Northern Lights: Six Unique Aurora Adventures To Book Now For Winter
Everyone wants to see the aurora borealis. Expedia's Unpack '25 report saw 61% of respondents wanting to see the Northern Lights. The current solar maximum (when the sun is at its most active every 11 years or so) has seen the Northern Lights glimpsed at more southerly latitudes than is possible, but to get a reliable show, you must head to the Arctic Circle, most reliably between September and March.
Beyond 2027, displays of the Northern Lights at lower latitudes will wane, but those at higher latitudes where the auroral oval sits almost permanently —including Alaska, northern Canada, Iceland, northern Norway, Sweden and Finland — will continue to host aurora displays.
1. Chase The Aurora With Wil
Lots of people think they know about the Northern Lights, having seen them once. A select few can predict them almost down to the minute. One of the latter is Wil Cheung, an experienced aurora chaser from the U.K., who's seen the Northern Lights over 300 times and sends out incredibly accurate daily alerts on Facebook about when to see the aurora. His latest aurora cruise, from Liverpool in the U.K. into the aurora zone around Norway, during which he'll use his ability to interpret real-time solar data to have guests out on deck during the all-important expansion phases. The cruise also includes professional photographers running workshops and lectures from astrophysicists. It will take place between Oct. 16 and 25, coinciding with the peak of the Orionid meteor shower.
Aurora tourists taking in the sky show on March 14, 2018 from the aft deck of the Hurtigruten ship ... More the m/s Nordnorge on the journey south, from a location north of Tromso this night This is a single 2-second exposure with the Rokinon 12mm full-frame fish-eye lens and Nikon D750 at ISO 8000. (Photo by: Alan Dyer/VW Pics/UIG via Getty Images)
2. Learn How To Photograph The Aurora
The tiny town of Churchill on Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada, is one of the best places to see polar bears in the wild from tundra vehicles. It's also a mecca for aurora-hunters. This Northern Lights Photo Expedition from Natural Habitat Adventures features expert photographer guides, snowshoeing and dog sledding.
3. Ride The Northern Lights Train
Between Narvik in Norway's Nordland and Kiruna in Sweden runs the Ofot line, one of the northernmost railway lines in the world. It's there to take iron ore — 100 tons at a time — to the coast for export around the world. However, it's known as The Arctic Train, taking tourists from the fjord in Narvik to Abisko National Park in Sweden. The latter is home to incredible landscapes, Aurora Sky, where you can ride a chairlift in the dark while surrounded by aurora up to a mountain for a gorgeous view over Lake Torneträsk.
4. Take A Journey On An Astronomy Voyage
This unique journey on MS Trollfjord up the Norwegian coast from Oslo to Honningsvåg in the far north and back over a leisurely 15 days, with lectures from expert astronomer, Tom Kerss, Hurtigruten's Chief Aurora Chaser. This North Cape Line trip includes multiple stops and endless opportunities to view and photograph the Northern Lights.
The Northern Lights appear over Mount Kirkjufell with Kirkjufellfoss waterfall in Iceland.
5. Take An 'Extreme' Aurora Tour
Iceland is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights, but finding a clear sky can mean a lot of driving in the dark, often in icy conditions. This "extreme" tour from Reykjavik eschews the typical two-hour tour that has only a small chance of success and extends it to an all-nighter. Lasting up to 10 hours from 5:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., this tour can reach iconic places such as Kirkjufell — Church Mountain — on the Snæfellsnes peninsula in western Iceland, which is too far from Reykjavik to feature on most aurora tours. The driver and guide is also an experienced aurora photographer, who will capture images and share them with guests. As the name suggests, Viking outfits are available for quirky images against the backdrop of the aurora.
