Glass igloo in Kakslauttanen: are northern lights from bed worth it?
Updated October 29, 2026 · 4 min read
A Kakslauttanen glass igloo is worth it if the room itself is what you want: a bed under a glass roof, a private sauna and the sky overhead without stepping outside. As an aurora plan on its own, it falls short. The igloo cannot move away from cloud, and the resort says plainly that it cannot guarantee the Northern Lights. For resort guests the natural partner is the Saariselkä/Kakslauttanen: Aurora Hunt & Photo Tour by Van: from €130, 4.5 stars from 96 reviews, three hours in a Mercedes-Benz van whose drivers, the listing says, know the best spots.
What the igloo actually gives you
Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort lies about 10 km from Saariselkä, the nearest village with a supermarket, ATM and shops, and 35 km from Ivalo Airport, roughly a 30-minute drive. The bus stop named “Kakslauttanen” is about 100 metres from the East Village reception.
Glass igloos are let from around the third week of August until the end of April. The resort’s igloo listings include:
- Small Glass Igloo (East or West Village): 25 m², up to 3 guests, two single beds, toilet, shower and private sauna
- Large Glass Igloo (West Village): 38 m², up to 5 guests, four single beds, toilet, shower and private sauna
- Kelo-Glass Igloo (West Village): 90 m², up to 6 guests, with sauna, fireplace, kitchenette and a glass-roof bedroom
Couples should note the beds: the small igloos have two singles, not a double. The resort’s offer page for winter 2025–2026 states that all accommodation includes a Northern Lights alarm.
How often the sky cooperates
The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) puts the chance of an aurora on a dark, cloudless night at roughly 50 percent at Lapland resorts such as Saariselkä, 10 km up the road, and 75 percent at Kilpisjärvi. The FMI calls midnight and a couple of hours either side the typical time for displays, a time when igloo guests can look up from bed.
The weak word is “cloudless”. FMI notes that dense cloud hides the lights completely, and Visit Finland names clouds as the most common reason visitors miss them. FMI also points out that Lapland’s nights in early autumn and late spring are still bright, which matters if a late-August or late-April date looks tempting.
Igloo or tour: the comparison
| Option | Duration | From | Rating | What the description says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass igloo stay (booked with the resort) | overnight | resort rate | – | fixed location, glass roof, private sauna |
| Saariselkä/Kakslauttanen: Aurora Hunt & Photo Tour by Van | 3 hours | €130 | 4.5★ (96) | Mercedes-Benz van, drivers who know the best spots |
| Saariselkä: Aurora Hunting Photography Tour | 3 hours | €139 | 4.7★ (441) | minivan, guides pick locations from forecasts |
| Private Northern Lights Tour with Photos | 4.5 hours | €230 | no reviews yet | private; starts from Saariselkä, Kakslauttanen, Kiilopää, Muotka or Ivalo; professional photos |
| Saariselkä: Kuukkeli Sauna World with Pools & Hot Tub | 2 hours | €39 | 4.5★ (87) | smoke, electric and panoramic saunas, hot and cold pools, a chance of auroras overhead |
Who it suits, and who should skip it
The igloo suits couples or a small family planning one standout night, and anyone staying two or more nights, since each night is another chance of clear sky.
Skip it if you have a single night and the aurora is the whole point: one cloudy evening and the glass shows only grey. It is also a poor fit if you want village life on foot, because Saariselkä is 10 km away. If the igloo is beyond your budget, a van hunt plus the sauna world still combines aurora chances with a Lapland sauna.
Our recommendation
Treat the igloo as the treat and the tour as the insurance. Book the Saariselkä/Kakslauttanen: Aurora Hunt & Photo Tour by Van for your first evening, so a grey sky leaves you a later night in the igloo to try again. Its title names Kakslauttanen, but confirm the pickup point for your village when booking. With 4.7 stars from 441 reviews, the Aurora Hunting Photography Tour is the alternative if that pickup does not suit you.
