Cheap Northern Lights holiday destinations: Five most affordable places to see the Aurora Borealis
THE Northern Lights are one of the world’s greatest wonders.
This spectacular natural colourful display happens all around the world — here we take you through the cheapest destinations to see this phenomenon.
The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are caused by charged particles from the sun clashing with gases in the Earth‘s atmosphere.
Aurora refers to a natural light display, typically visible in high latitude regions such as the North and South poles.
The reason the lights become visible is that the solar wind, carrying the charged particles, merges with the Earth’s magnetic field.
Greens and pinks and purple colourings then leak from the sky and display can last for hours.
Areas closest to the Aurora oval are the most likely places for a Northern Lights sighting.
Cheapest Northern Lights holiday experiences
Reykjavik, Iceland
Iceland is one of the most popular countries for tourists to see the Northern Lights.
For a chance to see them without breaking the bank, head to the country’s capital of Reykjavik.
While the city has plenty to see and do, there are also lots of tours to see the famous lights.
Gray Line’s Northern LIghts Mystery Tour in Reykjavik lasts around four hours and costs around 62 euros per person (£51).
Abisko, Sweden
Set in the Skanderna mountain range, Sweden‘s Abisko is well known for the Northern Lights.
Due to the unpolluted air, the conditions are perfect for the Aurora Borealis to appear.
There are plenty of tours that you can take to see the lights, including an evening visit to the Aurora Sky Station.
The cost is around 1,025 krona (£74) per person, and sees visitors take an open-air chairlift up to a viewing deck in the mountainside.
Tromsø, Norway
Norway‘s Tromsø is the largest town in the Arctic Circle outside Russia.
It’s a good place to go and see the Northern Lights, as they have the most recorded sightings.
The cheapest way to see them is to head out on one of city’s daily bus tours, which cost around 1,295 Norwegian krone (£91).
The journey takes around two-and-a-half-hours, and the whole tour lasts between six to seven hours.
Rovaniemi, Finland
Also known as Santa’s Lapland, Finland‘s Rovaniemi is a prime location to see the Northern Lights.
If you want to visit on a budget, don’t travel there during the Christmas season.
The Aurora Hunting by Arctic Lake tour is perfect for those wanting to avoid hoards of tourists.
This tour costs around 115 euros (£95) and lasts about three to four hours.
Shetland Islands, Scotland
If you want to stay closer to home, then why not make the journey to Scotland‘s beautiful Shetland Islands?
This is the best part of the British Isles to see the Northern Lights, where they are known locally as the ‘Merrie Dancers’.
The good news is, visitors don’t need to book a tour to be able to see them.
However, staying away from areas with street lighting is recommended to get the best view.
Best time to see the Northern Lights
The best time to see the Northern Lights is during the winter months.
For Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Scotland, you should book your trip between September to April.
In Finland, the lights can be seen from August until April.
The peak viewing time is usually between 11pm and 2am local time.
The northern lights are part of the 11-year solar cycle, which is when the sun’s activity rises and falls.
Scientists predicted that 2024 would be the best time to see the lights, but this would continue until 2026.
Prices correct at the time of publication.