What Are The Best 5 Places to See The Northern Lights?

What Are The Best 5 Places to See The Northern Lights?

Seeing the Northern Lights, other known as Auroras is an experience no traveller should miss. This is a natural phenomenon of vibrant, colourful lights spread across the night sky. They are formed when the electrified particles of the sun enter the atmosphere of the earth and create a beautiful palette. What is even more magical is that you can actually hear them forming as they make this soft, crackling sound! Here are the top 5 places you can go to see the beautiful Auroras.

Best 5 Places to See The Northern Lights

1. Fairbanks, Alaska 

Fairbanks is one of the best places to see the Northern Lights because it is located right beneath something called Aurora Oval, which is a huge ring above the earth’s geomagnetic North Pole. This allows you a better chance of seeing the Auroras! During the season, if you are lucky, the lights are visible four out of five clear nights. You can choose remote parks, forests, or empty fields to settle in for these sights.

Adventure Travelling in Eastern Europe 5 Places to Visit

2. Tromso, Norway

One of the best places to see Auroras in Norway and the whole world, the city of Tromso, is located above the Arctic Circle. It gets dark in the afternoon and stays that way until morning, giving it plenty of time to see the lights clearly. From late January to early February, the main event in the city is the Northern Lights Festival, so if you visit during those months, try to catch this show!

3. Lapland, Finland

Located in the Arctic region, Northern Europe, Lapland is the top-tier place for Auroras. If we told you that the lights are visible here approximately 200 nights a year, what would you say? Unbelievable! The clearest views here are from September to March, and you will have to look for quiet places further away from the city noise, but the experience is priceless. In the silence, try to hear that mild crackling! 

Click here to check out more Northern lights tours! 

4. Orkney, Scotland

Now, this is an unusual one. You probably never would have thought that Auroras could be visible anywhere else than in the North. However, Scotland is proud to present you its northern coastline, where you can travel to see the Northern Lights! Fall and winter bring evenings with clear skies, so there are many chances to see this occurrence. Travel to the Wideford Hill, along the coast of Birsay, or on the beach at Dingieshow for the night show. 

5. Yellowknife, Canda

If there are exciting places to see Auroras, Yellowknife is definitely one of them! Capital of Canada’s Northwest Territory and the Aurora Capital of North America, this city is also famous for ice fishing and snowmobiling, so while you are waiting for nighttime to see the lights, you can enjoy a day full of activities! You can see the lights near the Great Slave Lake or make reservations to stay at Aurora Village. Basically, the whole region is dedicated to celebrating the Northern Lights.

Our last main tips: check the Northern Light charts to arrive at the predicted time, and do not be disappointed if you miss them on your first try! There are many beautiful places to experience this, so just keep trying and planning your winter holidays. Now, go write an itinerary and pack some warm clothing!

Explore Western Australia

Explore WA