Aurora hunting by sleigh is oddly perfect. This small-group trip takes you out from Saariselkä to Lake Inari for a night in the cold quiet, with a real chance to see the Northern Lights (and a hearty meal to warm you up).

The two things I like most are the snowmobile-pulled sleigh ride (covered with warming reindeer hide) and the fact that you’re fed on-site afterward, not rushed through a drive-by stop.

I also love the human scale here: max 10 travelers, with a local guide who talks about Lapland life. Even the dinner sounds designed for comfort—hot drinks by the fire, then a soup-and-cake style meal in a Lappish teepee, with a vegetarian option if you requested it ahead of time.

The one drawback to plan around is the big one: the aurora isn’t guaranteed, and if skies are cloudy you’ll mainly be enjoying the frozen-lake experience, reindeer time, and dinner. Also, it can run very cold on the ice—so don’t treat the provided gear as your only warmth plan.

Key Things I’d Circle Before You Book

• Lake Inari aurora setup: going far from city lights to hunt the sky from a frozen lake
• Warm gear included: thermal clothes and shoes, plus reindeer-hide coverage on the sleigh
• Small-group feel (max 10): easier to hear the guide and keep everyone comfortable
• Reindeer feeding + photos: a hands-on moment with friendly animals
• Dinner in a teepee: hot food and hot drinks at a campfire, not a quick snack stop
• Vegetarian option available: request it when booking so the meal matches your diet

Why Lake Inari Night Trips Work

If your only goal is the Northern Lights, you still need a second goal: get away from bright lights. This tour is built around that logic by taking you from Saariselkä toward the Inari area, where you’ll spend time off the busy glow.

Lake Inari matters because you’re not just standing on a shoulder of the road with a coffee. You’re out on the frozen lake, with time for the sky to do its thing. When you get a clear evening, that wide, dark sky backdrop is where aurora watching turns from a hope into a moment.

The atmosphere is also part of the payoff. The trip includes a quieter break in the lake area—less talking, more staring upward—so you can actually notice what’s happening in the sky.

Saariselkä Pickup, Ivalo Transfer, and Getting Properly Warm

This starts with pickup in central Saariselkä. If you’re staying in the center, you meet at Holiday Club Saariselkä. If you’re a bit farther out, they can pick you up from your accommodation as long as it’s within 4 km of the center.

After pickup, you head by minibus to the tour office in Ivalo. Then you get warm thermal clothes and shoes—the real key for enjoying the rest of the evening instead of thinking about how numb your hands feel.

A practical note from the operator’s replies: they have thermal suits in many sizes (from about 90 cm up to 4XL). The host also points out a useful cold-weather trick: the suits aren’t meant to be tight. They should have space for air, because air acts like extra insulation. So yes, bring warm layers under the thermal gear, but also don’t panic if the suit doesn’t look slim-fit.

The Sleigh Ride Across the Frozen Lake (Why It’s More Than Transport)

Here’s the part you’ll remember even on the nights when the aurora is shy.

You’ll get seated in the sleigh, then you ride deeper into the wilderness with a local guide. This isn’t a quick pull-around. The sleigh is described as a comfortable ride, and it’s covered by warming reindeer hide. That detail matters because the cold can bite fast when you’re sitting still.

One of the more common positive notes is that the ride feels like an event, not a commute. The route takes you away from city light, and you spend enough time outside that you get that real Lapland sensation—cold air, darkness, and a guide who’s managing the timing.

Is it easy? Most people can participate, and the trip is set up with thermal gear and a small-group size (max 10). Still, you should treat it like winter sports: dress for sitting still in extreme cold.

Stop at Lake Inari: The Moment the Night Turns Quiet

Lake Inari is the main “place” of the tour, and the schedule gives it room to breathe.

Once you reach the lake area, you’ll take a break in the silent beauty of the wilderness. The hope is that the sky lights up while you’re there. If the aurora appears, you’re positioned exactly where you want to be: out in the dark, looking up.

Even when the aurora doesn’t show, the lake stop is still valuable. You get the frozen-lake walking feel, the darkness, and the sense that you left the modern world behind for a few hours.

Also, this tour includes time for relaxing during the hunt. Some aurora hunts feel like nonstop instructions. Here, you’re given space to observe, warm up, then look again.

Reindeer Farm Time and the Family-Island Dinner in a Teepee

This is where the trip goes from “cool experience” to “real memory.”

You’ll visit a small island tied to a family-run company. You get a glimpse of local life away from the most tourist-heavy areas, and the guide shares stories about how life works in Lapland. That storytelling piece is worth your attention, because it turns the night’s activities into something more than a checklist.

Then comes dinner around a campfire in a Lappish teepee. The food is described as local—either fish or reindeer—plus bread, soup, and dessert. You also get hot drinks.

