Planning
When and where to see the northern lights
Season, moon phase, weather and the five places in Scandinavia with the best odds.
I
Ingrid Solberg
3 min read
The aurora is there all year — you just need darkness to see it. In Scandinavia that means late August to early April.
The three conditions
- Darkness: away from city lights, ideally near the new moon.
- Clear skies: clouds are the real enemy, not solar activity.
- Activity: a Kp index of 2–3 is plenty in the Arctic.
The best places
Abisko in Swedish Lapland sits in a “blue hole” where the mountains keep the clouds away. Tromsø, Lofoten, Finnish Lapland and the Icelandic countryside complete our top five.
Plan at least three nights. Our winter tours average an aurora on two out of three nights.
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