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Northern Lights..

markysimmo

Johnny nice-tits
Its my parents 40th wedding anniversary this year and one thing they would love to do is go and see the northern lights..

I dont know too much about the best place to see these and also best time of year

Anybody been or got any advice on where to look for a decent deal ???
 
Bliding, cheers for that, Ive found some other cruise type trips, they look pretty awesome

I don't know your budget but there is a slightly less expensive and time consuming alternative, June 21st in a nice hotel in the very north of Scotland, they'll be able to enjoy the midnight Sun, I only mention it because it's (yet) something (else) I've fancied myself but never got round to.
 
I don't know your budget but there is a slightly less expensive and time consuming alternative, June 21st in a nice hotel in the very north of Scotland, they'll be able to enjoy the midnight Sun, I only mention it because it's (yet) something (else) I've fancied myself but never got round to.

About £2k really, £1k each for them..
 
Bliding, cheers for that, Ive found some other cruise type trips, they look pretty awesome

The "Hurtigruten" cruise is quite spectacular, but insanely expensive. Once you get to the north of Norway though, there are guided tours to places where you're almost bound to see the northern lights. I've seen them a few times, and it's just massive, really an earth shattering experience if you're high up on the mountain with no other visible lights in sight. No wonder our forefathers put a great deal of religious meaning into them.
 
These seem pretty good, ive emailed them for more details

http://www.visitnorthernlights.com/travel-options

To give yourself the best possible chance of experiencing the Northern Lights, experts recommend spending as long as you can above the Arctic Circle, far away from towns and other sources of artificial light.
One of the most unique ways to go in search of the Northern lights is onboard a Hurtigruten ship. Their fleet of 11 ships sail almost daily above the Arctic Circle, through the calm sheltered waters along the Norwegian coast beneath the pitch black sky, the perfect setting to experience the breathtaking Aurora Borealis.
Choose from a number of different voyages and durations from Hurtigruten.
Classic Voyages prices from £492pp
These spectacular voyages highlight the inseparable links between Norway’s rich heritage and the sea, exploring how both have shaped the modern life of its coastal communities. Choose from a 12-day Classic Round Voyage that sails from Bergen all the way North to Kirkenes and back again, or a 7-day Voyage North sailing Bergen – Kirkenes or a 6-day Voyage South sailing from Kirkenes to Bergen. All cross the Arctic Circle and spend a number of days in the auroral oval zone – increasing your chances of seeing the Northern Lights.


Short Break Voyages prices from £435pp

These voyages are a shorter duration and spend their entirety within the Arctic Circle, which not only provides the best opportunity to see the Northern Lights but also the chance to take part in some fantastic winter excursions to areas of the frozen land that are seldom seen by tourists.


Astronomy Theme Voyage prices from £1095pp

Learn more about the Arctic night sky as well as the greatest lightshow on earth. The voyages are guided by renowned Astronomer Dr Jason Mason or Ian Ridpath, Editor of the Oxford Dictionary of Astronomy. Through a series of lectures and guided tour of the night sky, the world of stars, planets and meteors closer.

Unique experiences in Norway in search of the Northern Lights
Snowmobile Trip in Lapland, Kj øllefjord
How about an unforgettable snowmobile trip to one of Europe's most extreme and exciting natural areas? Experience the snow clad valleys, the fresh winter air and perhaps the mesmerizing Northern Lights will appear in the clear, starry sky!

Snowmobile Safari Kirkenes
Enjoy an invigorating ride by snowmobile across ice-covered fjords and experience the serene landscapes of the Arctic’s winter. Guides will explain the fascinating history of the indigenous Sami people and welcome refreshments will be served in the warmth of a Lavvo.

Husky Adventure Kirkenes
Experience the real feeling of the wilderness during this exciting ride. You can have a go at driving the sledge yourself, or simply sit back and enjoy the trip.

Snowmobile Trip in the Polar Night, Mehamn – Kjøllefjord
Drive through the beautiful Arctic landscape during the Polar Night, you might see the Northern Lights in a clear, starlit sky. Welcome to the polar night and the wilderness.

Midnight Concert in the Arctic Cathedral – Tromsø
As the candle lights flicker, this elegant church is filled with the sounds of the most beautiful a Norwegian folk songs as well as some classical and sacred selections.

Aurora Safari with Dinner by Cable Car – Tromsø
Ride up the famous cable car and take in the breath-taking view of Tromsø away from any light pollution. These are the perfect spot for seeing the Northern Lights and perhaps walk over to the view point for even better views. Enjoy a delicious 3 course dinner in the mountain lodge as you learn more about the Northern Lights, Tromsø and the surrounding area.

