01/06/2021 16:31
On the list of things to do before you die of more than one traveler, you will find noted "See the Northern Lights". Rightly so, these lights are one of nature's most awe-inspiring sights. here are the best places to see the Northern Lights in Sweden.
The conditions to see the Northern Lights in Sweden
Dark, cold and clear
In Sweden, the Northern Lights usually occur during winter months, until the end of March or the beginning of April, but they can be observed from September in the most northern.
The best chances of seeing an Aurora Borealis are on cold winter nights, when the sky is clear, dark, with little or no moonlight, and cloudless. You need to be away from the city lights, which dilute the effects of these natural phenomena, so head out into the countryside.
On a clear night, the Northern Lights are visible from most parts of the Swedish Lapland, between 6 a.m. and 14 p.m., the strongest being observed between 22 p.m. and 23 p.m.
For those who are ready to brave the cold winter nights, here are some of the best places in Swedish Lapland to observe these phenomena that are the polar aurora.
Where can you see the Northern Lights in Sweden?
Abisko National Park
Abisko National Park, a few kilometers north of kirun, is an ideal place to observe the northern Lights. The scientifically proven "blue hole" - a patch of sky above the lake Torneträsk which remains generally clear despite the overcast weather in the surrounding areas - gives Abisko its own microclimate, which is suitable for capturing lights.
In addition to the guided tours, the possibility of pitching a tent in the hinterland and night hikes in the park, travelers can also take a chairlift to Aurora Sky station and its observation tower to have a better view of the park.
Jukkasjärvi and the Torne Valley
Le Jukkasjärvi village has only about 548 inhabitants. But don't be fooled by the small size of the population: Jukkasjärvi is home to the first ice hotel in the world and is one of the best areas for viewing the Northern Lights.
The Ice Hotel organizes guided tours for its guests at Esrange space center, located 30 minutes from kirun. There you can dine in a wild camp and have the chance to peer into the arctic winter sky looking for the northern lights. Or why not try to get up close and personal with the Northern Lights and watch them through the window of a plane ? The Ice Hotel, for example, organizes Northern Lights safaris by snowmobile for the ultimate experience in the wild nature.
The region of Tornedalen (where the Torne river is), the surroundings of Poustijärvi lake and the neighboring villages of Nikkaluokta and Vittangi are all ideal for viewing the aurora. Several companies offer night-time dog sled excursions and snowmobiles that take you into the surrounding nature to observe the sky.
Porjus and Lapland
This tiny village of about 400 inhabitants located in Swedish Lapland, about 60 kilometers north of polar Circle, in the Laponia site, listed as a World Heritage Site UNESCO.
Leek juice is close to National Parks Sarek, Padeljant, Muddus and Stora Sjöfallet. This adorable village is also located on the banks of the lake Stoma Lulevatten. Clear, cold nights, with little light pollution from neighboring houses, make Porjus a prime location for viewing the Northern Lights.
You can even rent a private apartment or share one of the many lakeside apartments. This allows you to have a front row seat to attend incredible light shows on the lake.
Other places to see the aurora in Swedish Lapland
As we have already mentioned, if the weather situation are good (darkness, cold and absence of clouds), you may see northern Lights from anywhere in the Subarctic and arctic Sweden, even near big cities like Luleå, Jokkmokk, Arvidsjaur and Gällivare.
In Luleå you can go to the Brandö forests and wilderness, far from the artificial lights of the city, to admire the natural lights. A sled dog ride on the frozen Skabram lake, just outside of Jokkmokk, can also get you up close to the Northern Lights.
You can drive a snowmobile until ssummit of Dundret mountain, in Gällivare, to attend a private light show, or travel a few kilometers to the neighboring villages of Arvidsjaur to watch those lights twinkle in the dark winter sky.
But don't forget: if you have the chance to see the Northern Lights in real life, never whistle them. According to the ancient Sami mythology, this brings bad luck ...
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You can also observe the northern Lights en Finnish Lapland !