Travel Guide: Where to see the Northern Lights in Norway

Few places on earth offer better conditions to witness a limitless starry night sky than Northern Norway. But to hit the jackpot and experience the spectacular northern lights you’d probably need a few tips from the locals.

Paal Brekke, solar physicist and senior advisor at the Norwegian Space Agency, explains that those living in or close to urban areas in Europe will never see the full extent of our galaxy, The Milky Way, nor the northern lights unless they travel to places unaffected by artificial lights. That’s because particles and moisture reflect artificial lights from buildings and streetlights in the air layers above us. 

– Outside the northernmost countries of Europe, it’s almost impossible to find places that are dark enough to get a full-fledged experience of the night sky – and especially to see the northern lights. Sometimes, the northern lights can be visible all the way down to southern France and northern Italy, but this may only happen a couple of times every decade, Brekke says. 

A northern lights mecca 

Brekke confirms that the northern lights would have been visible to many more Europeans, and far more frequently, had it not been for light pollution. 

– But in northern parts of Norway, you can easily get to large, dark areas surrounded by forests and mountains, with minimal light pollution and the elongated dark coast, amplifying the darkness. It’s simply a mecca of experiencing the northern lights in all its glory, says Brekke, also an author of several books and a movie about the northern lights. 

That’s probably why Northern Norway each year is so popular with travelers between late September and late March, hunting for the clear starry sky and especially the northern lights. In this period the region is dark from early afternoon until late morning, which increases the chance of witnessing the northern lights significantly compared to other parts of Europe. 

But where do you go to have the best chance possible to see one of earth’s most spectacular light phenomena? Here’s a guide and some tips from the locals:

LOFOTEN

The wild, raw nature of the Lofoten Islands makes this a picture-perfect place to hunt the northern lights. Lofoten is situated just beneath the auroral oval, a belt of light that encircles the geomagnetic poles and provides some of the best chances in the world of seeing the northern lights. For the best northern lights experience in Lofoten:

• Visit one of the many remote, white sand beaches that face north, like Uttakleiv, Gimsøystranda or Rambergstranda.
• Spend the night in a rorbu (a fisherman’s cabin). 
• Go horseback riding on Icelandic horses. 
• Enjoy the show from a steaming hot tub or modern sauna. 

Tips from a local: 

“Few things beat the sensation of kayaking whilst you see the northern lights above you and at the same time beneath you in the water, the luminous effect of what we in Norwegian call ‘morild’”, Anita Andresen explains. 

Morild is a so-called milky sea effect, a glowing phosphorescent phenomenon caused by bioluminescent planktons. 

In the daytime, Andresen has an ordinary administrative office job. But as soon as she is off duty, she joins a group she simply calls her “paddling friends”. All year round, sometimes several times a week, they gather to share their passion for kayaking around the island of Kvaløya or in the archipelago of Lofoten.

 NARVIK

The exceptionally clear skies over Narvik give you a front row seat to watch the northern lights in winter and the midnight sun during the summer. For the best northern lights experience in Narvik:

• Take the ski lift or catch the cable car to the top of Mount Narvikfjellet, one of Norway’s top ski destinations. 
• Go to Langstranda beach, a 10 minute drive from Narvik. 
• Join a guided tour to Efjord and Stetind.

NORDKAPP

At 71° degrees, the northernmost viewpoint in Europe, Nordkapp is so far north that the strength of the aurora borealis hardly matters, as long as the sky is clear. For the best northern lights experience at Nordkapp:

• The North Cape Plateau on Magerøya island is the main attraction in the area, and offers the best views over the Barents Sea. The large mountain plateau ends in a 307-meter high cliff that plunges into the sea. 
• Go to Kirkeporten (Church Gate). 
• Hike up to Storfjellet in Honningsvåg or Tufjord-Høyde.

Tips from a local: 

Nature photographer Kjell Bendik Pedersen works at Radio Nordkapp. Besides the plateau itself, Pedersen knows many other equally special spots for getting a really good sight of the northern lights and taking that perfect picture. The bay of Skipsfjorden is amongst his absolute favorites. 

“At the beautiful Seibukta bay, there is a parking spot along the E69 road that is cleared of snow during winter. There, you can observe the northern lights in peaceful surroundings”, Pedersen explains. 

“I’m also a fan of the fjord of Tufjorden on the coast of the island of Magerøya, a viewpoint on the way to The North Cape, because the undisturbed landscape lets me work with time lapse without interruption”, he says.

SENJA

If you want to get away from the crowds, Senja, just an hour’s scenic boat trip from Tromsø, is the place to go. The wild nature will make your aurora adventure an eventful trip for both body and soul. For the best northern lights experience at Senja:

• Go to Tungeneset or Bergsfjorden viewpoint, both on the National Scenic Road route. 
• Visit the hot tub at Hamn in Senja. 
• Head out to one of the white sand beaches like Ballesvikstranda, Ersfjordstranda or Bøstranda. 
• Go snowshoeing in Ånderdalen National Park.

SVALBARD

Located 900 kilometers north of the Norwegian mainland and 1,300 kilometers from the North Pole, Longyearbyen offers excellent conditions for northern lights. the polar night from November until the end of January means that there is no daylight in Longyearbyen in winter. For the best northern lights experience at Svalbard:

• Visit Høydebassenget 
• Head out to Nybyen 6713 
• Enjoy guided tours in Adventdalen 

Tips from a local: 

”Some tourists believe they must travel to the end of the world to see the northern lights, but my motto is that there is no reason to go further than necessary. In the encompassing dark of Svalbard, the magic experience will be the same everywhere”, says Wiggo Antonsen, a busy taxi driver in Longyearbyen, the administrative settlement of the Svalbard Islands.

