Spend an evening doing more than simply waiting for the Northern Lights. At Polarman’s Camp Live®, approximately 25 minutes from Rovaniemi, you will learn practical Arctic outdoor skills on private land surrounded by forest and northern nature.
Light a fire without matches, discover how snow can be turned into drinking water, prepare spruce tip tea over the flames and enjoy an Arctic barbecue. Between activities, warm up inside the completely smoke-free Polarman’s Camp Igloo.
The camp has minimal light pollution and an open view towards the northern sky. If the Northern Lights appear, you are already in an excellent place to enjoy them, but the experience remains complete and rewarding even when they do not.
Polarman’s Camp highlights
- Walk through the illuminated Magic Forest on your way into the camp.
- Light a fire without matches and learn practical Arctic fire-making skills.
- Become a Snow Sommelier by comparing different types of snow and learning how to melt it correctly for water when conditions allow.
- Prepare spruce tip tea over the fire using responsibly collected and preserved forest ingredients.
- Enjoy an Arctic barbecue with Finnish sausage, marshmallows and warm drinks.
- Experience a private corner of Lapland surrounded by forest, trails and a lakeside environment.
- Warm up inside the smoke-free Igloo, heated to approximately +15°C or warmer.
- Discover the Seven Seasons of Lapland through a panoramic film inside the Igloo.
- Take the evening home with you with informal photographs captured by our team and sent afterwards.
A hands-on Arctic evening near Rovaniemi
Polarman’s Camp Live® is an Arctic outdoor experience on private land approximately 25 minutes from Rovaniemi city centre. Surrounded by forest, trails and a lakeside environment, the camp offers darkness, silence and an open view towards the northern sky.
Your evening begins with a walk along the softly illuminated Magic Forest trail before the Polarman welcomes you to the camp. This is an accessible introduction to Arctic outdoor life, designed for guests who want to participate and learn rather than simply observe. No previous outdoor or survival experience is required.
Learn practical Arctic skills
With guidance from your host, learn how to select suitable materials and start and maintain an outdoor fire without matches. The same fire is later used to prepare tea and the evening barbecue.
When snow conditions allow, the Snow Sommelier challenge shows how different types of snow produce very different amounts of water. Compare light powder with denser snow and learn how to melt it efficiently over the fire.
You will also prepare spruce tip tea using ingredients responsibly collected and preserved in advance, creating a fresh northern infusion over the flames.
Arctic barbecue and a warm Igloo
Gather around the fire to grill traditional Finnish sausage and marshmallows while enjoying warm drinks and stories about Lapland, its nature and life in Arctic conditions.
Whenever you want to warm up, step inside the completely smoke-free Polarman’s Camp Igloo. Heated to approximately +15°C or warmer, it provides genuine indoor warmth where you can remove your outerwear and relax comfortably.
Inside, settle onto reindeer skins with drinks and snacks while watching the panoramic Seven Seasons of Lapland film, following the northern landscape from winter darkness to spring, the Midnight Sun and autumn colours.
Northern Lights as nature’s possible addition
The camp has minimal surrounding light and an open view towards the northern sky. When the sky is clear and Aurora activity is present, guests can move into the open clearing to watch the Northern Lights.
Polarman’s Camp Live® is not a mobile Northern Lights hunt. The fire-making, forest activities, Arctic barbecue, storytelling and warm Igloo make the evening complete whether or not the Aurora appears. If conditions allow, our team will also make every reasonable effort to photograph you beneath the Northern Lights.
Additional options
Guided snowshoeing
Add an easy guided snowshoe walk through the private winter forest. Available by advance booking and subject to snow and weather conditions.
Snowmobile-pulled sled ride
Explore more of the winter landscape from a passenger sled pulled by your guide’s snowmobile. Guests remain seated and do not drive. Available by advance booking and subject to snow, weather and trail conditions.
Private tapas menus
Upgrade the evening with a chef-prepared tasting menu served inside the warm Igloo. Choose from Lappish Luxury Tasters, Nordic Superfood Tasters or Sweet Tooth After-Dinner Tapas. Advance reservation is required, and ingredients may vary according to season and availability.
