Our best tips and tricks for seeing the Northern Lights on your next trip to Finnish, Swedish, or Russian Lapland! Or, really anywhere above Arctic Circle that you are hoping to see the magic of the dancing lights!

#1 Tripod & Timer

No matter where you are in the world to see the Aurora (Northern Lights) – this tip is essential. Whether you have a nice camera or just your cellphone our number one tip is to have a tripod and timer with a clicker. Northern Lights is a solar activity that is generated in the atmosphere and moves. Long exposure is essential in night photography but is especially useful when documenting the lights. With long exposure, you will naturally shake or move when holidng the camera and it can result in blurry photos. Place your phone or camera on a tripod and use a clicker to capture the photo and there will be no risk of movement for your photos! It also allows more light into the capture so that the colors appear (sometimes more vibrant).

#2 Being Mobile

One of the best ways to see the Northern Lights is to rent a car! Northern Lights are finnicky and can be really tricky to see. Even if you go really far north (our last trip we were 200 miles above the Arctic Circle) they aren’t always guaranteed! Since there are so many things that have to line up to see the Aurora, having a car is one of the best tips to give yourself the best opportunity. This may not always mean you have to drive really far distances, sometimes, it is just a few miles/kilometers to get out of the cloud cover, or head to somewhere with less light pollution than you are currently at. There are a lot of tour options that will also provide you “mobility” but we find it more fun to be able to do it on your own. Just remember you will be winter driving!

#3 KP Index Apps/Weather

Like we mentioned previously, a lot has to line-up to see the aurora. First and foremost, download an Aurora app so that you can track KP index and solar activity. The higher the KP index, the better. Now, the next app to look at is your weather app and try to find a region that has low probability of cloud cover and low probability of snow. Even if the KP index is high, you will not see Aurora unless it is a clear night. Also, be prepared to see it from the time it gets dark – all the way through the night. Sometimes this means staying up until 2-3 AM. If you are going on this trip with friends or a spouse, you can always take shifts to not have to stay up all night! They can be fleeting – sometimes showing up for hours or minutes so be ready!

#4 Aurora Huts/Lodging

This is more of an information tip about these types of accomodations. When planning your Northern Lights trip, you will see many options to stay in all glass huts, igloos, and more. They are pretty spendy per night (sometimes upwards of $1,000 USD). While a unique lodging option – these are NOT REQUIRED to see the Northern Lights. A better way to spend your budget is to rent a car and pay for an Aurora Alert at your accomodation (usually where the front desk will alert you if the Aurora is visible from your hotel). Waiting for the Aurora to come to where you are is risky at the end of the day and while you will likely see it above the Arctic Circle, make sure you are staying at least a week to maximize your chances if you are not going to be driving around each night to try and find it.

#5 Planning Your Trip

In order to give you the best chance of seeing the Aurora here are the few things we would do to maximize your opportunity:

*Plan to be above the Arctic Circle for at least 6-7 nights.

*Spring can be a better time of year with less storms overall and years with higher solar activity can increase chances.

*Rent a car so that you have the ability to be mobile every night of your trip. Head to places with low cloud cover and away from as much light pollution as possible (Finnish Lapland has a lot of frozen lakes that make great areas for viewing!).

*Be willing to stay up late!

*Save your money on glass huts and aurora tours and spend it on rental cars and accomodations that have an aurora alert of some kind. The glass hut can be fun for a few nights just for the experience if you have the budget.

*Check the weather and KP index often.

*Be ready! Have your camera, tripod and clicker at the ready at all times heading into the evening.

*Plan your trip to a destination you want to go and the aurora becomes the bonus so that you will enjoy the trip no matter what.

Happy Aurora Hunting!