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The coolest of cool northern cities, Tromsø, has become synonymous with the Northern Lights and there’s little doubt that it is a tremendous starting point for a spot of Norwegian Aurora hunting. However, all that Northern Lights publicity surrounding Tromsø can, in our opinion, be slightly misleading because, in our experience, artificial light pollution and the Northern Lights make for unhappy bedfellows. The fact of the matter is that you are very unlikely to see the Aurora in its full glory from the centre of a city.

Hence, on an Aurora Zone holiday in Norway, you will find yourself heading out of the towns and cities into the islands or the mountains and fjords. That is where you’ll find the dark skies that are absolutely crucial if you want to maximise your Aurora viewing potential.

Of course, we want you to be able to enjoy what Tromsø has to offer, but we’ll make sure the city is used as a base for starting Aurora hunting activities or that you also visit dark sky destinations such as Sommarøy or Senja during your holidays with us.

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Speak to our Aurora Experts
01670 785012

Norway and the Northern Lights

Norway was at the very front of the queue when Mother Nature was dishing out spectacular landscapes. The country is renowned for its dramatic fjords but there is far more to it than these magnificent waterways formed thousands of years ago by glacial retreat.

Islands such as Senja and Sommarøy are sparsely populated and where they are peopled, the colourful towns and fishing villages are achingly pretty. They are also ideal as a base for your Aurora hunting excursions because there is so little light pollution here.

There are few Northern Lights hotspots more dramatically striking than Lyngenfjord and we’d encourage anybody with a love of the Great Outdoors to have a long hard look at it as a holiday destination.

From September through to March, the lights make regular appearances all across the north from the islands to the border with Russia near Kirkenes.

Norway’s northern coastline is warmer than it is inland which means that autumns are positively mild in comparison to most areas north of the Arctic Circle. Visiting the likes of Tromsø or Sommarøy during this time offers excellent value and Aurora viewing opportunities.

Winter brings snow of course, but that means that there are even more activities such as dog sledding available but it can still remain milder here than inland.

Our Experience

We’ve been travelling to Norway to research holidays for over 15 years. Not surprisingly, we have a few tales to tell and here are a few of our favourites:

“I loved the king crab safari out of Kirkenes. We went out to the Barents Sea on snowmobiles and our guide plucked this huge, huge crab from the icy salt water. Our guide then cooked up a feast for us.”  - Alex Charlton

“During a recent trip to Norway, our first port of call was the “The City of the Northern Lights”, Alta. Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel enjoys the most enviable of positions in a beautiful snow-covered valley. After a lovely meal and the obligatory drink in the Ice Bar, I was more than ready for bed and my snug sleeping bag kept me toasty warm all night as I slept in a snow room for the second night in a row.”  - Dawn Kitson

“Seeing the Northern Lights dancing above a black silhouette of jagged mountains on the island of Senja is very possibly my favourite ever travel memory.”  - Graham Hughes


Photography by Spitsbergen Travel, Francisco Damm, Gaute Bruvik, Senjafoto.No, Bard Loken and Visit Norway

 

Popular holidays to Norway

Our Locations

Norway ticks all the boxes - stunning scenery, superb Arctic activities and a fantastic Northern Lights record. It wraps itself around the western side of Sweden and creates a narrow swathe of land between northernmost Finland and the Arctic Ocean, ending at the Russian border.

The destinations we feature are in locations selected to optimise the natural playground that Norway provides but are also designed to make the most of the fantastic Aurora hunting opportunities available here.

From Kirkenes near the Russian border, to Alta in the far north and along the coast to peaceful Lyngenfjord, to the vibrant city of Tromsø, the ‘Summer Island’ of Sommarøy and down to the island of Senja, guests can enjoy a variety of activities and hunt for the Northern Lights, all in the company of experts.

Snowmobile to the Russian border during our Norway’s Northern Lights Frontier trip to Kirkenes or enjoy an Aurora hunting adventure in Alta and visit the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel. You may prefer to enjoy the culture of Tromsø, ‘the capital of the Arctic’ but you will need to escape the city lights to view the Northern Lights and the activities included in our Tromsø holidays, allow you to do just that.

Only 35 km from Tromsø, the small island of  Sommarøy is a perfect place to welcome in the New Year. Norway's second largest island is Senja, where displays of the Aurora are reflected in the waters of the fjord, leaving visitors in awe of Norway's natural beauty. 

contact us
Speak to our Aurora Experts
01670 785012

Your words...

The whole holiday was excellent. We need to go back to Tromsø, we didn't get enough time there, we didn't realise how much you can do there or how much we'd love the place. Whilst nothing was 5-star it was very nice and had a charm all of its own. Friendly staff. This was a very enjoyable holiday, well conceived and delivered by you, thank you! Passed our holiday itinerary to three colleagues already as it was so good and can't wait to get back there.

David and Gail Worley
Travelled 10th January 2018

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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.

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