northern lights in sweden
Porjus is a tiny village of roughly 400 residents located in Swedish Lapland some 60 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Laponia. As mentioned earlier, if weather conditions are just right (dark, cold and cloudless) you might catch a glimpse of the northern lights from any location within subarctic and arctic Sweden – even close to larger towns such as Luleå, Jokkmokk (link in Swedish), Arvidsjaur and Gällivare. July, August and January are the most popular months to travel in Sweden and we have over 15 departures available. In Sweden, the northern lights usually occur during the winter months through … If you don’t mind getting a very early start, or staying up all night, there’s also a chance that you could see something in the hours before dawn. Sweden is a safe place but our advice is very simple: you still need travel insurance. Jukkasjarvi and the Torne Valley. The apartments have their own The northern lights do make the odd appearance in Stockholm, but it’s rare. This will help to wick moisture away from your skin and keep the heat in. It offers private rooms and is a great choice whether you’re travelling with friends or taking a family holiday. Icehotel, Jukkasjärvi. The Tornedalen region (home to the Torne River), the areas around Lake Poustijärvi, and the neighbouring villages of Nikkaluokta and Vittangi, are all ideal for viewing auroras. However, you should bear in mind that if you visit northern Sweden in late December or early January, you’ll be extremely limited in terms of the other activities you can enjoy. You’ll also miss the worst of the freezing temperatures. On clear nights, the northern lights can be visible from most locations in Swedish Lapland, occurring between 6:00 and 14:00, with the strongest shows happening between 22:00 and 23:00. Home to the Ice Hotel it also has other super lodges situated in the best Aurora areas. Time it just right and you’ll be able to see the lights reflecting in the Kalix River (Kalixälven), which flows right past. Join Our Newsletter For bimonthly ideas on new breaks. There are a couple of things you can do to avoid standing around in the snow with frozen fingers, waiting for something to happen. Hunt the Northern lights tour in Kiruna – Abisko; Private tour – Hunt the Northern lights tour in Kiruna – Abisko; Weather Kiruna A short mini-van journey from Kiruna to the river is included and snow boots, helmets and warm clothes are provided – as is a hot drink and snack around a campfire en route. The winter of 2020 was at the lower end of the solar cycle, but from the end of 2020 onwards throughout 2021 the activity will start to gradually ramp up towards a peak in 2024/25. It also boasts the country’s highest mountain, Kebnekaise. It is … Coming to Sweden is already a good start, but we recommend heading up into Swedish... 3. Although initially Sweden was not high on our list of travel destinations, our short visit highlighted to us that there are many reasons that everyone should visit Sweden at least once. Why would you need a head torch if you’re not going potholing? Surrounded by woods, lakes and grassland, it’s in the middle of nowhere, so there’s no light pollution to dampen the spectacular light display. HOLIDAY TYPE: Flexible Dates VISITING: Sweden, Norway BROCHURE CODE: 26032. Whichever type of camera you’re using, bear in mind that batteries tend to run out faster in cold weather. The capital is quite a long way south of the Arctic Circle and so sightings are not common – and you’d need a very clear night, with no cloud cover to get a good view. The good news is that huge tracts of northern Sweden fall within the sweet spot where the northern lights appear fairly regularly. So where should you go? Visit business-sweden.se for information on how to trade with and invest in Sweden. You may also like:Guided tours in Swedish LaplandDog sledding in SwedenSeeing the northern lights in Norway. As long as you’re prepared for the cold, nothing beats seeing the northern lights from one of Swedish Lapland’s wilderness areas. Keep in mind that the Northern lights are a natural phenomenon, so it is never guaranteed that you will get to witness the lights. The best policies also offer trip cancellation cover, so that you could get the money for your tour back in the event that you have to cancel because you or a close relative falls ill. For lots of different reasons we recommend World Nomads – you can get a quote below: Is 2021 a good year to see the northern lights? Choose to see the Northern Lights in Sweden and you’re off to a good start. That means you’ll have plenty of time to try and spot the northern lights at night, but will also be able to get out and about during the day, admiring the beautiful scenery, which will almost certainly be very snowy. The daylight in Abisko during this time is very limited. Can The