Levi: Ice Floating and Northern Lights Tour

The strange magic here is simple: you lie on your back in a cold Arctic lake, held safely at the surface by a special rescue suit, while snow, stars, and perhaps the northern lights fill your view. The water may be starting to freeze around you, which sounds alarming until you realize the suit keeps you afloat and protected.

I like the quiet, weightless feeling and the chance to experience Lapland at night without an engine, crowd, or busy schedule competing for your attention. I also like the warm finish, with hot drinks, firelight, and marshmallows waiting after the float.

The main drawback is the long transfer. The floating site is about an hour from Levi each way, and the water can still feel cold inside the suit. Northern lights are possible, not promised, so book this for the floating itself rather than for a guaranteed sky show.

Key points at a glance

• A rescue suit replaces swimming skills: You stay on the surface, and the guide explains how to enter the water and float safely.
• The site is about one hour from Levi: The drive takes a large part of this three-hour activity, so allow for a late return.
• Night silence is the real attraction: Stars, snow, and open water create a peaceful experience even when clouds hide the aurora.
• The finish is warm and social: Hot drinks, a fire, and marshmallows help take the edge off the cold.
• Aurora sightings are never guaranteed: You may see the northern lights above the lake, reflected in the water, or during a stop on the return journey.
• The minimum height is 120 centimeters: Young children also need to handle the outdoor setting and late timing well.

Floating under the Lapland sky

This is not a fast-moving snowmobile outing or a packed sightseeing circuit. The central activity is lying still in dark Arctic water and letting the suit support your body. That makes the experience feel more like quiet outdoor therapy than a conventional tour.

You first leave Levi for the floating location, which is roughly an hour away by road. That transfer is worth considering carefully. Three hours sounds short on paper, but with about two hours of driving included, the time at the lake is limited. You are paying for an unusual setting and careful preparation, not several hours of free-form floating.

At the site, the guide explains how the rescue suit works before anyone enters the water. You do not need to swim. The suit keeps you on the surface, but you still need to follow instructions, step into the water carefully, and remain comfortable outdoors at night.

Once you are floating, the pace changes completely. You can look up at the sky, listen to the silence, and watch small pieces of ice form or drift nearby as the water begins to freeze. The effect is especially striking during snowfall, when flakes can look like glitter against the dark sky.

What the rescue suit really changes

The suit is the key to the whole activity. Without it, cold Arctic water would make a relaxed float impossible for most people. With it, you can lie back without needing to tread water or keep moving to stay warm.

Still, do not treat the suit as a heated sleeping bag. Your body remains in a cold outdoor setting, and one participant found the water noticeably chilly. Warm clothes matter before and after the float, and hand or foot warmers may help if you tend to get cold easily.

You should arrive dressed for winter, not just for a short walk from a bus to a building. Bring warm clothing, and pay attention to your hands and feet. The rescue suit does the main safety work, but personal comfort depends on how well you prepare around it.

The experience suits people who can relax in one position and accept a little cold. If you need constant activity, dislike late outdoor outings, or are uneasy around water, this may feel less enjoyable. No swimming ability is required, but a calm attitude helps.

Stars first, aurora if nature cooperates

The northern lights are part of the appeal, but they are not the product you can order. Clouds, timing, and solar conditions decide what appears overhead. The tour is arranged to give you a chance to see the aurora, but no guide can guarantee it.

That uncertainty does not make the evening pointless. The starry sky and silence can carry the experience on their own. One memorable possibility is seeing the lights reflected on the water while you float, a view that is hard to recreate from a warm lodge or a roadside lookout.

You might also see the aurora after leaving the lake. On one evening, the group spotted it during the return journey and stopped more than once so everyone could take photographs. That kind of sighting is a bonus, not a fixed part of the schedule, but it shows why you should keep your camera ready and avoid judging the tour only by what happens in the water.

If aurora photography is your main goal, set expectations carefully. A cloudy evening can still bring a beautiful float, but it will not deliver the glowing sky shown in promotional images. I would choose this activity for the rare combination of floating and night nature, with the northern lights as an extra reward.

The welcome at the floating site

The setting after the float adds much to the experience. Fireplaces, lights, a cabin, and warm refreshments make the site feel comfortable after time in the water. Hot chocolate and marshmallows by the fire are simple touches, but they matter when you are ready to warm your hands and change pace.

The stop also gives the evening a social side. Guides help participants with the suits, explain each stage clearly, and stay attentive during the preparation. That care is important because the process of getting ready can feel rushed when a large group arrives at once.

Group size may affect the mood. One participant found a group of 23 too large, requiring the group to split into two for the floating session. A large party can mean more waiting and less of the solitary calm that makes this outing special. It can also make the changing and entry process feel less personal.

