Saariselkä,Kakslauttanen: Aurora Hunting & Photography Tour.

Aurora nights can turn fast. In Saariselkä and the Kakslauttanen area, this 3-hour Northern Lights hunt is built around putting you in the right spots with a professional, friendly driver and a comfortable Mercedes minibus. I like how the tour is designed for real viewing conditions, not just waiting in one place, and I also like that you get public aurora photos as part of the experience. The main drawback is also the big one with Lapland, weather, if skies stay cloudy or rainy, you might not see the lights.

What makes this tour feel practical is the mix of smart planning and easy logistics: free pickup and drop-off within a 20 km radius, small-group comfort, and guidance aimed at both sighting and photos. When you’re dealing with polar night, that matters. Nobody wants a long, hard transfer when you could be staying warm and focusing on the sky.

Key things to know before you go

• Aurora focus in Saariselkä, especially around Kakslauttanen for better odds than the village lights.
• Professional, upbeat driving with the goal of finding clear sky, not just stopping and waiting.
• Mercedes minibus, small-group comfort for a calmer night than bigger buses.
• Wider search by car than by snowmobile, meaning more possible patches of clearer sky.
• Public aurora photos included, plus photo help during the hunt.
• Weather-dependent experience, cloudy nights can cancel the dream.

Saariselkä and Kakslauttanen odds: why this area matters

Saariselkä is a great base for Aurora hunting, but it comes with an honest catch: the village area can be cloudy and the light pollution can be strong. That’s why a good tour doesn’t treat the village as the final destination. Instead, it uses the best viewing areas around Saariselkä and the Kakslauttanen East and West villages to chase darker skies when conditions allow.

What I like about this setup is that it acknowledges the reality of Lapland. The lights are never a guaranteed show. You’re paying for a system that reacts to what the sky is doing, with expert driving and regular chances to reposition. In other words, you’re not just buying a ride, you’re buying hunting.

Your 3-hour plan: pickup, photo stop, and guided Aurora hunting

This tour is short on purpose. It runs for about 3 hours, which is ideal when the goal is to maximize your time under dark skies without turning your whole evening into a logistics headache.

Pickup that is built for real life

You get free pickup and drop-off within a 20 km radius, and you meet the driver at your hotel or accommodation reception. The service doesn’t want you wandering around with the cold creeping in, so it asks you to be ready and on time.

Approximate pickup windows (before the tour starts):

• Kiilopää: 35 to 30 minutes
• Kakslauttanen East village: 25 to 20 minutes
• Kakslauttanen West village: 20 to 15 minutes
• Laanila area: 15 to 5 minutes
• Saariselkä village: 10 to 0 minutes (sometimes a few minutes of delay can happen while the guide is coming)

That last note matters. If you’re the kind of traveler who hates uncertainty, it helps to mentally plan for a small wiggle room. In a polar night tour, a delay of a few minutes is usually just the driver working the pickup route.

What happens once you’re on board

After pickup, the evening typically includes:

• A photo stop where you can start getting oriented in the dark and try your first images.
• Guided Aurora hunting where the driver actively searches for better conditions.
• Sightseeing along the way, so the ride itself isn’t wasted time.

The tour also includes public aurora photos, meaning you’re not starting from zero with a camera. You might still shoot your own photos, but having photo material included is a nice safety net on a night when the lights are faint or fast-moving.

Drop-off

You’ll return to one of the two main areas for drop-off, Kakslauttanen or Saariselkä, depending on where you were picked up. Since you get pickup and drop-off as part of the package, you avoid the most stressful part of Aurora nights: trying to navigate icy roads in the dark while also trying to find the right spot.

Why this tour rides by minibus, not snowmobile

You might see Aurora tours offered by snowmobile, but the logic here favors a car-based approach. The key advantage is simple: by car, the search area for clear sky is much wider than with snowmobile travel. Wider search means higher odds that you’ll catch the Aurora when it appears.

Comfort is another big reason. In a minibus, you’re not constantly exposed to wind while you bounce across snow. And because the vehicle is the vehicle, the outside temperature doesn’t decide whether the trip is enjoyable. You still bundle up, of course, but you’re not trapped outside for the whole ride.

For me, this is one of the most practical points of the tour. When success depends on timing and sky conditions, you want the transport to help, not fight you.

Weather reality check: how to check the forecast the right way

Northern Lights hunting is weather math. Even an expert driver can’t clear cloud cover. This tour’s own approach is clear: if cloudy or rainy weather dominates, visibility can drop enough that it may be impossible to see the lights.

So you’ll want to check the forecast before you commit your evening. The tour guidance recommends using one or more of these sites:

• Foreca
• Finnish Meteorological Institute (Ilmatieteenlaitos)
• Yr.no

And it gives you a tight rule for timing:

• look at the hourly forecast between 21:00 and 00:00, which is the usual Aurora tour window.

Recommended locations to check include:

• Ivalo
• Inari
• Nellim
• Vuotso
• Sodankylä

If those locations show fully cloudy skies or ongoing snowfall, your chances are low. If you see clearer conditions or a moon symbol, your odds improve. I like that this tour doesn’t pretend a forecast is magic. It treats it like a tool for making a smarter decision.

If the weather outlook turns poor, you have an option to manage the booking through GetYourGuide, with changes or cancellations required at least 24 hours before the start time.

Photo help you can actually use in the moment

Northern Lights photos in Lapland can be tricky, even for people who’ve taken night shots before. The big variables are brightness, timing, and how quickly the sky changes. This tour addresses that with guided Aurora hunting and a photo stop, plus public aurora photos included.