ice hotel arranges northern lights safaris on snowmobiles for the ultimate northern lights experience in the wilderness. If you’re looking for an organised tour to see the northern lights, this photo adventure near Abisko is hard to beat. Northern Lights in Sweden. A significant portion of Sweden lies within a zone (called the ‘auroral oval’), where solar particles collide with gases in the earth’s atmosphere to create colourful ribbons of light known as the northern lights, or aurora borealis. But you will also need a tripod. About Northern lights Tours – Sweden. A negative Covid-19 test certificate is required for foreign citizens coming to Sweden. So if you’re out hunting, look northwards and you’ll catch them as they first appear. The village of Jukkasjärvi only has about 548 inhabitants. 9 January 2020. This will only work in very dark, rural areas though – to see the lights at all, you need to remember that artificial light is the enemy, and that you should try to get as far away from it as you can. And even if it is completely clear, there’s no guarantee that there will be any solar activity. It’s a very good idea to get a headlamp with a red light (we use this one). The closer you get to the so-called ‘auroral zone’– a band that stretches around the globe around 2000–3000km from the magnetic pole, which shifts over time – the better your chances of seeing something amazing overhead. Sweden is also cheaper to visit than some of its Nordic neighbours, which makes it possible to see the lights without spending a fortune on accommodation, food and transport – and who can argue with that? Filter Results. Well, they can do. Still, in some cases, they reach up to several … Choose from 2 multi-day trips from 1 leading northern lights tour operators. The famous Icehotel is here, but you don’t have to be a paying guest to wander through the village itself or admire the lights dancing above the river. Due to Covid-19, there are currently restrictions on travels to and from Sweden. When you’re standing still in the snow waiting for the northern lights to appear, you will lose heat quickly. If your budget can’t stretch that far, this shorter tour gives you a flavour of the Sámi culture plus a snowmobile trip to view the northern lights. Chasing the Northern Lights in Sweden. Here are the best places to watch them in Sweden. You may decide it’s worth buying a spare camera battery, just in case the first one loses juice as the aurora starts picking up. In addition to guided tours, back-country camping and trekking out into the park at night, travellers can also take a chair-lift up to the Aurora Sky Station and its lookout tower to get a better view of the park. Far enough away from the bright lights of Kiruna and with an icy river running right past it, Jukkasjärvi is a great spot for seeing the northern lights. This video is for you to share my passion and to give you an idea about our Aurora photo tours in Abisko, Swedish Lapland. If seeing the northern lights is high up on your bucket list, Sweden is a very good place to start. If it’s cloudy overhead, you won’t see anything, no matter how bright the lights are shining. The Northern Lights in Sweden appear around the beginning of September (Kiruna) to around the end of March everywhere in Swedish Lapland. To see the Aurora Borealis, as the Northern Lights, is also called, is a bucket list experience for many. The sun has an 11-year solar Watching as the aurora borealis streak across the night sky is one of those magical experiences that’ll stay with you for the rest of your life, so deciding when and where to watch them is key. We can hardly claim that northern Sweden is warm but thanks to the effect of the Gulf Stream it does tend to be a little milder than lots of other places where the lights are visible (Siberia and Canada, for example). Head north of the Arctic Circle. In order to properly capture the Northern lights in Sweden, you will … The best Sweden Northern Light tours are offered through Wild Sweden. Also, since it’s a large city, if the aurora does appear visibility tends to be poor due to light pollution. Fly into Kiruna, Sweden to start Hunting for the Northern Lights. Your best chance of catching a glimpse of the northern lights is on cold winter nights when the sky is clear, dark with little to no moonlight, and cloudless. For more details and updated information, please visit krisinformation.se, official emergency information from Swedish authorities. Taking crystal-clear pictures of the northern lights requires more than a steady hand; no matter how carefully you press that shutter button, there will still be a bit of shake. Of course, even with the most There are webcams set up in the apartments linked to a university in Japan, so you can check out the weather conditions and solar activity before you arrive. Cosy and warm, the tents have a transparent