Aurora lights is a magical phenomenon turning the sky into unbelievable waves of shades of green, red and other beautiful colours. For seeing the aurora borealis you need to go to the poles of Earth, north pole or south pole. It is also known as northern lights in northern hemisphere and southern lights in southern hemisphere. So, now you may be wondering from where can I see the aurora borealis? Don’t worry we got you covered, we are going to discuss when and from where you can have this magical experience.
First let’s see where can you see the northern lights:
1. Finland
Hometown of Santa Claus, Lapland is one of the best places in the world for aurora watch. Visit Rovaniemi the capital of Finnish Lapland and the official hometown of Santa Claus. You can also go to Kilpisjärvi a remote town with very less crowd. There are many guided tours for aurora spotting, you should try to stay in glass igloos which are specially designed for aurora spotting from your comfort. Peak time to spot aurora lights are October, November, February and March.
2. Norway
3. Iceland
Iceland is also very magical place for experiencing the northern borealis lights. Visit Vik and Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach to see the stunning view of aurora lights against the ocean. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is a breathtaking location where auroras reflect on the icy waters. Try to stay in Bubble hotels which offers a transparent bubble rooms under the stars and northern lights. Use website like vedur.is for spotting northern lights in Iceland.
4. Sweden
Particularly northern region of Sweden which lies within the Arctic circle is the best place to spot northern lights in Sweden. Abisko National Park is one of the world’s best locations for aurora viewing, known for its “blue hole“—a weather phenomenon that creates clear skies despite surrounding cloud cover. Stay in icehotels, aurora cabins – specially designed for aurora viewing.
5. Canada
There are plenty of opportunities in Canada to see this magical of the aurora lights. Spot northern aurora borealis at Yellowknife – Aurora Capital of the World, Whitehorse, Banff and Jasper National Parks, Northern Quebec and few more cities. Relax in natural hot springs like those in Liard River or Takhini under the auroras. Best viewing season is between October and March.
6. Alaska
You may be wondering where to see northern lights in Alaska. Fairbanks, known as Alaska’s aurora capital, lies under the “auroral oval,” offering frequent displays of aurora. Nearby hot springs adds a relaxing experiencing of aurora sighting. Areas like Denali National Park and Preserve, Anchorage, Nome and other nearby areas are good spot for aurora northern lights.
7. Antarctica
Antarctica is undoubtedly best place to see southern lights, it will give you a truly extraordinary experience. Antarctica offers some of the most vivid and uninterrupted aurora displays. However, it requires careful planning, as access to Antarctica is limited and weather conditions can be extreme at this part of the world. It is best for extreme adventure seekers. Some cruise from South America offers the sightings of aurora borealis in south pole.
8. New Zealand
New Zealand, especially in its southern regions offers a fantastic opportunity to experience the Southern Lights, also referred as Aurora Australis. With dark skies, minimal light pollution, and breathtaking landscapes, it’s a magical destination for aurora hunting. Stewart Island is known as the “Land of Glowing Skies,” is one of the best spots for aurora sightings. The Otago Peninsula, and Lake Tekapo are also excellent southern aurora borealis hotspots. Best time to visit here in from March to September.
7. Australia
Aurora southern lights is also visible from some parts of Australia. While not as frequent or vivid as in places closer to the South Pole, certain locations in southern Australia provide opportunities to witness this stunning natural phenomenon. Visit Tasmania and Victoria for experiencing aurora in south pole.
For viewing aurora polar lights avoid light pollution, night must be dark and clear, avoid full moon, some countries also have apps and website like Aurora Alerts and My Aurora Forecast, which can track aurora borealis sky.
Among both northern lights and southern lights, northern lights are more famous and easily accessible, infact southern lights often referred as northern lights in the south.
Until next time Keep travelling and take care of Nature.