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Nov 08, 2026

Kaamos Rovaniemi tours: how we run the polar night season

Every autumn the same question lands in our inbox: what is it actually like to visit Rovaniemi when the days almost disappear, and which of our tours make sense then? Finns call this dark stretch of winter kaamos. Visit Rovaniemi describes late December as the time when the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon and the Arctic Capital is bathed in deep blue and pink hues for a few hours around midday.

We run tours right through this season, so here is how we plan the dark weeks at StayLapland: which evening we recommend first, what is included, the small print from our product pages, and the other tours we pair it with.

Our short answer: for kaamos we recommend the Northern Lights Tour in Atmospheric Cottage first. It costs from 109 €, lasts 3 hours, starts at 20:00, and includes a guide, winter clothing, snacks and drinks by the campfire and pick-up within 10 km of Rovaniemi city centre. You wait for the auroras at a traditional cottage by a lake, with a warm room to step into. See all our activities in Rovaniemi.

At a glance

• From: 109 €
• Experience type: Northern Lights tour / activity
• Duration: 3 hours
• Difficulty: Very easy
• Book in Advance: Cut off: 3 hours before start time
• Included: A Tour Guide in English (other languages available on request:  Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German & Finnish.) PLEASE NOTE LIMITED AVAILABILITY FOR OTHER LANGUAGES). If another language is required. Please send us an email or WhatsApp after booking.); Winter clothing (Adult & Child size), overalls, boots, gloves, socks; Local snacks & Drinks by the campfire; Information about the Northern Lights; Surprise gift for the children; Pick-ups and drop-offs are included in the price in 10 km radius from Rovaniemi city center; Photos taken with your own device; Air conditioned car
• Cancellation: Free cancellation 24 hours before the activity. We will charge a cancellation fee of 100% if booking is cancelled less than 24 hours before the activity.
• Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible; Not stroller accessible

What kaamos means for a tour operator

Kaamos is the Finnish name for the polar night: the part of winter when, north of the Arctic Circle, the sun does not rise above the horizon at all. The Finnish Meteorological Institute notes that in the northernmost corner of Finland it lasts for 51 days. Rovaniemi sits right at the Arctic Circle, on the southern edge of that zone, so here the season is less about total darkness and more about very short, very blue days.

It is rarely pitch black. As thisisFINLAND explains, sunlight still reaches the upper layers of the atmosphere, so the snow, the moon and the twilight give the landscape a soft glow. For us that changes two things. The evenings are long and dark, which is what you want for aurora watching. And the midday light is short and precious, so we encourage guests to spend it outdoors rather than inside.

Why we point kaamos guests to the lakeside cottage

The Northern Lights Tour in Atmospheric Cottage is built around a traditional Finnish cottage that is more than 100 years old, beside a lake and a laavu (a lean-to shelter with a fire). We take you to Lake Poikajärvi, on our private land away from city lights; the drive takes about 20 minutes.

In the darkest weeks, many guests arrive tired from travelling or unsure how they will cope with a long night outdoors. The cottage answers that. You can stand by the fire and watch the sky, and when you get cold there is a warm room with stories about local history a few steps away. On our product page we recommend this option for families with children for the same reason: it gives children a warm indoor space.

How the evening runs, step by step

• Pick-up. Pick-ups and drop-offs are included within a 10 km radius of Rovaniemi city centre. Our meeting point is Postikatu 1, 96100 Rovaniemi, and the pick-up list includes Postmaster Hotel, Aurora Hill Resort, Rovaniemi Airport, the bus station and Santa Claus Holiday Village, among others. Please wait in your hotel lobby 10 minutes before your pick-up time.
• Warm clothing. We provide winter clothing in adult and child sizes: overalls, boots, gloves and socks.
• Arrival at the lake. The activity starts at 20:00 and lasts 3 hours; you are back in the city centre at around 23:00. Transfer time comes on top, so allow 15–30 minutes before and after.
• By the fire and in the cottage. Your guide shares information about the Northern Lights while you enjoy local snacks and drinks by the campfire. Children get a small surprise gift.
• Photos. You take photos with your own device; bring a charged phone or camera.