wall and roof, so you can watch the lights play in the sky above from the comfort of your own bed. So it’s very much business as usual. It’s easy to reach by air, it’s safe to travel around, and it has lots of interesting sights to take in as you search for the perfect aurora. Hence, it is possible to catch a glance of the... 2. If you’re looking for something a bit more adrenaline-fuelled, this 4hr snowmobile trip drives out along the frozen Torne River in search of the lights. To put that another way: the northern lights are (theoretically at least) visible in Swedish Lapland any time of year that it gets properly dark at night. But don’t let the small population size fool you: Jukkasjärvi boast the world’s first ice hotel and is one of the best regions to view the northern lights. Visiting in winter is a must. The Northern Lights season is between September to early April and we went at the end of February. nocturnal light activity can be seen here most nights. The closer you get to the so-called ‘auroral zone’– a band that stretches around the globe around 2000–3000km from the magnetic pole, which shifts over time – the better your chances of seeing something amazing overhead. No one wants to go hiking or dog sledding when it’s dark around the clock and cold enough to make your eyelashes turn to icicles. If you’re lucky it’ll be minutes, but it may take much, much longer for the aurora to appear. This means that Abisko has more clear nights than virtually any other of the destinations frequently located within the auroral oval – the area on our planet where the polar lights are currently visible. On more than one traveller’s list of things to do before you die, you’ll find ‘See the northern lights’ jotted down. I still remember the few times I’ve enjoyed the Northern Lights. Some 30 miles north of Jokkmokk in the Arctic Circle, the small town of Porjus lies on the banks of the river Lule surrounded by woods and between two national parks, Muddus and Stora Sjofallet. Yes, they almost always start in the north. You can improve your comfort levels a lot by taking time to dress properly. The northern lights are a natural occurrence that you should never have to pay to see (apart from the obvious cost of getting to Sweden in the first place). It’d be helpful to join a tour to increase your chances of seeing the northern lights. Growing up in southern Sweden, I had the privilege to go skiing up north, and with that, a few times, the Aurora … Aurora season in the north of Sweden runs roughly from the end of September until the start of April. Or, try the self-contained glass-roofed cabins at the Aurora Mountain Lodge, just outside the tiny community of Lannavaara. Exploring Chairlift , Dog Sledging and chasing Northern Lights on snowmobile in Abisko. You could go for an expensive option like this top-end beast but we’ve had very good results with a much cheaper Gorillapod. The truth is that a lot comes down to luck. The village also has a small downhill ski slope and plenty of Nordic skiing trails, if you want a little more activity. Some of their most popular holiday packages focus on the Northern Lights and are intended to maximize the experience for their clients. Usually red, green, or purple in colour, they dance and unfold across the sky like curtains, lasting anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. It’s small, which means there isn’t much light pollution and it’s also incredibly flat, which means the skies here feel enormous. This might seem like a long haul, but if you’re heading to somewhere that experiences winter 235 days a year, it means you can be basically guaranteed to see the northern lights all season long. Download Our Free Northern Lights Holiday Guide. A whole industry has grown up around seeing the lights, and the largest hostel here is now firmly on the backpacker radar. Combine the Northern Lights of Sweden with husky-sledding, snow-mobiling or perhaps a more relaxing reindeer ride throug. At the other end of the scale, you’ll see intense curtains of multi-coloured light dancing from one side of the night sky to the other, with wispy trails of green and red light spinning off towards the horizon. reliable alert systems, there are times when you simply don’t want to leap out Here are some things worth taking with you from home. a traditional Lapland dinner of reindeer souvas and cloudberry dessert, Arctic Colours Northern Lights Apartments, 10 fun things to do in Nørrebro, Copenhagen, A quick guide to the Scandinavian countries, Getting from Helsinki airport to the city centre. The Northern Lights, also called Aurora Borealis, bring a certain magical touch to you holiday in Sweden. We’ve had some very good experiences with the aurora alerts from Soft Serve News – follow them on Twitter to get free general alerts about solar activity, or you can pay a few dollars to get personalized