[Travel] Travel Tips: Aurora Borealis

Weststander · Jan 25, 2019

Wardy's twin said:
Do you have any figures about the various success rates? I went to Iceland and saw a little bit of them but would love to see them fully...

Nothing more than you really. Only anecdotal, that it is always tricky ... gleaned from the brilliant Joanne Lumley documentary a few years back, and others more recently. It appears that you have to be flexible, ready to be woken at any hour. If ever we did it (we want to), we'd stay in Lapland for at least a week to maximise our chances. We love all things snowy, so we would not be bored waiting.

Driver8 · Jan 25, 2019

vegster said:
On occasions you get a really good view from Scotland, however that is dependent on the Solar Wind and local weather conditions and atmospherics, so you have to be lucky.

I have seen actually seen them from my garden! (North Wales coast).

Bold Seagull · Jan 25, 2019

pasty said:
A rather significant birthday is looming large this year for Mrs P, so planning a trip to see the Aurora Borealis which she's always wanted to do.

Been looking around and Rekyjavic in October looks a good bet, especially as that's the month of her birthday. Anyone been and able to give some tips / info?

We went, it was a brilliant trip, but we had overcast weather each evening so no northern lights.

We spend the day in the capital, but then went here for a few nights which was amazing, and you could hike into the hills behind the hotel and find hot springs and rivers to bathe in which was brilliant fun!

http://www.frostogfuni.is/

We hired a car so were able to get to the places we wanted to see. We then spent our final night at the Blue Lagoon Spa Hotel which as well as having its own private lagoon, also allows access to the main Blue Lagoon, which is great.

https://www.bluelagoon.com/accommodation/retreat-hotel?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4segy9-I4AIVA7DtCh088QePEAAYAiAAEgKX1_D_BwE

We did a bit of research before going, so headed out to some local village restaurants, and did explore where we could. We did what is called the 'Golden Triangle' in a day and there was plenty of time for that. Think our trip was land in Reykjavek, had 1/2 a day there, travelled to the Frost and Fire hotel that evening. Day hiking in the hills. Day doing the Golden Triangle. Then final day at the Blue Lagoon.

Loved it, great trip.

p.s. we went at the start of April and it wasn't that much different to a cold UK day, think October is generally the same as April if not slightly warmer, so I wouldn't worry about the weather too much.

The Clamp · Jan 25, 2019

Tom Hark said:
The extreme cold makes for very weird and surprising stuff that you might never expect to eperience anywhere else. It was minus 27 in Rovaniemi on monday. The difference between sea temperature and air temperature is so great that steam comes off the few bits of river that aren't frozen. There's odd gistening ice particles in the air with no obvious source. Mobile batteries drain from full to zero in a matter of minutes unless you keep your phone in an inside pocket. After 30 seconds outdoors your nose starts running. 30 seconds after that your nostrils develop ice crystals. You can put your scarf over your mouth and nose but if you're wearing glasses, your breathe quickly makes them frost up in the manner of a car windscreen. It's all quite mental. Great fun for a few days, but couldn't live like that.

Exactly. Though it’s not steam, it’s evaporation. The water isn’t boiling. But yes, strange and wonderful place.

Paskman · Jan 25, 2019

I saw them from the Sussex countryside about 20 years ago. Looks like that saved me a fortune.

By he way the Chinese believe that having sex under the Aurora increases your chance of pregnancy, hence lots go to Iceland and stay in the hotels with glass ceilings /roofs.

Joanna Lumley has done wonders for the Scandinavian tourist industry.

vegster · Jan 25, 2019

Paskman said:
I saw them from the Sussex countryside about 20 years ago. Looks like that saved me a fortune.

By he way the Chinese believe that having sex under the Aurora increases your chance of pregnancy, hence lots go to Iceland and stay in the hotels with glass ceilings /roofs.

Joanna Lumley has done wonders for the Scandinavian tourist industry.

Certainly better than she has done with her bridges !

Thunder Bolt · Jan 25, 2019

I know of several people who have been to Iceland, and without fail they said it was cloudy.

Driver8 · Jan 25, 2019

My admittedly not brilliant photo!

