In a frozen winter landscape of ice, snow and hard rocks, the light-footed, unearthly, magic dance of the northern lights appears like a mystic wonder above our heads. And then it is gone. Oh, look, there it comes again. This moment of sheer, otherworldly beauty you will remember the rest of your life.

Out of this world

Like curtains caught by the breeze, like rolling smoke or like ribbons across the sky, in an unearthly, electric green, sometimes with hints of pink and violet; the northern lights, aurora borealis, are faint, translucent and illusive. Occasionally the whole sky explodes in a corona of green, pink, white and violet like firework, organ pipes or opening flowers. Film and photographs don’t make them justice, and spectators hardly believe what they see.

Aurora o’clock

Most northern lights eruptions occur between 6pm and midnight, particularly around 10-11pm. However, Aurora is a diva. You never know when she bothers to show up. This means YOU have to wait for HER, not the other way round, so a fair bit of waiting is involved. 

Hunting the lights

Good ways include a long walk or a cross country workout, but maybe an organised tour is easier? Show-shoeing, dog sledding, reindeer sledding or snowmobiling, or the numerous northern lights expeditions all provide a good chance of spotting the lights. Sleep in and stay up late, and you maximise your chances!

September to March

The northern lights are visible first and foremost in the dark half of the year, from before autumn equinox to right after spring equinox. Clear skies a requisition, the weather is also of importance. September through November tend to be wetter than December to March, so basically come from Advent to 1 April!

The best place on Earth

The planet’s northern lights Belt follows the coast from Lofoten to the North Cape.  This means that most of Northern Norway is prime Aurora territory with maximum chances. Along the entire Northern Lights Belt of the planet, there is no region with such a variety of scenery and culture as Northern Norway. Thanks to the warming effect of the Gulf Stream, your northern light’s chase takes place in the mildest temperatures anywhere in the Northern Lights belt. 

Exploring aurora territory

Bodø is one of the gateways to Lofoten a dramatic chain of mountains rising straight up from the sea, with red-painted fishing villages in every sheltered cove. In winter, the world’s biggest cod fisheries take place here. The archipelago of Vesterålen ranges from forests and meadows to dramatic cliff coasts. The city of Narvik gives a chance to ski with the fjord as view. Tromsø is the lively, colourful centre of the high north, with easy access to mountainous islands and dry inland areas. There are guided northern light trips with cars available every day. You can stay for several days in a cabin by Kattfjord with varied activities.

To the far North

Alta enjoys a stable climate with good chances of clear skies, and has a good selection of excursions. The Sámi capital of Karasjok offers unique glimpses into a unique culture. Reaching Europe’s grand finale, the North Cape, in winter is a memorable experience. Kirkenes on the Russian border is the place to hunt for hideous-looking but delicious king crabs in a multi-cultural atmosphere. Svalbard, a remote archipelago only 1100 kilometres from the North Pole, is the place for the rare daytime northern lights in the depth of the polar night in December-January. Try snowmobiling or other activities and you can stay in a former mining rig. You do not have to limit yourself to one destination, the longer you stay up north, the better the northern lights chances are.