Vegetarians can eat here too, but you must request the vegetarian option at booking (and dietary requirements are meant to be communicated in advance). The tour menu is built around a traditional Finnish BBQ-sausage starter, soup as the main, and a dessert like blueberry cake or mousse.

Reindeer time also shows up in a hands-on way: you can meet friendly reindeer, feed them, and take photos. That’s one of those activities that’s fun for adults and kids, because it’s not staged from a distance.

In one set of feedback, the hosts Tina and Tapio got a special mention, including homemade cake praised as a highlight. Another person noted guide Laura as excellent with the overall experience. Names you might hear for this type of tour include Ansi, Laura, and hosts like Tina and Tapio, and the common thread is warmth and comfort.

Aurora Watching: What You Can Control, What You Can’t

Let’s be blunt—this is aurora hunting. Nobody can promise green ribbons in the sky on any given night.

The tour description and the overall structure make it clear that the Northern Lights are a best-case outcome. The itinerary is designed to maximize your odds by going far from city lights, giving you time on the frozen lake, and keeping you warm enough to last through the waiting.

One downside you should take seriously is cold endurance and engagement. A negative comment described feeling extremely cold and stuck out on the lake for hours when aurora didn’t appear, while the operator responded that they are on-site every night on the island and that the trip is safe. That clash is a reminder: aurora nights are unpredictable, and your comfort depends on your layers as much as on provided gear.

Here’s my practical advice:

• Bring extra warm layers even though thermal suits are included. One piece of feedback stressed that the cold can still get intense.
• Be patient. When the sky is clear but faint, aurora can look dim before it turns dramatic.
• Keep expectations realistic. If the weather is cloudy, the aurora simply won’t show.

Price and Value: Is $214.49 Worth It?

At $214.49 per person for about 5 hours, this isn’t a budget “quick aurora” stop. It costs more than a basic drive-to-a-viewpoint tour.

So what are you actually paying for?

• Round-trip transportation from central Saariselkä to the tour base area
• Warm thermal clothing and shoes
• Sleigh ride on the frozen route, with insulation via reindeer-hide coverage
• Dinner and hot drinks in a teepee setup
• Reindeer feeding time
• Small-group guiding (max 10)

When you add up the time outside (sleigh + lake + hunting) and the fact that dinner is included on-site, it starts to feel like a winter outing, not just an aurora watching session.

Is it overpriced if you only care about seeing lights? Yes, possibly. But if you want the full Lapland “night package”—lake, animals, fire, food—then the value makes more sense. You’re buying comfort, access, and the fact that you won’t be managing any of the logistics once you’re picked up.

Also, this is something people book ahead. Average booking time is listed as about 42 days in advance, so plan earlier if you want a better chance of slot availability.

Who This Tour Suits Best

This tour fits best if you want a structured night that mixes aurora time with a real winter experience.

It’s especially good for:

• People who like small groups and don’t want to feel lost in a crowd
• Anyone who values an actual meal experience (soup, hot drinks, dessert) in a teepee setup
• First-timers to Lapland who want a “do the classic things” night: sleigh ride, lake time, reindeer feeding
• Families who want an activity that’s fun even if the lights are faint or absent

It may feel less ideal if:

• You need lots of nonstop guide narration the entire time (one negative note complained about limited engagement and aurora explanation)
• You’re extremely sensitive to cold and can’t add extra layers beyond the provided gear

Should You Book It?

I’d book this tour if you’re looking for more than aurora screenshots. The combination of Lake Inari, a genuine sleigh ride, reindeer feeding, and dinner in a teepee is the kind of package that still feels worthwhile even on a cloudy night.

If your only “success condition” is seeing the Northern Lights, then accept up front that the outcome depends on sky conditions. In that case, you’ll still get a memorable winter night—but you shouldn’t treat aurora as guaranteed.

FAQ

How long is the Northern Lights tour to Lake Inari?

It runs for about 5 hours (approx.).

How much does the tour cost?

The price is listed as $214.49 per person.

Is pickup included in the price?

Pickup and drop-off in central Saariselkä are included. Meeting is at Holiday Club Saariselkä if you stay in the center. They can also pick you up from your accommodation if it’s within 4 km of the center.

Do I get thermal clothing and shoes?

Yes. Warm thermal clothes and shoes are included.

Is dinner included, and can I choose vegetarian?

Dinner is included. A vegetarian option is available if you request it at booking due to dietary requirements.

Will I see reindeer and can I feed them?

Yes. You can meet and feed friendly reindeer and take photos.

What’s the group size?

The tour has a maximum of 10 travelers.

What if the weather is bad or the Northern Lights are cloudy?

The experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

What’s the cancellation window for a full refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the start time, the paid amount isn’t refunded.