6. Hire A Private Aurora Guide
If you've seen the Northern Lights raging above you from Alaska or northern Europe, it's natural to want to show your friends and family. Trouble is, if you do take them, you're now in charge of finding them the aurora. Designed to give families and groups the best chance to experience the aurora dancing in Arctic skies, Lights Over Lapland has a four-day adventure in Abisko National Park, Sweden, for up to 12 people, spread over two traditional Swedish homes, accompanied by a highly experienced aurora guide with a 4x4 to get you all to the wilderness when the aurora appears.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
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4 hours ago
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Opinion - Sled dogs and rare earths: Our journey through Greenland's growing pains
ILULISSAT, GREENLAND — Just after midday, we gripped the worn rope handles of a dogsled as 11 dogs surged across the frozen tundra of Western Greenland, inside the Arctic Circle. The wind lashed our faces, while the musher's sharp cries — quick bursts of 'Yip! Yip!' and a trilled 'Drrrrr!' — rose above the steady crunch of paws on snow. Our musher, Mamarut Nielsen, moved with grace, leaping off the sled to guide it over bare patches and exposed rock, then slipping back on without breaking stride. He snapped his whip gently for direction, but the dogs hardly needed it. They knew the way. After two hours, we stopped for a mountain view overlooking a field of icebergs. As the dogs rested, Mamarut handed us hot chocolate and described each dog — this one was the alpha, that one was rising in rank. The dogs, all male, swarmed us affectionately. Mamarut spoke with pride. His father and grandfather had hunted seals, narwhals, even polar bears. But at age 14, Mamarut told his father he wanted a different life. Today, Mamarut works for Diskobay Tours in Ilulissat, offering tourists (and visiting journalists) a glimpse of an Inuit tradition that's increasingly difficult to maintain. He speaks Greenlandic and fluent English — learned not from school nor from Danish instruction, but from video games and podcasts. He now translates for visiting film crews and tourists. This is no longer about survival. It's about preserving a culture, handed down but steadily fading. Our excursion connected us to the ancient traditions of Greenland. We landed in Greenland as President Trump's audacious suggestion to buy or annex the island was still reverberating across the Arctic. In May, U.S. officials reportedly began exploring a Compact of Free Association with Greenland — an agreement that could give Washington greater strategic access in exchange for services like defense and visa-free travel, similar to U.S. arrangements with certain Pacific Island nations. And in June, Trump ordered U.S. forces in Greenland to be transferred from the U.S. European Command to the U.S. Northern Command. The move tightens America's grip on Arctic defense at a time of escalating global conflict. But beneath the geopolitics lies a more complex story of a society at a crossroads, balancing centuries-old traditions with the pressures of modern life. The tension between self-rule and colonial legacy, environmental preservation and resource extraction, is reshaping not only Greenland's economy and environment but also its sense of identity. In Nuuk, Greenland's capital, modernity rises beside the remnants of a colonial past. Austere concrete apartment blocks from the mid-20th century stand beside new housing built for members of the Inatsisartut, Greenland's parliament. There's a sleek new international airport and a modern university specializing in Arctic research. Even the cemeteries are labeled 'old' and 'new.' Greenland's economy has long relied on fishing, propped up by an annual block grant of about $600 million from Denmark, Greenland's former colonial ruler. Although Greenland governs its own domestic affairs, Denmark retains control over its courts, foreign policy and defense. Polls indicate that 84 percent of Greenlanders support independence from Denmark. And parties favoring independence made gains in Greenland's national elections in March. Because Greenland's path to independence runs through economic self-sufficiency, many Greenlanders would welcome increased trade, including closer ties with the U.S. A new economy is emerging, driven by tourism and mineral wealth, but shadowed by fears of cultural loss and environmental cost. Greenland's challenge is to bridge the old and the new — to preserve traditional livelihoods not as relics, but as living parts of a modern, sovereign economy. Sofie Amondsen at Kittat, a museum of Greenlandic clothing in Nuuk (Bethany Williams) In Nuuk, a young woman named Sofie showed us some of the traditional Inuit sealskin clothing she sews and teaches others to make. She sometimes hunts and skins the seals herself. After studying further north, she began working at Kittat, a museum in Nuuk that showcases traditional Greenlandic clothes. As it has for Mamarut, language fluency has expanded Sofie's options. 'For me, because I can speak Danish and a bit English, I've been invited to Nunavut, Alaska and Norway to do sewing workshops,' she told us. For Sofie's mother's generation, wearing traditional sealskin clothing was a sign of poverty. But that stigma is fading. Young people are becoming more curious about the traditional clothes designed for the Arctic climate. With outside interest in Inuit traditions on the rise, Sofie believes the government may finally feel pressure to invest in cultural preservation. 