Levi: Northern Lights Hunting Photo Tour

The best part of this Levi tour is the chase itself. You board a bus and may cover about 200 kilometers through Finnish Lapland, stopping at several dark spots where the sky has a better chance of opening up. This is not a single roadside lookout with a quick photo stop. It is an evening spent following the forecast and searching for a break in the clouds.

I like two things in particular: the guides help you use your own camera in near-darkness, and they take DSLR photos of the group for later download. Hot drinks and gingerbread cookies are small touches, but they matter when you are standing outside in the cold. The main drawback is simple: the Northern Lights cannot be guaranteed, and cloudy weather can turn this into a scenic night drive rather than an aurora show.

Key points at a glance

• Up to 200 kilometers of aurora hunting: The bus moves between several possible viewing spots instead of relying on one location.
• Practical night-photography help: Your guide can explain camera settings and help take photos in dark conditions.
• DSLR portraits included: Photos are uploaded for you to download after the tour.
• Warm drinks and gingerbread: A useful comfort break in the Lappish wilderness.
• Guides who work hard in poor weather: Antoine and Adrien were singled out for patient guiding, photo skills, and sensible decisions when conditions changed.
• A real weather gamble: Clouds may block the aurora for the entire four-hour outing.

Chasing clear skies beyond Levi

The tour begins at the Safartica office in central Levi, 20 minutes before the scheduled departure. From there, you travel by bus with an English-speaking guide into the surrounding wilderness.

The point of the long drive is not sightseeing for its own sake. Aurora viewing depends on darkness, cloud cover, and solar activity, all of which can vary from one area to the next. By changing locations, the guide gives you more chances than you would have from a single fixed viewpoint.

That makes this a better choice than simply walking outside your hotel and hoping for a green glow. You are paying for local route planning, transport, and someone who is watching conditions during the evening. Still, the bus cannot control the sky. Several people had a pleasant tour without seeing the lights because cloud cover stayed too thick.

The route may include three or more stops, depending on conditions and how long the group wants to stay in promising areas. One particularly successful outing reached five locations, with each stop offering a new chance to see the aurora. That kind of evening can feel wonderfully suspenseful, although a less successful night may involve waiting, moving on, and trying again.

What happens at each stop

At a typical stop, the bus pulls off near a dark section of the Lappish wilderness. You leave the vehicle, find a place with a clear view of the sky, and wait while the guide checks conditions.

Some stops may be brief if clouds cover the area. Others can last longer when the sky looks promising. If the aurora appears, the guide helps position you for photos and may direct you toward a better angle away from nearby light.

The stops are not presented as named attractions with formal interpretation. Their value comes from darkness and open sky. You might see snowy forest, quiet roads, and broad views around Levi, but the main attraction is the chance to catch a sudden green arc or shifting curtain overhead.

This uncertainty is part of the experience. The aurora may be faint at first, then strengthen. It may appear for only a few minutes, or remain visible for an hour. The group must be ready to move when conditions change, so you should expect a practical search rather than a fixed show with a guaranteed start time.

Learning to photograph the Northern Lights

Night photography can frustrate even people who use a camera regularly. The sky looks bright to your eyes, but the camera needs a longer exposure, a stable position, and settings suited to darkness.

Your guide can explain useful adjustments for dark conditions and help you work out how to capture the aurora. The exact advice will depend on your camera, but the important point is that you receive help on the spot, when the sky is changing above you.

The guides also take photos with DSLR cameras. They photograph members of the group and upload the pictures afterward, with a link provided for downloading. This is valuable because you can concentrate on watching the aurora rather than spending the whole evening trying to make your phone work.

Do not expect a private photo session for every person. Group size can be substantial, and one outing had around 30 people with two guides. The guides made an effort to photograph everyone, but you may need to be patient and make your request clear.

The best approach is to bring your own camera if you want to learn. If you only want a good record of the night, the included photos give you a useful safety net. Guides have also been happy to act as a human selfie stick, taking personal photos that are difficult to manage with gloves and a tripod.

The guides make the difference

This tour depends heavily on the person leading it. A good guide must make sensible choices about cloud cover, keep the group moving, explain camera basics, and stay calm when the lights fail to appear.

Antoine was praised for continuing to look for better spots, explaining local conditions, and giving people options when some wanted to return while others wished to continue. Adrien was noted for finding the aurora at several locations, taking strong DSLR photos, and sending them within 24 hours.

Those details matter. A guide who only drives you to one place offers limited value on a cloudy night. A guide who adapts the route, explains what is happening, and keeps you occupied gives the evening a better chance of feeling worthwhile even without an aurora.

The quality can vary by departure, as with any group experience. The overall rating is 3.9 out of 5 from 120 ratings, so this is not a universally perfect outing. The strongest praise centers on the guides, especially their effort, friendliness, patience, and photography skills. One useful criticism was that the evening could include more general information about the Northern Lights and Levi.

Hot drinks, cookies, and cold-weather comfort

At some point outside, you can warm up with a hot drink from a thermos and have gingerbread cookies. This is a modest refreshment, not a meal, but it gives the group a reason to pause and gather around the bus.

