Northern Lights

slopemaster

Has anyone done a Northern Lights trip to Norway, Sweden or Iceland? Especially a (relatively) budget trip?

I'm thinking of this for next year late Feb/early March, but not willing to pay the Ice Hotel prices even tho its a great idea...

PeacefulWaters

The cheapest view of the Northern Lights I ever got came in a lay by just south of J22 of the M62. Stunning. There's a Premier Inn not far away too!

slopemaster

Yes, but I'd probably have to stay several months, so it might not be so budget...
(Good tick though)

suki1964

Seen then quite often from here - NW Coast of Ireland

Got some really beautiful displays last year

elsien

You need to check solar activity to see how likely it is you might see something.
I did a Hrutigruten trip for my mother for her 70th in Norway for a week. Not budget, but the idea was if we didn't see the lights (some people travelling back as we went out hadn't seen anything) there was enough other stuff to do that it was still a good holiday.
Tipping parent off the snow mobile head first into a snowdrift was possibly not one if her highlights.

Grumpelstiltskin

Firstly check the phases of the moon, you don't want to go at full moon.


There are websites to help you, this one shows where and when they have been seen in the UK.


http://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/cgi-bin/view_reports?mode=all


Remember places like Norway and cheap don't go together.

slopemaster

suki1964 wrote: »

Seen then quite often from here - NW Coast of Ireland

Funnily enough that's on my OHs list of places to visit. But in summer.

slopemaster

Grumpelstiltskin wrote: »

check the phases of the moon, you don't want to go at full moon.
...
Remember places like Norway and cheap don't go together.

I did check and its not full - but I'm not sure if it needs to be new?
Also having trouble getting my head around whether/why moon phases are the same all over the world?

Re Scandinavia being expensive, yes I know.
Though we went to Sweden last summer and found prices pretty normal actually, We were camping, and buying our own food to cook though - whereas winter will mean paying for hotels etc

firebird082

We went to Iceland 2 years ago in late Feb for a (amongst other things) northern lights trip. Had an absolutely wonderful time, but it wasn't anywhere near cheap! (although we could probably have done it cheaper staying in Reykjavik). Buying food to cook in Iceland is probably more expensive than eating out. We were lucky enough to see the lights, but we also had a wonderful time seeing everything else. Don't go with the sole aim of northern lights otherwise you are likely to end up disappointed.

Re moon - new moon is best as there's no other source of light in the sky. The other thing to consider is what the moonrise and set times are.

nwc389

I am going to tromso in Northern Norway next week for my birthday .
I booked flights and hotel myself and have also booked a northern lights chase for one of the nights .
It wasn't 'cheap' but compared to packages or cruises it has come out much better and I was able to tailor the holiday to suit us.
When you say 'budget' what prices are you comparing it to ?

suki1964

slopemaster wrote: »

Funnily enough that's on my OHs list of places to visit. But in summer.

We don't do summer

October last year was a beautiful month and that's when we got to see a great light show. I saw them for three nights on the trot earlier in the year, though not as green