'I'm so excited about this airport,' she said, hoping it will draw more travelers eager to learn about Greenlandic customs and help ensure those traditions endure. We heard the same cautious optimism from Nuuna Papis Chemnitz, who runs Vlaajuk Pottery-Ceramics in Nuuk. Her elegant pottery incorporates salt collected from along Greenland's rugged coastline. The wood building that houses her workshop is nearly 100 years old, built by her husband's grandfather in an era when no outsiders came to Greenland. (Before 1950, Denmark's trade monopoly barred foreign visitors.) Nuuna started pottery as a hobby while working for Greenland Air. As demand grew, she quit the airline job. The morning we visited, a line of customers had greeted her outside the shop. She too credited the airport, and the attention sparked by Trump's comments, with boosting business. Most visitors still arrive from Denmark, but that's changing. In June, United Airlines launched a direct route from Newark — just four hours away. With only 56,000 people spread across a landmass the size of Western Europe, Greenland is the world's largest and emptiest island. To grow its economy, Greenland needs more people — not just tourists but also immigrants. In Ilulissat, famous for its massive icebergs, Rosé Busaco Andersen runs Ilulissat Services, an international staffing agency. Originally from the Philippines, she had never heard of Greenland when first offered a job there. Twelve years later, she is still here, recruiting workers from across the globe to staff local businesses, including at her own restaurants and rentals. Some are helping to build the new international airport in Ilulissat, set to open next April. She now travels abroad to recruit employees, interviewing candidates as far away as Argentina. Most who come, stay — especially Filipinos, Greenland's second-largest immigrant group after Danes. 'Twelve years ago, we were maybe 11 or 12 Filipinos here,' she said. 'Now in Nuuk, I think we are 1,800.' Rosé drove us to the new airport under construction outside Ilulissat where Rasmus, the foreman, explained how critical foreign workers, many recruited by Rosé, who have come to help with the airport's construction. 'I'm a foreign worker too,' he smiled, making air quotes around 'foreign.' 'I'm from Denmark,' he added. 'Our relationship, it's complicated.' Indeed, many Danes still hold top government and business posts in Greenland — a lingering reminder of colonial hierarchy. Some Greenlanders feel Denmark pushed them to modernize too quickly, disrupting traditional life and leaving deep scars. Greenland now has the world's highest suicide rate, especially among youth, which experts link to cultural dislocation. Climate change is another concern. Everyone in Greenland seems to have a story — of warmer winters, of thinning ice, of hunting routes that are no longer safe. The Arctic is reportedly warming almost four times faster than the global average. 'If you want to experience climate change, come here in Ilulissat,' Rosé said. 'You will see. The ice is melting. I never believed climate change before I came in Greenland and witnessed it with my two own eyes. It is real.' On our second day in Ilulissat we encountered a fisherman and hunter named Karl loading his sled and pack of dogs onto his boat for a seal hunt. Later over text message, we asked him whether he had seen any indications of climate change. 'Yes extreme yes,' he responded. He shared that, after 30 years of fishing, what he is seeing now in the melting ice is new. 'We should still [be] out and hunting in [safe] sea ice and a lot of snow, but not today. Too early that ice and snow [is] melting.' Olennguaq Kristensen, a polar bear hunter from the far north of Greenland, with his daughter in Ilulussat. (Bethany Williams) Mamarut's father, Ole Kristensen, echoed the concern. Sea ice arrives later and breaks up earlier, he told us, disrupting rhythms passed down through generations. The worst year was 2023, when his settlement nearly ran out of food. Ole is featured in 'The Color of the Ice,' a documentary film that follows his life as a hunter navigating the shrinking sea ice around Qaanaaq, one of the northernmost towns on Earth. When we met, Ole had just returned from a screening in Taiwan — his first trip abroad — and said some audience members wept as they watched his story. As Greenland's ice retreats, long-inaccessible parts of the island are opening up, exposing new shipping lanes and untapped reserves of oil, gas, and critical minerals. Climate change has turned this once-frozen frontier into a geopolitical prize, drawing interest not just from the U.S. but also from China and other global powers eager to stake claims in the resource-rich Arctic. For Greenland, the melting presents both opportunity and risk — a chance to bolster economic independence, but also a test of how much it's willing to trade for prosperity. When Mamarut told Ole he wanted to go to university instead of becoming a hunter, Ole didn't object. 'It's okay,' he remembered thinking. The sea ice was disappearing. Climate change was already reshaping their lives. Ole's family's path mirrors the broader trajectory of Greenland—a society navigating the dual pressures of political self-determination and climate upheaval. As calls for independence grow louder and warming temperatures upend traditional life, it may be that Greenland keeps its heritage alive precisely by opening itself up to the world. Daniel Allott is former opinion editor at The Hill and author of 'On the Road in Trump's America: A Journey into the Heart of a Divided Country.' Bethany Williams is a communications specialist at international nonprofit and humanitarian organizations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Overnight Ports Are Becoming More Popular On Cruises
