greenland
Greenland is, undoubtedly, one of the most challenging places on this list to visit. That being said, if you are willing to factor in an extra flight or two into your journey, the autonomous country that’s technically part of the Kingdom of Denmark, despite its close proximity to the North American continent, is one of the finest aurora borealis destinations on the planet and worth the effort.
In Greenland, you can witness the northern lights anytime between September and April. To help you make your adventure to the world’s biggest island feel slightly less daunting, we’ll now highlight some good places to base yourself while visiting. We’ll also shine a light on some highly rated northern lights tour operators who can help optimize your experiences while in Greenland.
When it comes to seeing the northern lights on Greenland, Kangerlussuaq, a small town to the west, it is thought of as the island’s most accessible destination. Why? Well, primarily, it’s because of its status as something of an international transport hub. The settlement airport, with its population hovering just around the 500 mark, also has a handy inland location which helps it get more than 300 clear nights per year. Scientists in the area (which is home to a scientific research facility) love both the accessibility and conditions on offer in Kangerlussuaq. Pretty much all flights from Denmark, and therefore Europe, arrive here. The flight time to this epic northern lights destination is 4.5 hours.
Just like it is with Kangerlussuaq, there’s plenty of northern lights excursions to be done from Sisimiut. Formerly known as Holsteinborg, Sisimiut is Greenland’s second-largest city (approximate population: 5,500). Situated 40 km north of the Arctic Circle, and with it being the launchpad for a wide variety of outdoor activities in the backcountry, Sisimiut has garnered a reputation as being something of an adventure travel hub. Dog sledding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and more; it’s all happening.
Nuuk is Greenland’s capital. Situated just below the Arctic Circle, it’s a small city found on the island’s southwest coast (approx population: 18,000). Known for its large fjord system, its waterfalls, its whales and its icebergs; This built up area on Greenland sits in front of the spectacular Sermitsiaq mountain. The city is also home to the Greenland National Museumwith its historic Inuit collection, and the Nuuk Art Museum. The Katuaq Cultural Center is also situated in Nuuk, and is used to host film nights, concerts, and exhibitions. Despite having a fair bit of light pollution, by Greenland’s light-pollution-free standards at least, Nuuk is still a superb place to base yourself if you want to see the northern lights.
Ilulissat, in Greenland’s excellently-named Disko Bay, is another highly rated spot for witnessing the northern lights. The name Ilulissat means icebergs, and is fitting because the town itself is situated right by the Ilulissat Icefjord; a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004, not simply because of its beauty but because the Jakobshavn Glacier plays a significant role in scientists’ understanding of climate change. Watching on as the northern lights dance their cosmic dance above the icebergs of Disko Bay, well… you’re not going to forget that memory in a hurry, are you? A lot of popular trips on Greenland, it’s worth saying, bring together Kangerlussuaq and Ilulissat in one neat little package.
Want a northern lights adventure in Greenland, but want someone else to take care of the logistics? Greenland Tours, Quark Expeditionsand Greenland Travel all run trips that are worth considering.
Finland
Find yourself in northern Lapland, Finland’s largest and northernmost region, and you’ll discover that the northern lights shine pretty much every other clear night between September and March. Down in southern Finland, meanwhile, they’re visible in the sky between 10 and 20 nights per year. Adventurers heading to Lapland then should be fully prepared to photograph the northern lights. We headed out to Lapland a few years ago and got some shots of the northern lights although, as you’ll find out if you read our piece from the trip, we did leave it extremely last minute before learning how to photograph them.
Because the northern lights can often appear and disappear at a moment’s notice between sunset and sunrise, and because Lapland can get extremely cold, many visitors to the most northerly areas of Finland choose to watch them from purpose-built accommodation. You will have, no doubt, already seen what we’re talking about here on Instagram. These cozy shelters, that usually have see-through roofs and/or wide panoramic windows, are often going viral on social media. Finland has got loads of this kind of accommodation, so even if you miss out on your top pick you should still be able to get in somewhere else good (so long as you book in advance).
The Visit Finland website has an excellent rundown of ‘sleeping under the northern lights’ options. Our favorites include the Aurora Bubbles at the Wilderness Hotel Nellimthe Arctic Fox Igloos set on the shores of Lake Ranuajärvi, and the Aurora Village in Ivalo. Like we said though, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to this type of accommodation in northern Finland. The northern lights are a massive tourism pull in this part of the world, arguably the biggest pull in fact, and the sheer quantity of interesting places to stay certainly reflects this.
