Kaamos: the Polar Night in Finland 2024-2025

For most people, it's quite hard to imagine a complete darkness for 24 hours a day. And then imagine that this period can last for several weeks, or even months

Best time: December–January

People living close to the Arctic Circle experience unique natural phenomena—the Midnight sun in the summer and the Polar night in the winter. Every year, during the winter months, you can witness 24 hours of darkness in the northern part of Finland . Finns call this period "Kaamos".

This period usually begins around December and lasts from several weeks up to two months in the northernmost regions like In Utsjoki village, which is close to the Arctic Circle. The level of darkness depends on the altitude. The closer you are to the pole, the darker this period will be. The further away you move from the pole towards the equator, the more darkness will fade and transition to twilight and eventually the sun will appear over the horizon. The northern region of Lapland with its beautiful winter scenery is one of the best places to observe this natural phenomenon.

The Polar night usually coincides with the winter solstice, on the 21st of December. In some regions days are just becoming shorter, leaving only a few hours of sunlight per day. This phenomenon occurs right below the Polar Circle. When it hides below the horizon, all of the landscape is covered with blue and violet shades. It is especially beautiful when there is plenty of snow, and the shades reflect and glitter. The same thing happens before the sunrise, even if it doesn't occur. You can also observe stunning Northern Lights in the northern parts of Finland. Kaamos is a truly magical period for those who are not afraid of cold and darkness.