Ever heard about Northern Lights? It is the most artistic and magical display by nature. This admirable display known as Aurora borealis has been piquing the curiosity of people since time immemorial. A glimpse of the Northern Lights is on almost everyone’s travel list.
There are many countries you can visit to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights. Hence, you have to plan carefully to make sure you get the best view.
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Iceland
Iceland is an ethereal place to visit. The volcanoes, glaciers, massive waterfalls, and geysers make it a popular destination for travellers. However, the thing that attracts a large number of visitors to this country during the winter is the Northern Lights.
Icelanders consider themselves to be lucky as they can catch the Northern Lights for over eight months in a year. The latitude, as well as the longitude of the country, is favourable for viewing the aurora. Unfortunately, the weather might not always be cooperative. Nonetheless, the good coastline road running around the country will enable you to chivy the clear sky.
You can take a gander from west coast’s Kirkjufell Mountain. In fact, the northern lights can also be spied from ReykjavÃk’s suburbs. One of the popular viewing spots is the Grotta Lighthouse.
Best Time to Visit: Late August to the end of April
Canada
You will be surprised to know that Canada has its own Aurora Village. It is situated on the Great Slave Lake’s shore. As a matter of fact, it is known to host special activities for the tourism of northern lights.
Aurora Village can be said that this is a paradise for aurora viewers. The truncated light pollution and northern latitude is the reason behind it. Other popular viewing spots are Jasper National Park and Wood Buffalo.
Best Time to Visit: Mid of August through April. For Wood Buffalo and Churchill, it is early August to the mid of May.
Greenland
Many people might feel that going too north means you will not get a good glimpse of the northern lights. However, Greenland is here to prove them wrong. This is a great place for checking out the northern lights. In fact, this country delightfully located to provide you with the clearest view. The aurora is called Arsarnerit which roughly translates to the playing ball.
You can head south for the aesthetic northern light and attractions such as Qaleraliq Glacier that has floating icebergs during summer.
Best Time to Visit: Mid of August to the end of April.
Tips to Spot Aurora
- It is better to steer clear of the city lights. This is because light pollution can have an impact on the visibility of the aurora and the stars.
- You should have an idea about the real-time to sight the aurora. Each region has its own real-time alerts that let people know when they sight the aurora. You can talk to the local people to find this out.
- Auroras are generally more common during the wintertime because of the long hours of darkness. To view, the clear has to be clear. So, make sure you visit during the right time of the year.
When you visit a country to experience the northern lights, do not lose hope when you do not see the first day. They don’t appear every night, even when it is a location with the highest frequency. The elusive but grandiose norther lights deserve all effort to witness it.
So, why wait? Book your tickets, pack your bags, and relish the northern lights during your winter holidays.
Author’s Bio:
Yogi and Suchna believe in taking the road less travelled and stumbling upon some hidden gems along the way! For over a decade, they’ve mapped their way across various continents, sniffed out unusual routes, discovered new flavours and stayed at quirky hostels. TheVillaEscape is their expression of soul travel. To check Norway Northern Lights Tour you can catch up with them at TheVillaEscape.