Aurora Borealis

1.) Tromsø, Norway

Overview: Trom­sø, often called the “Gate­way to the Arc­tic,” is a prime des­ti­na­tion for those want­i­ng to expe­ri­ence the Auro­ra Bore­alis. Locat­ed 350 kilo­me­ters north of the Arc­tic Cir­cle, Trom­sø pro­vides a mix of stun­ning nat­ur­al land­scapes, includ­ing fjords, moun­tains, and vast snow­fields, along with the con­ve­niences of a mod­ern city. This vibrant Arc­tic town offers a range of expe­ri­ences like dog sled­ding, whale watch­ing, and Sami cul­ture, mak­ing it a well-round­ed des­ti­na­tion for both adven­ture and auro­ra view­ing. With an extend­ed auro­ra sea­son and excel­lent infra­struc­ture, Trom­sø is one of the most reli­able and acces­si­ble places for see­ing the North­ern Lights.

Best Time to Go: Sep­tem­ber to April, with the clear­est nights between Decem­ber and Jan­u­ary.

Get­ting There: Fly into Trom­sø Air­port (TOS) from Oslo or major Euro­pean cities.

Expect­ed Tem­per­a­ture: Win­ter tem­per­a­tures range from -10°C to ‑1°C (14°F to 30°F).

Bud­get: Expect to spend $150–$300 per day, includ­ing accom­mo­da­tion and tours.

Best Pho­to Spot: The shores of Prest­van­net Lake offer stun­ning reflec­tions of the auro­ra over water.

Top Tip: Head to Kvaløya Island just out­side Trom­sø for less light pol­lu­tion and wrap up warm, as tem­per­a­tures can drop sig­nif­i­cant­ly at night.

2.) Fairbanks, Alaska, USA

Overview: Fair­banks, Alas­ka, is one of the best places in the world to see the North­ern Lights due to its loca­tion direct­ly under the auro­ral oval. This live­ly fron­tier town pro­vides a per­fect base for auro­ra chasers, with a com­bi­na­tion of nat­ur­al beau­ty and var­i­ous cold-weath­er activ­i­ties such as snow­mo­bil­ing, hot springs, and wildlife view­ing. Fair­banks enjoys fre­quent auro­ra activ­i­ty and offers clear skies for much of the auro­ra sea­son, mak­ing it a top choice for trav­el­ers seek­ing a reli­able auro­ra expe­ri­ence. The Chena Hot Springs is a par­tic­u­lar­ly pop­u­lar spot, where vis­i­tors can soak in warm waters while watch­ing the lights dance over­head.

Best Time to Go: August to April, with peak sight­ings in Decem­ber through March.

Get­ting There: Fly into Fair­banks Inter­na­tion­al Air­port (FAI), with direct flights from Anchor­age or Seat­tle.

Expect­ed Tem­per­a­ture: Win­ter tem­per­a­tures range from ‑30°C to ‑15°C (-22°F to 5°F).

Bud­get: Plan for $100–$250 per day, includ­ing tours and accom­mo­da­tions.

Best Pho­to Spot: Mur­phy Dome offers panoram­ic views with min­i­mal light pol­lu­tion.

Top Tip: Stay warm by lay­er­ing up, and con­sid­er stay­ing up late as the best auro­ras often occur after mid­night.

3.) Churchill, Canada

Overview: Famous for being the “Polar Bear Cap­i­tal of the World,” Churchill, Cana­da, also offers incred­i­ble oppor­tu­ni­ties for Auro­ra Bore­alis view­ing. Locat­ed in north­ern Man­i­to­ba along the Hud­son Bay, Churchill’s remote set­ting pro­vides dark skies with almost no light pol­lu­tion, mak­ing it one of the best places in North Amer­i­ca to expe­ri­ence vivid auro­ra dis­plays. In addi­tion to the North­ern Lights, Churchill offers vis­i­tors unique wildlife encoun­ters, includ­ing polar bear and bel­u­ga whale sight­ings. While get­ting to Churchill is part of the adven­ture, the com­bi­na­tion of wildlife and auro­ra view­ing makes it a buck­et-list des­ti­na­tion for trav­el­ers.

Best Time to Go: Jan­u­ary to March, when the skies are dark­est and clear­est.

Get­ting There: Fly into Win­nipeg and take a char­ter flight to Churchill.

Expect­ed Tem­per­a­ture: Win­ter tem­per­a­tures can dip to ‑30°C (-22°F) or low­er.

Bud­get: Expect to spend $200–$400 per day, includ­ing accom­mo­da­tions and wildlife tours.

Best Pho­to Spot: The banks of the Churchill Riv­er offer stun­ning auro­ra reflec­tions.

