Missed the Northern Lights? Travel expert reveals the best places to see them

It seems Brits are planning to take advantage of the sun's solar maximum, with bookings to prime destination, Finland, up +84% compared to this time last year.

Simon Lynch, Global Product Director at luxury tour operator Scott Dunn has shared his expert recommendations on the best places and months to travel to witness the Northern Lights before the year is out, and tips for when you are there.

Finland (North, Finish Lapland)

Due to its latitude of 67° north, Finland is on the path of the Northern Lights.

With around 75% of its surface covered in forests and an average December snowfall of 30cm, Finland feels like a true winter wonderland when the aurora borealis are dancing in the night sky.

The lights are best viewed the further north you go, making Finnish Lapland ideal. The lights are visible on roughly 200 nights a year in Lapland.

Rovaniemi, Inari and Levi are some of the best places to visit and offer Huskey sledding tours and wilderness hideaways and glass-roofed igloos to stay in during your trip.

Peak light season runs from late August to early April with the best times occurring after nightfall, between 10pm and 2am. Combined with a host of winter activities like snowmobiling, skiing and seeing Santa’s grotto in Lapland, Finland offers a special setting to see the Northern Lights.

Iceland (across the island)

Located 65° north on the southern edge of the Arctic Circle, Iceland is also known as one of the best places in the world to witness the Northern Lights.

It’s easy to get to somewhere dark on the island, which is necessary to see the lights. It’s the only place besides Greenland where you can in theory see the lights from any point in the country. With a population of just 376,000, you can take full advantage of the remote areas in Iceland that escape light pollution.

October to December is the best time to see the Northern Lights in Iceland, with peak viewing times between 9pm and 2am.

It’s never guaranteed that you will see the lights, but Iceland has a lot of other things to see too. The island’s hot springs, waterfalls and ice caves will give travellers plenty of memorable experiences whilst offering a unique backdrop to witness the spectacular aurora borealis.

Sweden (Northwest, Swedish Lapland)

Sweden is famous for its display of the aurora borealis, particularly in the arctic wilds of Swedish Lapland, Sweden’s most northwest corner. Covering a quarter of the country, Swedish Lapland is home to mountains, forests, wild rivers and frozen lakes.

Abisko National Park, Kiruna and Luleå are considered some of the best places in Sweden for Northern Light spotting. These locations offer once in a lifetime access to unique stays such as Sweden’s Icehotel and Treehotel and charming Scandinavian tipis.

The endless days between October and January give visitors the benefit of long winter nights which are ideal for seeing the Northern Lights. On clear evenings, the best time to spot the lightshow is between 6pm and 2pm.

Ice-fishing, hover crafting over frozen lakes and moose safaris offers visitors to Sweden a unique itinerary.

Norway (North - Tromsø and Svalbard)

Norway is a hotspot for auroras hunting as the seasons change quickly, meaning there’s longer dark nights.

Its latitude of 62° north means it is ideally located on the northern lights belt, giving visitors a high chance of seeing the night sky’s light show. Tromsø and Svalbard are regarded as the best places in Norway to see the light show. Hotels offer picturesque views of snowcapped mountains and offer open log fires and hot tubs to warm up from the cold.

The lights season in Norway is from September to March during the hours of 6pm to 1am. Particularly, the "polar night," when the sun doesn’t rise for weeks, begins in mid-November, making it an excellent time for Northern Lights.

Alaska (North - Talkeetna and Denali National Parks)

Across the pond, the US state of Alaska is considered one of the best places on earth to see the Northern Lights.

Although light shows occur throughout all four seasons of the year, if you’re keen to catch a glimpse at the aurora borealis, the best time to visit is during the cold months, between September and April, also known as the ‘aurora season’.

Alaska is a vast and wilderness state, and the further north you travel, the higher your chances are of witnessing the bright colours in the sky.

Talkeetna and Denali National Park, which sit at around 63° north latitude, both offer unique hotels and fly-in accommodation as well as Northern Lights packages. As the lights show becomes more intense with clear black skies, these remote locations are ideal.

For more information visit: https://www.scottdunn.com/luxury-holiday/specialist-holidays/northern-lights