What is the best time to visit Utsjoki, Lapland for northern lights, fall foliage, the midnight sun or the polar night?
Utsjoki is worth a visit no matter what time of the year. The ever-changing nature throughout the year present countless opportunities for different activities depending on what month you choose to visit.
One of the questions we get asked the most is: “What is the best time of year to visit Utsjoki?” and while the answer to that question is highly subjective based on interests and what you would like to see – we hope that this article and overview of the 12 months here in Utsjoki will help you make a decision.
January – The return of the light and northern lights
January is a great month to visit to witness the light slowly returning to the northernmost parts of Lapland.
January is a great month to see the Northern Lights and snow is pretty much guaranteed. Normally there is lots of snow by the time January comes around, which allows you to try winter activities such as snowshoeing, snowmobiling and husky sledding (which are all activities that we offer here at Aurora Holidays).
Choose of January if you would like to:
Celebrate New Year 450km North of the Arctic Circle
Experience kaamos (the Polar Night)
Chase the Northern Lights
Try different winter activities’
Experience the end of kaamos (Polar Night)
Witness the light returning in big leaps
Have a snow guarantee (Keep in mind that anything in nature can never be guaranteed 100% – but based of weather recordings of past years – here in Utsjoki there has never not been any snow in January)
Get the feeling of simultaneous sunrise and sunset
The weather in January does vary a lot. Anything from +5C to -40C degrees is possible. Statistically January often has some of the coldest days in the year – but that does not mean that it will be extremely cold the entire month.
January is also great for:
– Frozen rivers
– Stillness
– Icy crystals
– Hoar frost
– Beautiful pastel hues
February – Winter, Valentine’s Day & Northern Lights
February is a great month to visit Utsjoki as you will already have plenty of daylight hours for winter activities, yet the nights are still long enough to offer many hours of potential Northern Lights chasing.
The daylight ranges from 5 hours at the beginning of the month to 9.5 hours at the end of February.
Winter days are plenty in February. The weather can vary from sunny days to snowy days with lots of fresh powder snow. So you you’re likely going to have a mix of weather and temperatures – experiencing a little of everything.
February is of course the month of Valentine’s Day and what could be more romantic than celebrating the day in a winter wonderland?
If you’re lucky you might also get to see snowy trees and hoar frost in February, which creates a very magical winter atmosphere.
Choose February if you would like:
A little more daylight hours, but still want to enjoy longer nights
Chase the Northern Lights
Try different winter activities
Celebrate Valentine’s Day in Lapland
Have a snow guarantee
March – Longer days, Northern Lights & Spring Sun
March is the perfect month to visit Utsjoki if you want to experience spring sun, lots of snow and the perfect conditions for winter sports but still want to chase the Northern Lights.
March is a great time to visit Utsjoki if you would like to:
– Experience the Spring equinox 450km North of the Arctic Circle
– Chase the Northern Lights
– Have perfect snow conditions for winter sports and snow related activities
– Go ice fishing
– Witness the return of the first birds after the winter
April – Sunny days & winter sports
The month of April is the favourite month for many locals and for good reason. The days are long and we often have sunny days, which are perfect for longer snowshoeing, ice fishing or snowmobiling trip into nature.
The Northern Lights season is over in April and you can only (with a little luck) see the last, rather faint auroras of the season at the beginning of the month – the nights are already so bright that we do not recommend April if Northern Lights hunting is your priority.
April is a great time to visit Utsjoki for:
– Winter sports
– Ice fishing
– Sunny days
– Crusty snow
– Brighter nights
– The smell of spring
April in particular is also a great month to visit Lapland for bird and wildlife spotting.
May – The melting of the ice, bird life and beginning of the Midnight Sun
Typically May is the month when the ice and snow are melting and nature slowly starts coming back to life.
While nature is unpredictable and we never know exactly when winter here is going to end and the snow will melt, it has often been the month of May.
It is also the month when the Midnight sun starts, which means that the sun sets again for the last time in early May and then doesn’t set until late July. The constant daylight is perfect for overnight trips to the fells or the first shorter hikes of the season (depending on weather conditions and snow melt).
May is a fantastic month to visit Utsjoki is you want to experience:
– The melting of snow and ice
– Vibrant bird life
– The nesting of birds & other animals
– The beginning of the Midnight Sun
– No insects
June – The start of summer: The green returns to nature
June in Utsjoki is the start of summer and the perfect month if you want to witness the green returning to nature and everything coming to life – without the presence of mosquitos.
The first insects usually don’t arrive here in the very north until after Juhannus (Midsummer) weekend – but as always: anything related to nature is difficult to plan and it may vary from year to year.
By the time June comes around the Midnight Sun is in full swing, meaning you have 24/7 to enjoy outdoor activities like hiking and fishing in daylight.
