IMAGE: AWL IMAGES


WINTER EXPERIENCES


The Northern Lights over Finnish Lapland,


which commonly witness this spectacle between December and March


UNIQUE AUROR A- S P OT T ING


1 FLOAT ON AN ARCTIC LAKE Just outside Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland,


visitors submerge themselves in an icy-cold lake, floating on their backs and gazing up as the green trails of the Northern Lights swirl through the heavens. These are waters of hypothermic frigidity, but tour company Safartica provides red rescue suits to wear for the occasion. These ensure aurora-viewers stay safe, toasty and buoyant throughout the three-hour sessions, calmed to contentment by the glugging of the lake water around them. From €99 (£87) per person. safartica.com


2 ENJOY QUIET ISLANDS The Faroe Islands are set at a latitude where


the Northern Lights spark intermittently but winter visitors are a rarity. Regent Holidays has a five-day winter fly-drive tour of this Danish territory, offering some wonderful backdrops for potential aurora-spotting — among them the sea cliffs at Vágar, the straits of the Northern Islands and the capital of Tórshavn, where most stay. Five days from £1,150 per person. regent-holidays.co.uk


3 RELAX IN A BUBBLE DOME Almost anywhere else in the world, staying in a


‘bubble hotel’ would be a gross infringement of your privacy — but guests in these transparent shelters in the backcountry of Iceland suffer few intrusions. You can lie in bed looking out over Narnia-esque forests and deep snowdrifts, enjoying the almost-Caribbean temperatures inside while it freezes outside. When they appear, you have clear views of the Northern Lights too. Stays are available as part of an overnight tour, taking in the Golden Circle or the waterfalls and black-sand beaches of the South Coast. Tour and accommodation from 149,800 ISK (£858) for two people. buubble.com


166 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL


4 HEAD TO A DARK SKY PARK On rare occasions, the aurora makes a


southward foray to the British Isles. To give yourself one of the best chances of catching sight of it, head to Northumberland National Park — the largest Gold-Tier International Dark Sky Park in Europe — where green and red wisps have been photographed above Hadrian’s Wall. The Kielder Observatory runs Aurora Nights throughout winter; seeing the Northern Lights is far from guaranteed, but visitors are given a fascinating presentation on the science and folklore behind the phenomenon. £26 per person. kielderobservatory.org


5 GO WILD IN A MOBILE CABIN The mobile cabins of Lake Inari in northern


Lapland are a bold innovation for aurora seekers. The lovechild of a greenhouse and a caravan, they are towed by snowmobile onto the frozen surface of Finland’s third-largest lake, then the cabins and their occupants are left alone for the night. Inside you’ll find a double bed, a chemical loo and not much else — the focus, of course, being on the celestial drama above you. Sleepless hours are spent under the duvet patiently awaiting an emerald glimmer above before morning comes, along with a snowmobile to tow you back to terra firma. From €450 (£394) per night. lakeinari.com


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