Every few weeks someone writes to us with the same question: we are four friends, we want to see the northern lights properly, is the private tour worth the money?

This guide does the maths openly, explains what private changes, how to organise the payment without awkwardness and when we would say no. If you decide to book, HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 gives 5% off in the booking window.

The maths: €1,990 divided by four

Let us start with the number, because it decides everything. The private guaranteed northern lights hunting tour is listed from €1,990. That is a lot for one evening if you picture it as a price per person for two. Split between four friends, it is roughly €500 each, which is in the same range as a good weekend away in many European cities. Split between six, it is about €330 each. The more people share it, the more sensible the price becomes.

We always encourage readers to check the maximum group size in the booking window before they plan the split, because the listing we work from does not state it and we do not want to guess. What it does say is that the tour is private, that you get a professional northern lights guide and photographer, and that the experience carries a 100% refund promise if no aurora photos are captured. Those are the three things you are paying for: exclusivity, expertise and a measure of risk protection.

Compare that with the alternatives. The small group tour is from €199 per adult, and the bus tour from €109. If the four of you booked the small group tour, you would pay about €796 together, which is far less than €1,990. The private tour is therefore an upgrade of about €1,200 for the whole group, or roughly €300 each. The question is whether that extra €300 each buys you something you will actually value. For the full range of options see our guide to activities in Rovaniemi.

What 'private' really changes

The main thing private changes is control. On a shared tour, the guide has to consider everybody. On a private tour, the evening is built around your group. If you all want to stay at a spot for an hour because the lights are good, you can. If somebody gets cold and wants to warm up, the evening can bend. If you are a mixed group of keen photographers and people who just want to look, the guide can adapt.

The second change is atmosphere. A private evening with friends is a different thing from an evening alongside strangers. You can talk, laugh, take group photos and make the night your own. For many people that matters more than anything the guide says.

The third is language and detail. The listing says the tour is in English and that other languages may be available on request, with limited availability. After booking, you can email or message to ask. For a group of friends with mixed languages, that is a real advantage, because on a private tour the guide's attention is yours.

The private guaranteed hunting tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 has free cancellation up to seven days before the activity, and a 100% fee within seven days, according to the listing. That means you cannot treat it as a flexible, last-minute booking. Decide with your group in advance and read the terms. Use HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout for 5% off.

Check private tour dates & prices →

Is it worth it for friends?

It depends on what kind of friends you are. We have known groups for whom a private aurora tour was the best part of a trip, mostly when it marked an occasion: a 40th birthday, a reunion after years apart, an anniversary of a friendship, a trip that took a long time to organise. In those cases the cost is part of the gift. The shared story is what you buy.

We have also known groups who would have been happier with the small group tour and a nicer dinner. If your group is mostly interested in seeing the lights rather than the experience around them, the small group or the bus tour will give you the sky for much less. The private tour does not make the aurora brighter. It makes the evening more personal and flexible.

A good test: ask each person in the group whether they would spend an extra €300 on this single evening. If everyone says yes without hesitation, book it. If anyone hesitates, choose a cheaper format and spend the difference on something everybody enjoys. Money is a quiet source of tension in friend trips, and an honest conversation before booking avoids it.

How to organise the payment

One person will pay the booking, so decide who before you reach checkout. Agree the split in writing, in your group chat, before you click. A payment app that all of you use makes it easy. Decide what happens if someone drops out before the cancellation deadline, so that nobody is left carrying the cost.

Because the cancellation window is seven days, set a firm date for final confirmation, perhaps ten days before. If anyone cannot commit by then, you can either reduce the group or choose a different tour. Do not let the booking linger. Dates in December and around New Year fill earliest, and availability is shown live in the widget below.

And remember, the reader discount applies to the booking in the same way. Enter HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout, and the 5% comes off the total, which on €1,990 is a meaningful saving that the whole group shares.

Choosing the night and keeping a buffer

With a private tour you choose the date, subject to availability, and that gives you a real advantage. Look at the forecast for the weeks around your stay, but do not try to predict the sky weeks ahead. Instead, plan your itinerary so that the aurora night is not your final night. If the weather turns, you will want a chance to rebook within the terms, and a buffer night is your insurance.

The start time can vary between 17:00 and 21:00 and is confirmed by email by 14:00, according to the listing. Keep your day relaxed. Avoid a heavy lunch and a long outdoor day. A sauna in the afternoon, a light early dinner and a rest will leave you ready for a late night.

If you want to see how a typical evening unfolds, our comparison of formats in private versus small group for a family of five describes the logic in detail, and it applies to friends too.

See availability →

What to wear and bring

The listing says winter clothing in adult and child sizes, overalls, boots, gloves and socks are provided. Wear your own thermal base layers, wool socks and a warm hat. Bring chargers, a power bank and a thermos if you like. If anyone in your group has a camera and tripod, bring them. The professional guide and photographer will help, but friends love comparing shots afterwards.

Think about the mood too. A private tour is a good time for a toast, so ask the guide whether it is possible to bring something warm to drink. Do not assume, and respect any rules the guide gives you about alcohol and safety.

Finally, bring patience. The aurora arrives on its own schedule. Private or not, no one controls the sky. What you can control is how well you wait for it.

Alternatives if the price is too high

If €1,990 is more than your group can comfortably share, there are very good alternatives. The small group hunting tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 from €199 per adult keeps the guide and photographer but shares the evening with a few others. The guaranteed bus tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 from €109 per adult is the best value, with a five-hour hunt and the same photographic promise.

For a quieter, cheaper evening, the cottage aurora tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 from €109 gives you a campfire and snacks, though it is not a long-range hunt. We also wrote about the budget end in our guide to aurora hunting for two under €250.

Compare with the small group tour →

Frequently asked questions

How much is the private aurora tour per person?
The listing price starts from €1,990 for the private tour. Divided by four that is roughly €500 each, and by six about €330 each. Check the maximum group size in the booking window.

What is included?
A private tour with a professional northern lights guide and photographer, winter clothing in adult and child sizes, overalls, boots, gloves, socks and information about the northern lights, according to the listing.

What is the cancellation policy?
The listing shows free cancellation up to seven days before the activity, and a 100% fee within seven days. Always confirm the live terms before paying.

Is there a guarantee?
The booking page promises a 100% refund if no northern lights photos are captured during the tour. Read the full terms in the booking window.

Can we choose the language?
The tour is in English, and other languages can be requested after booking, with limited availability.

Is it cheaper to book the small group tour?
Yes. The small group tour is from €199 per adult, so four people would pay about €796 together instead of €1,990.

Our pick

Book the private tour when the group is four or more, the occasion matters, and everybody agrees on the cost. Otherwise choose the small group tour and put the savings toward dinner or a daytime adventure. Either way, decide early, check the seven-day cancellation rule, and leave a buffer night.

The live calendar below shows dates and prices. Enter HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout for 5% off.

Book the private tour →