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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Northern Lights holidays

72 replies

bcngran · 18/01/2023 18:18

We are constrained by school term times. When/where is best to go with a teenager so as to have a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights? Teenager skis and is pretty adventurous - two adults less so, (and we dont ski). All of us just want to see the Aurora. Does anyone have any advice?

OP posts:
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Wiennetta · 18/01/2023 21:38

Iceland/Norway/Sweden/Finland if you’re thinking of somewhere in Europe. There’s an element of luck, but go as far north as you can, and go in the winter. You also need to get away from any light pollution, so if you’re staying in a city then you could look at organised trips to see the lights (or travel outside the city on your own steam).

To be honest, seeing the lights depends on solar activity as well as weather (you need relatively clear skies) so I’d choose somewhere that you’re interested in for other reasons - the culture, the skiing or whatever it is.

Mumzoo5070 · 18/01/2023 21:41

There are flights you can take from around the UK to see them. They fly you up to Iceland and around there then back to the airport after a couple of hours or so.

Mumzoo5070 · 18/01/2023 21:43

And just to add, I have seen them a lot when I lived in NE Scotland and they are one of the most magical things I have ever seen.

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 18/01/2023 21:43

We did a week in saariselka in Feb half term. It was great, so easy to book things independently including flights, self catered Lodge etc. Loads to do so you can ski and do other things and saw the lights just standing in the street.

Dahliasrule · 18/01/2023 21:48

We went to Iceland for a short break which included excursion to see the lights. They drive you to a remote place where no light pollution. The first day weather was not suitable. They let you know. Third day we got to see them. We were lucky it was a brilliant display. You are never guaranteed to see them.
Iceland has lots of other things to see. The geysers, the fault line that is the the boundary where Europe and America plates join.
not sure what there is for the more adventurous. It is also expensive, but we had a really good package deal. ( It was pre-Covid).

stuckasastuckthing · 18/01/2023 22:03

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 18/01/2023 21:43

We did a week in saariselka in Feb half term. It was great, so easy to book things independently including flights, self catered Lodge etc. Loads to do so you can ski and do other things and saw the lights just standing in the street.

We're off to Saariselka in a few weeks time! So excited. Any recommendations for activities etc?

Thelondonone · 18/01/2023 22:07

Iceland in feb half term 2022. It snowed loads which was fab but was too windy to ski. Saw them out first night but not again. Other people had been there 10 days and not seen them. It really is luck.

Bibbitybobbityboot · 18/01/2023 22:11

We saw them twice in a week in Iceland.

BHRK · 18/01/2023 22:13

Joanna Lumley did a fab programme from
Tromso on the lights, worth a watch

NanaRant · 18/01/2023 22:20

We see the Northern Lights all the time - north coast of Scotland. You can pop a UK postcode into an "aurora watch" type app and they send you alerts. They are particularly good just now. Key is a clear sky (cloudless evening). We get them mostly in winter months.

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 18/01/2023 22:20

It was a few years ago but we were on a little lodge that had sledges in the shed and it's own sauna. We had 3 days skiing I think so ski bus to the slopes, ski with dh and I taking it in turns to go off while the other stayed with the dc. The restaurant there was not that expensive and had a room downstairs you could eat packed lunch in plus loos etc. There was snow tubing st the ski centre too at no cost.

Then back to the lodge, sauna or light the fire and maybe out for a snowy walk/sledge in the forest.

We also went over to the ice bar which was cool. You paid entry bit that got you a drink including hot drinks for the dc so essentially just made sure it wasn't full of people having a look and not buying. The swimming pool in one of the hotels was really good when it was snowing heavily, we went a couple of times. Plus we did a reindeer sleigh ride. Most of the reindeer etc are run by saami herders who now rely on tourism but are very proud of their heritage so it is very interesting talking about the history and preservation of language and culture. There is a little museum in Saariselka too which is very good though won't take up much time.

Essentially you can spend a fortune doing all sorts of tours but you can just relax and potter around in the snow yourself, there are loads of trails through the woods and an observation cabin in the woods that anybody can just go to and use.

Obviously not much daylight and you did need to come in and warm up at times so we were very happy with our lodge, open fire and sauna and we had packed a load of games so we spent a lot of evenings just playing banagrams by the fire.