Aurora Adventure Kirkenes
Venture deep into the snow-filled Pasvik Valley from Kirkenes in search of the elusive Northern Lights. Far from artificial light, you will travel to Storfjellet to the Strand Museum, home to Norwegian antiquities and examples of life from a bygone age where a warming drink and traditional cakes will be served
 
apparently you can see them in Iceland - Reykjavik is meant to be an awesome city, worth looking in to

but yea i heard the North of Norway is supposedly the most frequent place to view it
 
apparently you can see them in Iceland - Reykjavik is meant to be an awesome city, worth looking in to

but yea i heard the North of Norway is supposedly the most frequent place to view it
Isn't Reykjavik ridiculously expensive after all the banking crisis they had there a few years ago?
 
Fly off to Tromsø, Norway in the winter time. Good place for nordic light spotting, also a nice little town as well - nicknamed "Nordic Paris" for all its cafes and bars.

You'd have to travel outside the city to see the northern lights properly, also avoid going there when there's a full moon, as this will impact the viewing experience. Statistically you're more likely to see northern light further inland, because the climate there is normally drier. February/March are good months to go.

It's an awesome sight, so I'd definitely recommend it.

[video=youtube;izYiDDt6d8s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izYiDDt6d8s[/video]
 
What Robbo said. Reykjavik isn't far enough north I think. It's just 1 degree north of where I am, and we don't get the northern lights very often.
 
Isn't Reykjavik ridiculously expensive after all the banking crisis they had there a few years ago?

I went before the banking crisis

It was about £9 for a McDonalds cheeseburger

And they only sell alcohol from 1 state run off licenses

Go out for a meal and you are spending about £40 on a house red

It was insane. And that was pre-crisis
 
Hi Marky
As another cheaper option my buddy Pete Lawrence off of the Sky at Night runs these trips, basically its a flight up to Northern Lights territory where the plane is blacked out and Pete and a couple of other astronomers do a night sky narrative outlining the stars, constellations and Northern Lights, they circle for a few hours then come straight back i went in November and it was fab. Saw the aurora and learned loads of stuff.
http://auroraflights.co.uk/
 
I went before the banking crisis

It was about £9 for a McDonalds cheeseburger

And they only sell alcohol from 1 state run off licenses

Go out for a meal and you are spending about £40 on a house red

It was insane. And that was pre-crisis

i went after the banking crisis (end of 2011) - its nowhere near as expensive now as people make out

certainly alot cheaper than southstand experienced.
to give a scale, a subway was about £4 and bottle of coke £1.20. so a little more than prices here in Dec 2011, but only by a little bit
think we paid about £20-25 for dinner (just like a normal restaurant)......so just like here really
booze however.................yeah, i gave that a miss!

you won't see nothern light from Rejkjavik, but Iceland tours do good trips to go out into the middle of nowhere to try and see them
it is pot luck - but if you don't see them they book you on the tour the next day (and the next if needed!) until you do get to see them
 
Hi Marky,

I went to Reykjavik at the beginning of December for the wifes birthday, and would highly recommend it. Most people will say it is expensive but no more than any other north european city in my opinion. Depending on the standard of resturant you go to it wont cost any more than it would on a night out in London. Everyone was saying to me "oh its really expensive" but I didn`t think it was too bad. Alcohol is expensive but most Scandanavian countries are. We spent on average about £80 - £90 on a night out thats with a good meal a bottle of wine and a beer or 2 so not Majorca or Sharm el Sheik prices but hey ho!

Also saw the Northern Lights while we were there. Just dont expect them to be as spectacular as all the photos you see on line though. We booked through our hotel with a small independant company and went off in a mini bus with only 8 of us in it. What all the companies do is book you in then they are in touch with the local weather centres and will only take you out if there is a high chance of seeing some activity. We drove out about an hour and a half away and did actually see some action but not as fantastic as some of the images you see online. All the tour operators are in touch via Radio or walkie talkie so they guide each other to places seeing activity, but if you dont see anything they take you the next night for free. Although we were only there for 3 nights we did most of the tourist sights

The Golden circle tour lasts a whole day and takes in all the major sights like Gulfloss Falls(have a look on YouTube) and the Geysers erupting and other stuff of interest. Like I said lovely place, nice people I`d highly reccomend it. As mentioned above not nearly as expensive as Southstand experienced.

Apparently this winter is one of the best times in recent years for seeing the Northern Lights due to factors like Solar activity and stuff. Even if they didn`t get to see thelights there are plenty of interesting trips you can go on in Iceland. We went to the Blue Lagoon as well(have a look on YouTube for that as well)

Like I said I`d highly reccomend it. Take warm clothing at this time of year though!
 
Is Reykjavik good ? My mate went there and when he came back I could tell he wasnt overly impressed. Said it was ok but didnt find a lot to do and thought he would have been better off spending the money on going somewhere else in that part of the world.
 
I went before the lefty, pinko, bedwetter inspired banking crisis

It was about £9 for a McDonalds cheeseburger

And they only sell alcohol from 1 state run off licenses

Go out for a meal and you are spending about £40 on a house red. Red? Red? Don't start me off about red etc.

It was insane. And that was pre-crisis

Fixed.
 
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