I always wanted to see the northern lights in Europe, so I would like to know from some one that has already done that, how is the experience and what to expect about the view.
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I’m desperate to see the northern lights too, its been on my bucket list for years! Would be great to hear about others experiences!
Hi @donald!
So, I travelled to Iceland in early April to see the Northern Lights on this tour: Land of the Northern Lights - 5 days by On The Go Tours with 176 Tour Reviews (Code: LOTNL) - TourRadar
On this 5 day trip I was extremely lucky to have seen them 3 times over three nights. As our tour guide said, it is not guaranteed to see the Northern Lights since it really depends on environmental factors. But if you travel in a time of year when it is darker for longer, not cloudy, and away from city lights, your chances are higher. (And of course it depends on solar activity hitting the Earth’s upper atmosphere)
Sitting outside in the cold keeps you alert, your eyes wide open as you wait for the Lights to appear. At first they are faint green and sometimes a bit of pink, and then they get stronger and more vibrant. They seem to dance across the sky in streaks! Seeing it makes you feel a sense of awe and you can understand why early people thought they are signs from gods. I was totally mesmerised.
Tip: To capture a good picture of the Lights, I would recommend you bring a camera that allows the shutter to stay open for longer. Most of the newest iPhones have ‘Night Mode’ that allows you to capture them better.
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Basically if you want to be “guaranteed” to see them: 1. Come in winter 2. Go north (from Trondheim and further north, Lofoten is perfect f.i.). We get them here south too but only sporadically
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