A surprising number of our readers write to say they would love the northern lights, but not if it means driving a snowmobile in the dark. Some are nervous, some have a bad back, some are travelling with parents or in-laws, and some simply want to hold a hot drink and look up.

There is a good answer for them in Rovaniemi, and it is not a bus. It is a sleigh pulled by a snowmobile, with a teepee and a campfire at the end of the trail. We have been recommending it to the quieter travellers in our lives for years, and here is what we say.

Who this tour is really for

We call it the calm option. The Northern Lights Tour Sleigh Ride5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is for people who want the experience of being out in the Lapland night without the pressure of operating anything. Couples where only one wants to drive, parents travelling with grown-up kids, friends who have never been near a snowmobile: all of them fit.

It is also a good tour for the ones who feel the cold more than others, because you spend a large part of the evening sitting by a fire in a teepee with a hot drink. That does not make it a weak option. It makes it a kind one.

If you are the sort of person who wants speed and adrenaline, there are better tours. This one is built for atmosphere.

We also like it for groups with mixed confidence. In our experience the biggest argument on a snowmobile tour is not about the route, it is about who gets to drive and who is nervous. Take the driving away and you remove that tension. Everyone gets the same seat, the same fire and the same sky.

In practice that makes it a fine choice for a first aurora evening, when you still do not know what the northern lights look like, how cold you will feel or whether you will enjoy standing outside at night. It is a gentle way to find out.

What the evening looks like

The listing says 4 hours and Very easy. You are picked up, kitted out in winter clothing including thermal overalls, boots and gloves, and given a helmet and balaclava for the ride. Then you climb into a sleigh pulled by a snowmobile and head out into the dark.

At the end of the trail there is a campfire in a teepee, with local snacks and drinks, and the guide shares information about the northern lights. That is the part we love most: a slow hour or two with the fire crackling and the sky overhead, where everyone is looking in the same direction.

There is no rush. If the aurora appears, you go out and watch it. If it does not, you still have a warm, memorable evening, and that is not a consolation prize in our book.

A word about timing. Evening tours of this kind begin after dark, and the exact start time is confirmed when you book. In December the dark arrives early, so you are not waiting around late into the night, which is a plus if you are travelling with older relatives or anyone who tires easily. Ask the team at booking if you want to understand how the evening will run for your dates.

Check dates and prices for the Northern Lights Sleigh Ride →

Type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout for 5% off.

Is it cold on a sleigh?

Yes, a bit, because you are not generating heat like the person driving. That is the one honest trade-off. A sleigh ride at night in Lapland is colder than you think, which is why the winter clothing included in the tour is a big deal.

We suggest a proper base layer, wool socks, a warm mid layer and a scarf or neck gaiter. Put chemical hand warmers in your gloves if you tend to get cold fingers. And keep your phone inside your jacket so the battery lasts for photos.

Our guide to how cold Rovaniemi gets and what to wear goes into detail. Once you reach the teepee, the cold stops being a problem.

How it compares with the other aurora tours

There are several ways to chase the lights from Rovaniemi, and they feel different. The bus-based hunting tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is a 5-hour trip from €109 with expert guides and weather-based routing. It covers more ground, but you spend a lot of time on a bus.

The cottage tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is 3 hours from €109 in a cosy setting, and is a good choice for children and for anyone who dislikes being outside. The reindeer safari aurora tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is 3.5 hours from €179 and adds a reindeer ride.

The sleigh ride sits between those: more adventure than the cottage, more comfort than a snowmobile you drive yourself. We compare the three hunting formats in our bus, small group and private hunt guide.

Honest limits and the weather question

Nobody can promise the northern lights, including us and including StayLapland. The sleigh tour is a campfire evening in the aurora zone, not a chase across the region. If it is cloudy where you are, you will have a lovely night but not necessarily an aurora.

If the lights are your whole reason for travelling, consider booking more than one evening and starting early in your trip, so a cloudy night does not wipe out your chances. Our comparison of hunting tours shows which options move to find clear skies.

The thing we tell every reader is to treat the aurora as a bonus and the evening as the product. People who go in with that attitude come home happy, even on cloudy nights. People who go in expecting a guaranteed show sometimes feel let down, and that is a pity, because the fire, the teepee and the silence are worth the ticket by themselves.

Also check the minimum guest numbers. The listing notes that the tour needs at least 2 people on weekdays and Saturdays and more on other days, so if you are travelling alone or as a pair, the booking calendar will show which dates work.

Making the evening easy for older travellers

If you are bringing parents or grandparents, think about the practicalities more than the tour itself. The sleigh is a seat, not a standing activity, and the teepee has a fire. These are good signs.

Still, check mobility questions with StayLapland before you book, because we cannot make promises about the terrain, steps or how easy it is for each person to get into the sleigh. Send an email or WhatsApp message after booking if you want to tell the team about any needs.

Another good rule is to avoid squeezing the evening between a long daytime tour and an early flight. A comfortable night is a better night. If you can keep the next morning free, you can stay at the fire a little longer, and that is often when the sky does its best work.

Layers matter even more for people who feel the cold. An extra blanket from your hotel in the pick-up bag is not a bad idea, though the tour itself provides warm clothing.

Combining it with a daytime activity

The best time to book this is a night when you have a gentle day. A reindeer farm visit such as the Kuoksa Reindeer Adventure5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5, 3 hours from €159, is a calm daytime partner that does not leave you exhausted.

For a bigger day, the Lapland Bucketlist Adventure5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 gives you huskies, reindeer and snowmobiles in 6 hours from €449, though we would then leave the evening free.

And if you want a guarantee-style tour in your plans, the Professional Small Group hunt5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 offers a refund if no aurora photos are captured, and costs €199.

Check the Professional Small Group aurora hunt →

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to drive anything?
No. The tour uses a sleigh pulled by a snowmobile, so the guide drives. You sit and enjoy the ride. The listing rates the tour as Very easy.

How long does the tour last?
The listing says 4 hours, which includes the ride, the campfire stop and time to watch the sky.

What is included?
The listing includes the sleigh, a helmet and balaclava, a guide in English, winter clothing including overalls, boots and gloves, local snacks and drinks by the campfire in a teepee, and information about the northern lights.

Can we guarantee seeing the aurora?
No tour can guarantee the northern lights, because it depends on clouds and solar activity. If a guarantee matters to you, look at the hunting tours with a refund policy, such as the Professional Small Group tour.

When do I need to book?
The booking cut-off is listed as 4 hours before the start, but December evenings fill up, so we would book as soon as your dates are set.

What is the cancellation policy?
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity; within 24 hours the full price is charged. The tour also needs a minimum number of guests, which varies by day, so check the calendar.

Our pick

Book the Northern Lights Tour Sleigh Ride5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 if you want a calm, atmospheric evening and prefer to be driven. Skip it if you want to chase the lights across long distances or if you want to drive yourself.

The reader code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 gives 5% off at checkout, and the calendar below shows live availability. For more ideas, our guide to activities in Rovaniemi covers everything else.

Check dates and book the sleigh ride →