Iif you’re anything like me, you’d kill to make it to any of the best places to see the northern lights. Before scientists cracked the mystery of the auroras, men were drawn and fascinated by these dancing and magical lights that were often found in mythology and legends. In Roman Mythology, it is said that the Aurora is the deity of the dawn. During the middle ages, the manifestation of the aurora indicated famine or war. In North America, the Inuit Indians believed that the lights are the essences of deer, salmon, seals and other animals that they hunted. Oddly enough, the Maori thought that the displays were just reflections of a campfire or torches.
The Northern Lights Explained
The Northern Lights, also known as “Aurora Borealis” or the “Dawn of the North”, never fail to take your breath away. Scientifically, the Aurora occurs when the Earth’s magnetic field collides with the solar wind coming from the Sun, causing a transfer of energy that creates the northern hemisphere to glow, specifically around the Poles. The Northern Lights have several colourful variations. The combination of yellows, pinks and greens are created by oxygen molecules that are found 60 miles above the Earth’s atmosphere, whilst the blue and the combination of blue and purple is produced by nitrogen, and the rarest of all auroras – the red is the only one I have ever seen (lucky me!), and is a product of high-altitude oxygen found 200 miles above Earth’s atmosphere.
Regardless whether you believe the scientific facts or the legends behind its existence, you’ll still be captivated by these supernatural display of lights, and there are countless destinations where you can see the majestic phenomenon called the Northern Lights. I’m sharing my research on where to go – have you found a great place to see the Northern lights?
Best Spots to See the Northern Lights
Alaska
In North America, one of the best places to see the Northern Lights is in Fairbanks, Alaska. Twenty miles north of Fairbanks, the mountainscapes of Alaska offers a picturesque and relaxing setting for borealis-spotting. There are several lodges and inns that provide accommodations and services for auroras watchers. One can also enjoy the company of huskies and malamutes while dog sledding and a relaxing hot bath while watching the dancing lights. Also, the University of Alaska Fairbanks offers a night time viewing of the Aurora Borealis and museum visit, where one can learn the facts and related legends of the lights.
When to Go.It is best to visit Alaskan during clear skies around March, and on the later part of August until the middle of April.
Canada
Canada is one of the best destination spots to marvel and appreciate the Northern Lights. The Province of Ontario offers memorable and distinctive guided tours away from the blaring yet dull city lights to the more mystical and fascinating lights that dances across the northern hemisphere. Ontario’s guided tour includes an exciting 1-hour ride on a snowmobile in the northern part of Lake Superior.
The Yukon Territory is another place to watch the Northern Lights especially around Lake Laberge. The site is renowned from Robert W. Service’s poem and the Klondike Gold Rush. One can rent a cozy log cabin near the lake which offers unbarred views of the Aurora Borealis.
When To Go: Best is from the middle of August up until the last days of April. With the Northern Lights as your backdrop you can enjoy other things such as fishing, sledding, skiing, ice fishing, snowshoeing, riding the snowmobile and boat trips.
Finland
Saariselkä, the Lapland in Northern Finland, is also one of the best sites to see the auroras dance. Since pollution is lower in this region, the Northern Lights enthral locals and tourists alike for two hundred magical nights ever year. The Finnish Lapland also offers reindeer sledging, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and husky safaris are alternate activities one can enjoy if the auroras are a bit reticent.
When To Go: Best months to visit Saariselkä would be around November until March, especially if the weather is cooperative and the sky is clear.
These incredible displays of lights also occur in the southern hemisphere and are called the Southern Lights or Aurora Australis. If you’re adventurous and do not mind the frigid and cold weather, then travel to Antarctica and see the Australis from there. However, if below zero temperatures are not your thing, you can also view the Southern Lights in New Zealand, Tasmania, Argentina and southern Chile!
Iceland
The Scandinavian country of Iceland offers a spectacular view of the majestic lights, even near Reykjavik city. Similar to Ontario, Canada there are several guided tours that will whisk you away from the mundane city lights into a more secluded and natural environment to really appreciate the Northern Lights.
When To Go: Best months to hit Iceland would be from September until March, where the weather offers clear nights.
Norway
The Scandinavian country is amongst the best places to see the northern lights. There are several cities in Norway where one can appreciate the beauty of the auroras, but the best would be Tromso, where a festival is held in honor of the ‘goddess of the dawn’. Tromso is located over 300 miles inside the Arctic Circle. The Aurora Borealis can be viewed around 6pm to 1am every two days. Take note that the weather plays a big role in order to see the Northern Lights, so if you’re planning a one night journey to see the magnificent lights then, chances are, you’d miss it, so give yourself time!
When to Go:January is the best month to visit because for the entire month, the city is in total darkness and when the year’s first dawn rises around the horizon, the Northern Lights Festival is celebrated throughout the region, with music, food and beverages. Just remember, that Tromso is extremely cold, so make sure you’re well geared up with winter clothing…it’s going to be anti-climatic if you get hypothermia or frostbites while viewing the auroras.
Sweden
The Swedish Lapland offers unhindered view of the Northern Lights every night for 365 days from 6pm to 2am. However, on some occasions, the aurora teases tourists by its faint and quick manifestations, while on others the displays are stunning.
