Things to do in Rovaniemi

Went at the end of December. Such a memorable experience! The trip started with boarding the ship at sunrise and disembarking at sunset. The whole time the weather was clear and sunny. The on-board activities were enough to fill the 3-hour boarding time. Besides floating in the sea in lobster suits, you could also take pictures on the deck and visit the captain's cabin and machine room. There were three choices for lunch on board: meatballs with mashed potatoes, salmon rice, and vegan pasta, along with a bowl of soup (salmon soup / tomato vegetable soup) and garlic bread. The food wasn't particularly tasty; the meatballs seemed boiled and tasted normal, and the salmon rice was also just okay. The outdoor area on the ship was very cold, but luckily there was hot GLOGG available to warm the stomach and hands.

Paul took great care of us – providing warm drinks, snacks. He helped everyone with taking professional pictures with his camera (I got some amazing shots on my phone as well!), and his enthusiasm kept spirits high all night. If you’re heading out to hunt the aurora, book a tour with Paul – he’s dedicated, knowledgeable, and goes the extra mile to make sure you see the lights. Highly recommend! 10/10 would do again.

Last night, we joined this tour, and our guides Jack and Judith took such wonderful care of our family of four (including two elderly parents over 70)! Jack explained the scientific principles in great detail during the campfire barbecue, while we enjoyed the food, and listened to his stories, the atmosphere was so warm and cozy. What impressed us the most was Jack’s fluency in Mandarin, English, and Cantonese. My parents are Hakka speakers, and he even spoke Hakka with them! He immediately chatted with my parents in our hometown dialect, which made them instantly felt so close and comfortable. Jack also patiently taught us how to photograph the aurora with our phones. Judith also worked hard in the freezing cold to help us take photos. Both Jack and Judith were professional, humorous, attentive, and always put safety and comfort first, making sure the elderly didn’t get too cold or tired.Highly recommended for anyone wanting a memorable aurora adventure with family.

Highly recommend to book this tour if first time going to Finland. For a short stay in Rovaniemi, this tour covers the essentials. Negative points: (1) The only downside is that there is no time to rest and have a meal as the queue for the ride is long so last batch needed to rush after finishing the ride and (2) the departure time is same for many tours so we wasted time in changing the clothes due to many people going by tour at same time

So happy to chase the Northern Lights in Finland again. The Northern Lights reflected on the lake are so beautiful. The weather is good today, and I'm very lucky. The weather is very cold, but this trip chasing the Northern Lights was worth it. Plus, there's a bonfire and food to eat, which is awesome! 👍

Booked an aurora tour for 1026 HKD (Klook). Didn't catch the aurora, but caught the moonlight. Meeting point was at 20:00 in Rovaniemi city center. I have to say, the cold-weather gear they provided was really amazing!! We changed clothes upon arrival, and shoes were also provided. Then we waited for the other tour members to arrive before getting on the bus together. The ride was about 50-60 minutes to an outdoor campsite. The guides would start a fire first to make sure everyone wouldn't get cold outside. Then a group of people gathered in the tent to eat reindeer sausage, drink hot blueberry juice, and roast marshmallows. Everyone chatted while waiting for the aurora to appear. You could also go out and take pictures. There was a professional photographer in the group. After waiting for an hour, the guide said that the probability of seeing the aurora today was low. Everyone could also have the photographer take some pictures to leave some memories. We departed around 20:15, arrived at the campsite at 21:20, and left at 23:00. Then they took us to two other campsites to wait briefly, without getting off the bus, while the guide checked for auroras. There were no auroras at either location. We ran to a total of three spots. Finally, we returned to the city center around 00:45. The whole process was quite fun. Gathering around a campfire with people from different places and having a barbecue was also a special experience.

The sled dogs were lively and adorable, and the reindeer looked endearingly clumsy; the entire activity proceeded slowly and safely. Our Chinese-speaking guide took great care of us and communicated very well. The polar bears at the zoo were very active, and their playful antics were truly charming.

An absolutely unforgettable experience. Standing on the frozen sea and floating in the sea is something everyone should try once. The crew on the Arktis was fantastic.

Amazing aurora hunting experience! The guide was fantastic, very knowledgeable and friendly. Great communication and feedback throughout the tour. Highly recommend!”