Cruise lines often choose to overnight in Northern Norway to help increase the odds guests will see the northern lights. David Nikel Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) recently unveiled its spring and summer 2027 deployment, a sprawling schedule of more than 500 voyages across its fleet of 20 ships. One standout feature? Over 170 overnight port calls in key destinations around the world. That figure reflects a growing shift in cruise travel. Rather than racing between ports on a tightly packed itinerary, more lines are now carving out longer stays in places like Istanbul, Bermuda and Northern Norway. Whether a full overnight port call or a late departure, such timings allow for deeper, more relaxed exploration on a concept previously reserved for world cruises. In an industry that's often accused of favoring quantity over quality, that extra time ashore makes a real difference. Staying overnight in port opens up new possibilities for cruise travelers. You're no longer watching the clock to make it back before the final boarding call. Instead, you can enjoy dinner in town, catch a cultural performance, explore night markets or just linger longer in a café or along a waterfront promenade, soaking up the local atmosphere. Cruise lines are leaning into the trend with curated overnight excursions designed to showcase a destination after dark. Iceland's Reykjavik and Arctic Norway ports like Alta and Tromsø are increasingly scheduled for overnight stays, giving guests the chance to join cultural experiences by day and land-based aurora tours by night. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has announced ports like Reykjavik will be included on overnight stops for some of its 2027 itineraries. NCL Bermuda features prominently among the overnight ports in NCL's newly announced itineraries. The cruise line promises guests 'more opportunities than ever to experience the island's pink sand beaches, historical sites and lush green golf courses' with overnight stays at the Royal Naval Dockyard. Overnights are also popular for special events. On New Year's Eve, ships often remain docked into the early hours to allow guests to enjoy fireworks displays in scenic destinations like Funchal, Madeira. Not All Overnight Ports Are Created Equal But before you start planning a late-night itinerary, check the ship's schedule carefully. 'Overnight' simply means the ship stays in port past midnight and doesn't necessarily mean you'll get two full days ashore. Some ships might arrive at 6 p.m. and depart again by 10 a.m. the next morning. Technically overnight, yes, but with limited daytime hours. Others might dock at 10 a.m. on day one and remain until early evening the next day, offering a far more flexible experience. Pay attention to arrival and departure times. Factor in how much of that time falls outside regular business or sightseeing hours and how far the port is from the main attractions. Can You Leave The Ship At Overnight Ports? In most cases, yes. The gangway typically remains open, allowing guests to come and go at will throughout the night. However, that access is ultimately subject to local port regulations and cruise line policies. Some ports may limit overnight access due to security, tidal conditions, or operational constraints. Some may limit late night access to returning shore excursions, for example. Your cruise line will always make the rules clear in your daily planner or onboard app. Public transport may also shut down early, especially in smaller or more remote ports. Taxis may be scarce late at night. If you're heading out independently, make sure you've got a solid plan to get back. Keep a copy of the ship and port agent contact information, just in case. The Rise Of Late-Night Departures Not every itinerary includes a true overnight, but many now offer late stays. These extended visits, usually departing in the hour or two before midnight, still allow for dinner, sunset tours, or evening strolls, without the ship remaining in port all night. These are ideal when the next scheduled destination is not too far away. For example, a ship in Åndalsnes, Norway, can remain as late as 11pm and still make it to Ålesund for an early morning arrival the following day. Destinations like Dubrovnik, Ibiza, and Santorini are increasingly scheduled this way. It gives travelers a chance to see a different side of these popular places, when the day-trippers have gone and the locals reclaim the streets. For northern lights itineraries, departures may be scheduled for midnight or 2am, allowing visitors the opportunity to join aurora tours. As cruise lines chase more immersive and experience-driven travel, overnight stays are becoming a key part of that strategy. NCL's 2027 deployment includes overnight calls across Europe, the Caribbean, and the North Atlantic, with cities like Copenhagen, Hamburg and Reykjavik leading the list. They're not alone. Other major lines are embracing this model too. Regent Seven Seas announced three new voyages that will overnight in every port on the itinerary, while British lines Ambassador and Fred Olsen often overnight in Alta, Norway, on winter cruises. Are Overnight Ports For You? For travelers, the takeaway is simple: if you're tired of rushed port calls and crowded mid-day excursions, seek out itineraries with overnights or late-night stays. In an era where time feels more precious than ever, there's something special about being able to wander a city after dark, knowing your ship will still be there when the sun comes up. Just be sure to read the fine print. Overnight ports might sound luxurious, but the real value depends on how much usable time you'll actually get. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes How To Plan A Norwegian Fjords Cruise In 2025 By David Nikel Forbes Avoid These 10 Rookie Mistakes On Your First Cruise By David Nikel Forbes How To See The Best Of Trondheim On A Norway Cruise By David Nikel
