Frequently asked questions

Tours & Adventures

How do i know if the tour is suitable for my fitness level?

All our tours and adventures in Rovaniemi and Levi are rated according to their activity level. Here are the symbols for the activity levels:

Relaxed- The tour is suitable for everyone.

Easy- Short walk or easy trip with skis /snowshoes.

Moderate- Moderately demanding walk (3-5km).

Active- Moderately demanding walk in deep snow or on slippery ground (3-5km).

Challenging - A long distance (over 5 km) of hiking in changing environments, in deep snow and on slippery ground.

What to wear on my Tour?

Winter temperatures can be can be extremely cold here in the Arctic (even below -30 °C). Temperatures in Rovaniemi and Levi can drop even within the duration of the tour, especially at night. You should wear enough layers underneath your outdoor clothing.

For example: thermal underwear, woollen socks and one extra layer of fleece is usually enough. Take a look at our ’Equipment’ page for a more specific list. For all photography tours, Beyond Arctic provide you with warm overalls, winter boots, winter hat and gloves if needed. Before we head out, your professional photography guide will instruct you about the weather conditions and the right amount of clothing.

What other preparations should I make for the Tour or Adventure?

Beyond Arctic's tours and adventures are photography based, and if you have your own camera, here's what you should bring: your own DSLR or mirrorless camera, lenses, a tripod, extra batteries, a memory card and a camera bag. Having your photography equipment in order before the start of the tour will help you capture the photo of your dreams with our assistance.

Wait! I don´t have a professional camera. CAn I join the tour?

Certainly! Pocket cameras or even modern-day mobile phones work perfectly for daytime photography. For night-time photography we usually recommend DSLR/mirrorless cameras for the best results.

Even if you don’t have any camera equipment you are warmly welcome to join our tours & adventures in Rovaniemi and Levi. Our professional photography guides always carry a professional camera on our tours. Your guide will take photos during the tour, and the edited photos will be available after the tour for you to keep as memories.

Do I need a tripod for the Northern Lights tour?

No need for a tripod. We will lend you one free of charge!

I don´T HAVE A DSLR/MIRRORLESS camera of my own, but I wanT to TRY one. What should I do?

Beyond Arctic offers a camera gear rental service, which allows you to rent a professional camera for the tour you are joining. The camera rental package includes the camera, a 16GB memory card, a lens and a tripod.

Even if you don’t have earlier experience in photography, our professional photography guides will teach you how to operate the camera, even in manual mode. This is an easy and fun way to be introduced into the world of photography without investing in buying equipment.

What equipment does Beyond Arctic provide for the photography tours and adventures?

On every tour, you will be provided with a backpack, a thermos with warm drinks, a head lamp, BBQ-equipment and winter clothing as needed, based on the weather. For evening tours a tripod is provided free of charge.

You mentioned that the guide will take some pictures for me. When should I expect to receive them?

The photo collections from Beyond Arctic tours and adventures in Rovaniemi and Levi are hand-picked and edited by our team of photographers, During the busiest winter season, we have a huge amount of photos to process every day, but you can check the progress at gallery.beyondarctic.com and download your photos as soon as they are ready - usually in 2-3 days after your tour.

Do I need to pay for the photos taken by the guide?

Nope! The photos are included in the price of the tour and are available free of charge. The photo quality is suitable for sharing on social media, such as Facebook or Instagram.

How many photos will I receive?

The collections of edited photos included in our tours include between 5 to 15 photos as a memory from the tour. The photo collection includes a few photos of each participant or group of participants, as well as landscapes and other photos.

I need a pick-up service from my accommodation, how much does it cost?

A free pick up service is included in the price within a range of 10 km (6 miles) from Rovaniemi city center. You will be informed about the pick-up place and time 24-48 hours before the start of the tour.

If you are staying outside of our free pick-up range, please contact us. A pick-up service from outside our free pick-up range can be arranged for and additional fee.

If you are staying in or close to to Rovaniemi or Levi center, we kindly ask you to arrive directly to our office at the informed time. Beyond Arctic offices in Levi and Rovaniemi are centrally located within a comfortable walking distance from all hotels and accomodations.

What´s the difference between Photography Tours and OTHER ADVENTURES?

Photography tours are operated and guided by Beyond Arctic and our professional photography guides.

Other adventures found on our page are a hand-picked selection of high quality Arctic activities in Rovaniemi and Levi, which we have chosen from our most reliable partners.

We carefully choose partners who share our values and principles for operating tours and adventures in the fragile Arctic area. On tours operated by our partners, you will not have a professional photographer guiding the tour and clothing from Beyond Arctic is not included. On some tours, terms and conditions and cancellation policies may differ from those of Beyond Arctic. Please read the Terms and Conditions carefully before booking.

Photoshoots

I want to book a photographer to join my group for a certain activity. Is this possible?

Yes, Beyond Arctic offers a photoshoot service, which allows you to book a photographer. The photographer will accompany you and take pictures of you and your group during activities, such as visiting the Santa Claus village, a husky tour, or any other activity. Contact us for more information!

How is the photoshoot service different from normal Tour or Adventure services?

During our photoshoot services you aren’t joining our normal group departure, but instead you hire a photographer to come along to your own activities - which you have planned and booked yourself. This can be anything from visiting a reindeer farm to Family portraits in the Arctic nature.

How many pictures do I receive and what does it cost?

You can find our rates and more information about the photoshoot service here: https://beyondarctic.com/photoshoots-workshops

Can I also get prints?

All the photoshoot pictures are in digital form. Pictures will be uploaded to an online photo gallery (gallery.beyondarctic.com) where you can download them to your device. The photos can be downloaded in high resolution. Due to the high quality, these photos are well suited for printing your own posters, for example.

What kind of photoshoots does beyond arctic do?

We have experience in pre- and after wedding photoshoots, proposals, nature and landscape photography, different activities and events - with years of experience. Please contact us by email and let us tailor a photoshoot service based on your needs!

Do you only take still photos?

Usually we only take still photos, but we also have experience in videography and are licenced drone operators. This depends on your inquiry. Especially darkness and difficult weather conditions are something that could prevent us from offering some services. Contact us for more information!

Equipment

What gear is included in the price for the tours and adventures with Beyond Arctic?

When you book a tour with us, the following items are always included:

backpack
seat pad, thermos flask, sausage stick
headlamp
Warm winter clothing (if necessary)
gloves & winter cap (if necessary)
tripod (if necessary)

What kind of camera gear is recommended?

Your own DSLR or mirrorless camera

A pocket camera will do fine in daytime nature photography

Lenses

Wide angle lens (14-24mm) for Auroras, normal and zoom lenses for landscapes (aperture of f2.8 – 3.5 and 14-24mm recommended in Aurora photography)

Tripod

A stable and easily adjustable will help eliminate camera shake during long exposures.

Extra batteries

It is cold here and batteries won’t last very long - bring an extra battery and keep shooting!

Memory card

We recommend bringing at least a 16gb card

Camera bag

You need to carry your own equipment during our adventures

What should I wear on Beyond Arctic adventures and tours?

It is your responsibility to have enough winter clothing with you to keep warm while we are out in the nature. However, we can provide you with warm overalls and insulated winter boots if you don’t have your own. Sometimes we operate in temperatures as low as -25 to -30 degrees Celsius, so it is very important that you bring enough clothing with you. In these temperatures proper clothing is a matter of safety!