TRAVEL TO: Northern Lights

This is the first post in a 'series' taking about where I would love to visit and travel to. This post is about the beautiful sights of looking at the aurora in the night sky - The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, is on most bucket lists and they are one of the top things I want to see. In these posts I'll research the places briefly and write about information that I find interesting and will help in the future as I do plan to visit these places. Any places around the world you would love to visit?

I would defiantly research when to see the Northern Lights to make sure I don't miss them, it would be a huge disappointment if you made the trip to see them and it just doesn't appear, wouldn't it?

- The Aurora occurs when highly charged electrons from the solar wind collide with different atmospheric elements in the ring surrounding the North Pole so you'll have to travel pretty far up north, practically on top of the world!
I found the best points to see them are:

1. Norway
Svalbard, Norrway - I have been to Norway before and it was incredible but that was on a cruise to a few places on the south-east coast which I'll do a blog post about soon because the landscape is stunning there.


*My own photo from Norway*

For seeing the Northern Lights, Svalbard is a Norwegian island well up into the arctic. The best time to see the Northern Lights are between November and February. Why? Well between mid-November and end of January Svalbard is without daylight. I know part of Norway is in darkness for half a year therefore your chances are increased of seeing the aurora lights. The other side to just visiting here is outside this period i.e. daylight when you can see, there's a better chance of seeing reindeer's, walrus' and polar bears! Things you don't see often so a great experience! I would just go to see them.

2. Finland
Another place and where I would prefer to go to see the Northern Lights and that's because in Kakslauttanen, Finland they have an igloo arctic resort where you can see the lights from your own igloo, how amazing!?

You get to stay in a traditional log cabin complete with sauna and open fire. THE PERFECT combination! Ever since I found out and saw the picture of the igloo resort I've been interested in going.

If the lights don't appear at least you can instead do snowy activities such as a reindeer safari, or rent some skis. I've never tried skiing or really any snow sports but would love to so much although I am so bad at ice skating I might be even worse at skiing.

As these places are so up north you'll have to fly to the nearest city i.e.Oslo or Helsinki and make your own way up north but the hassle is totally worth it and if you plan and organised ahead, which I am good with, lesser the hassle. There are other places to see the Northern Lights - they have been even spotted in the UK which is crazy and I would of loved to see them.

 

The two best places I mentioned just sound great anyways to visit, I mean reindeer safari...! The weather is something you'll have to 100% brace yourself for, I can't imagine how cold it can get but you are practically on top of the world! I don't mind the coldness it is part of the experience and I prefer autumn/winter season anyways, plus it is worth it to see the Northern Lights.

 

Have you seen the northern lights, what was it like?

*All images and researched information all via google search ;)

NEXT: Iceland