June is the ideal month to visit Utsjoki if you want to experience:
– The Midnight Sun
– The first leaves & fresh green
– Nature waking up after a long winter
– The first warm days without mosquitos
– 24/7 daylight for outdoor activities
July – The height of summer: blossoming nature & lush greens
July is the height of summer here in Utsjoki. Everything is in full bloom and you can see lush greens and wild flowers everywhere you go.
July tends to have the warmest days of the year, but be prepared for daily temperatures anywhere between 9C to 30C degrees. It is however also the month where we usually have the largest number of insects & mosquitoes – which doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the outdoors – it just means you should be prepared.
It’s easy to spot reindeer and their calves in July. The calves still follow the mothers and if you’re really lucky you might see a calf being nursed.
July is also the height of fishing season. Fishing is possible in wilderness lakes and on the nearby coast of Norway. Keep in mind that fishing will often require permits & fishing times may be regulated by law.
July is the perfect month to visit Utsjoki if you want to:
– See summer in full bloom
– Go wild swimming
– Explore the surrounding nature by going hiking or cycling
– Go fishing in the fell area lakes
– Experience the Midnight Sun & the first sunset of the summer (at the very end of July)
August – The return of the nights, harvest season and the first Northern Lights
August is a great month to visit Utsjoki. The month of August falls into the harvest season, marking the end of summer here in the very north of Finland.
In the beginning of August the Midnight Sun has just ended and the nights are still very bright. By Mid-August you can see the first stars and another week or so and the Northern Lights tend to make their first (rather pale) appearance.
While the days in August are often still warm or mild at least, the nights are getting noticeably cooler.
August is the ideal month to visit Utsjoki if you want to:
Try wild berry picking
Go hiking & cycling
See the first stars
Enjoy outdoor BBQs & sitting around a fire
Watch the birds gather and migrate south
September – Ruska & Northern Lights
September is the month of “Ruska” (Autumn Colours) and the return of the Northern Lights.
From around mid-September the Northern Lights season here at Aurora Holidays officially gets started as the nights are now dark enough to see them dance across the sky.
The start of the Autumn colours (ruska) slightly varies every year, but it tends to slowly start at the beginning of September and by the middle of the month the surrounding nature is lit up in yellow and orange – making a hiking trip to the fells a truly special experience.
September is the perfect month to visit Utsjoki if you want to:
See the Northern Lights in milder temperatures
Enjoy the end of hiking season
Pick the last berries of the season
See the nature light up in Autumn colours
By September most of the insects and mosquitos are gone and you can usually enjoy being in nature without the need for bug spray.
October – Nature is getting ready for Winter : Reflections, Northern Lights, first snow
In October the nature here in Utsjoki is getting ready for winter. Most of the leaves are gone by the time October comes around but we do often still have some ground ruska left (meaning you can still see some colours in the shrubbery).
October is often the month of the first snow, but it varies from year to year when it starts to stick around permanently. We have had years where the snow falls in mid-October and covers the ground until early June and other times it hasn’t permanently covered the ground until December.
October is a fantastic month for Northern Lights chasing and you can often still see the Aurora reflection in rivers and lakes as the ice doesn’t start to form until later in the season.
October is the ideal month to visit Utsjoki if you want to:
Witness the first snow fall if you’re lucky
Chase the Northern Lights (without too much snow)
Go on a husky adventure without snow or with not too much snow
Observe the nature prepare for winter
October is great if your main focus are the Northern Lights and you don’t mind whether or not you will have snow on your trip to Lapland. Open waters mean fantastic reflections with northern lights.
November – The beginning of kaamos and arrival of winter
November marks the beginning of kaamos (the Polar Night) and the arrival of winter here in Utsjoki.
During the month of November you can witness the days getting shorter until the Polar Night begins at the end of the month and the sun doesn’t rise again until January.
November is a perfect month to visit Utsjoki if you want to:
Chase the Northern Lights
Witness the arrival of winter
Enjoy the first winter sports of the season (snowshoeing, husky adventures)
Observe the rivers and lakes starting to freeze
Keep in mind that we cannot guarantee snow. We have had snow in most years in November, but it can vary and there is a small chance that some winter activities may not be possible if there isn’t enough snow yet.
December – Christmas & Kaamos
December is the month of the Polar Night and Christmas.
Due to the Polar Night the sun doesn’t actually rise, but there is still plenty of daylight to enjoy winter activities outdoors. The long nights also have the advantage that you have more time to see the Northern Lights.
December is great to finish off the year in a real-life winter wonderland here in Utsjoki. Listen to the silence while snowshoeing or join us on a husky adventure in Northern Norway.
December is the perfect month to visit Utsjoki for:
Northern Lights chasing
Winter activities
Experiencing the Polar Night
Celebrating New Years Eve in Lapland
We hope this article helps you to understand our excitement about Utsjoki and the nature here, it can be difficult to choose from all these amazing options.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us by email contact@auroraholidays.net and we will help you choose the perfect time for your holiday here in the arctic, on the edge of the world.