Top Tip: Bring extra cam­era bat­ter­ies, as cold tem­per­a­tures can drain them quick­ly.

4. Abisko National Park, Sweden

Overview:  Abisko Nation­al Park, locat­ed in Swedish Lap­land, is renowned for its crys­tal-clear skies and per­fect con­di­tions for view­ing the Auro­ra Bore­alis. Thanks to a unique micro­cli­mate that cre­ates unusu­al­ly clear skies, Abisko has become one of the most con­sis­tent loca­tions in the world for auro­ra sight­ings. It is home to the Auro­ra Sky Sta­tion, one of the best spots for North­ern Lights enthu­si­asts, offer­ing guid­ed tours and breath­tak­ing views of the night sky. Abisko’s rugged wilder­ness also offers oppor­tu­ni­ties for win­ter sports like cross-coun­try ski­ing and snow­shoe­ing, adding to the appeal for adven­tur­ers and nature lovers alike.

5.) Yellowknife, Canada (Northwest Territories)

Overview: Often referred to as the “Auro­ra Cap­i­tal of the World,” Yel­lowknife is one of the top des­ti­na­tions glob­al­ly for see­ing the North­ern Lights. Sit­u­at­ed on the shores of Great Slave Lake, this remote north­ern Cana­di­an city offers clear, unpol­lut­ed skies and fre­quent auro­ra activ­i­ty, mak­ing it a mag­net for trav­el­ers look­ing for a reli­able auro­ra expe­ri­ence. The flat land­scape around Yel­lowknife pro­vides unob­struct­ed views of the night sky, while its cold and dry win­ters enhance the clar­i­ty of the auro­ra dis­plays. Vis­i­tors can also enjoy Arc­tic expe­ri­ences such as ice fish­ing, dog sled­ding, and snow­mo­bil­ing, adding to the excite­ment of an auro­ra trip.

Best Time to Go:August to April, with peak vis­i­bil­i­ty from Novem­ber to March.

Get­ting There: For the eas­i­est option Fly into Yel­lowknife Air­port (YZF) from major Cana­di­an cities like Edmon­ton or Cal­gary — or for those who fan­cy a longer jour­ney, con­sid­er tak­ing the incred­i­ble via rail train from Van­cou­ver to Churchill over the course of 3 days for one of the great­est train jour­neys and adven­tures on the plan­et.

Expect­ed Tem­per­a­ture: Win­ter tem­per­a­tures range from ‑40°C to ‑15°C (-40°F to 5°F).

Bud­get: Plan for $150–$250 per day, includ­ing tours and accom­mo­da­tion.

Best Pho­to Spot: The shores of Great Slave Lake offer a per­fect fore­ground for auro­ra pho­tog­ra­phy.

Top Tip: Look for local auro­ra alerts and stay patient, as the best dis­plays often occur in the ear­ly morn­ing hours.

6.) Whitehorse, Canada (Yukon)

Overview: White­horse, the cap­i­tal of Canada’s Yukon Ter­ri­to­ry, is an ide­al loca­tion for wit­ness­ing the Auro­ra Bore­alis in a stun­ning wilder­ness set­ting. Nes­tled between moun­tain ranges and bor­dered by the Yukon Riv­er, White­horse offers a rugged, beau­ti­ful back­drop for auro­ra sight­ings. Far from the light pol­lu­tion of big cities, the skies here are excep­tion­al­ly dark, pro­vid­ing excel­lent vis­i­bil­i­ty for the North­ern Lights. White­horse also has a thriv­ing arts and cul­tur­al scene, mak­ing it an appeal­ing des­ti­na­tion for trav­el­ers who want to com­bine auro­ra hunt­ing with a rich cul­tur­al expe­ri­ence. It’s a qui­eter, less crowd­ed alter­na­tive to oth­er auro­ra hotspots in Cana­da.

Best Time to Go: August to April, with the best dis­plays in Feb­ru­ary and March.

Get­ting There: Fly into Erik Nielsen White­horse Inter­na­tion­al Air­port (YXY) from Van­cou­ver or Cal­gary and then hop on a tour from the city cen­tre to the warm cab­in view­ing area. 

Expect­ed Tem­per­a­ture: Win­ter tem­per­a­tures range from ‑25°C to ‑10°C (-13°F to 14°F).

Bud­get: Expect to spend $100–$200 per day.

Best Pho­to Spot: The shores of Miles Canyon offer beau­ti­ful fram­ing for auro­ra pho­tos — as to do the var­i­ous view­ing areas across the city. For a tru­ly spe­cial expe­ri­ence, we rec­om­mend going with Yukon trav­el — who have not only a pre­mi­um view­ing spot on the edge of town, but a heat­ed cab­in to keep you warm dur­ing your view­ing.

