Which Lapland holiday is best for the northern lights?

What are the northern lights?

The northern lights are also called the Aurora Borealis, or simply the aurora. They are caused by explosions on the sun. Solar activity sends electrically charged particles into space. When those charged particles hit the atmosphere, the magical northern lights appear.

The impressive northern lights show up in green, yellow and sometimes red colours. In Lapland you can often admire them for hours, above the snowy landscape. That is what makes them so special.

Anyone who wants to witness the northern lights has to see them with their own eyes. Photos never fully show how it feels.

When is the best period for the northern lights?

The northern lights are visible from September to April. Lapland has long dark nights, which are ideal for watching the aurora. The best period is the winter months, with clear nights, a thick layer of snow and the most snow of the year. For many travellers the best time to go is December through March.

You need a clear starry sky, and you only get that when the clouds stay away. In the bright summer months you will not see the northern lights. In Lapland the chance of seeing the northern lights is up to three nights out of four, but that is a maximum under good conditions.

The best destinations for the northern lights

1. Swedish Lapland: Abisko and Luleå

Swedish Lapland is unspoilt and sparsely populated, with vast forests, untouched nature and remote places where you have minimal light pollution. With local guides you get to the best locations, far from the city.

Abisko also lies above the Arctic Circle and is known for relatively little cloud cover. Around Luleå, our own region in the north of Sweden, it is quiet, and after a day with the reindeer you can look at the sky in complete silence.

2. Norwegian Lapland: Tromsø and the Norwegian coast

In Norwegian Lapland, around Bodø and along the Norwegian coast, you book a different kind of trip. In Norway you can also spot whales in winter. The northern lights are easy to see there and the Arctic landscape with its fjords is impressive. Iceland is also on the northern lights list of some travellers, but it lies outside Lapland.

3. Finnish Lapland: Saariselkä

Finnish Lapland is also popular for a northern lights trip. Saariselkä offers a great chance of seeing the northern lights. It lies above the Arctic Circle, far to the north of Finland.

Glass igloos and cabins with a glass roof

Staying overnight in a glass igloo lets visitors watch the northern lights from their bed. Glass igloos and cabins with a glass roof are especially pleasant if you do not want to stand in the cold for hours. Choose accommodation where you can also see the northern lights from your room.

Practical tips for seeing the northern lights

There are various northern lights trips you can book. Lapland trips with the northern lights as their theme range from a short three-night northern lights trip to a long Lapland trip. These are our practical tips:

• Book several nights: the ideal length of a trip to Lapland is at least five days up to a full week. That gives you the best chance that at least one clear evening is among them.
• Choose a dark place: away from city lights, with minimal light pollution, you see much more. Light pollution is the biggest enemy of the northern lights.
• Watch the moon: at new moon the sky is darker.
• Be flexible: a good guide adapts the programme to the weather, so that you are outside on the best evening.
• Dress warmly: temperatures in Lapland can range from -5°C to -30°C in winter.
• Take your time: the northern lights often come in waves. Wait calmly, for example by a campfire with a warm drink.

That is how you get a perfect trip. Get to know the silence of the far north, and combine the northern lights with a winter adventure such as a husky safari or a reindeer trip. It is worth preparing as well as you can, because with a bit of luck it becomes an unforgettable experience.

How we do it at Go to Sápmi

From December through March we welcome guests for our reindeer experience in Luleå. You sit by a campfire, we cook the food over an open fire and you feed the reindeer yourself. We cannot guarantee the northern lights, but we plan in several evenings. We arrange the entire trip for you, including accommodation and various activities. Our Winter Wonderland package lasts 5 days and 4 nights.