Dress for standing outdoors in winter. The supplied information confirms hot drinks and optional warm clothing at the meeting point, but it does not promise that full winter gear is included for every booking. Ask Safartica about clothing before departure if you are unsure.

You should also think about toilet access. The route uses remote viewing areas, and one person specifically wondered where a bathroom would be available. No regular toilet arrangement is specified, so use facilities before leaving the Safartica office and plan accordingly.

The bus offers shelter between stops, which is a major advantage over a walking tour. Even so, repeated exits into the cold can become tiring. If you are sensitive to low temperatures, the four-hour duration may feel long on a cloudy evening.

How much value do you get for $140?

At $140 per person, this is not a cheap evening activity. The cost makes more sense when you count the driving, guide service, photography help, included drinks, and access to the group photos.

You are also paying for a better search area than the immediate center of Levi. The bus may cover 200 kilometers, and the guide can move you when one location is blocked by cloud. That flexibility has real value during a short visit, especially if you have only one or two nights available.

The price feels less convincing if you see the tour as a guaranteed Northern Lights show. There is no refund simply because nature refuses to cooperate once the activity goes ahead. If the sky is cloudy, you may receive good service, pleasant scenery, and photos of the outing, but not the aurora you came to see.

The best value comes when you want both the experience and the image-making help. A confident photographer may prefer to drive independently, while a first-time visitor can benefit from a guide who knows how to search and can take photos for the group.

Group size, timing, and meeting details

The activity lasts four hours, with departure times varying by date. Meet at the Safartica office in Levi’s city center 20 minutes before the start.

Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included as standard. If you stay within 10 kilometers of the Levi center, contact Safartica at least 48 hours ahead to ask about pickup to the office. Accommodation farther than 10 kilometers from the village center requires an additional transfer fee of 10 euros per person.

Read the provider’s confirmation email carefully. The meeting time and location matter, and missing them means missing the safari without a refund. At least two adults are required for the activity to run.

The group can be small, and one outing became a private experience because no other people joined. It can also be much larger, with about 30 people sharing two guides. You cannot count on a private tour, so photographers who need one-on-one instruction should keep expectations modest.

The activity is offered in English. If weather conditions look poor, you can ask the front desk by 4 p.m. local time on the day of the activity about moving the tour to the next suitable day. That option is especially useful during a stubborn run of cloud.

Who should book this aurora tour?

I would choose this tour if you want a practical, organized way to search for the Northern Lights without renting a car or learning the local roads. It suits first-time aurora hunters, couples who want photos together, and visitors who would rather let a guide handle the route.

It is also a good fit if photography is part of your goal. You can learn basic night settings, ask for help with your camera, and receive DSLR images afterward. The included photos may be the most useful part for anyone who wants a personal record without carrying specialist equipment.

Families and mixed groups may appreciate the bus and the warm drinks, but the cold and late timing still require patience. Young children or anyone who dislikes standing outside may find the repeated stops tiring.

You should think twice if seeing the aurora is your only priority and you have no flexibility in your schedule. The provider makes a serious effort, but cloud cover can defeat every plan. Booking a second possible night, if your itinerary allows it, gives you a better chance than treating one four-hour outing as a sure thing.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you value the search, the local driving, and the help with photography as much as the final sighting. The strongest part is the human service: guides such as Antoine and Adrien have shown patience, good judgment, and a real effort to provide photos and alternatives when conditions are poor.

At $140, the tour is fair for a long evening with transport, several stops, drinks, and downloadable photos, but it is expensive if you judge it only by whether the aurora appears. Check the forecast, arrive early, dress warmly, use the bathroom before departure, and keep your expectations realistic.

If the sky clears, you may get the memorable combination of wild darkness, moving light, and a guide who knows how to capture it. If clouds win, you should still expect a well-organized search, not a guaranteed spectacle.

FAQ

Where does the tour meet?

The main meeting point is the Safartica office in Levi city center. You should arrive 20 minutes before the activity starts.

How long does the activity last?

The tour lasts four hours. Starting times vary, so check availability for your chosen date.

Is hotel pickup included?

Standard hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. Pickup within a 10-kilometer radius may be arranged by contacting Safartica at least 48 hours in advance. Accommodation farther than 10 kilometers from Levi village center requires a 10 euro per person transfer fee.

Is seeing the Northern Lights guaranteed?

No. The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, and cloudy skies or low activity may prevent a sighting. The tour is designed to give you a chance by visiting several possible viewing spots.

What is included in the price?

The price includes transport with about 200 kilometers of driving, hot drinks, gingerbread cookies, an English-speaking guide, photographs, and a link to access the photos.

Can I get help with night photography?

Yes. The guide can offer tips for setting your camera in dark conditions and help take photos for you. DSLR photos from the evening are also provided through a download link.

Can the tour be moved because of bad weather?

You can contact the front desk by 4 p.m. local time on the activity day to ask about rescheduling to the next suitable day. The tour may still proceed if conditions are uncertain, since the aurora cannot be guaranteed.