Top Tip: Join a guid­ed tour for the best chance of spot­ting the lights, and dress warm­ly for long nights out­doors.

7.) Reykjavik, Iceland

Overview: Reyk­javik, Iceland’s cap­i­tal, is a con­ve­nient and scenic base for view­ing the North­ern Lights. The city itself offers occa­sion­al auro­ra sight­ings, but trav­el­ers can eas­i­ly ven­ture into the sur­round­ing coun­try­side for dark­er skies and more dra­mat­ic dis­plays. Iceland’s unique landscape—complete with glac­i­ers, vol­ca­noes, water­falls, and geysers—creates a spec­tac­u­lar back­drop for auro­ra watch­ing. Near­by des­ti­na­tions like Thingvel­lir Nation­al Park and the Snae­fell­snes Penin­su­la are pop­u­lar spots for North­ern Lights tours. In addi­tion to auro­ra hunt­ing, Reyk­javik offers cul­tur­al expe­ri­ences, geot­her­mal hot springs, and a vibrant nightlife, mak­ing it a ver­sa­tile des­ti­na­tion for all types of trav­el­ers.

Best Time to Go: Sep­tem­ber to April, with longer nights in Decem­ber and Jan­u­ary.

Get­ting There: Fly into Keflavik Inter­na­tion­al Air­port (KEF), then dri­ve or take a bus to Reyk­javik.

Expect­ed Tem­per­a­ture: Win­ter tem­per­a­tures range from ‑3°C to 2°C (26°F to 36°F).

Bud­get: Expect to spend $150–$300 per day, with high­er prices for tours and accom­mo­da­tions.

Best Pho­to Spot: Thingvel­lir Nation­al Park, just out­side Reyk­javik, offers per­fect con­di­tions for auro­ra pho­tog­ra­phy.

Top Tip: Dri­ve out of the city to escape light pol­lu­tion, and bring a tri­pod for long-expo­sure shots of the auro­ra.

8.) Rovaniemi, Finland

Overview: Locat­ed in the heart of Finnish Lap­land, Rovanie­mi is famous not only as the offi­cial home of San­ta Claus but also as an excep­tion­al loca­tion for view­ing the North­ern Lights. Set against a back­drop of snow-cov­ered forests and frozen rivers, Rovanie­mi offers a fairy-tale-like set­ting for auro­ra view­ing. It’s a pop­u­lar des­ti­na­tion for fam­i­lies and adven­tur­ers alike, with plen­ty of win­ter activ­i­ties such as snow­mo­bil­ing, rein­deer sled­ding, and ice fish­ing. Vis­i­tors can also stay in glass igloos or cozy cab­ins for an immer­sive North­ern Lights expe­ri­ence, where they can enjoy the auro­ra from the com­fort of their accom­mo­da­tion.

9.) Murmansk, Russia

Overview: Mur­man­sk is the largest city above the Arc­tic Cir­cle, mak­ing it a sur­pris­ing­ly acces­si­ble loca­tion for those seek­ing the Auro­ra Bore­alis. Despite being a bustling city, Mur­man­sk offers sev­er­al near­by wilder­ness areas where the auro­ra can be seen with lit­tle light pol­lu­tion. In addi­tion to North­ern Lights view­ing, Mur­man­sk offers trav­el­ers a chance to explore the Russ­ian Arc­tic, with expe­ri­ences such as ice­break­er tours and vis­its to Sovi­et-era mon­u­ments. For those seek­ing an off-the-beat­en-path adven­ture in the Arc­tic, Mur­man­sk pro­vides both urban con­ve­nience and stun­ning nat­ur­al beau­ty.

Best Time to Go: Novem­ber to Feb­ru­ary.

Get­ting There: Fly into Mur­man­sk Air­port (MMK) from Moscow or Saint Peters­burg.

Expect­ed Tem­per­a­ture: Win­ter tem­per­a­tures range from ‑20°C to ‑5°C (-4°F to 23°F).

Bud­get: Plan for $100–$200 per day.

Best Pho­to Spot: The hills sur­round­ing Lake Semy­onovskoye offer panoram­ic views of the auro­ra.

Top Tip: Dress warm­ly, as Arc­tic winds can make it feel much cold­er than the tem­per­a­ture sug­gests.