THE LYNGENFJORD REGION

Situated between Tromsø and Alta and sheltered behind the dramatic Lyngen Alps, Lyngenfjord has the perfect conditions for starry nights, and offers you a good chance of catching the northern lights. Since the region is sparsely populated, the next spot without light pollution is never far away. For the best northern lights experience in the Lyngenfjord region:

• Go to Skibotn and Skibotn valley 
• Visit the Spåkenes peninsula 
• Hike up to Ovi Raishiin, by the entrance to the Reisa National Park (where you can spend the night in cozy cabins)

TROMSØ

The world’s northernmost student city lives up to its nickname ‘”the Paris of the North”. All year round, there’s always a concert or festival to attend. Seeing your favorite artist under the northern lights gives the experience an indefinable x-factor. For the best northern lights experience in Tromsø:

• Ride the Fjellheisen cable car up or climb up 1,200 stone steps on the Sherpa staircase to reach Mount Storsteinen (421 meters above sea level), one of the best spots for panoramic views over the city and aurora borealis. 
• Visit Ishavskatedralen (The Arctic Cathedral), an architectural landmark inspired by arctic nature. A northern lights concert here is magical! 
• Go to one of Tromsø’s rooftop bars. 
• Head out to one of the islands outside the city, for example at the heated Northern lights park at Sommarøy. 

Tips from a local: 

“My low-key tip to see the northern lights when you are in the city centre of Tromsø with limited time is to head to the street of Parkgata. It’s close to the city park Kongsbakken, which has no streetlights to disturb the experience”, says Aggie Frost, a known musician known for a rather Arctic soundscape, who even made an acoustic piece called Aurora Lily. 

Here, in the darker street by the park, you sense a huge difference compared to the busy city streets. A couple of kilometers from Tromsø city centre is the beautiful lake of Prestvannet.“This nature reserve with no artificial illumination is an evocative spot to see the northern lights in peaceful surroundings a 20-minute walk from the city centre”, she adds.

VARANGER

Varanger isn’t a place to rush through. It’s ideal for hiking (especially in early autumn), birdwatching, and undisturbed northern lights hunting. For the best northern lights experience in Varanger:

• Visit Smelror, an old fishing village at the National Scenic Road route near Vardø 
• Head out to Ekkerøy and Vestre-Jakobselv valley near Vadsø 
• Go skiing or snowshoeing in Varangerhalvøya National Park

VESTERÅLEN

The northern lights often illuminate Vesterålen’s polar night. This natural phenomenon is difficult to catch on camera, but if you join a northern lights safari, local guides will teach you how to capture the moment. For the best northern lights experience in Vesterålen:

• Head out to one of the long, white beaches, for example, Bleik beach at Andøya. 
• Go to Nyksund fishing village. 
• Visit Uværshula, the storm cave, on Hadelsøya. 

Tips from a local: 

“To see waves of light above you whilst you’re surfing on the waves of the sea is a truly special but also rare experience”, Anders Stave, a doctor and an active surfer living in Vesterålen, tells.
Stave and his friends occasionally change their outfits from wetsuits to wool clothing, to hike the hill of the most famous site on the island of Andøya: the Andøya Space Centre.
Another hot spot recommended by Stave is the largest breakwater in Northern Europe, located at the harbor of his home city of Andenes.

“Here you will find the combination of the sea and the northern lights, and it’s almost like standing on a giant board”, he laughs.

ALTA

Alta is next to nothing and close to everything. A modern city in Northern Norway surrounded by the arctic tundra and mountains. Some of the first modern studies of the northern lights actually started in Alta. For the best northern lights experience in Alta:

• Hike up to the mountain top Haldde, where the world’s first permanent northern lights observatory was built in 1899. The observatory was closed in 1926, but some of the buildings are possible to visit. 
• Hike up to Komsatoppen, close to the city centre 
• Go to Lathari, a beach 9 km away from city centre 
• Drive to Suolovuopmi, where the Finnmarksvidda starts Northern 

BODØ

Get the best of both worlds with spectacular nature experiences and buzzing city life in Bodø, situated in the southern part of Arctic Norway. This is an excellent base camp for your Arctic adventures. For the best northern lights experience in Bodø:

Head out of town, to the surrounding area of Salten, where you can enjoy dramatic, pristine nature. Join a guided tour (local experts greatly increase your chances of seeing the northern lights and they know the best spots) or spend a few unforgettable days in a more remote spot.

• Visit Bodø’s rooftop bars. 
• Hike up to Keiservarden, close to the city center. 
• Go to a remote beach, like Løpsstranden, Mjelle or the long beach at Sandhornøya (where you can go glamping in cozy domes at Følvika). 
• Check out some unique places to stay on nearby islands.

KIRKENES

The fascinating town of Kirkenes is a unique cultural melting pot of Norwegian, Sami, Finnish, and Russian influences, just a few kilometers from the Russian border. The dry and clear winter climate increases the chance to experience the northern lights (more than in other coastal cities). For the best northern lights experience in Kirkenes:

• Head out of town with a professional guide on a snowmobile, and hunt for the northern lights in the Siberian Taiga forest in the Pasvikdalen valley. 
• Set sail on one of Hurtigruten’s cruise ships. 
• Go to the city’s rooftops, for example, from the large balcony at Thon Hotel Kirkenes.