Top 5 Places to See the Northern Lights

Dancing across the northern skies in a display of incredible hues, the Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights have awed and inspired human beings for millennia. In the southern hemisphere, these lights can also be seen as the Aurora Australis. This natural phenomenon is unlike anything else, and for most of human history, its existence was attributed to gods and the spirit realm.

Today we know that the lights are the result of charged particles from the sun hitting gases in the Earth’s atmosphere and interacting with Earth’s magnetosphere. Knowing this, however, does not make the Northern Lights any less spectacular!

Arguably the best place to see the Northern Lights, and one that caters to visitors specifically for the experience, Tromsø far in the north of Norway is a top destination. For this reason, the chances of seeing the northern lights while staying in Tromsø during the winter is especially high. The locals are knowledgeable about their surroundings and tour guides are always available to get people to the right place at the right time!

Tromsø is a modern town of 65 000 people and has all the amenities of urban lifestyle. It earned the nickname of “Paris of the North” in the 19th century for its culture of food and fashion. Yet it is located in the heart of rugged Arctic wilderness and offers an unforgettable experience not just for those wishing to see the northern lights, but also for those wishing to experience the beauty of the northern Norwegian landscape. 

Iceland

Iceland is located far to the north of Great Britain and to the west of Norway. Its geographical location means that it is well situated for viewing the Northern Lights. Virtually all visitors will enter Iceland through the capital city of Reykjavik. From there, the rest of Iceland can be accessed. 

Iceland is full of spots from which to view the Northern Lights. The best places to view them are away from any urban lights, as they can dilute the imagery in the sky. Nevertheless, the Northern Lights can still sometimes be seen from Reykjavik.

Seeing the Northern Lights is, however, something that requires a certain amount of luck. There’s no guarantee when they’ll appear, and cloud cover can ruin the experience. These factors are beyond the control of even the best tour guides!

Nevertheless, Iceland is a land full of unique wilderness that offers experiences like no other on Earth. From hot springs to volcanoes and black beaches, there’s plenty of this beautiful country to explore while not looking up at the sky. 

Given the proximity to the Arctic Circle of the northern reaches of the biggest state in the United States, it’s no wonder the Northern Lights can be seen from Alaska. Although the northern lights can be seen throughout the state, the further north one goes, the better the chances of seeing them become.

For those searching for the Northern Lights here, trips to the interior and the northern reaches of Alaska are generally taken. To maximize chances of seeing the Northern Lights, as in all regions where the northern lights can be seen, September to March are when they can be seen best. 

The most popular places in Alaska for seeing the Northern Lights are Fairbanks, Wiseman, Coldfoot, Prudhoe Bay/Deadhorse, and Utqiagvik (Barrow).

Greenland

Covered in thick layers of packed snow and with most of it sitting in the Arctic Circle, Greenland is a perfect place to catch the Aurora Borealis. It may seem like a remote place to go, but it’s only a four-and-a-half-hour flight from Copenhagen, Denmark. Getting there is actually not difficult, and guided tours are available in Kangerlussuaq, Sisimiut, Ilulissat, and the capital of Nuuk.

With a population of less than 60 000 people on the entire landmass, there is little in the way of bright city lights to pollute the skies, and so conditions are perfect for seeing the Northern Lights. 

According to Inuit legend, the northern lights or ”Arsarnerit”, is when the dead souls play ball with a walrus’ skull. While this explanation may not satisfy scientific interrogations, it does add an interesting factor to the Aurora Borealis in Greenland!

One of the premier destinations for seeing the Northern Lights, Finland is an excellent destination that caters for those wishing to revel in the experience of the sky’s dancing lights. Finnish Lapland offers many different places to see the lights which are visible for roughly 200 days of the year. From treehouses, luxury suites, and glass-domed igloos, visitors can see the lights from the comfort of their hotels, or they can choose to experience the spectacle out in the wild.

Even without the incredible lights dancing above the heads of visitors, the wilds of Finland offer extraordinary beauty in the form of lakes and forests blanketed in thick snow. Of course, the world is a big place, and there are many more places that offer fantastic opportunities to see the Northern Lights. Canada, Sweden, Finland, and Russia are good choices too. Wherever they are seen, the Northern Lights provide an unforgettable experience for those lucky enough to have the opportunity to see them.