Things you should know about the Northern Lights
Seeing the Northern Lights is an unforgettable experience. Do you find it difficult to plan a trip because the questions where, when and what are on your mind? What is the best place to go and see the Northern Lights? When is the best month to travel? And what else can you do during your trip? After reading this blog, you will know all the details to plan a trip to see the Northern Lights!
What are the northern lights?
The Northern Lights, also known as the Northern Lights, are a unique light phenomenon that can be observed around the North Pole. Seeing it is an unforgettable experience. The aurora often appears in the sky and is an arc that stretches from east to west. It is recognizable by its brilliance of light and can be seen in the sky in almost all colors.
What month is best to see the Northern Lights?
From mid-August it begins to get dark earlier at night around the polar circle. This is called the so-called Ruska period. From that moment it is possible to observe the northern lights at the height of the polar circle until approximately mid-April. Between mid-April and mid-August it doesn’t get dark enough or not dark enough to see the Northern Lights. The closer to the North Pole, the faster the days lengthen at the beginning of spring.
What is the best place to go and see the Northern Lights?
Kakslauttanenn, Finland
The snowy landscape of Lapland in Finland is the perfect place to see the Northern Lights. The best time to travel is between September and March. Do the Northern Lights occur every night? You can see the Northern Lights almost every 1 out of 2 nights. How to get here? Take a flight to Rovaniemi.
Tromso, Norway
This city is located in the north of Norway, between fjords, mountains and lakes. Tomsø is the place to see the Northern Lights. Head north between the end of September and the end of March and see this special play of light in the sky with your own eyes.
Yellowknife, Canada
In Canada, you have a better chance of seeing the Northern Lights because you are exactly in the circle of the aurora. Here you will also find one of the largest lakes in the world, Lake Esclaves. It is very impressive to see the northern lights reflected in this great lake.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Thanks to the island’s climate, the Northern Lights can be seen in Reykjavik in Iceland for no less than eight months of the year: from mid-August to mid-April.
What else can you do during your Northern Lights trip?
husky safari
One of the best things to do is a husky safari. Huskies have great stamina and are therefore used to pull sleds. Huskies can travel at least 50 kilometers every day. The dogs visibly like this as they are excited and wagging their tails all the time!
ice fishing
Ice fishing is the main activity for Finns at the weekend. Can you see yourself standing on a frozen lake with bait and a hand drill? After drilling a hole in the ice, you can start fishing. If a good catch is caught out of the water during ice fishing, the next step is to fry it over a campfire.
glass igloo
Would you like to spend the night in a hotel with countless stars? Stay in a glass igloo and enjoy the impressive view of the starry sky throughout the night thanks to the glass roof. In addition, you have the opportunity to see the northern lights from your bed shining in the sky. This is certainly worth it if you don’t feel like sitting outside every night waiting for the Northern Lights to appear.
Extra tips for your trip to the Northern Lights
If you want to see the northern lights in the sky, then be careful when it is a full moon as the sky will not be completely dark.
Another useful fact to know is that it doesn’t have to be cold to see the Northern Lights. This is because it is usually already very cold on a clear winter night, and there is often a lot of snow in the far north.
When you are in one of the above places, it is important to stay awake for a long time. The best chance to see the Northern Lights is between 6 p.m. m. and 1 a.m. m., but the later, the better. After 10 p.m. m., you have a better chance of seeing the northern lights.
In Lapland it is said that if you stay for five days, you will see the Northern Lights on one of those days. Therefore, it is smart to book a trip of at least five days.
Carrying an extra battery for your camera is a good idea! Due to the cold, your batteries will drain faster. So carry an extra charged battery with you or keep your phone close to your body until you need it.