Also, the night is driven by the driver’s judgment about where to go. When the lights appear, you want stops that give you a better view, not just more road time. In one positive night, a guide named Konsta was singled out for pushing hard to get the lights and managing a sighting even when things were tough.

On a stronger night, you’ll have more chances to shoot and more chances to improve. One account described lights straight away, then stronger Aurora with each stop, along with the guide helping with photos. That’s the ideal flow: steady movement toward clearer conditions, then better viewing as the night goes on.

Mercedes minibus comfort and small-group service

This isn’t a huge group experience. The tour uses Mercedes Benz minibus and keeps things small so the ride is comfortable and manageable. If you don’t like feeling packed in, this matters. Small-group comfort is also practical for a dark-sky activity, because it tends to make it easier to organize stops and photo moments without chaos.

You also get the option of private or small groups. And the tour includes a condition that can affect planning: it only takes place when 3 people are booked. That means if you’re booking for a very niche night, there’s a chance the tour might not run, depending on demand.

Arctic Tours Oy runs the experience, and the emphasis is on reliable service and professional driving.

Price and value: what $153 buys you in Lapland

At $153 per person for about 3 hours, you’re paying for more than the view. You’re paying for:

• Free pickup and drop-off within 20 km
• A professional driver focused on finding clear sky
• Guided Aurora hunting
• A comfortable minibus for polar night conditions
• Public aurora photos included

In a place where many Aurora plans fail because of logistics and timing, that combination is the value. The transport alone can cost time and stress if you’re trying to self-drive or coordinate last-minute rides. Here, the tour builds a structure around success odds: move when you need to move, and keep everyone warm while doing it.

Is it the cheapest way to chase the Northern Lights? Probably not. But it’s not trying to be. It’s aiming to be the smarter way to spend a limited Aurora window.

Success rate depends on more than effort

Let’s talk about the split you see with any Aurora tour. Even good drivers cannot control the sky.

In one disappointing account, the guide was described as unmotivated, with limited searching and more stopping while conditions worsened. The contrast was sharp: another company’s guide was said to have driven on in search of better locations. That doesn’t mean every night will be like that, but it does show you the key variable: active hunting matters.

On the flip side, there are positive accounts that highlight exactly what you want from a professional Aurora driver: the determination to find a sighting, taking multiple stops, and supporting photos. One successful night included Konsta, who was described as friendly and focused on getting lights even when it was hard.

So my practical takeaway is this: choose a tour that is transparent about weather dependence, and then show up prepared. Your odds rise when the conditions cooperate and when the driver can do their job quickly.

What to wear: the simple gear list that prevents a ruined night

This tour’s basic packing advice is clear:

• Warm clothing
• Warm shoes

That’s it. No fancy gear needed for the description you have here. Still, I’d treat this as a reminder that Aurora nights are long enough in the cold that comfort affects your experience. If you’re uncomfortable, you’ll rush your photos, lose your patience, and miss small changes in the sky.

Wear layers you can keep adjusting. Bring shoes with grip for winter surfaces. If you’re used to mild evenings, Lapland will recalibrate you fast.

Who this Aurora minibus tour is best for

This is a good fit if you want:

• an expert-driven search with regular repositioning
• a comfortable vehicle and small-group feel
• help with photography, including public aurora photos
• easy pickup and drop-off so you can focus on the night sky

It’s probably less ideal if:

• you’re expecting a guaranteed lights show every time
• you want zero waiting and zero uncertainty. Aurora nights include waiting, sometimes more than you’d like.

And it’s specifically not suitable for babies under 1 year. If you’re traveling with a very young infant, you’ll need to choose a different plan.

Should you book the Saariselkä Kakslauttanen Aurora hunting tour?

You should book if you want the practical version of Aurora hunting: professional driving, small-group comfort, guided searching around Saariselkä and Kakslauttanen, plus photo support and public aurora photos. The free pickup and drop-off within 20 km also makes it a clean, low-stress choice for winter travel.

You might skip it or reschedule if the forecast across the recommended locations looks fully cloudy, especially during the 21:00 to 00:00 window. Aurora nights are weather-driven. This tour can improve your odds, but it can’t force clear sky.

If you like structured help and you’re willing to bundle up and be flexible, this is a solid way to spend one of your Lapland evenings chasing the lights.

FAQ

How long is the Aurora hunting and photography tour?

The tour duration is about 3 hours.

Is free pickup and drop-off included?

Yes. There is free pickup and drop-off within a 20 km radius to Saariselkä.

What are the pickup time windows for different areas?

Pickup timing is approximate before the tour starts: Kiilopää 35 to 30 minutes, Kakslauttanen East village 25 to 20 minutes, Kakslauttanen West village 20 to 15 minutes, Laanila area 15 to 5 minutes, and Saariselkä village 10 to 0 minutes. Sometimes there can be a few minutes delay while the guide is coming.

Is this a small group tour?

Yes. The tour uses a Mercedes Benz minibus and operates as a small group experience. Private or small groups are also available. It only takes place when 3 people are booked.

Will you definitely see the Northern Lights?

No. Northern Lights visibility depends on weather conditions. Cloudy or rainy weather may make it impossible to see them.

Do you get photos during the tour?

Yes. The tour includes public aurora photos.

What language is the live guide?

The live tour guide is available in English and Finnish.

What should I bring?

Bring warm clothing and warm shoes.

FAQ

Is the tour suitable for babies?

It is not suitable for babies under 1 year.