Northern lights: where and when to see them
One of the most anticipated trips there is, and one of the most disappointing — almost always for the same reason: going for too few nights and expecting what the photos show.
Expectations first
To the naked eye, auroras usually appear as a pale greenish glow that moves, not the intense greens and purples of photographs. Those images are taken with long exposures that gather far more light than the eye can. When they're strong they genuinely are spectacular, but it's worth knowing this beforehand.
When
Late September to late March, because you need darkness and in summer the north has near-permanent light. Peak activity usually falls between nine in the evening and one in the morning, though they can appear earlier or later.
Where
The usual belt runs through northern Norway, Sweden and Finland, Iceland, Greenland and northern Canada and Alaska. Tromsø and Finnish Lapland are among the most accessible from Spain in terms of flights and infrastructure. Iceland too, with the advantage that the rest of the trip is worthwhile even if you see nothing.
The three conditions required
Enough solar activity, clear skies, and darkness away from city lights. They often fail, and the trickiest is the second: there can be an enormous aurora above a completely clouded sky and you'll see nothing.
How many nights to book
This is the crux of the trip and where almost everyone gets it wrong. With three nights the odds are moderate. With five or six, considerably better. Going for a two-night weekend is a coin toss. If the trip is purely for the auroras, book at least four nights.
Guided or independent
Aurora-hunting tours drive to wherever the sky is clear that particular night, which is exactly the problem you can't solve from a hotel. They're worth it the first time. If you rent a car you can go alone, but you need experience driving on ice and snow.
What to bring
Real cold: temperatures well below zero and hours standing still. Thermal layers, insulated boots, thick gloves with thin ones underneath for handling a camera, and hand warmers. And spare batteries: the cold drains them in minutes.
Budget
It's an expensive trip. Between 120 and 180 euros a day in Iceland or Norway, plus flights and tours. Finnish Lapland and parts of Sweden work out somewhat better. December and Christmas are the worst months for prices.
Never treat them as guaranteed
Not even the most reputable agencies can. Plan the trip around a destination worth visiting in its own right, with the auroras as a possibility. If you go purely for them and they don't appear, you come home feeling the trip was wasted.
Keep reading
Browse every winter destination, or go back to the board and filter by month.