Seeing the Northern Lights isn’t just about “heading north” – A Global Northern Lights Destination Review

The 16-day long National Day & Mid-Autumn Festival holiday is about to end, the brave will travel the world for half a month (while the poor travel industry professionals will be stuck in the office), and the braver are already starting to think about the winter and Spring Festival holidays.

Every winter, an emerging destination for outbound travel emerges – to see the Northern Lights!

But every year we encounter the same problem, where to see the Northern Lights?

This guide lists popular Northern Lights destinations worldwide, with in-depth analysis from multiple perspectives on the advantages and disadvantages of each popular and niche Northern Lights observation destination, so you can make an informed decision when choosing your Northern Lights travel destination and no longer feel confused!

Aurora Probability: 1-5 points, based on aurora intensity, local weather factors, season, etc., the higher the probability of being able to see the aurora with the naked eye, the higher the score)

Fun Factor: 1-5 points, the more entertainment options there are besides aurora observation, the more fun, the higher the score)

Photography Index: 1-5 points, including aurora photography, the more elements there are in the area, the more suitable for photographers to stay and take pictures, the higher the score)

Consumption Index: 1-5 points, compared with local accommodation, food, entertainment, transportation, etc., the higher the cost for the same itinerary specifications, the higher the score)

Transportation Index: 1-5 points, the more convenient the transportation, the more transportation options and higher frequency, the higher the score)

Finland – Home of Santa Claus

Rovaniemi & Saariselkä

Aurora Probability: 4.5 points

Fun Factor: 4 points

Photography Index: 3.5 points

Consumption Index: 4 points

Transportation Index: 5 points

Thanks to its convenient transportation, Rovaniemi is one of the most popular aurora observation destinations in Finland and even the world. You can fly directly to Rovaniemi from Helsinki or take an overnight bus or train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi to save a lot of time. As Rovaniemi city has a lot of light pollution, it is best to drive out to the countryside at night where there are no city lights to see the aurora. Rich friends can choose to book two nights in the glass house hotel early, lying comfortably inside and watching a feast of aurora.

Besides the aurora, Rovaniemi’s biggest advantage is that there are many other activities to choose from. Dog sledding, reindeer farms, snowmobiling are all easy to experience, the world’s only officially certified Santa Claus is based here, you can take a close-up photo with Santa Claus in Santa Claus Village, get a certificate for setting foot in the Arctic Circle, and send a postcard from the Arctic to your friends.

▲Dog sledding, a must-try snow activity

▲Take a photo with Santa Claus to fulfill a childhood dream

However, Rovaniemi’s disadvantages are also obvious. As a popular tourist city, it is very crowded during the aurora season, especially in recent years with the rise in aurora tourism, Chinese tourists have also poured in, if you want a more niche experience, it is best to go further north to Saariselkä and Inari in the Lapland region.

Inari and Saariselkä are still niche aurora travel destinations, the disadvantage is obvious – inconvenient transportation, both need to take a flight to Ivalo airport and then take a car to the destination, the local transportation options are not many. The advantage is that there are fewer people and the environment is cleaner, skiing, dog sledding and other traditional snow activities are also available, nearby is also Finland’s largest Inari Lake, there are many Finnish-style holiday cottages, imagine yourself in a Finnish traditional holiday cottage equipped with a traditional smoke sauna, comfortably steaming a sauna, then turn around and jump into the icy Inari Lake, this is the most exciting Finnish way to play.

Iceland – A Song of Ice and Fire in the Arctic Circle

Aurora Probability: 3.5 points

Fun Factor: 5 points

Photography Index: 5 points

Consumption Index: 4.5 points

Transportation Index: 4.5 points

Because of the World Cup wave, the mighty Viking war cry has once again written Iceland at the edge of the world into the travel plans of many travelers, and as the aurora season approaches, the little wish to go to Iceland to see the aurora has begun to stir again.

Compared to other popular aurora destinations that are mainly concentrated in certain cities in certain countries, Iceland, which is located entirely in the aurora belt, has the chance to see the aurora anywhere in the country, as long as the weather is clear, during aurora outbursts, even in the brightly lit city center of Reykjavik you can see the dazzling green fluorescence dance. So you can see that many of Iceland’s famous landmarks have postcard-angle publicity photos of both daytime winter snow scenes and nighttime aurora dancing.

