The aurora from a snowmobile seat in Levi
Levi sits well north of the Arctic Circle, and on a clear, dark night the northern lights can appear right over the forest. Two evening safaris take you away from the village lights to look for them. Neither can promise a show.
Why ride out at night
Levi is roughly 170 km (105 miles) beyond the Arctic Circle, far enough to sit under the auroral oval on good nights. The village itself is bright with hotels and slope lighting, so a sled ride into the forest is a simple way to reach proper darkness.
A snowmobile covers far more ground than a walk in snowshoes, and the guide picks the route and the stops. You sit in the dark with the engine off and the sky above you.
The aurora itself is light from charged particles hitting the upper atmosphere. It can show as a pale arc, a green curtain or, on rare nights, colour across most of the sky.
What decides a sighting
Several things have to line up on the same night, and you control none of them. Each one alone is not enough.
- Darkness, which Levi has in plenty from autumn to March
- Clear skies, since the aurora shines far above any cloud layer
- Solar activity, which varies from one night to the next
- Distance from artificial light, which the ride itself takes care of
The northern lights are never guaranteed on any tour or any night. A clear night with low activity may show only a faint grey-green arc, while a cloudy one shows nothing at all.
Booking an evening ride early in your stay leaves room for a second try. The month-by-month guide covers when the nights are longest.
Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park, three hours into the wilderness
The northern lights safari at ~$177, often shown lower, is the main aurora ride on our list. It lasts 3 hours, includes transport from set points in Levi, and the guide serves warm juice along the way.
The price covers the snowmobile and winter clothes, with travel insurance too. Two people share each sled, and children ride in a sledge under blankets, though the listing calls the tour best suited for adults.
The catches are written into the terms. Bad weather does not call the ride off, which means an overcast evening is charged in full, and changes must be asked for more than 24 hours ahead, subject to availability.
The group can reach 32, the biggest of the tours with both partners. It scores 4.5 from 620+ reviews on GetYourGuide and 4.5 from 80+ on Viator.
Three hours out of the village lights
The ticket covers transport from Levi and the full winter kit, plus warm juice; the aurora itself never does, so pick a clear forecast if you can.
Safartica's campfire evening
Safartica's evening snowmobile safari at ~$166 runs 3 hours, of which 1.5–2 hours is driving through the evening forest. The rest is spent at a campfire with grilled sausage and pastry plus hot drinks, while the guide shares myths and facts about the aurora.
The northern lights are not promised here either. The group can reach 50 and there is no Viator listing. Children under 4 and people with back problems cannot join.
If the sky stays cloudy, the campfire meal still gives the evening a point. It scores 4.8 from 200+ reviews on GetYourGuide.
Which evening to pick
The two rides suit different people. Arctic Circle's safari is the simpler choice for logistics, because transport from set points in Levi comes with the ticket and you can book it on either partner site.
Safartica's evening puts more of the night into the fire and the food, with less time on the sled. That makes it the gentler option for a nervous driver, and the guide's stories fill the gaps if the sky stays blank.
Neither ride changes your odds of seeing the aurora, because the sky decides that. Pick on group size and the kind of evening you want, then hope for a clear forecast.
Cold after dark
Clear nights, the ones you want for the aurora, are also the coldest. Mid-winter evenings around Levi usually run from −10 to −20 °C (14 to −4 °F), colder under a clear sky, and the wind of the ride makes it feel colder still.
Both tours lend a thermal overall with boots and gloves. Wool layers underneath matter more at night than on a day ride, so read our list of what to wear under the suit before you go.
Photographing the aurora
Photos from a moving snowmobile do not work. In low light a camera needs a long exposure, and a shaking sled ruins it, so wait for the stops.
At a stop, a phone's night mode braced on the snowmobile seat can catch a decent aurora. A small tripod helps more, and thin liner gloves let you work the screen without freezing your fingers.
Batteries drain fast in the cold. Keep the phone in an inside pocket until the guide stops, then take it out for the few minutes you need.
Daylight first, aurora second
If you have never driven a snowmobile, a daytime ride first makes the night ride easier. Wild Nordic's 2–3 hour forest safari at ~$140 shows you the controls in daylight with a group of 12 at most.
The dark ride then feels like a second outing rather than a test. Our first-time guide covers the controls, and the price comparison sets the evening rides beside the day tours.