Sue McDonald

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Sue was on a skiing holiday in France when she received a text from her brother, Ali, founder of Activities Abroad, asking if she would like to come into the office – ‘just for a few hours’ - to ‘help out’. 14 years later, she is still there, ‘helping out’ as a full-time Marketing Partnership Manager!

Sue had travelled extensively and was delighted to join the family travel business. When she started work, there was only a handful of staff and it was ‘all hands on deck’, with everyone dealing with whatever task needed doing, but as the business grew, she moved into administration and sales and ultimately, marketing.

Having a passion for travel made this an ideal job for her and when asked to go on a trip to Finland and Norway with her colleague, Dawn, she jumped at the chance. Enjoying, firsthand, activities such as husky sledding and snowmobiling through pristine snowy landscapes was a fantastic experience and Sue is keen that others should have the chance to have these opportunities.

Sue would love to explore more of The Aurora Zone’s destinations and hopes to take her family with her one year so that she can share the Northern Lights with them, too.

Favourite Experiences

  • Spending a night in a glass-roofed Aurora Cabin at Muotka waiting for the Northern Lights to appear in the sky above.
  • Meeting a young Sámi reindeer herder and his family and listening to his fascinating life around a warm fire in a wooden kota drinking hot cloudberry juice.
  • Visiting the northernmost municipality of Finland – Utsjoki. 500kms north of the Arctic Circle and only 35kms from the Arctic Ocean.
  • King Crab fishing in the Arctic Ocean in Norway (and then enjoying this delicious delicacy with a couple of glasses of white wine!).
  • Relaxing in the en-suite saunas at each destination!
  • Visiting Finnish Lapland during December and witnessing the run-up to Christmas in true Finnish-style.

Places visited

  • Finland – Levi, Ivalo, Inari, Muotka, Saariselkä , Kultahovi, Utsjoki

Get an expert opinion

The Aurora Zone was born from a desire to share Mother Nature’s greatest wonder with our clients. We’ve explored the destinations, researched the science, and fallen in love with the Scandinavian way of life. It’s our mission to pass this knowledge on to you, providing you with the very best chance of experiencing the magic for yourself on your Northern Lights holiday.

Learn more about our experience

  • Specialist

    Aurora knowledge and experience

    Unique holidays, in the very best destinations

    Expert guides – exceptional local knowledge

    Advice and guidance every step of the way

  • Comprehensive

    We include more in our holidays than any other Aurora operator

    Price Comparison guarantee

    No ‘from’ prices, everything you see is included in the price

    No hidden extras

  • Independent

    Proudly Independent

    The original and still the only dedicated UK Northern Lights tour operator

    Personal, hands-on service

    Fair and sustainable work ethos

  • Trusted

    100% ATOL and ABTA protection

    Providing peace of mind

    Award-winning

    Responsible relationships

    Over 16 years’ experience