But all this beauty is predicated on clear weather, in reality Iceland’s aurora observation success rate is actually not high overall, the main reason is not that the aurora intensity is not strong enough, but Iceland’s weather is simply too changeable, cloudy and snowy days are very common in winter, occasionally a week of blizzard is also normal. So going to Iceland to see the aurora in winter, you must keep an eye on the weather forecast, of course, the most important thing is luck ~

But even if Iceland’s aurora observation rate is low, travelers’ enthusiasm for Iceland is not diminished, after all, besides the aurora, Iceland has too much to play and too many amazing landscapes.

Winter in Iceland has truly ultimate experiences:

▼You can hike on the world’s third largest glacier, Vatnajökull, for a taste of interstellar travel

▼Step into the magical blue ice cave that is only accessible in winter

▼Play a rescue team and search for the wreckage of a crashed plane

▼Go to the black sand beach and pick up a piece of clear ice from Jokulsarlon

▼Find a hot spring, strip down and jump in for a comfortable soak

For Iceland, there is no need to have the mindset of “seeing the aurora is equivalent to not having gone in vain”, the aurora is just a bonus in your travel log, go chasing with a Buddhist mindset, when you happen to see the aurora dance after the clouds, you can truly understand the meaning of this trip.

Norway – The Purest Mountain and Sea Legend

Tromsø & Lofoten Islands

Aurora Probability: 4 points

Fun Factor: 4.5 points

Photography Index: 4.5 points

Consumption Index: 4 points

Transportation Index: 4 points

Tromsø

Tromsø is permanently enveloped in the aurora belt, the success rate of observing the aurora is very high, it is the number one aurora observation destination in Norway. Although Tromsø is also located inside the Arctic Circle, the climate is not cold, influenced by the Atlantic warm current, the average nighttime temperature in winter is only -5℃, and it is a non-freezing port all year round. There are many ways to see the aurora in Tromsø, you can join a local aurora tour, go out to the countryside at night without light pollution to look for the aurora, enjoy a warm campfire and hot food in a traditional Sami tent and wait for the aurora to descend. In addition, you can also choose to go out to sea at night on an aurora observation cruise to look for the aurora.

In addition to the aurora, you can also participate in regular snow activities such as dog sledding in Tromsø, of course, there are also unique cityscapes, for example, the Arctic Cathedral is a landmark building in Tromsø, in short, Tromsø has convenient transportation with an airport and is very convenient.

Lofoten Islands

Because the weather is changeable by the Norwegian Sea, the Lofoten Islands are not famous for the aurora, but they have the titles of the most beautiful archipelago in the world, the most beautiful fishing village in the world, etc., here is completely a different kind of paradise, snow-capped mountains all year round, majestic fjords, sea roads winding between the islands, bright red fishing houses, here, the aurora is just an unexpected joy of the trip.

The Lofoten Islands are a very niche and pristine destination, so there are fewer tourism experience projects that can be participated in, but the boundless beauty alone is enough to fill travelers’ hearts. Of course, the external transportation of the Lofoten Islands is not convenient, most people choose to take the ferry from Bodø, or take a plane (not many flights), but because of this, the Lofoten Islands have preserved their most pristine and beautiful side.

Sweden – The Aurora Capital, the Core of Lapland

Kiruna & Abisko

Aurora Probability: 4 points

Fun Factor: 4 points

Photography Index: 3 points

Consumption Index: 4 points

Transportation Index: 4.5 points

Kiruna

To see the aurora in northern Sweden’s Lapland region, Kiruna must be your first stop. As the gateway to the Arctic Circle, it is a relatively developed city in northern Sweden, with relatively complete supporting facilities. Similarly, as an aurora observation destination, city light pollution has caused it a lot of trouble, so more travelers choose to go further north to the Swedish village of Abisko after passing through Kiruna.

Abisko

Abisko is only 37 kilometers from the Swedish-Norwegian border and is adjacent to Abisko National Park. The whole national park concentrates the essence of Nordic natural landscapes, snow mountains, lakes, rivers and various animals are all where travelers’ hearts belong, and at night when the aurora bursts, riding a snowmobile under the dazzling night sky, it is even more enviable that you can’t stop!

Alaska – Over 200 Aurora Days a Year

Anchorage & Fairbanks

Aurora Probability: 5 points

Fun Factor: 4 points

Photography Index: 4 points

Consumption Index: 5 points

Transportation Index: 4.5 points

Anchorage

Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city, located on the edge of the aurora belt, with lower accommodation costs, many travelers arrange accommodation here for a few days, using it as a stopover point to go further into the Arctic Circle to Fairbanks. But here the latitude is lower, when the aurora level is low, it is not easy to see.

