flexibility. Just book with an open mind: you are buying a well-planned search under the Arctic sky, not a promise that nature will switch on the lights.

FAQ

How long does the aurora tour last?

The tour lasts about three to three and a half hours. Some activity details describe the guided aurora hunt as lasting three to four hours, so check the confirmed duration when booking.

Where does pickup take place?

Pickup is available from Saariselkä, Kakslauttanen, Kiilopää, and the Laanila area. Free pickup and drop-off are provided within a 20-kilometer radius of Saariselkä.

What languages does the guide speak?

The live guides speak English and Finnish.

Is the tour private?

Private or small-group options are available. The operator uses Mercedes-Benz minibuses, but the exact group size depends on the booking.

Are the Northern Lights guaranteed?

No. The aurora is a natural phenomenon, and the tour cannot guarantee that you will see it. The guide searches for clearer skies when conditions around Saariselkä are cloudy.

What should I bring?

Bring warm clothing and warm shoes. You should dress properly for spending time outdoors in winter conditions.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. A reserve-now, pay-later option is also available. The activity only takes place when at least three people are booked.