We would all love to go back.

Original poster
bcngran · 19/01/2023 08:33

Thank you all for the replies, and for sharing lots of useful information. Reading them with interest, and I really appreciate people taking the time and trouble to reply. Lots to think about! Now we are wondering if it might be worth booking for next Christmas holidays- gives us plenty of time to save up - and takes care of "What do you want for Christmas" convos for next Christmas!

OP posts:
CharlotteStreetW1 · 19/01/2023 08:44

I think they can accurately predict aurora activity quite far in advance. We went (to Iceland) after a "tip off" in the travel section of the Telegraph from a few months previously and they were indeed magnificent on the predicted date. I think the unreliability is down to weather rather than the aurora itself.

Funf · 19/01/2023 19:22

Please don't make it the point of the holiday as we have tried in Norway, Sweden and Iceland and still not seen them due to bad weather.

Wiennetta · 19/01/2023 22:26

CharlotteStreetW1 · 19/01/2023 08:44

I think they can accurately predict aurora activity quite far in advance. We went (to Iceland) after a "tip off" in the travel section of the Telegraph from a few months previously and they were indeed magnificent on the predicted date. I think the unreliability is down to weather rather than the aurora itself.

@CharlotteStreetW1 unfortunately this isn’t true. It’s pretty much the opposite - it’s amazingly difficult to predict when the lights will show. Maybe you’re thinking of the solar cycle? There are peaks of activity every 11 years or so, so we’re coming into a period of higher activity now. But this is very different from saying the lights will be active at X time on Y date.

CharlotteStreetW1 · 19/01/2023 23:00

Wiennetta · 19/01/2023 22:26

@CharlotteStreetW1 unfortunately this isn’t true. It’s pretty much the opposite - it’s amazingly difficult to predict when the lights will show. Maybe you’re thinking of the solar cycle? There are peaks of activity every 11 years or so, so we’re coming into a period of higher activity now. But this is very different from saying the lights will be active at X time on Y date.

Show quote history

Maybe I am. But they were there in all their splendour on the very date given so it's all good 🙂

User16458769 · 19/01/2023 23:06

When you book avoid the full moon

Crispwinterday · 19/01/2023 23:32

Is seeing the aurora the main focus is your holiday or is it about doing activities, sightseeing and hopefully seeing the lights?

It was my dream to experience them, so we did an aurora chasing holiday. We saw fantastic displays every night - two nights in the remote village we were staying in, and the other nights we travelled with an expert to find them. Honestly it was the best experience of my life.

I didn't want to go all the way to the Northern tip of Finland and not see the lights, so it was the best holiday choice for us. Happy to share more details if this is the sort of trip you're thinking of.

Northern Lights holidays
Northern Lights holidays
CannonCaboodle · 19/01/2023 23:36

Amazing photos, @Crispwinterday !

OP, would recommend Iceland in Feb half term though expensive. Lots to do/see. Don’t make the lights a focus as you may be unlucky and not see them, but joining an aurora chasing app is good!

Pirrin · 19/01/2023 23:42

Agree don't make it the basis of your trip unless it's a specialised one like @Crispwinterday. Levi in Finland was a great place with snowshoeing, dog sled rides, skiing, ice hotel and ice slide, snow mobiling etc but the much anticipated northern lights were sadlya no show. Didn't matter so much as the rest of the trip was so good.

User16458769 · 20/01/2023 05:19

It depends on your budget, Tui do packages to Iceland, they have the Northern lights trip included and if you don't see them they keep taking you out each night, make sure you get breakfast included as eating out is very expensive and it means you can fill yourself up well for the day

HelenHywater · 20/01/2023 05:31

@Crispwinterday I'd be interested in hearing more about your holiday! I went to Iceland and DIDN'T see the aurora. I'm thinking of booking somewhere in Feb on my own just so I can see them.

countrygirl99 · 20/01/2023 05:36

Late autumn/early spring are meant to be better than mod winter as still lots of dark and less likelihood of cloud cover.

User16458769 · 20/01/2023 06:21

We saw the lights in Iceland as early as early September, it is a bit hit and miss though as it is quite a cloudy, rainy country

User16458769 · 20/01/2023 06:22

October half term or February half term may be best for you OP