An aurora chaser recommends seven Arctic destinations for viewing the northern lights, based on personal experience, and advises choosing a place you would enjoy even without auroral activity.
01Summary
- 01Swedish Lapland's Kiruna offers a wide range of accommodation and activities, with Abisko National Park benefiting from a 'Blue Hole' clear-sky phenomenon.
- 02Tromsø in Norway sits under the auroral oval and combines city comforts with nearby wilderness and many guided tours.
- 03A Norwegian coastal voyage, such as with Hurtigruten or HX, allows viewing the lights from a ship while exploring fjords and Arctic scenery.
- 04Hurtigruten offers a Northern Lights Promise on qualifying voyages, providing a complimentary return trip if the lights are not sighted.
- 05The author, Daisy Dobrijevic, will join Hurtigruten as an onboard astronomer for a northern lights sailing in January 2027.
02Why it matters
Choosing the right destination can significantly improve your chances of seeing the aurora, and picking a place you would enjoy anyway ensures the trip is worthwhile even if the lights do not appear.
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