Ask yourself what you value most. If you want the quietest possible water experience, a smaller group would be preferable. If you are happy to share the fire, cabin, and floating area with others, the group setting may feel friendly and upbeat.

How the three hours are likely to feel

The advertised duration is three hours, but the hour-long drive each way is the detail that shapes the schedule. You leave Levi, travel to the remote water site, receive instructions, put on the suit, float, warm up, and return.

The exact amount of time in the water is not stated, so do not book this expecting an all-night stay beside the lake. The outing works best as a compact evening experience that fits around other Levi plans.

The meeting point is Safartica’s Levi office in the city center. You should arrive there 10 minutes before the activity begins and check the exact meeting time in the email from Safartica. A missed meeting time or wrong meeting point means missing the safari without a refund, so this is one booking where a relaxed last-minute arrival is a poor plan.

Pickup is included, and the office is the correct meeting point if you are staying in central Levi. The operator provides an English-speaking guide. Since the tour involves transport, safety instructions, clothing, and a remote location, clear communication is useful at every stage.

Is $155 a fair price?

At $155 per person, this is not a cheap way to spend an evening. You are paying for transport into the Arctic countryside, a specialist rescue suit, an English-speaking guide, the floating setup, and hot drinks afterward.

The value depends on how unusual you want the experience to be. If you only want to look for the northern lights, a simpler aurora outing may cost less and give you more time focused on the sky. If you want a standard lake activity, this is obviously more expensive than a normal swim, though normal swimming is not an option in these conditions.

The price makes more sense if you see the float, remote setting, safety equipment, and warm-up stop as one package. This is a memorable splurge for a special Lapland trip, particularly if you like unusual physical experiences and do not mind paying for the equipment and logistics needed to make them possible.

I would not choose it solely because the price includes a possible aurora. The lights may not appear. I would book it because floating silently in a freezing northern lake is the main event, then treat any green glow overhead as a gift.

Who should book this experience?

This outing is a good match for adults, older children, and families whose children can manage cold, darkness, and a late return. The minimum height is 120 centimeters, or about 3 feet 9 inches. Height alone is not the only concern, since younger children may find the outdoor stay and late timing tiring.

You will probably enjoy it if you:

• Like unusual outdoor activities rather than standard sightseeing
• Can stay calm in cold water while wearing a flotation suit
• Want a quiet experience with stars and snow
• Are happy to accept that the aurora may not appear
• Appreciate a warm drink and fire after a chilly activity
• Do not mind spending much of the three-hour outing in transit

You may want another activity if you need a guaranteed northern lights sighting, dislike cold water, or have limited time in Levi. The long transfer also makes this less attractive if you are trying to fit several evening plans into one night.

Practical ways to make the evening better

Wear your warmest practical clothing for the journey and the time before and after the float. The suit is supplied, but your personal clothes still determine how comfortable you feel at the meeting point, during the transfer, and beside the fire.

Consider bringing hand and foot warmers. They are not listed as included equipment, but one participant specifically found them useful for dealing with the cold. Keep your expectations sensible: the suit protects you and keeps you afloat, but it does not turn the lake into a warm bath.

Check your email for the exact meeting time, then arrive at the Safartica office 10 minutes early. The city-center office is easy to use as the main meeting place, but missing the departure is costly because the activity is not refunded in that situation.

Keep your phone or camera ready for the return journey. The northern lights might appear at the lake, yet they might also show themselves later on the road back to Levi. If the driver stops, take advantage of the chance, but do not expect stops to happen on every evening.

FAQ

How long is the Ice Floating and Northern Lights Tour?

The activity lasts three hours. The floating location is about one hour from Levi each way, so transport takes a significant part of the overall outing.

Do I need to know how to swim?

No. Each participant receives instructions before entering the water, and the Arctic rescue suit keeps you on the surface.

Are the northern lights guaranteed?

No. The northern lights are a natural phenomenon, and sightings depend on conditions such as cloud cover and aurora activity.

What is included in the price?

The tour includes the Arctic rescue suit, the floating activity, hot drinks, an English-speaking guide, and pickup.

Where do I meet the group?

The main meeting point is the Safartica office in central Levi. If you are staying in the city, select Safartica Levi as your meeting point and arrive 10 minutes before the activity starts.

Can children join the tour?

Children must be at least 120 centimeters tall. You should also consider the cold, outdoor setting, and late timing before bringing young children.

Should you book the Levi Ice Floating Tour?

Book it if you want an unusual Arctic memory and understand that the float is the main event, not merely a way to see the northern lights. The combination of weightless floating, dark water, stars, snow, firelight, and hot chocolate is distinctive enough to justify the price for many visitors.

Skip it if your only goal is a guaranteed aurora, if you dislike cold water, or if the one-hour drive each way feels too long for a three-hour outing. For everyone else, this is a carefully organized splurge with one honest condition: nature gets the final say about the sky.