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Finnish Lapland is one of the best places on Earth to see the aurora borealis. Levi and Ylläs sit at around 67°N latitude, well inside the auroral oval where geomagnetic activity is strongest. On a clear night with moderate solar wind, the northern lights are visible from our cabins several times a week during the aurora season.

The aurora appears when charged particles from the sun interact with gases in the Earth's atmosphere, producing shimmering curtains of green, purple, pink, and occasionally red light. Displays can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. The most common colour is green, caused by oxygen molecules at around 100 km altitude. Higher-altitude oxygen produces rare red displays, while nitrogen creates blue and purple hues.

For the best viewing conditions, you need dark skies, clear weather, and geomagnetic activity (measured by the Kp index). A Kp of 2–3 is enough for visible aurora in Lapland, while Kp 5+ can produce spectacular overhead displays. The dashboard above shows current conditions in real time, including the Kp index, cloud cover forecast, and solar wind speed from the DSCOVR satellite.

Peak aurora months in Finnish Lapland are September to October and February to March — around the equinoxes, when the Earth's magnetic field is most favourably aligned with solar wind. December and January also offer long dark nights, though cloud cover is more common. Many of our guests see the aurora directly from their cabin sauna terrace or outdoor hot tub, making for an unforgettable experience.