PNPremier NordicsQuiet, authentic Nordic travel
Levi · December

Levi in December: twilight days on the slopes, Christmas weeks and the first long aurora nights.

December in Levi is the month the charters arrive: the slopes have been open since October, the village is lit for Christmas and the sun stays below the horizon from about 12 December to 1 January. Civil twilight still gives about five and a half hours of blue light around midday, which is enough for skiing and a husky morning.

Reviewed
2026-09-26
Sources checked
2026-09-26
Published by
Premier Nordics
Floodlit ski slope and chairlift on the north side of Levi fell in winter
Key numbers

The facts that decide this trip

Sun
Rises about 10:49 and sets about 13:32 on 1 December; below the horizon from about 12 December to 1 January
Usable light
Civil twilight about 09:02 to 15:19 on 1 December and about 09:32 to 15:02 on 15 December
Temperature
Monthly mean about −10.4 °C; average high −6.7 °C, average low −15.3 °C (Kittilä, 1991–2020)
Precipitation
About 31 mm over roughly nine days, falling as snow; the snow cover has usually been in place since late October
Slopes
Floodlit slopes and the gondola run through the twilight; about 17 of the 43 pistes are lit
Prices
Highest of the winter between about 20 December and 2 January; early December is cheaper and quieter

What a December day in Levi looks like

The sky begins to lighten around 09:00, turns a deep blue and pink over the fell by late morning and fades to dark soon after 15:00. The slopes and the village are floodlit, so skiing continues into the evening on the lit pistes and the resort feels busy rather than dark. Photographers get several hours of blue-hour light without a sunrise in the second half of the month.

Temperatures sit around −10 °C on average with dry air and little wind in the village, and colder nights below −20 °C are normal. On the summit and on snowmobile tours the wind chill matters more than the thermometer; operators lend thermal suits and boots for the tours.

Christmas weeks: worth it or avoid?

From about 20 December the charters bring the Christmas weeks: full tour programmes, Santa visits in the village, lit trails and the highest hotel rates of the year. Restaurants need reservations and the husky mornings sell out first. If the festive dates are the point, book everything as soon as the flights are fixed. If they are not, the first two weeks of December give the same snow, the same twilight and easier bookings at lower totals.

  • Early December: quiet slopes, shorter lift queues, lower rates, the sun still rising briefly until about 11 December.
  • Christmas fortnight: everything runs, everything is full; book months ahead.
  • New Year: fireworks over the village and the sun's return on the first days of January.
Where to stay

Where to stay in Levi in December

December evenings are pools, dinners and aurora tours, so a centre hotel a few minutes from the Zero Point saves the most time; the pool hotels matter more this month than in any other.

Affiliate disclosure: the Stay22 comparison link is commercial. If you book through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost. Providers control prices, payment, changes and refunds; the picks stay editorial.

  • Levi centreLevi Hotel SpaWater World gives children an indoor afternoon every twilight day; a short walk to the shops and the south slopes.
  • Levi centreBreak Sokos Hotel LeviAt the Zero Point for the ski school and the tour pickups, with a pool and saunas for the evening.
  • Levi centreHotel Hullu PoroSeveral restaurants under one roof, which matters when Christmas-week tables are scarce elsewhere.
Stay22 · live value comparisonFind best-value stays around LeviCompare live totals, map position and cancellation terms for the exact dates.
Check live prices

Snow reliability and the ski area in December

Kittilä's snow cover normally forms in late October and the resort opens its first slopes in early October on stored snow, so by December the pistes are dependable and the full lift network is usually running. Cross-country tracks around the village are groomed and lit in stretches. Off-piste and forest snow is deeper than in November but still building, which is why husky and snowmobile routes stay on the marked tracks.

What to book first for December

Fix the flight into Kittilä before anything else; charter seats and the Finnair connections through Helsinki fill for the Christmas fortnight. Then the hotel, then the airport transfer, then the husky or reindeer morning. Aurora tours by minivan or snowmobile have more departures and can be booked a few days ahead once the cloud forecast is visible.

  • Flights and transfer first, hotel second, husky morning third.
  • Keep two evenings free for the aurora; book the first tour for night two.
  • Pack for −20 °C nights: insulated boots, mittens over gloves, a face covering for the fell.
Experiences

Reviewed December tours from Levi

A short husky ride for families, a combined husky, reindeer and snowmobile day and a snowmobile aurora safari away from the lights, checked on the public product pages on 26 September 2026.

Affiliate disclosure: GetYourGuide and Viator links are commercial. If you book through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost. Providers control prices, operator terms, changes and refunds.

GetYourGuideLevi 5 km husky sledding rideShort husky sled ride of about 5 km from a kennel near Levi with a guide driving the team, suited to families and first-timers; confirm the pickup point, the minimum age and whether thermal clothing is included.
Check on GetYourGuide
GetYourGuideLevi husky, reindeer and snowmobile dayCombined farm visit with a husky ride, a reindeer sleigh ride and a snowmobile leg in one outing from Levi; confirm the total duration, the driving licence rule for the snowmobile and what the lunch or snack includes.
Check on GetYourGuide
GetYourGuideLevi northern lights snowmobile safariEvening snowmobile safari away from the resort lights to wait for the aurora at a campfire stop; confirm the driving licence requirement, the two-per-snowmobile rule and the policy for cloudy nights.
Check on GetYourGuide
Practical questions

Questions travelers ask before booking

Answers use the sources listed below. Re-check live hours, weather and operator terms close to the travel date.

Is it dark all day in Levi in December?

No. The sun stays below the horizon from about 12 December to 1 January, but civil twilight gives about five and a half hours of blue light from around 09:30 to 15:00, and the slopes and village are floodlit.

Is there enough snow in Levi in early December?

On the pistes, yes: the resort opens in early October and Kittilä's snow cover usually forms in late October. Forest snow for huskies and snowmobiles is thinner than in February, so tours stay on marked routes; confirm start dates for any specific tour.

Do tours run on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?

Many do with reduced departures; the product page shows available dates. Shops and some restaurants close early on 24 December, so book dinner or choose a hotel with its own restaurants.

How cold is Levi in December compared with Tromsø?

Much colder but drier: a Kittilä mean of about −10 °C against about −2 °C on the Norwegian coast. Levi's cold is calm and dry most days, which layered clothing handles better than wet coastal wind.

Sources

Where the numbers come from

Checked 2026-09-26. These sources support hours, distances, transport and climate facts; they do not guarantee prices, availability or operator terms.

Keep planning

Related Levi guides and pages

Aurora

Northern lights in Levi: from the fell, on a snowmobile tour or through a glass roof.

How to see the northern lights in Levi: from the fell or the lake shore, minivan and snowmobile tours, glass igloos as an aurora product, and which nights to protect.

Read the guide
February and March

Levi in February and March: the main ski months, with real daylight and dark evenings for the aurora.

Levi in February and March: seven to thirteen hours of daylight, −12 °C to −8 °C averages, Finnish ski-holiday weeks, floodlit evenings and aurora until early April.

Read the guide
Getting there

How to get to Levi: fly into Kittilä, take the night train to Kolari, or drive up from Rovaniemi.

How to get to Levi: Kittilä Airport about 15 km away with Finnair and winter charters, airport buses and taxis, the night train to Kolari, and the road from Rovaniemi.

Read the guide