Deleted member 2719 · Jan 25, 2019

My brother went, he boasted how good it was for 10 seconds then spent the next hour moaning how much it cost him.

My advice is to get a new car.

Mellotron · Jan 25, 2019

pasty said:
Thanks so far everyone.

So basically:

A: It's 'kin expensive
B: It's more than just a bit brass monkeys
C: No guarantee of seeing the lights.

I'm going off the idea

Those things are all true - went in December a few years ago - yet it was still BRILLIANT. Highly recommended.

Prettyboyshaw · Jan 25, 2019

Went to Iceland and didn't see them in 3 days but it wa still well worth the visit. Looking into it more I think Tromso has better chance but as said above mega expensive.

StonehamPark · Jan 25, 2019

Went to Iceland mid November and saw some lights partially through the clouds.
Wasn't tremendously freezing, just wrap up warm obviously.
Thermal socks and insulates shoes are key.

Would advise Norway instead, however.

Dolph Ins · Jan 25, 2019

Went to Iceland 5 years ago in Feb. First night was clear so went out to see lights even though we were booked on tour for next night (cloudy). Saw lights, a bit disappointed but told lights look better on camera for some reason. The stars were absolutely gobsmackin,never seen anything like it . Iceland is great for a couple of days as long as you have a healthy bank balance.

Tom Hark Preston Park · Jan 25, 2019

Thing about the aurora is that all the professional photos are of the best aurora ever and all the vids ditto which also rely heavily on time lapse photography. Most people's aurora experience is so watered down that they automatically project other explanations on to what they're seeing because what they're seeing is nothing like that perfect thing off the postcards.

Arthritic Toe · Jan 25, 2019

Tom Hark said:
...
Most people's aurora experience is so watered down that they automatically project other explanations on to what they're seeing because what they're seeing is nothing like that perfect thing off the postcards.

Can you explain that line? I think its an interesting point.

Tom Hark Preston Park · Jan 25, 2019

Arthritic Toe said:
Can you explain that line? I think its an interesting point.

Monday night I was in Lapland. It was a cloudy night. My bedroom window looked across a frozen river. On the other side of that river was a treeline with next to nothing in the way of civilisation beyond it. Certainly no towns or villages. But the clouds were illuminated bright white and pink. But it wasn't green and whispy and moving like on all the picture perfect vids and postcards you ever saw. So you automatically start scrabbling around for other explanations to explain away what you're seeing.

Albion my Albion · Jan 25, 2019

Oh Canada, their home and native land,
True Borealic love in all of them command.
With glowing rays we see the sun
Bounce off the layer of earth

SUIYHP · Jan 25, 2019

We saw them in New Year’s Eve up in Lapland back in 2016. They were blummin’ incredible. We’re talking pulsing waves of green light sweeping across the sky, and the timing meant we counted down to midnight underneath them. We were incredibly lucky though, that was our last chance to have seen them as we were flying back the following day. To maximise your chances you’d have to go for a reasonable amount of time (between a week and 10 days) and be very patient. Sometimes you see the promise of a haze only to be bitterly disappointed at how cloudy it is. There’s also quite a few apps that can tell you the forecast and the likelihood of seeing them. As others have said in this thread, theres no guarantee you will see them but it’s just a matter of maximising your chances.

EDIT: here’s a photo, apologies for the quality.
View attachment 104068

seagullsslimjim · Jan 25, 2019

Silverhatch said:
Tromso (Norway) is great but eye-wateringly expensive. Get the AB App as soon as you land. Don't do the "Chase the Lights" tours if the App says no activity. If it's cloudy in Tromso do the skidoo safari up to the frozen lake. Do a dog-sled safari too. And where ever you go, hire the cold weather gear when you're there. Don't take your own gear - it will not be warm enough! Get booze from airport. Stunning scenery.

is a tad expensive - on the nights i was out drinking it was £11 a pint, although the airport bought drink was a good starter for the evening. Stayed 100 odd metres away from the brewery and even on that tour it was £10 a pint

Mr Banana · Jan 25, 2019

If you go to Rovaniemi, hire a car and drive around at night. If you spot the lights you can pull over and watch it from the forests.

Lordi's Bar is probably just about worth seeing as well.

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