The honest part: auroras are never guaranteed here

The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, so we cannot promise a sighting on this tour; it depends on the weather and on solar activity. What kaamos gives you is time: long dark evenings mean more hours in which a display could appear. The Finnish Meteorological Institute notes that auroral displays typically peak around midnight and a couple of hours either side.

If seeing the lights is the single goal of your trip, choose one of our guaranteed hunting tours instead. They drive towards clearer skies and refund you if no auroras are captured. We explain the difference in Northern Lights season 2026–2027 in Rovaniemi: our tours explained.

Who this tour suits, and who should choose another

Book the cottage evening if you want a calm, warm aurora night with a fixed programme, you are travelling with children (we recommend a minimum age of 3 in winter), or you want local stories as much as the sky.

Choose something else if you use a wheelchair or pushchair (the tour is not wheelchair or stroller accessible), or if you would rather chase clear skies for many hours. For that, see the guaranteed tours listed at the end of this page.

Using the short daylight: our daytime companions

Kaamos days are short, so we suggest giving the light to something outdoors. The Kuoksa Reindeer Adventure (from 159 €, 3 hours) includes a 2–3 km reindeer safari through the forest and information about reindeer herding. If the weather does not allow a sleigh ride, the tour becomes a reindeer walk. Between 1 December and 10 January, drop-offs on this tour go only to selected locations: Postmaster Hotel, Rovaniemi City Centre, the Ollerovaara area and Santa Claus Village.

For a slower way to live with the cold, the Private Wooden Heated Sauna and Ice Swimming (from 398 €, 4 hours) gives your group a traditional wood-heated sauna, a handmade ice hole and instructions on doing the cold plunge safely. Departure times for both tours are shown in the booking calendar, so you can plan which part of the day they fall in.

The small print, quoted from our product page

• At least 2 people are required on weekdays and Saturdays, and at least 4 on Sundays and public holidays.
• Children under 13 must be accompanied by adults paying the full price. Infants must not sit on laps.
• The tour may be cancelled or rescheduled if the group is smaller than 2 people, or in extreme weather conditions.
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity; after that, 100% of the price is charged.
• Booking closes 3 hours before the start time.

Combining kaamos tours with your stay

Staying at Postmaster Hotel or Aurora Hill Resort? Both are on the pick-up list for the cottage tour and our reindeer tour, so you can go straight from your room to the lake. If a departure is sold out or you are booking for a larger group, message us and we will look at customising a departure. For more background on the science, read How are auroras formed? and Solar maximum and the Northern Lights 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Does the sun disappear completely in Rovaniemi during kaamos?

Rovaniemi is right at the Arctic Circle, on the southern edge of the polar night zone. According to FMI, the full polar night lasts 51 days in the northernmost corner of Finland. Rovaniemi’s darkest weeks are short, blue days rather than weeks without light. Visit Rovaniemi describes late December as the time when the sun stays below the horizon.

What time does the cottage Northern Lights tour start?

The activity starts at 20:00 and lasts 3 hours, so you are back in the city centre at around 23:00. Transfers come on top, so allow 15–30 minutes before and after.

Is warm clothing included?

Yes. We provide winter clothing in adult and child sizes: overalls, boots, gloves and socks.

Can children join?

Yes. We recommend a minimum age of 3 in winter, and we suggest this cottage tour for families because it has a warm indoor space. Children under 13 must be accompanied by adults paying the full price.

Will we definitely see the Northern Lights?

No. The Northern Lights depend on the weather and on solar activity, so we cannot guarantee a sighting on this tour. If you want a money-back guarantee, choose one of our guaranteed hunting tours.

Where do you pick us up?

Pick-up and drop-off are included within 10 km of Rovaniemi city centre, including Postmaster Hotel, Aurora Hill Resort and many other hotels. Custom pick-up is possible on request.

Ready to book?

You may also like

• Kuoksa Reindeer Adventure — from 159 €, 3 hours
• Private Wooden Heated Sauna and Ice Swimming — from 398 €, 4 hours

Sources

• Finnish Meteorological Institute: Seasons in Finland
• Finnish Meteorological Institute: Auroras in Finland
• thisisFINLAND: When the sun doesn’t rise in northern Finland
• Visit Rovaniemi: Polar Night