Fairbanks

Fairbanks is located in the center of the aurora belt, in the inland area, with large mountain ranges blocking it on both sides, the climate is stable and the temperature is comfortable, basically it is clear and windless, the winter temperature is similar to Beijing. And as Alaska’s second largest city, the infrastructure is very complete, the hotels are good, with high-end hotels like Marriott, it is the perfect aurora observation destination, and has the reputation of “Aurora Capital”, with more than 200 days of aurora phenomena a year, every winter a large number of travelers go to soak in hot springs and see the aurora.

Besides watching the aurora, the entertainment options here are also very rich, such as snowmobiling, dog sledding, ice fishing, these traditional snow activities are available, in addition, you can also go to the northernmost town in North America through the only road to the Arctic Circle – the Dalton Highway, get an Arctic Circle certificate, and see the authentic polar landscape, please note: the Dalton Highway is private, without a permit you cannot enter, so you must have a professional travel company to take you to the Arctic Circle.

Special Recommendation

Strongly recommend staying two nights at the [Chena Hot Springs Resort], this hotel existed before the establishment of the nature reserve, it is unique in the Fairbanks area, and is also the only natural hot spring in Alaska. The front and back are mountain ranges, at night you can watch the aurora in the cabin on the mountaintop, during the day you can play various snow activities. Although it is located in the polar region, there are perennial streams, one after another cabin. Soaking in the hot springs at night, watching the aurora appear in the sky, how comfortable it is. Plus, there is no phone signal here, no WiFi, completely isolated from the world. Snow, hot springs, food, aurora, everything is the main theme here, throw away all your thoughts, and enjoy a relaxing holiday.

Yellowknife, Canada – 95% Aurora Observation Rate

Aurora Probability: 5 points

Fun Factor: 4 points

Photography Index: 4 points

Consumption Index: 4 points

Transportation Index: 4 points

Yellowknife is located on the edge of the Arctic region, compared to other aurora scenic spots, Yellowknife is more flat, there are no mountains blocking the aurora in the lower sky; far away from the ocean, avoiding moisture from affecting visibility; located in the aurora belt, the probability of observing the aurora is greatly increased. Travel bureau data shows that staying in Yellowknife for three nights, the probability of seeing the aurora is as high as 95%.

You can ice skate, fish, snowshoe, or ride a snowmobile for a Northland wilderness crossing. Or experience dog sledding, led by beautiful Huskies, challenge the polar climate, travel through the forest and snowfields to take pictures of the colorful snow scenery.

You can also choose a local restaurant, taste northern delicacies such as bison and pike. After eating and drinking, slip into a warm bathtub, enjoy the steaming mist while watching the northern lights shimmering in the sky, flowing light dancing, like a silent dazzling fireworks blooming in the sky.

Murmansk – Niche Aurora Destination and Price-Performance King

Aurora Probability: 4 points

Fun Factor: 3 points

Photography Index: 4 points

Consumption Index: 2 points

Transportation Index: 3 points

Some people say that the aurora represents luck, but the high cost of chasing the aurora in Nordic countries always makes you think of the aurora as a luxury. Murmansk, as a price-performance aurora destination in the Arctic Circle, with less light pollution and lower prices, makes it easy to fulfill a dream of seeing the aurora. Murmansk is not as famous as Finland and Norway, but the aurora here is no worse than those Nordic countries with extremely high prices, the following advantages will only persuade you to come here to chase the aurora.

Good location

Murmansk is located at 69 degrees north latitude, located on the Kola Peninsula in northwestern Russia, is the largest city in the Arctic Circle. More than 300 kilometers deep into the Arctic Circle. In addition to the aurora, there is also the world’s highest latitude ice-free port.

According to incomplete statistics, Murmansk has the chance to see the aurora every winter half-year (September to the following April), with a higher chance of seeing the aurora from November to February.

Short itinerary

Flying from Beijing and other major cities to Russia is relatively convenient, compared to some aurora destinations in Nordic countries, it is more time-saving.

Low price

Prices are more affordable compared to Nordic countries like Finland, and in China, from the end of the year to the Spring Festival, it is considered a high season for airfares, but compared to European and American aurora chasing prices, Murmansk is still in an advantageous position!

After reading this super dry goods strategy, I believe you have already chosen your TOP1 aurora travel destination (What? I want to go to every place after reading it). But in order to prepare well for an aurora trip, there are still many things to prepare, such as: What to bring to see the aurora? Is it really cold in the Arctic Circle and what to wear? How to check if you can see the aurora? Can a normal camera take good aurora pictures? …

Still don’t understand? Don’t worry, another aurora super dry goods “Aurora Photography Complete Guide” is waiting for you to take away! I guarantee you will master it in three days and dominate your friend circle!