Birthdays, celebrations and private events
The camp can be adapted for birthdays, family celebrations, corporate events, incentive groups, team-building programs, private dinners and other special occasions, with customised food, drinks, decorations and other agreed details.
Dedicated professional photographer
Informal photography during the standard program is included. A dedicated photographer with fully edited high-resolution images can also be booked separately.
What's included
- Transportation from your accommodation in Rovaniemi within the stated pickup area
- Guide’s assistance throughout the program
- Admission to the complete hosted Polarman’s Camp Live® experience
- Approximately 2 hours at the private camp
- Illuminated Magic Forest trail
- Introduction to practical Arctic outdoor and winter skills
- Guided fire-making activity without matches
- Snow selection and snow-melting activity when conditions allow
- Preparation of spruce tip tea over the open fire
- Outdoor Arctic barbecue with traditional Finnish sausage and marshmallows
- Hot berry juice or Polarman’s special Magic Drink
- Water and gingerbread cookies
- Arctic storytelling and information about Lapland’s winter nature
- Use of the warm, completely smoke-free Polarman’s Camp Igloo
- Reindeer-skin seating area inside the Igloo
- Panoramic Seven Seasons of Lapland film on a large screen
- Informal photographs taken with a professional camera and sent by email
- Dry Arctic toilet at the camp
Not included
- Warm winter clothing; it can be rented separately before departure
- Chicken, vegetarian and vegan sausage alternatives, unless ordered in advance and included in the booking
- Optional snowshoeing
- Optional snowmobile-pulled sled ride
- Dedicated professional photo shoot with fully edited images
- Private or customised arrangements unless specifically confirmed
Important remarks
F.A.Q.
- How far is Polarman's Camp Live from Rovaniemi?
The camp is approximately 25 minutes by car from Rovaniemi city center
- Can the Northern Lights be guaranteed?
No. The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and sightings cannot be guaranteed. The Polarman watches the sky throughout the evening and makes the most of the conditions when Aurora activity appears.
- Is Polarman's Camp a good place for watching the Northern Lights?
The camp is located in a quiet forest clearing with minimal surrounding light and a clear view towards the northern sky. These conditions provide a good setting for watching the night sky when weather and Aurora activity are favourable.
- How warm is the Aurora Dome?
The Aurora Dome is heated and stays at approximately +15°C or warmer. Guests can return inside throughout the evening whenever they want to warm up beside the fireplace.
- Are Northern Lights photos included?
A photo and video session is available during the program if requested. When conditions allow, the guide can photograph guests with the Northern Lights.
- Is warm winter clothing included?
No. Warm winter clothing is not included. It can be rented separately before departure
Important remarks:
- Polarman’s Camp Live® is a hosted Arctic outdoor program sold as an admission-ticket experience. The admission ticket covers the elements stated as included in the booking.
- This is not a mobile Northern Lights hunt or transportation-only service to an Aurora viewing location.
- Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon. Their visibility depends on cloud cover, weather and solar activity and cannot be guaranteed.
- Access to the frozen lake is possible only when the operator confirms that ice, weather and operating conditions are safe.
- The program and individual activities may be adapted according to autumn or winter conditions, snow, ice, weather and fire-safety restrictions.
- Informal photographs are taken during the experience and sent to guests by email. Northern Lights photographs are possible only when the Aurora is visible and photographic conditions allow.
- Warm winter clothing is not included in the standard price.
- The traditional Finnish sausage served is pork. Chicken, vegetarian and vegan alternatives must be ordered in advance and may be subject to an additional charge.
- Guests must notify us in advance of allergies, dietary requirements, mobility limitations or other information relevant to safe participation.
Recommendation
Wear thermal base layers, warm winter clothing, insulated winter boots, a warm hat and mittens. Parts of the program take place outdoors, sometimes while standing still.
Winter clothing can be rented separately before departure or delivered to the guest’s hotel room or villa when arranged in advance. Please provide shoe, trouser and jacket sizes when booking the clothing service
Cancellation Policy
- We will charge a cancellation fee of 100% if booking is cancelled 7 days or less before the event
- We will charge a cancellation fee of 50% if booking is cancelled 21 days or less before the event
- We will charge a cancellation fee of 10% if booking is cancelled 365 days or less before the event