Photo: Ted LogartWe might as well make this clear from the start: Abisko and Aurora Sky Station is one of the best places in the world to see the northern lights. Abisko is located right underneath the aurora oval, which means conditions are optimal with the often cloudless sky. It is not so much about finding the northern lights here; it is more about finding clear skies. Peter Rosén, who runs Lapland PhotoAdventures, says guests who stay three nights or more have had a 100% success rate. auroraskystation.se
Photo: Håkan StenlundWhere the public road ends in Kangos, it is still five kilometres to Särkimukka village, home to four people and some 200 huskies. People from all over the world visit Pinetree Lodge in Särkimukka to experience winter and an arctic adventure. This is the place to experience the northern lights during a dog-sled ride, a snowmobile tour or perhaps from your bed in one of the northern light apartments – with panoramic, north-facing windows. And if the northern lights were to fail, you would still have a fantastic time. explorethenorth.se
Photo: Asaf KligerIcehotel in Jukkasjärvi is literally one of the coolest places in the world. It is not uncommon to see the northern lights dance above the world’s first – and largest – hotel built of ice and snow. Since Icehotel 365 opened its gates and made it possible to visit Icehotel all year round, you can even catch the first northern lights of the year during dark, clear autumn evenings. icehotel.com
Photo: TreehotelSleeping in one of the rooms at Treehotel is an experience in itself, but if it was the northern lights that attracted you to this place, check out the seventh room. “The 7th Room” was designed by the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta and sits ten metres off the ground, among the pines. Here you can see the northern lights without having to leave the room, as it has large panoramic windows facing north along with skylights in the bedrooms. treehotel.se
Photo: Camp RipanThe story goes something like this: some members of staff at Camp Ripan in Kiruna were sat in the sauna. They ran outside to “take a dip in the snow” and saw northern lights covering the sky. They said: “Imagine sitting in the sauna or taking a bath, watching the northern lights at the same time”. Said and done, the following year, they had built their own Aurora Spa. ripan.se
Photo: Eric BorgIf you are looking for something unique, different and luxurious, check out Logger’s Lodge. It is a completely private retreat for two with 24-hour service by the river Bodträskån outside Harads. The road to the lodge runs through a deep forest, and the only people around are staff members there to serve you. With a little luck, the northern lights will appear as your heartbeat slows in the outdoor jacuzzi. loggerslodge.com
Photo: Graeme RichardsonOne of the most important things to keep in mind when taking photos of the northern lights is getting away from artificial light. Along the Bothnian Bay archipelago coast, it is often just as easy to find good photo conditions as in the mountains. At Pine Bay Lodge, there are also a number of activities that take place under the northern lights or that aim to find them, such as dog sledding trips, dinners, and snowshoe treks, just to name a few. pinebaylodge.se
Photo: Lennart PittjaIn Nábrreluokta, in the centre of World Heritage Laponia, is where you find Sápmi Nature Camp. The camp is located in the Sjávnja nature reserve along the beach of Stuor Julevädno, in the Unna Tjerusj reindeer pasture area. It is a personal, small-scale and sustainable camp made up of northern Sámi tents. Sámi glamping simply put. This is far from the nearest town and other villages, letting you enjoy the here and now, and hopefully, the northern lights will appear during your stay. Glamping at its best. sapminature.com
Photo: Johan JanssonThe idea of an Arctic Bath on the Lule River by Harads was conceived back when the Treehotel was inaugurated. The river needed a sauna raft to give people staying at the hotel something to do. In the end, it became more than that, and Arctic Bath opened in January 2020: a 700 square-metre open-air cold bath and hotel. The only thing that could improve on the experience would be northern lights across the sky. arcticbath.se
Photo: Cody DuncanIf you are hiking in the mountains during autumn, when evenings get darker, remember to look up at the sky if it is a clear evening. With a bit of luck, you might spot the first northern lights of the season. The first northern lights are sometimes seen as early as late August.