alerts. Get our best tips by email! However, there are a few things you can buy in advance to make the experience more enjoyable. It's a joint project between: Copyright © guests. The most intense northern lights appear at the height of around 100 km above the ground and are 10–30 kilometres tall. There are quite a few elements that need to cooperate for the aurora borealis to light up the heaven, so there are no guarantees you’ll see it. Abisko lies in a rain shadow, We are a photography workshop company supplying experiences and knowledge to tourists and photographers. Hunt the Northern Lights in Sweden and Norway via the Arctic Circle Train. We guarantee you an unforgettable experience, spiced up with the best hotels, fantastic sightseeing tours, and remarkable cities to explore. There you can dine at a wilderness camp and get the chance to scan the Arctic winter sky for aurora borealis. Then add a snow- and wind-proof layer: the easiest option is to grab a pair of snow pants and a decent ski jacket. Remember to use the self timer when taking pics – that way there will be no movement at all. But remember – if you do get the chance to see the northern lights in person, never whistle to them. Aurora borealis is one of the things on top of the bucket list for a lot of people to both experience and hopefully even get some decent photos from. So where should you go? For those reasons, you should be wary of any tour company telling you that you will definitely see the lights, or that the place they want to send you to is better than any others. If you’re hoping to narrow it down, the absolute best time of the year for seeing the northern lights in Sweden is probably on either side of the winter. The lights are visible right across the northern reaches of Scandinavia, in a wide arc that stretches from western Norway, right through Sweden and into northern Finland. When the northern lights season starts in Sweden – Swedish Lapland? Here are some of our favourite free places for seeing the lights in Sweden. How to see Northern Lights in Sweden. This is where to see the Northern Lights and experience the Midnight Sun. This is the official site of Sweden, offering you the facts and stories of our country. You definitely do not need to pay to go to a special aurora camp or a purpose-built viewing facility (though you may think it’s worth it if you want to learn more about the phenomenon). This company provides true wildlife adventures spanning the great lands of Sweden. It claims to be the best place in the world to watch the lights and Let us help you. Whether you’re staying in a rustic log cabin or camping wild, this experience is hard to beat – but you will need to plan carefully and take proper precautions. Here are the best best places to see the Northern Lights in Sweden, Abisko National Park, Kiruna, Jokkmokk, Jukkasjärvi, Luleå, Porjus and more. Author: Ipsita Barua, Travel Editor. The northern lights’ season begin in Åre already in August, but it is during the coldest, darkest months the phenomenon usually appears in all its glory. And if you don’t mind being outdoors, but don’t like the cold, how about watching the lights from the warmth of an outdoor hot tub? are visible the more solar activity is taking place, so the brighter and more Sweden’s Treehotel situated in the forest of the Lule River valley offers a truly unforgettable way to experience Northern Lights Holidays in Sweden. Remember to pack spare batteries for your head torch (see below), too – most models take regular double-A batteries like these. The good news are they are all created by Nature. Go to visitsweden.com to discover the wealth of tourist attractions that Sweden has to offer. It includes a northern lights safari and gives you the chance to spot wild reindeer and moose, go dog-sledging and sleep under the stars in a traditional Sámi tent. But that does add an element of suspense, and there are a few things you can do to improve your chances – not least picking the right time of year to visit. And the truth is that they are unpredictable – even with dark skies and no clouds they can’t be guaranteed. Even at the start and end of the summer, when the sun finally starts slinking below the horizon for a couple of hours each night, the sky will probably be too light to really identify any wisps of aurora. Regardless of the colours you end up seeing (green is the most common, but deep reds and blues are not unheard of), nothing quite prepares you for your first glimpse of an intense aurora. A good policy can make a world of difference if things go wrong when you’re in the middle of nowhere watching the northern lights. Aurora Borealis or also called the Northern Lights are the fluttering and bright lights in many amazing colours is observed in the clear sky over the northernmost parts of the world. 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