The region of Tornedalen is the best place to go to. It offers several leisure activities such as snowshoeing, skiing, fishing and ice walking on the River Torne. One can also take an exciting day trip to Lake Poustijärvi by sledding or snowmobiling. However, if you like to experience reindeer sledding, then travel to the Lansån Village and look for the Rokka family and hire Sami reindeers and enjoy a snow ride.
Have you seen the Northern Lights/Aurora Borealis? Tell us about your experience in the comments.
Photo Credits: Beverly and Pack, Image Editor, tanasha, spaceritual, timo_w2s, ToNG, GuideGunnar, myskyce
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
A few additions:
The aurora borealis is best visible around the Arctic Circle, in the so-called aurora oval. Travel too far north of the Arctic Circle, and you may miss it! The aurora is often quite faint, and therefore mostly only visible during the darkest hours of the night, in between midnight and 3am. Visible longer in winter, shorter in spring and fall. But the aurora is always there, 24 hours a day!
There is a special Aurora viewing hotel in Northern Finland: The Aurora Chalet. They will wake you up if the aurora is visible (over 200 nights/year). Rooms cater saunas and the food is incredible (tested in person)! Downhill skiing on lit ski slopes in a National Park between at least October and April, at an easy walk from the hotel. http://www.aurorachalet.com
One spectacular additional place to watch the aurora without any light distortion is in Greenland. The main international airport in Kangerlussuaq is situated 30 miles north of the Arctic Circle, and therefore at an ideal spot. You can travel 20 miles inland to watch the aurora from the inland icesheet, which is usually cloudless and not as cold as you might think.
Please note that north of the Arctic circle, from approximately early May until the end of July the nights are too bright to see the Northern Lights.
Wow some great recommendations, Remco, thank you!
Thank you for this article. I went to see the Northern Lights earlier this year in Porjus, Sweden. Although we didn’t get the most spectacular display it was still pretty awesome. You can read about my experience here:
http://www.runawaybrit.com/2011/03/06/the-arctic-journals-4-aurora-borealis/
I’m really intrigued by the Southern Lights, do you know of a good place to see them in Argentina/Chile as I’ll be there later this year?
Thanks for sharing – thanks Brit! Not sure about the questions, I’ll ask around.
I’ve seen the aurora many times in the rear-view mirror driving south from Edmonton in the winter on Hwy 2 to Calgary. Since it was usually so cold, they had to be damn good ones to make me stop and get out of the car to look!
I was totally surprised to see the lights one night in mid-July in Brighton, England on the beach there. And I guess it was a very rare occurrence for them to be there.
I’ve also seen them north of Kelowna BC in late August, but they were fairly faint.
But my favourite of all time was watching them in Narrow Hills Provincial Park north of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. They covered the whole sky, lasted for hours and were reflected in the lake we were camping beside. Awesome!
Wow – simply incredible! I am coming to hang out with you
Although I am Canadian I have never seen them, stupid light pollution…
Time for a road trip then
Really liked this article…Thanks for all the info Andy…To watch the Northern Lights is on my bucket list…and this really helps
Cheers!
You’re welcome =)
Seeing the aurora borealis is definitely on my list of to-dos. Hope to see it someday!
Andy, those are beautiful photos. I have seen other photos, seen it on TV, and read about it but this actually inspires me to want to see it in person. It would be great to go to Finland and check this out!
Thanks Jeremy… let’s go on a group trip!
A very good article. But I have never heard of the Southern Lights. I would love to see this either both or south!!!
Thanks John; I hadn’t heard of them either until I started my in depth travel planning. Interesting, eh?
Way cool! I saw the Northern Lights in Alaska last summer (we were seriously lucky!) and it was magical. I’m going to the Arctic this summer, probably wont see the lights but who knows?
Well, keep an eye out… hope you can get another peek!
As a company who helps to put together itineraries to go Aurora hunting there are lots of recommendations on where to see it. Generally the further North you go the better. The “season” for them runs from November through to March because the dark nights make viewing them easier because there is less competing light. It’s better if there is little or no cloud cover because the effect usually takes place high up in the atmosphere. All that said and taken into account just stick a pin in the map inside the arctic circle and check the conditions. Give yourself a few nights at the location just in case and wrap up warm. Personal recommendations, Glass Igloos at the Lapland Igloo Village in Saariselka, Finland, Night life and aurora hunting from Tromso in Norway, or watching from the hot tub on the deck of a Hurtigruten Ship on the classic voyage north.
Oh, some great tips, Linda – thanks!
We had a great sighting in March by Little Salmon Lake, on our way back to Faro from Whitehorse. In the year and a half I’ve been in the Yukon, it was my first really vivid viewing, and it was just magnificent. We almost drove into the lake several times, we were so busy gawking ^_^
Incredible – I’d probably have a similar problem, driving into the lake =)
Incredible article. I’ve been living in Ontario Canada for over 25 years and still have not seen the northern lights yet! I didn’t even know Ontario has the northern lights, always thought only in the Northwest Territories or Yukon would have. Now I know whats next on my to do list! Thanks!
Let us know where you end up.