Northern lights tours in Norway

We appreciate that our customers have travel wishlists when they come to Norway, so we use our local knowledge to add in as many must-see attractions and hidden gem recommendations as we can into our packages. However, should you have any requests, we will do our best to arrange this for you!

You can add on days at either end of your trip to have more time to explore, or, if you have a particular activity or place in mind, please discuss it with your travel consultant who will try to build it into your itinerary.

We advise that you book your package first to secure your tour and your preferred dates. It is useful to check potential flight times and prices, but be aware some airlines and flight booking websites raise their prices between visits, so remember to do research using Private or Incognito mode.

Once we confirm your tour by email, purchase your flights to make it all official. If you have missed out on flights, please get in touch with us to change your tour dates.

Norse Vikings believed that the northern lights were reflections of heavenly Valkyrie armour. Nowadays there’s a scientific explanation for them, of course.

Auroras appear when the sun blasts charged particles towards our planet. The particles collide with atoms in our upper atmosphere, which create bursts of glowing light. The movement, shapes, brightness and colours depend on the type of atoms involved as well as the pull of Earth’s magnetic forces and the intensity of the solar flares.

The best places to see the northern lights in Norway are inside the Arctic Circle, including Tromsø, Kirkenes and the Lofoten Islands. Your chances increase depending when you visit, solar activity and your distance from city light pollution.

Get inspired by these Tromsø packages, as well as the best things to do in Tromsø. Or check out these Lofoten Islands tours.

For a detailed guide on when and where to go, read this guide to the best places to see the northern lights in Norway. 

In Norway your chances of seeing the northern lights are greatest between September and April, with October through March being the best months.

To see the lights clearly you need a dark night sky, which means the summer months are largely ruled out. During this season, the sun may not set at all in northern areas of Norway due to a phenomenon called the midnight sun.

Peak time for seeing the northern lights is between 11PM and 2 AM, so make sure to stay up late! So, northern lights tours will often start late in the evening to ensure you have the best chances of spotting the aurora.

If you’d rather stay warm in bed, some hotels in the countryside offer a wake up call if the lights come out.

Sightings of the northern lights during the late spring and summer months are very rare. The reason for this is that while aurora activity is year round, the nights are not dark enough to view them clearly. We want you to have the best opportunity of seeing them in all their glory, so we recommend visiting in winter to increase your chances.

The lights at their most vivid during the months of:

• September
• October
• November
• December
• January
• February
• March
• April

Want to learn more? Read our blog on the northern lights in Norway.

By visiting Norway, you’ve already boosted your chances of witnessing the northern lights exponentially, as the closer you are to the Arctic Circle, the clearer the lights appear.

If you want to be in the middle of the northern lights’ famous show, then head north to further increase your chances! We also recommend getting away from the light pollution of cities and towns. When you’re hunting the aurora on one of our northern lights trips, remember to stay up late as the darker the night, the clearer the lights. Be patient and wait for this natural phenomenon to surprise you!

Explore these Lofoten Islands tours and travel packages for a chance to chase the northern lights in one of Norway’s most scenic spots.

Winter is the prime aurora-viewing season, with this in mind we recommend that you wrap up when searching for the northern lights. Bring and wear plenty of woolly layers and remember to have on gloves, hats and thick socks. In between viewing locations, keep warm in the brisk weather by taking a flask of a tasty hot drink with you.

Here's a quick list of the basics:

• Hat, gloves, scarf
• Thermal coat
• Insulated undergarments or long johns
• Sensible walking shoes or boots
• Woollen jumpers or fleeces

If you want more packing ideas, make sure to check out this Norway packing guide.

We know that you’ll bring home amazing memories, but bringing home photos of the mesmerising (and elusive) northern lights would be the cherry on top to show all your friends and family. Here are our top photography tips for capturing the aurora:

• Bring a DSLR camera with manual focus and, if possible, a tripod and a remote trigger to avoid blurred images
• Pack extra batteries as freezing temperatures can deplete battery levels quickly
• Wear a headlamp or bring a torch to see what you’re doing in the dark
• Turn off image stabilisation as when the lights move it can cause blurriness

Check out this Norway northern lights guide for more expert tips.