How to See the Northern Lights in Levi, Finland Without a Guide

Lapland is renowned as one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights. I don't think I've met a single person who hasn't got seeing them on their bucket list, and for good reason. To maximize your chances of witnessing this natural wonder in Lapland, you'll want to be somewhere with minimal cloud cover and no light pollution. The best time to see them is from the end of August to the start of April, with December, January, and February being the prime months. But how can you experience this without paying £100+ a night for a guided tour? Here's what we did.

I will start by saying we did have a hire car whilst in Levi. If you're not planning on hiring a car, finding the northern lights by yourself can still be possible as there's a few places within walking distance of Levi but away from the light pollution. Having a car just gives you more flexibility. I will explain both ways below.

We hired a car for 6 days for £256.56 (we spilt this between 2 people). If we decided to go on a Northern Light hunting tour we would spend that amount in 1 night! Hiring a car meant we could go out every night for as long or as little as we wanted and we could keep warm in the car while waiting. But how did we know where to go?

Our first attempt was unsuccessful as we aimlessly drove around the outskirts of Levi. When we got back to our accommodation I found a live stream on YouTube called "Northern Light Live Levi, Finland. North view" on Starlapland/ Samuli Korvanen channel (I believe the name of the live stream changes during the summer months though). We could see from that live stream that the northern lights were on show, we were just in the wrong place! I asked on the live chat where the webcam is in Levi and I got sent a link with all the coordinates of the cameras with all the best spots to see the Northern Lights. We decided to try a place called "Swimming Lake Levi" on google maps the following day because people's photos from there looked amazing. Here is the link to their website: StarLapland Northern Lights

The following day we had a clear sky and a plan, I checked the live stream on YouTube to see the lights on full display! We jumped straight in the car and drove about 10 minutes from Levi to "Swimming Lake Levi". No surprise there was quite a few cars already there there. It's a private area but you can park on the road or near the lake. We walked out onto the frozen lake away from other car lights and there they were, dancing across the sky. We got to the lake about 10.30pm and stayed till 1pm. We got to experience the aurora on and off during that whole time. We saw many people in the exact same spot as us but with a guide. It made hiring a car worth every penny. You could of course get a taxi to and from that spot too but taxis are very expensive in Levi and need booking far in advance. Without the help of the live stream we would've been driving around for hours trying to find a spot. It's hard to find an open area not of private land in Levi that's not covered in trees hence why this frozen lake the perfect viewing spot! How to view the Northern Lights in Levi without a car

Understandably not everyone has the opportunity to hire a car when on holiday so here's another option to see the Northern Lights yourself without a car. There's a lake called Immeljärvi just next to Levi on the map where many people go each night in the winter to see the Northern Lights. You can walk to a shelter by the lake there from Levi in about 20 - 30 minutes. If you type Korkeaniemi, 99130 Sirkka, Finland into google maps you should find it! It's a beautiful cabin where people go and cook sausages on the fire each night and wait for the northern lights to show. Please remember Lapland can easily be -30⁰ so do not go out walking without warm good quality insulated clothing on with hand and foot warmers and take a touch with you as the path can be dark.

Whether you choose to rent a car for flexibility and warmth or opt for a scenic walk to Immeljärvi, proper planning and preparation are key. Utilize live streams and local tips to find the best viewing spots, and ensure you're equipped to handle the cold. Witnessing the Northern Lights on your own terms can be an unforgettable experience, making the effort and planning well worth it. Enjoy your magical journey under the Lapland skies!