Forbes
12 hours ago
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Northern Lights: Six Unique Aurora Adventures To Book Now For Winter
The Northern Lights from Abisko, Sweden. Everyone wants to see the aurora borealis. Expedia's Unpack '25 report saw 61% of respondents wanting to see the Northern Lights. The current solar maximum (when the sun is at its most active every 11 years or so) has seen the Northern Lights glimpsed at more southerly latitudes than is possible, but to get a reliable show, you must head to the Arctic Circle, most reliably between September and March. Beyond 2027, displays of the Northern Lights at lower latitudes will wane, but those at higher latitudes where the auroral oval sits almost permanently —including Alaska, northern Canada, Iceland, northern Norway, Sweden and Finland — will continue to host aurora displays. 1. Chase The Aurora With Wil Lots of people think they know about the Northern Lights, having seen them once. A select few can predict them almost down to the minute. One of the latter is Wil Cheung, an experienced aurora chaser from the U.K., who's seen the Northern Lights over 300 times and sends out incredibly accurate daily alerts on Facebook about when to see the aurora. His latest aurora cruise, from Liverpool in the U.K. into the aurora zone around Norway, during which he'll use his ability to interpret real-time solar data to have guests out on deck during the all-important expansion phases. The cruise also includes professional photographers running workshops and lectures from astrophysicists. It will take place between Oct. 16 and 25, coinciding with the peak of the Orionid meteor shower. Aurora tourists taking in the sky show on March 14, 2018 from the aft deck of the Hurtigruten ship ... More the m/s Nordnorge on the journey south, from a location north of Tromso this night This is a single 2-second exposure with the Rokinon 12mm full-frame fish-eye lens and Nikon D750 at ISO 8000. (Photo by: Alan Dyer/VW Pics/UIG via Getty Images) 2. Learn How To Photograph The Aurora The tiny town of Churchill on Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada, is one of the best places to see polar bears in the wild from tundra vehicles. It's also a mecca for aurora-hunters. This Northern Lights Photo Expedition from Natural Habitat Adventures features expert photographer guides, snowshoeing and dog sledding. 3. Ride The Northern Lights Train Between Narvik in Norway's Nordland and Kiruna in Sweden runs the Ofot line, one of the northernmost railway lines in the world. It's there to take iron ore — 100 tons at a time — to the coast for export around the world. However, it's known as The Arctic Train, taking tourists from the fjord in Narvik to Abisko National Park in Sweden. The latter is home to incredible landscapes, Aurora Sky, where you can ride a chairlift in the dark while surrounded by aurora up to a mountain for a gorgeous view over Lake Torneträsk. 4. Take A Journey On An Astronomy Voyage This unique journey on MS Trollfjord up the Norwegian coast from Oslo to Honningsvåg in the far north and back over a leisurely 15 days, with lectures from expert astronomer, Tom Kerss, Hurtigruten's Chief Aurora Chaser. This North Cape Line trip includes multiple stops and endless opportunities to view and photograph the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights appear over Mount Kirkjufell with Kirkjufellfoss waterfall in Iceland. 5. Take An 'Extreme' Aurora Tour Iceland is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights, but finding a clear sky can mean a lot of driving in the dark, often in icy conditions. This "extreme" tour from Reykjavik eschews the typical two-hour tour that has only a small chance of success and extends it to an all-nighter. Lasting up to 10 hours from 5:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., this tour can reach iconic places such as Kirkjufell — Church Mountain — on the Snæfellsnes peninsula in western Iceland, which is too far from Reykjavik to feature on most aurora tours. The driver and guide is also an experienced aurora photographer, who will capture images and share them with guests. As the name suggests, Viking outfits are available for quirky images against the backdrop of the aurora. 6. Hire A Private Aurora Guide If you've seen the Northern Lights raging above you from Alaska or northern Europe, it's natural to want to show your friends and family. Trouble is, if you do take them, you're now in charge of finding them the aurora. Designed to give families and groups the best chance to experience the aurora dancing in Arctic skies, Lights Over Lapland has a four-day adventure in Abisko National Park, Sweden, for up to 12 people, spread over two traditional Swedish homes, accompanied by a highly experienced aurora guide with a 4x4 to get you all to the wilderness when the aurora appears. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
