Can you see the northern lights in Inari tonight?

Lapland North states that Inari sits under the auroral oval on the shore of Lake Inari. Watching the aurora is best from an open, dark place away from settlement lights, though auroras cannot be seen through thick cloud. Getting to the village requires planning transport from Ivalo Airport or taking a regional coach.

When to see the northern lights in Inari

Lapland North gives the northern lights season as September to April, and states that Inari's position under the auroral oval makes it ideal for watching the northern lights. According to the municipality of Inari, the area lies above the Arctic Circle and experiences the polar night, known as kaamos (polar night) in Finnish, when the sun does not rise above the horizon and winter has only twilight.

The Finnish Meteorological Institute states that the best months are February to March and September to October. Statistically, late winter and early autumn are the best times for auroras. Because spring is on average less cloudy, the Finnish Meteorological Institute recommends March. You can compare regions across the country in our guide to the best places to see the northern lights.

Finnish Meteorological Institute statistics show that on clear dark nights, auroras are seen on average three nights in four (75% of nights) near the latitude of Kilpisjärvi. In Utsjoki Lapland, the share is about 10 percentage points lower. Around Sodankylä, auroras are seen on average every second night. Auroras do not depend on frost, but they cannot be seen through thick cloud; in hard frost the sky is often clear, and in mild weather it is often overcast.

Across Lapland, the average chance of auroras passes 50% by nine in the evening, Finnish winter time, peaks at about 23:30 at magnetic midnight, and falls below 50% again around four or five in the morning. Learn more about geomagnetic indices and viewing conditions in our guide to the northern lights in Finland. Lapland North notes that in autumn, nights become dark enough for the aurora again while lakes and rivers are still open; on a windless night the water can be calm as a mirror, making it the best time to photograph the aurora with its reflection.

How to get to Inari

Lapland North identifies Ivalo Airport, the northernmost airport in Finland, as the arrival point for Inari, operating year-round flights from Helsinki and seasonal direct flights from several European cities in winter. For the winter season 2026/2027, Lapland North lists flight connections to Ivalo from London (BA Euroflyer), Paris Orly (Vueling and Transavia), Amsterdam (TUI fly), Düsseldorf (Eurowings), Frankfurt (Lufthansa), Zürich (Edelweiss Air), Vienna (Austrian) and Munich (Discover Airlines).

Siida states that Inari is 50 km from Ivalo Airport, 40 km from Ivalo, and 75 km from Saariselkä. Lapland North notes that Inari village is 50 minutes by car from Ivalo Airport. Finavia states that the shuttle from the airport to Inari village runs as a charter service, booked with the operator Ilmari Slant Ky. For aurora conditions around the airport, see our guide to Saariselkä and Ivalo.

The E75 is the main north-south road, running from Rovaniemi through Sodankylä, Saariselkä, Ivalo and Inari to Utsjoki. Drivers can check live road conditions on the E75. Siida notes that daily coaches run from Rovaniemi to Inari, with timetables published on the Matkahuolto website. Lapland North gives the travel time as about 4 hours. Lapland North also states that from Kirkenes in Norway it is 120 km to Inari, crossing the border at Näätämö, about 1.5 hours by car, with seasonal buses running between Kirkenes and Inari.

Where to stand to see the aurora

The Finnish Meteorological Institute advises watching from an open place, as dark as possible and away from the light pollution of settlements. Full night vision takes tens of minutes to develop, and if a lamp is needed it should be a dim red one. The municipality of Inari advises carrying a headlamp and a spare battery outside lit areas.

Lapland North describes Lake Inari, also called the Sámi Sea, as the third largest and second deepest lake in Finland, and points to the Siida Sámi museum standing by Lake Inari. For further background on the area, read our guide to Saariselkä and Inari. Lapland North lists northern lights tours among the popular experiences offered in Inari.

Additional locations in the surrounding area include:

• Nellim: Lapland North describes this small village on the south-eastern shore of Lake Inari, less than an hour from Ivalo Airport, as far from city lights and one of the best places in Lapland to see the northern lights.
• Lemmenjoki: Lapland North notes that in winter, the river valley beside Lemmenjoki National Park is a quiet place for northern lights watching when the sky is dark and clear.

The municipality of Inari warns that temperatures below -40 °C are possible, so frostbite and hypothermia are real and serious risks. Lapland North warns drivers not to stop in the middle of the road to take photos, and to pull off at a safe place or a parking area.