Christmas week in Rovaniemi has its own rhythm. The town is lit up, the Santa visits are booked months ahead, children are overexcited, and every evening seems to have two things competing for it: a long dinner, or a night out under the sky. If you are arriving for 23 to 27 December, the aurora hunt is the one plan that most often gets pushed to "we will see".

We live here, so we get asked the same question every November: which night should we book? We cannot promise the sky, nobody honestly can, but we can tell you how we would place a single hunt inside a Christmas schedule so that it has the best chance of happening and the least chance of wrecking everyone's sleep. The tour we keep pointing people to for this is the guaranteed aurora hunting tour by bus5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5.

Why Christmas week needs a plan for the lights

The aurora does not care that it is Christmas. What changes in this week is everything around it: more people in town, fuller restaurants, tours leaving at similar hours, and a family calendar that is usually packed with a Santa visit, a husky ride and at least one very long meal. If the northern lights are important to you, they need a slot of their own, and ideally a spare.

Late December is also the darkest part of the year here. The sun barely clears the horizon, so the night starts early and the sky is dark by late afternoon. That is good news for a hunt, because you are not waiting around for darkness, but it also means the "evening" is stretched and children can be wiped out before the tour has even left. Keep that in mind when you choose a night.

Cloud, not darkness, is the real variable. Clear spells in Lapland can be local and short, and a forecast that looks hopeless in town can be perfectly workable an hour away. That is the whole logic behind the bus hunt, and it is why we think it suits this week better than a fixed viewing spot.

What the bus hunt actually is

The bus hunting tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is a roughly 5-hour evening trip from Rovaniemi with expert guides who watch weather and aurora data and pick the direction accordingly. It is not a ride to one famous spot and a wait in a car park. If the clouds are thicker to the north that night, you go another way.

Professional photos are part of it, which matters more than people expect: aurora is hard to photograph on a phone, and being in the pictures yourselves is a big part of the keepsake. The tour is listed for ages 13+ and for children 3 to 12, and the difficulty is easy, so it works for mixed-age families without anyone needing to be athletic.

The booking page states a 100% refund if no aurora photos are captured, which is the main reason we recommend it to first-timers. We would always read the live conditions in the booking window before you pay, because cancellation and start-time details are shown there and can change.

Check Christmas-week dates & prices →

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The best night: arrive, then book early in the stay

Our honest advice is simple. If you land on 22 or 23 December, put the hunt on 23 or 24 December rather than saving it for the end. The reasoning is boring but it works: if the first night is cloudy, you still have one or two more nights to try again.

People tend to do the opposite. They leave the aurora for their final night as a finale, then a band of cloud sits over the whole region and that is that. One booking on the first free evening, and a second on another night if the first fails, is the safest shape for a short Christmas trip.

Christmas Eve itself is a special case. Many Finnish families have a quiet evening at home, and many visitors want to be with their own family at the table. We would not plan a long evening excursion on 24 December unless it genuinely appeals; 23 December or 26 December tend to feel easier.

Fitting it around Santa, huskies and Christmas dinner

A typical Christmas-week family day looks like this: a morning activity, a late lunch, a rest, and an evening plan. The hunt is the evening plan. Do not stack it behind a full-day safari. A six-hour day outside plus a five-hour night is a lot for anyone, and tired children make the sky seem much colder.

If you are also considering a private Santa moment, the Magical Private Santa Visit5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is a 1.5-hour activity from €249 and sits nicely in an afternoon. For something bigger, the private Reindeer Sleigh Ride & Santa Visit5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is a 2.5-hour experience from €1,490 for the booking. Either leaves the evening open.

We have written about how to space these out in our guide to activities in Rovaniemi, and for the husky side of the week there is our week-before-Christmas husky notes.

See Magical Private Santa Visit dates →

Enter HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout on any StayLapland tour you book here.

What to wear and what is provided

Winter clothing is provided on this kind of tour, including overalls, boots and gloves, but you still need good layers underneath. In late December the temperature can be anywhere from mildly below freezing to properly cold, so we plan for the cold end.

Our layering for a night out: a thin wool base, a warm mid-layer, thick socks, a neck gaiter and a hat that covers your ears. Charge your phone and bring a power bank, because batteries lose charge faster in the cold. Ask your hotel about early dinner if the pickup is near the usual meal time.

Do not skip food. A hunt can last many hours and the best aurora often shows up late. Eat properly before pickup, and keep a snack in your pocket for children who tend to go quiet when hungry.

Bus hunt, small group or campfire: how to choose

The bus is the best-value way to chase clear skies, from €109 per adult. If you would rather have a smaller group with a guide and photographer, the small group hunting tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is from €199 per adult, in a group of 2 to 8. If you want a gentler evening with a fire and snacks, the Northern Lights Tour at the Campfire5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is a 3-hour trip from €99.

Our rule of thumb: bus for the best odds per euro, small group for photographers and anyone who dislikes crowds, campfire for a short, cosy night when the forecast looks decent. If you want to compare them in more detail, we wrote a full comparison.

Check small group dates & prices →

Upgrading the plan: a second night and a day activity

If your trip is four nights or more, book the bus hunt for one evening and keep another night free. A second attempt costs money but dramatically improves your odds of seeing something. If your budget stretches, add a small group hunt for the second try so you can compare the two styles.

For daytime, one anchor activity per day is plenty during Christmas week. A husky safari, a reindeer ride or a snowmobile tour fits well. The bus hunt5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 then sits comfortably in the evening of a lighter day. We would avoid the longest day tours on the same day as a hunt.

Good combinations for a four-night Christmas stay are: one Santa moment, one animal day, one hunt, and two nights of doing very little. That last part is not laziness; it is what keeps the whole trip enjoyable.

Book the bus hunt for your first free night →

Do not forget HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for 5% off.

Frequently asked questions

Is the aurora guaranteed on the bus tour?
No sky can be guaranteed. The booking page describes a 100% refund if no aurora photos are captured; please read the live terms in the booking window before paying.

Can children join the aurora bus tour?
The product lists ages 13+ and children 3 to 12. Use judgement: it is a long evening of around 5 hours, so make sure younger children can stay up and stay warm.

How early should I book for Christmas week?
As early as your dates are fixed. Christmas week is busy in Rovaniemi, and booking on your first free evening leaves a spare night if cloud blocks the first attempt.

Do I need my own winter clothing?
Winter clothing, overalls, boots and gloves are generally provided on StayLapland tours, but you still need warm layers underneath. Check the live inclusions on the booking page.

How much does the bus hunt cost?
From €109 per adult, with live prices shown in the calendar. Our 5% reader discount is applied at checkout when you type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5.

Is Christmas Eve a good night for a hunt?
It depends on your family. Many people prefer to stay in for the evening of 24 December, so 23 or 26 December can be calmer choices.

Our final pick

If you have only one night to give the lights, book the bus hunting tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 on your first free evening after arrival and keep a second night as a back-up. It is the best-value tour for chasing clear sky, it is friendly to mixed ages, and the refund promise for no photos takes a lot of the anxiety out of booking.

Book this if you want the highest odds for the money and do not mind a long evening. Skip it if you are travelling with very young children who cannot handle late nights, or if you prefer a short, cosy outing, in which case the campfire tour is kinder.

Whatever you pick, type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout for 5% off, and check live dates in the calendar below. Wishing you clear skies and a calm Christmas.

Check dates & book the bus hunt →