Inarijärvi

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Inarijärvi is a Lake at 99870 Inari, Finland

Inarijärvi (Lake Inari) is the third-largest lake in Finland, stretching over 1,000 square kilometres across the Sámi homeland of northern Lapland, well above the Arctic Circle. The lake is vast and wild, scattered with over 3,000 islands, many of them uninhabited birch-covered outcrops, and its shoreline is largely undeveloped, bordered by boreal forest and open fell landscape. The small village of Inari sits on its western shore and serves as the cultural centre of the Finnish Sámi people, home to the Sámi Parliament and the Siida museum. The lake freezes solid from around November through to late May, and in winter it becomes a white expanse used for snowmobile crossings, ice fishing and skiing. In summer, it is popular for boating, fishing for Arctic char and brown trout, and visiting the sacred Sámi island of Ukonsaari. Inarijärvi’s location at nearly 69°N places it directly beneath the auroral oval, making the surrounding area one of the most reliable places in Europe to see the Northern Lights. The combination of minimal light pollution, flat horizons across the frozen lake, and frequent clear cold nights in the Lapland interior creates near-ideal aurora viewing conditions from September through to March.

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Where to find Inarijärvi?

68°54'22"N, 27°2'56"E

Aurora hunting in Inari?

The aurora season here runs from September to March, with the best chances of seeing the Northern Lights in September, October, February and March. The natural setting around Inarijärvi makes it a wonderful spot to watch for the Northern Lights.

Other places to try near Inarijärvi