ideas for getting to see northern lights

[coolkid101]

hi all
my wife has been talking about going to see the Northern Lights for ages now and i would really like to surprise her with a trip.
does anyone have suggestions about how to get there on miles?
from reading online it appears reykjavik would be a nice place to see the lights, but i'm open to any other suggestions depending on which place is easiest to get to on miles

we've got ample miles stockpiled across VA, QF, AA, Alaskan, SQ with lots of SPG, MR, Citi points as well

so far the closest i've got is finding EK F SYD-DXB-AMS which has lots of availability and then a paid ticket from AMS to reykjavik which is close so i'm presuming not too expensive.

thanks in advance

 

[kpc]

I am going to Tromso in Northern Norway in late Nov this year....flying to London for a work conference....+1 is coming on points. Norwegian, a LCC so quite cheap to purchase , fly direct to Tromso twice a week from Lgw, and daily via Oslo. My work colleague went 2 months ago and said the Northern Lights from Tromso was better than Iceland...ymmv of course

 

[drron]

Although people always think of Scandinavia Canada is one of the best places to see the Northern lights-they come further south.4 years ago we saw them in Jasper and Edmonton in September.
Map: The best places in Canada to view the northern lights

In Manitoba the lights can be visible for up to 300 nights per year.Some other info-
https://www.mappingmegan.com/best-places-see-northern-lights/
Aurora Borealis Forecast. Everything You Need to know.
So for tonight it might be visible in Alaska and northern Canada but not Norway

 

[AnnaB]

Northern Sweden are good for northern lights too. Fly to Stockholm and take a night train north and combine it with a stay at the Jukkasjarvi Ice Hotel.

 

[amaroo]

We hit the Nth light jackpot visiting Tromso, Norway .... also a great destination for doing other activities.







We went on QFFP to Europe, and then revenue to Bergen (fantastic place to visit) and Tromso.

 

[Cossie]

I'm with drron on this one, I'd be tempted to go to Canada, but I will admit that I have seen the lights from Sweden, albeit some years ago, so it would be interesting to compare However I'm guessing given the nature of things, no two days would be same anyway.

 

[coolkid101]

Thanks everyone for your opinions so far.
The missus is also really keen on one of those igloo hotels so we'd have to go to somewhere with one of those. Not cheap but if I'm going to surprise her might as well go the whole hog

 

[drron]

What about in a real igloo-
.

Northern Lights | Churchill Manitoba Canada

 

[Cossie]

The bosses sister went to Churchill a couple of years ago, don't think she stayed in an igloo, but she said it was worth just for the polar bears alone. Mind you, she lives in Vancouver, so that makes it a bit easier to get there.

 

[amaroo]

Thanks everyone for your opinions so far.
The missus is also really keen on one of those igloo hotels so we'd have to go to somewhere with one of those. Not cheap but if I'm going to surprise her might as well go the whole hog

I did a TR and posted a couple of tips off the back of our experience - see more here http://www.australianfrequentflyer....e-and-chasing-lights-72682-9.html#post1388417

I suppose the big tip IMO is to hire a good guide with photography included ... unless you've got the best camera equipment and knowledge to use in the conditions.

 

[RooFlyer]

Although people always think of Scandinavia Canada is one of the best places to see the Northern lights-they come further south.4 years ago we saw them in Jasper and Edmonton in September.
Map: The best places in Canada to view the northern lights

In Manitoba the lights can be visible for up to 300 nights per year.Some other info-
https://www.mappingmegan.com/best-places-see-northern-lights/
Aurora Borealis Forecast. Everything You Need to know.
So for tonight it might be visible in Alaska and northern Canada but not Norway

Indeed. The only time I have seen the Northern Lights was when I was working in northern Quebec (in the yellow zone in Quebec on your map :shock: ). I was driving out on the highway one night in the middle of winter and I saw this greenish reflection on the snow. Ignored it for a while - didn't want to get grabbed by aliens - but eventually it was apparent in the sky in front of me, so I stopped. Yowsers! It was bright. No camera with me, though

 

[coolkid101]

I did a TR and posted a couple of tips off the back of our experience - see more here http://www.australianfrequentflyer....e-and-chasing-lights-72682-9.html#post1388417

I suppose the big tip IMO is to hire a good guide with photography included ... unless you've got the best camera equipment and knowledge to use in the conditions.

Just started reading the thread on your trip. 50 pages! A nice bedtime read
Good tips and great pictures so far..
So far tossing up between tromso and Reykjavik.. Lots of differing opinions online about both. Iceland sounds nice for the blue lagoon, waterfalls and geysers and for getting a car to drive around too but I defer to those here with vastly more experience than us

 

[coolkid101]

What about in a real igloo-
.

Northern Lights | Churchill Manitoba Canada

I think she means more the "glamping" kind of igloos
Accommodation - Kakslauttanen

The price list is eye watering though

 

[RB]

We are another lot who have seen the lights in Jasper. We walked home from the pub & dodged the grazing wildlife while we were mesmerised by the lights

 

[SYD]

Nth (or Sth) Lights are definitely on my bucket list. So far not been able to piggy back off a work trip

I have often wonder if there are any flight sectors that have good chances of seeing them while flying eg AY or some polar routes like JL to The US? Not quite as romantic as the OP, but would be the highlight of a flight!

 

[Cynicor]

Thanks for the tip on Churchill, DrRon. I think we'll head there in the next few years. Anyone have any tips on a good place to see the lights in late aug/early Sept in Canada that also has a few things to do?
Churchill seems to be better in Oct/Nov and we can't change the trip timing.

 

[JohnM]

So far tossing up between tromso and Reykjavik.. Lots of differing opinions online about both. Iceland sounds nice for the blue lagoon, waterfalls and geysers and for getting a car to drive around too but I defer to those here with vastly more experience than us

Norway and Iceland are both great places to drive around - but probably not so in winter which is when you would want to be there to best see the aurora.

I drove around Norway for a couple of weeks in mid-summer as part of my mission was to be at Nordkapp on 21 June. The upside is endless daylight and freedom to move easily but obviously no chance of seeing the aurora in near 24h daylight.

Iceland I tackled in early October in an attempt to get the best of both worlds. It worked pretty well. It had not started snowing so the roads were clear and the nights were long enough that I saw the aurora outside Akureyri on the north coast well before midnight. Cloud is the biggest enemy.

 

[drron]

Thanks for the tip on Churchill, DrRon. I think we'll head there in the next few years. Anyone have any tips on a good place to see the lights in late aug/early Sept in Canada that also has a few things to do?
Churchill seems to be better in Oct/Nov and we can't change the trip timing.

We were there in late August.It is Beluga whale time.Absolutely fascinating stuff.You will see polar bears then as well.

Beluga Whale Tours, Travel and Hotels, Everything Churchill | Churchill Manitoba Canada

We didn't look for the polar lights the 2 nights in Churchill as we had seen them every day for over a week cruising from Greenland to Churchill.We did see them in Jasper and Edmonton in September.Here is my TR with the lights,walrus,whales and polar bears-
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....photos/time-has-come-walrus-said-52610-3.html

 

[Cynicor]

Awesome, thanks DrRon. Will give the squeeze something to read and decide if she wants to go there vs more time hiking banff.

 

[JeffVader]

I have a flight to Reykjavic next month. Would love to hear about other AFFer's experience with the lights in Iceland