The Arctic

The Sami are Norway’s indigenous people. They have lived at one with nature and developed their Sami culture since the first people came to the Arctic areas of Norway over 11,000 years ago. You can learn about their way of life in the Sami theme park in Finnmark.

Arctic Norway is the kingdom of light. In the summer, the sun never sets. It is a surreal feeling, walking around the spectacular countryside in sunlight at three in the morning. The mountains form a magical backdrop against a sky that lights up with spectacular colours.

And as the seasons change, the sun disappears permanently for the winter. The climate shifts between harmony and wildness, and the magical northern lights dance across the sky. There are many places and ways to expereince the Northern Lights, choose for example a Northern Light Cruise.

You feel alive when standing behind 12 eager Greenland dogs or sitting on a snow scooter packed with horsepower, ploughing through ice and snow. You can experience the exciting side of the Arctic fauna on a king crab safari, where you get to see and taste the enormous crabs.

Furthest north lies the North Cape. As you stand here gazing northwards, all that separates you from the North Pole is the archipelago of Svalbard. You get a tiny sense of having conquered something when you stand at the end of Europe and feel the wind from the North Pole in your face.

The northern lights

Watch nature's own theatre unfold above you as the most spectacular light installation takes the stage: The northern lights with you in the front row.

When to see the northern lights

Seeing the northern lights, or the aurora borealis as they are also known as, is a jaw-dropping and mystical moment.
The lights are at their most frequent in late autumn and winter/early spring.

In the time span between autumn equinox and spring equinox (21 September - 21 March), it is dark the whole time between 6 pm and 1 am, and you have maximum chances of spotting the lights. However, the weather is also of importance, and September, October and November tend to be wet and snowless in the north.

From December the weather dries up, and there is normally plenty of snow. If you come in December or January, you experience the polar nights with atmospheric evenings and very short days.

In February and March the days are longer and you see more of the snow-clad landscapes during daytime, and the evenings still offer maximum northern lights chances.

No guarantee can be given, though. Some weeks, you are lavished with fantastic displays, repeated several times during the whole evening. Other times, it snows densely, or the northern lights simply stay away. Naturally, the longer you stay and the more time you set aside, the bigger the chances.

Where to see the northern lights

In order to get full value from the show you should avoid the full moon and places with a lot of light as they make the experience considerably paler. Also remember to wrap up warmly.

Theoretically, you can see the northern lights all over Norway. However, the best places are above the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway.

The northern lights belt hits Northern Norway at Lofoten, and follows the coast all the way up to the North Cape. This means that no other place on earth stands better chances of spotting the lights, and one location in this area might be as good as another. In fact, one often observes the same northern lights in Lofoten as in Tromsø, just from a different angle. The driest weather, giving clear skies, is found inland, providing the statistically best chances, but with strong eastern winds, the coast can be clearer than inland areas.

Aurora is a tricky lady, you never know when she bothers to turn up. This diva keeps you waiting... So whenever you are above the Arctic Circle, make sure you set aside the whole evening. Northern lights worshippers do everything from a long cross-country trek to building snowmen in order to keep warm and entertained while outside.

Land Of The Midnight Sun

Once arrived, the sun never sets. Capture this magnificent experience on a midnight sun cruise or safari before the darkness of winter arrives. 

About the midnight sun

The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon which means that the sun does not set during the summer months. In other words, given fair weather, you can see the sun for a continuous 24 hours.
The duration of the midnight sun depends on how far north you are. At the Arctic Circle in the county of Nordland, you can see the midnight sun from 12 June to 1 July, at the North Cape in Finnmark you can see the sun from 14 May to 29 July, and at the North Pole the sun does not set for six months.

Approximate dates when you can see the midnight sun 

Where:		When:
The Arctic Circle		12 June - 1 July
Bodø		4 June - 8 July
Svolvær		28 May - 14 July
Harstad		25 May - 18 July
Bardufoss		23 May - 19 July
Andenes		22 May - 21 July
Tromsø		20 May - 22 July
Bossekopp		19 May - 24 July
Vardø		17 May - 26 July
Hammerfest		16 May - 27 July
Berlevåg		15 May - 28 July
The North Cape		14 May - 29 July
Longyearbyen (Svalbard)		20 April - 22 August