10.) Kiruna, Sweden

Overview: Kiruna is Sweden’s north­ern­most town and a renowned des­ti­na­tion for North­ern Lights enthu­si­asts. Locat­ed with­in Swedish Lap­land, Kiruna offers pris­tine Arc­tic wilder­ness, includ­ing the world-famous Ice­ho­tel, where vis­i­tors can stay in a struc­ture made entire­ly of ice and snow. With its remote loca­tion and dark skies, Kiruna offers excel­lent con­di­tions for auro­ra view­ing, par­tic­u­lar­ly in the sur­round­ing wilder­ness areas. In addi­tion to North­ern Lights, trav­el­ers can enjoy unique expe­ri­ences such as snow­mo­bil­ing, dog sled­ding, and explor­ing Sweden’s indige­nous Sami cul­ture. It’s a per­fect des­ti­na­tion for those seek­ing a mix of adven­ture and lux­u­ry in the Arc­tic.

Best Time to Go: Sep­tem­ber to March, with clear skies often in Feb­ru­ary and March.

Get­ting There: Fly into Kiruna Air­port (KRN) from Stock­holm.

Expect­ed Tem­per­a­ture: Win­ter tem­per­a­tures range from ‑20°C to ‑10°C (-4°F to 14°F).

Bud­get: Expect to spend $150–$300 per day, espe­cial­ly if stay­ing at the Ice­ho­tel.

Best Pho­to Spot: The Ice­ho­tel grounds pro­vide incred­i­ble pho­to oppor­tu­ni­ties with the auro­ra light­ing up the sky above.

Top Tip: Take advan­tage of guid­ed snow­mo­bile tours to reach remote loca­tions with no light pol­lu­tion.

Aurora Australis 

11.) Tasmania, Australia

Overview: Tas­ma­nia is one of the few places in Aus­tralia where you can expe­ri­ence the Auro­ra Aus­tralis, or South­ern Lights. This south­ern island state is known for its rugged land­scapes, pris­tine wilder­ness, and clear night skies, mak­ing it an ide­al spot for auro­ra hunters. The island’s south­ern lat­i­tude enhances the chances of see­ing the South­ern Lights, espe­cial­ly dur­ing solar activ­i­ty peaks. Vis­i­tors can enjoy Tasmania’s abun­dant nat­ur­al beau­ty, includ­ing moun­tains, forests, and beach­es, while wait­ing for the lights to appear. Pop­u­lar view­ing loca­tions include Mount Welling­ton, Bruny Island, and South Arm Penin­su­la, where the auro­ra can illu­mi­nate Tasmania’s icon­ic land­scapes.

Best Time to Go: May to August, when the nights are longest and the skies are dark­est.

Get­ting There: Fly into Hobart Inter­na­tion­al Air­port (HBA) from main­land Aus­tralia, then dri­ve to key view­ing loca­tions like Mount Welling­ton or Bruny Island.

Expect­ed Tem­per­a­ture: Win­ter tem­per­a­tures range from 0°C to 10°C (32°F to 50°F).

Bud­get: Expect to spend $100–$250 per day, depend­ing on accom­mo­da­tion and trav­el costs.

Best Pho­to Spot: The sum­mit of Mount Welling­ton offers panoram­ic views of Hobart and beyond, with min­i­mal light pol­lu­tion.

Top Tip: Check local auro­ra alerts and head out on clear, cloud­less nights. Bring a tri­pod for long-expo­sure pho­tog­ra­phy, as the auro­ra can appear faint com­pared to the North­ern Lights.

12.) Stewart Island (Rakiura), New Zealand

Overview: Stew­art Island, or Rak­iu­ra, is New Zealand’s south­ern­most island and a fan­tas­tic spot for view­ing the Auro­ra Aus­tralis. With its dark skies, remote loca­tion, and lit­tle light pol­lu­tion, Stew­art Island offers opti­mal con­di­tions for see­ing the South­ern Lights. Known for its rich bio­di­ver­si­ty and tran­quil beau­ty, the island is a haven for nature lovers. Beyond auro­ra hunt­ing, vis­i­tors can explore the island’s rugged coast­line, native forests, and wildlife, includ­ing the kiwi bird. With hik­ing, boat­ing, and stargaz­ing oppor­tu­ni­ties, Stew­art Island offers an unfor­get­table South­ern Hemi­sphere adven­ture.

Best Time to Go: March to Sep­tem­ber, with peak view­ing in the win­ter months of June to August.

Get­ting There: Fly to Inver­cargill or Dunedin, then take a fer­ry or flight to Stew­art Island.

Expect­ed Tem­per­a­ture: Win­ter tem­per­a­tures range from 3°C to 10°C (37°F to 50°F).

Bud­get: Expect to spend $100–$200 per day, depend­ing on accom­mo­da­tions and activ­i­ties.

Best Pho­to Spot: Rak­iu­ra Nation­al Park offers unob­struct­ed views of the South­ern Lights with min­i­mal light inter­fer­ence.

Top Tip: Be pre­pared for chang­ing weath­er con­di­tions and bring warm cloth­ing. Use a long expo­sure for cap­tur­ing the faint lights against the island’s land­scapes.