Ratgeber
How do I plan a trip to see the northern lights?
For a northern lights trip, choose a location far in the north, several nights in the dark season and a time buffer for clouds. There are no assurances, but with five to seven nights the chance rises noticeably. Once in a Lifetime is a Swiss travel agency with video consultations and plans northern lights trips with you.
Von Once in a Lifetime, Stand
Schritt für Schritt
- Choose a travel season between September and March
- Fix a location in Lapland or Greenland
- Allow at least five nights
- Coordinate daytime activities and night-time watching
- Prepare warm clothing and a camera
- Include a time buffer for weather and flights
Checkliste
- Travel month chosen
- At least five nights booked
- Location with little light pollution
- Thermal clothing packed
- Tripod and spare batteries
- Flight buffer planned
- Insurance checked
- FDFA (EDA) advice checked
The aurora is one of those experiences you never forget. That is exactly why it is worth building the trip so that the chances rise and the disappointment stays small if the sky does not play along.
When northern lights are possible
Northern lights occur all year round, but they only become visible on dark nights. In Lapland and Greenland the window runs roughly from September to March. In the light summer months, darkness is simply missing.
Clear, dark nights without moonlight and without thick cloud are the most important condition. Nobody can guarantee the weather, which is why reputable providers always speak of chances and never of assurances. You should expect exactly this attitude from your planning too. A look at the moon is worthwhile: new moon phases bring darker nights and better viewing conditions for fainter lights.
Solar activity fluctuates over the years. It determines how strong the aurora is, but cannot be predicted to the exact night. So do not plan around a single evening, but around a whole series of nights. If you stay flexible, you use every clear hour and sleep in on cloudy evenings.
How many nights make sense
With three nights the chance is modest, with five to seven nights it rises noticeably. Every extra night gives the weather another opportunity to clear. If you only have a long weekend, you should adjust your expectations accordingly.
Do not spread the nights across too many places. Every change of place costs a day and rarely changes the weather in your favour. A fixed base with excursion options is usually the better choice. The way to the viewing spot should be short and safe, especially in cold and darkness.
Plan daytime activities that do not tire you excessively. Anyone who stands outside at night needs rest during the day. Walks, snowshoe tours or a visit to a sauna balance the rhythm. Several viewing spots in the area give you alternatives when it is cloudy.
Location and darkness
A location with little light pollution is important. Away from larger towns the nights are darker, and the aurora looks stronger. Check whether the accommodation has a viewing option nearby, so that you do not have to travel far.
Lapland offers well-developed infrastructure with winter activities and short distances. Greenland feels wider, quieter and more remote, but calls for more buffer for flights, which depend on the weather. Which variant suits depends on your wish for comfort or wilderness.
Cloud patterns also differ from region to region. Good advice knows such differences and recommends a place where the chance of a clear sky in your travel month is better.
Clothing and photography
Viewing nights are cold and long. Several thin layers, warm shoes, a hat and gloves are a must. Thermal underwear made of wool or technical fibre keeps you warmer than a single thick jumper. A headlamp with a red light preserves night vision and does not disturb other observers.
If you want to take photographs, you need a tripod, spare batteries and some patience. Cold drains batteries quickly, so keep them close to your body. Practise the settings at home in the dark before the trip.
Much can be hired on site, so ask when booking what is included. More important than any equipment is that you also simply enjoy the sky, without experiencing everything through the lens.
What you can experience during the day
The days in the polar region are short, but not empty. Dog sledding, snowshoe hikes, visits to villages and conversations with local people fill them with experiences of their own. If you spend the nights outdoors, you appreciate quiet hours in the warmth in between.
Do not fill every day. An afternoon without a programme gives strength for the night, and it leaves room for spontaneous impressions such as moods of light, snow and stillness.
When booking, ask which activities are included and which you can choose yourself. That keeps the trip varied, even if the sky stays overcast on one night.
Expectations, buffer and advice
Allow buffer time on the journey there. Winter weather can postpone flights, especially in remote regions. Do not schedule important appointments directly before or after the trip.
Check the current position with the FDFA and the FOPH (BAG) on entry and health. Suitable travel insurance with cancellation cover makes sense for a trip like this.
In the [planning call](/m/once-in-a-lifetime/planen) by video call, we discuss travel month, nights and destination. We put the trip together so that the chances are good and the rest of the trip is an experience too.
