Cheapest way to see the Northern Lights?

Ames

As the title says really. I'd really like to see the Northern Lights, but the cost of getting to northern Norway, and of accommodation, is insane.

I've been thinking about couch surfing, or camping, but I'm not sure if it'll be too cold to camp?

Ideally I'd like to get the bus/train up the west coast then stay a few nights in the north. But I can't find any info on how much the buses are.

Or is it cheaper to go elsewhere, say to Canada?

mad_rich

Cheap and Norway go together like water and electricity.

Too cold depends on what you're used to, and whether you have decent warm kit. It would be an experience.

Sure, you could couch surf and hitchhike, but the remoteness and short amount of daylight might make this tricky.

Your major problem is going to be the (un)reliability. You're relying on decent solar activity AND good weather coinciding with the dates you have booked your flights (which you will probably have booked a while in advance to get the best price).

I would suggest a better approach is to choose somewhere you would enjoy a holiday anyway, and cross your fingers. If they don't appear, you can go again next year.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Northern_Lights will give you some useful background tips.

House_owner

You can see the Northen lights from the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, also apparently you could see them last year as far south as Holy Island in Northumbria - may be a bit cheaper than going as far as Norway!

mad_rich

Indeed. I once went to Kiruna in Sweden and saw nothing. Got back to Newcastle to find everybody at home had seen them from the Toon.

Bogtrotter

Without doubt the cheapest way to see an the Northern Lights is to stay at home but to be successful requires a bit of research and patience.

First thing is to find somewhere within easy travelling distance that is as far away as possible from any cities/towns/street lights where the sky is as dark as possible. Next keep checking and subscribe to email alerts at sites like spaceweather.com and aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk and then hope the events coincide with clear skies.

If you really want to increase your chances of seeing the Northern Lights the only thing you can do is to travel as far north as possible when the Sun is as active as possible. Solar cycle activity is expected to peak on the current cycle around late 2013 or early 2014 (unfortunately the level of activity looks like its going to be significantly weaker than recent normals). That said... even if you travel to Norway where events are pretty much nightly at peak times you may still miss seeing anything because of the local weather conditions.

Spidercat

Iceland is cheaper than Norway, icelandair/ easy jet/ Iceland express. There is a youth hostel in Reykjavik. you need to plan your trip more towards a new moon, but nothing guaranteed.

daveyjp

Whats your budget? A week on a Hurtigruten cruise which will take you from Bergen to the far north, full board can be found for £599 exc flights. You can spend £100 a day on food in Norway and feel as though you haven't eaten, so it's not bad value.

withabix

I saw them near Penrith a few years ago.

Me and everyone else on the M6 at the time nearly crashed or stopped on the hard shoulder for a naughty look!

Ames

Thanks everyone.

I would really like to travel up the coast of Norway and thought I'd tie it in to that. I know there's no guarantee which is why I wanted to tag it onto a planned trip rather than go especially.

Daveyjp, when I looked at the Hurtigruten it would be nearer a grand for me, as I'd be on my own. £600 is still more than my budget.

House Owner, I'd never really thought about Scotland, but a bit of googling threw up a gorgeous cottage which is within my price range and just the kind of place I'd like to go for a few days away anyway, so I think that'll be my plan.

Spidercat, Iceland is on my to do list as well so I'll bear it in mind and try and match the dates up when I eventually make it up there.

Bogtrotter, thanks for that. I'd read that this year is the best in the seven year cycle to see them, but that was on tourist sites and they're hardly likely to say 'wait a year or two'. But if 2013/4 is best then I've got plenty of time to save and plan.

I think I'd wonder what on earth I was seeing if I saw them while tootling down the motorway, or at all from as far south as Newcastle!

Thanks everyone for the advice, lots of food for thought as always.

Ames

I've just found out that you can get Hurtigruten vouchers with Tesco Clubcard. I've got about £100 worth of CC vouchers, which will be worth £300, which brings it right down into my price range.

So as soon as I get my next CC statement I'm booking. Thanks so much everyone for your advice.

dazza230

Ive been looking into going to Lake Inari in Lapland, looks like a fantastic place to see the Northern Lights. (If your lucky).

Apparently this year and 2013 are the best time to view as its now at the end of the negative cycle of 11 years. The thing im finding hard is locating local agents for trips out to the lake and beyond. The hotels offer trips but want over 800 EUR for 3 nights. Thats not including flights/acc/food etc.

If anyone can offer any help id really appreciate it! If all else fails ill have to rely on Auora Watch UK and pop up to scotland!!!

(actually Ive just found 2hrs trips for 85 - 160 EUR)