How and where to see the Northern Lights in Norway: experiences

When you consider travel in winter to northern Norway, as I have done recently, you undoubtedly have in mind the possibility of see northern lights.

What's more, it will surely be this curious and spectacular phenomenon known as the Night Lights a determining factor in making this trip. It may even be the only objective of the trip.

If you are also interested in the Aurora borealis, as is my case, below you have the information you need to know how and where to see this impressive spectacle of nature.

How and where to see the northern lights in Norway

For this reason, it is important that, from the outset, you are clear that certain conditions to see the northern lights, and that there is no security in this regard.

What are the Northern Lights

Surely you have seen spectacular night photos of snowy places in which the sky is covered with lights of green, violet or reddish tones, with various shapes.

That is what is known as Aurora borealis, although in the Southern hemisphere they are called aurora australis.

Is shine and luminescence that appear at night in the areas closest to the poles of our planet.

The Aurora borealis They are the result of the collision of the solar wind with the magnetic field caused by the core of the Earth, which produces invisible lines that start from both poles.

What is the best time to see the northern lights in Norway?

However the Aurora borealis it is possible to see them from September to March, also depending on where you are.

Best places to see the northern lights in Norway

To do this, the first thing you have to do is go as far north as possible in the hemisphere, above the Arctic Circle, because the further north you go, the more chances there are to see them.

Therefore, the Northern Norway is an ideal place to see the Northern Lights, as I was able to see on my trip, although in recent times it seems that they are also appearing a little further south.

Here you have concrete information to see the northern lights in norway.

Best conditions to see the northern lights

The winter trip I made to Lapland Norway, in the north of the country, had the attraction of participating in various snow activities, like going in a dog sledding, drive snowmobiles o sleep in an ice hotel.

But deep down there was a dream: see northern lights.

And the truth is that we were able to see very soon a aurora boreal from the same plane that took us from Oslo but also Tromso, because when flying above the clouds, one of the essential conditions to see them was met, a clear sky.

How to see the northern lights in Tromso

Once Tromso they also gave the conditions to see the northern lights.

This city considered the Gate to the Arctic It is located far enough north for this to be the case.

In fact, there was a clear night, which allowed those who after dinner, instead of going up to the rooms, to go outside the hotel located in the same port to see it.

Of course, given the light pollution produced by the city lights, it was not the best situation to see the aurora that formed in its greatest splendor.

How to see the northern lights in Kirkenes

Already Kirkenes, next to the very coast near Norway's border with Russia, the location of this city so far north offers the better conditions What can you find in that country? to see the northern lights.

All that was left was to enjoy a clear night, and that happened during the last night of our stay.

The conditions were not the best either, because although we were not in a city, but in a nearby valley where the Snowhotel, the lights of their facilities and an almost full moon were not conducive to them.

How to know if there are going to be northern lights

In this regard, to know what are the forecasts on the possibility of seeing the northern lights y what time will they look best, you can use the mobile application “Norway lights".

Once you have indicated the place where you are, the application will tell you “Try” if it is possible for auroras to appear, and “Go” if the best conditions exist.

From the notice of “Go“Yes, very well covered, because the temperature was several degrees below zero, and with camera and tripod in hand, the time has come to locate the place where they can best be seen, trying to avoid lights that distort contemplation.

And finally, for an hour we were able to see the northern lights.

When you look at the starry sky you may see something similar to a nebula, which indicates that the northern lights are forming.

The night lights They appear and disappear with greater and lesser intensity, while they can make different shapes.

Una aurora boreal It is not a static light, but one with continuous movement, so you have to be very attentive to the different areas of the sky and you have to point the camera at different places.

In our experience, the highlight was an aurora borealis that, like a large greenish arc, crossed the sky for a long time, allowing us to take several photographs.

What a Northern Lights Safari is like

Now, if what you really want is “hunt northern lights"You must look for the ideal environmental conditions…and always arm yourself with patience.

For this, the ideal is to go to a camp like Borealis Camp that we met in Gapahuken Sollia Gjestegard, very close to the border with Russia.

Among other snow activities, offer you the possibility of spending a very cold winter night living the experience of an unforgettable northern lights safari.

Located inside a mountain valley, you will be taken by snowmobile to the camp in a journey of just under an hour.

You have the option of going from 6 in the afternoon, a time of night in the winter of northern norway, until 10 at night, or spend the entire night.

You will have food and you will not lack coffee, and when you have already enjoyed and photographed all the northern lights Whatever you want (if you're lucky, of course), you'll sleep in a thermal bag inside a well-heated tent, where you can even stay warm.

Are you up for the experience of seeing Northern Lights in Northern Norway? I am looking forward to repeating.