Our Northern Lights Blog

If I could be anywhere right now it would be Iceland. It has become a bit of a running joke in our office how much I love Iceland – I regularly give presentations on it. I encourage anyone that merely mentions the place that they must visit. Even the wall next to my desk is adorned with maps and posters of the island. I am unashamedly head-over-heels in love with the place and have been ever since my first work trip, back in 2013.

In the current situation, while our bucket lists are on hold, we find ourselves with more time than ever to dream about our future travel destinations.

Here at The Aurora Zone, our team has been incredibly lucky over the years to spend a large portion of their time travelling North, researching locations and making friends with the locals, to find the very best places for our Northern Lights Holidays. We have had some amazing adventures along the way, and our memory buckets are overflowing with stories that bring us a sense of joy at these difficult times.

So, while we have plenty of time to reflect,  we thought we would bring you some of our favourite memories, and 'where we would be if we could be anywhere in the world right now'.

First up…

Founder and Managing Director  - Ali McLean

We know Easter weekend will be a little different for us all this year and although our original plans will have changed, there’s no reason why we can’t indulge in learning about Easter traditions from across the world. In this blog, we look at how Finland celebrates the occasion with its own unique culture and traditions.

You may even find a new tradition to try in your own home this Easter!

We received lots of brilliant entries from our clients for our #AuroraZoneMoments competition this month. From snowmobiling adventures and dog sledding safaris through the Arctic wilderness, to watching the elusive Aurora Borealis dance in the sky above, March in the Aurora  Zone has provided some very special bucket list moments for many of our clients. 

The much-loved Northern Lights Village in Saariselkä, in the North East region of Finnish Lapland, opened a new resort for the first time for the winter 2019/2020 season. I was fortunate enough to be amongst the first ever guests to stay here. Located in Levi, a ski town south west of Saariselkä, the hotel is only a 25-minute transfer from Kittilä airport. Despite the short transfer time, Levi is a remote location far away from light pollution - perfect for Northern Lights viewing.

Between late August and mid-November, the Arctic undergoes a spectacular transformation. As the Midnight Sun starts to set and the landscape prepares for the winter freeze, autumn’s reputation as the season of change has never been more apparent than in the North.

Although many people consider February to be one of the worst months of the year, here at The Aurora Zone we tend to disagree! The UK might be cold, wet and a little bit miserable but February in the Arctic Circle is a different matter! Whether it's the chance to try your hand at mushing, explore stunning snow-covered wildernesses or go in search of the Northern Lights, there is plenty to keep you entertained!

SAS have announced new direct flights to Luleå, Sweden from the UK, which means that our winter trips to Luleå are now even easier to reach.

The Aurora Zone have been operating Northern Lights trips and winter holidays to Luleå for many years, but with new direct flights which will be available from December 2020, visitors can now fly directly to Luleå from London Stanstead. Working in conjunction with SAS and Visit Sweden, the new route makes this pristine corner of Swedish Lapland much more accessible, and is considered greener, too!

For most of us January can be a tough month, Christmas has been and gone and the British weather leaves us wanting to wrap up and avoid the cold, wet weather outside. However, January in the Arctic is a different matter! Snow-topped trees, reindeer and the Northern Lights have all combined to make sure that January was another excellent month for our #AuroraZoneMoments competition!

Choosing an unusual honeymoon destination to celebrate your nuptials has never been more popular. With many couples going against the expectation of three weeks by the beach, there are plenty of exciting – and romantic – experiences in other destinations that make for great offbeat honeymoon ideas.

When you move away from a ‘typical honeymoon’ a whole plethora of unforgettable experiences await and here at The Aurora Zone, we’ve carefully crafted our Northern Lights holidays for a honeymoon that’s both special and a little different. Take a look at some of our top trips!