As you can imagine, we’re often asked where is the best place to see the Northern Lights (also known as the Aurora Borealis) and the truth is that if the conditions are right on the night – then there are lots of places that could be described as the best place.
With this in mind, we’ve collated our top 6 places to see the Northern Lights.
Starting at number 6:
6. Ice Hotel
Every year we send hundreds of customers to the Ice Hotel and lots of them ask us about Abisko which is marketed as one of the best places in the world to see the aurora and about an hour away from Ice Hotel. Whilst Abisko is a good place to see the northern lights, we tend not to recommend it because it’s a long drive if the Northern Lights don’t come out. There really isn’t a need to go to the Abisko area as it is perfectly possible to see the Northern Lights from the Ice Hotel area. It is possible to see them from Ice Hotel itself however we would tend to recommend taking a Northern Lights tour just to take you away from the main lights of the Ice Hotel.
Here’s our 3 night Ice Hotel holiday package.
5. Swedish Archipelago.
The Swedish Archipelago is a really beautiful and generally not many tourists travel there, favouring Ice Hotel in the North. However, if the Northern lights are high on your bucket list then the archipelago area is certainly worth pushing up your list. The accommodation here is traditionally Swedish and as ever you can still do activities like husky sledging and snowmobiling. There is an exciting extra though – hovercraft on ice! An amazing, exhilarating experience which HAS to be experienced if you’re staying in the area in the winter.
How about visiting the Archipelago, view our Swedish Lapland adventure holiday package.
4. Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort and Glass Igloos.
This is one of the most popular destinations to visit to see the Northern Lights and you have the experience of staying in the original glass igloos. It’s a great resort and you can do some great excursions here. This includes a northern lights excursion in a snow tank – we tried it but unfortunately there was a blizzard!! The reindeer aurora excursion is a far more relaxed way to snuggle up with a loved one under a cosy blanket on the back of the sleigh whilst hopefully the northern lights shine above you.
Check out our short break to Kakslauttanen Glass Igloos.
3. Icelandic lodge in the middle of nowhere.
Iceland is becoming really touristy and certainly in the city, unless there is a particularly strong showing you won’t see much. It is possible to take tours from Reykjavik although these tend to be busy so we don’t tend to recommend them.
We work alongside one of Iceland’s best mountain guides who runs a small lodge far away from where the tourists tend to go. This means you are far away from artificial light. Whilst a little more expensive than other tours, you have the advantage that you can do some amazing tours in the day and know that you don’t have to waste time trekking back out again in the evening to search for the aurora.
2. Northern Lights from an Aurora Bubble.
It was really hard to choose between this and our current option for the number one best location to see the Northern Lights as here the main purpose of our package is to see the aurora. Even when you’re not looking for them- there’s an aurora alarm. This way you can be sure you’ll not miss the lights if they come out during your stay. Evenings are dominated by aurora sighting activities and the aurora bubble accommodation has been designed with the Northern Lights in mind. With a large viewing bubble over your head in bed, if the northern lights come out it’s the best place to be.
Love the idea of staying in an aurora bubble? Here’s your perfect aurora package.
1. Northern Lights Lodge.
With a 99% sighting success rate for our customers travelling in the 2016/17 Northern Lights season, this is without a shadow of a doubt our favourite spot for the Aurora. This beautiful, cosy guest house is away from the crowds and has a real home from home vibe. You’ll be well looked after by our hosts Johan and Eva. Want to see the northern lights from a hot tub… this is the place to do it! The lodge is very traditional in style and super cosy inside. All the activities are led by experienced guides and the food is fresh and local. If you want to see the aurora away from the crowds then this is the place to go.
The cream of the crop, the crème de la crème, the pièce de résistance. Want to see the Northern lights? What are you waiting for – go here, go now!
