Aurora borealis, often referred as Polar lights or Northern lights is a natural light display in the sky seen in the high latitude regions around the Arctic.

To fully appreciate the glory and grandeur of this celestial display,  you have to settle beneath the ever-changing lights and watch them curve and curl, slither and flicker. If you’re planning an aurora-viewing trip, make sure not to schedule it in the middle of summer. You need darkness to see the northern lights, and places in the auroral zone have precious little of it during the summer months. You also want clear skies. Winter and springtime are generally less cloudy than autumn in and around the northern auroral zone, so a trip between December and April makes sense.

Dress warmly, plan to watch the sky between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, although an active period can occur anytime during the dark hours. Active periods are typically about 30 minutes long, and occur every two hours, if the activity is high. The aurora is a sporadic phenomenon, occurring randomly for short periods or perhaps not at all. You can have an aurora experience without even leaving your room or cottage if you so choose.

Consider downloading an aurora tracking app, like My Aurora Forecast & Alerts, to receive notifications on your phone for active periods.

Northern Lights Excursions

If seeing the Northern Lights is the highlight of your trip, with a bit of good luck, at Hotel Iso-Syöte you can experience this magical natural phenomenon. In the peaceful fell landscapes of Iso-Syöte, you can go aurora hunting with guides far away from the light pollution of cities.

For the adventurous, we offer a cozy snowmobile safari, riding through snowy forests and fells while admiring the Northern Lights and starry sky. Along the way, we stop for photos and warm up by the campfire.

For a calmer and more nature-immersive experience, join a Northern Lights hike with snowshoes — or without snowshoes during the snow-free season. Walking through the quiet, snow-covered forest and fell scenery, you will enjoy the glowing auroras surrounded by nature, far from any noise.

All excursions are led by experienced local guides.

• Departure for the safaris is from the Hotel Iso-Syöte lobby. Please arrive no later than 15 minutes before the start time of the program, or 30 minutes beforehand if you do not yet have your safari equipment.
• Safari equipment can be collected from the safari room on weekday mornings between 8:30–9:30. Snowmobile helmets are provided at the start of the safari.
• Weather and clothing information