Winter Activities Under the Northern Lights: the 13 Best Nights Out

1.Tromso Aurora Hunt with Bonfire, Soup, Winter Gear & Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,290 reviews · 5 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $226Our pick

Meet near Scandic Ishavhotel in central Tromsø for a 5 to 8 hour Aurora chase. Guides such as Anna, Magda, Bart, Jordan, and Isaac use weather reports to choose viewing spots, sometimes driving toward Finland. Thermal suits, boots, soup, bonfire, hot drinks, photography tips, souvenir photos, and selected hotel drop-offs are included.

“Even though we didn’t see the Northern Lights, the crew was amazing and really tried to find a opening in the clouds. Made sure we were warm and well fed in the cold weather. Sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate by bringing clouds and snow, but It’s all part of the “chase”. Regardless, we had a blast. Highly recommend. Love the mini-bus. Comfortable and more importantly, easy to enter and exit quickly.”

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2.Alaska Railroad Aurora Winter Anchorage to Fairbanks One Way

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 57 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $259

Travel from Anchorage to Fairbanks aboard Alaska Railroad, leaving at 8:30 am and arriving around 8:00 pm. Expect snowy backcountry views, possible moose sightings, Denali and Alaska Range scenery, onboard commentary, reserved seating, and optional dining. Andy and Laura have provided especially warm, informative commentary on some departures.

“What a wonderful experience. Nice staff that narrated the entire trip (knowledgeable local info, plus wildlife spotting and alerting passengers where to look). Great food and service in the dining car; snacks available the entire trip. No worry travel with the granddaughter who loved the train.”

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3.Alaska Railroad Aurora Winter Fairbanks to Anchorage One Way

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 38 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $259

Spend about 12 hours on the Alaska Railroad from Fairbanks to Anchorage, with reserved seating, baggage service, large picture windows, and optional dining. You will pass Healy Canyon, Broad Pass, Hurricane Gulch, the Susitna River, and the Chugach Mountains. Conductor Vern may add entertaining commentary along the way.

“Our train trip was amazing! Breathtaking views, comfortable seating, and great food. Our conductor “Vern” added so much fun and information to our trip!”

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4.Yellowknife Winter 5 Days 4 Nights: Aurora and Day Activities

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $960

Spend five winter days in Yellowknife with three planned aurora outings, ice fishing with a fish-fry lunch, snowmobiling, dog sledding, and a short city tour. Guides such as Leon, Mimi, Mo, and Peter may be part of your team. Airport transfers and select winter clothing are included, but hotels and most meals are not.

“This was a really fun and diverse trip. We saw the Aurora all 3 nights. We went to the cabin to watch the first night. The second and third night we watched from the lodge and the popular Ice Road. Hot chocolate and snacks were served each night. The tour guides took pictures for us all. The guides were professional, knowledgeable and very friendly and helpful. In addition to the Aurora viewing late at night, we did dog sled, snow mobile, ice fishing and the city tour. Having the provided mits, boots, pants and parka was great. Shout out to Leon, Mimi, Mo, and Peter. Thanks for a memorable trip…”

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5.Northern Lights Hunting Snowshoe Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 26 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $111

Join an English-speaking guide for a 2.5-hour night snowshoe walk from Saariselkä. You’ll receive winter clothing and snowshoes, learn to move through deep snow, search the sky for auroras, and stop for hot drinks. Guide Teemo has helped participants spot animal tracks and prepare hot chocolate in the forest.

“It was an exciting experience. Unfortunately because of clouds we couldn't see the northern lights, nevertheless the tour was absolutely great.”

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6.Winter Whale Watching and Northern Lights Cruise from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 24 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $198

Spend about three hours looking for whales from Reykjavik, then return for a two-hour evening cruise in search of the aurora. Elding provides warm overalls, blankets, live English commentary, wildlife exhibition access, and a sighting guarantee. Pickups cost extra, and bad weather can change the plan.

“We set off on 3hr whale watching trip and we managed to spot a whale not far from the harbour. We spent about an hour watching the whale dive and surface and it was fantastic to experience the sighting in the whale’s nature environment. unfortunately the northern lights evening excursion was cancelled due to bad weather. Highly recommend this operator for a whale watching excursion ❤️”

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7.Snowshoe Trek with Aurora Hunt and Warm Beverage

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 20 reviews · 3 hours · from $143

Meet Kiruna Guidetur near Scandic Hotel and set out with an English-speaking guide such as Jonna, Ronja, Kevin, or Carsten. You’ll receive insulated overalls, boots, snowshoes, and poles before walking through the snowy forest to view the stars and hunt for the Aurora. A warm drink and sandwich break are included.

“Carsten é una guida eccezionale. Ci ha aiutato con le ciaspole e a scegliere le scarpe piú calde. Dopo poco che ciaspolavamo abbiamo visto le prime luci, ci siamo fermati ad accendere un fuoco per scaldarci e ammirare le luci mentre lui ci prepararava le bevande calde e dei panini al formaggio. Abbiamo chiacchierato tanto e ammirato una notte nella foresta bellissima.”

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8.Aurora Snowshoe Hike

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · 4 hours · from $183

Meet your guide at Clarion Hotel The Edge and ride 30 minutes to Ersfjordbotn for a three-hour evening snowshoe hike. You’ll use supplied snowshoes and poles, pause for a snack and hot drink, and look for the aurora with an English or Norwegian-speaking guide. Guides including Truls, Eirik, and Fabian have helped make this a personal, photo-friendly outing.

“This snowshoe hike for the Northern Lights was truly one of the most special experiences of my trip. The group was small and intimate, which made the evening feel peaceful, personal, and immersive rather than rushed or touristy. Although dark outside, the hike itself was beautiful and serene, moving through quiet landscapes that felt untouched and magical under the night sky. Our guide was knowledgeable and shared fascinating bits of local history and insight about the area along the way, which added so much depth to the experience and made it even more meaningful. Seeing the Northern Lights in such a calm, natural setting was unforgettable. Everything felt thoughtfully paced,…”

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9.Rovaniemi Winter Activities & Northern Lights!

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 7 reviews · 1 day · from $45Best value

Spend a winter day at Northern Lights Park, 30 minutes from Rovaniemi, with reindeer feeding, kick-sleds, snowshoes, toboggans, tepees, and access to icy Palojärvi Lake. Hosts Mer and Anti create a calm, family-run setting. Northern lights are possible from 18:00 to 24:00, but never guaranteed.

“A beautiful place, very nice and friendly staff, we had a great time there. Definitely recommend!”

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10.Sälen: Northern Lights Snowshoe Adventure with Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 5 reviews · 3 hours · from $165

Meet a local English- or Swedish-speaking guide, ride from your Sälen hotel to the foot of Köarskärsfjället, then snowshoe through quiet winter country. Guides such as Andreas and Johanna add regional insight and photography help. You’ll get hot drinks, a Swedish wrap, and time by a fire, but aurora sightings depend on weather.

“Hyggelig tur med mulighed for at se nordlys. Husk at moder natur ikke kan udstikke en garanti for at man kan se det. Det er KOLDT, så klæd dig godt på. Vores guide, Johanna, var enormt god, og da hun er fotograf til hverdag, kunne hun også hjælpe lidt med fotografering. Vi fik ikke rigtigt set nordlyset, men det er ikke hverken guiden eller selskabets skyld. Det er et sats man må tage. Det var rigtigt hyggeligt omkring bålet med varm kakao, kanelbullar og ristede skumfiduser.”

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11.Lake Mývatn & Northern Lights – Winter Special

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 2 days · from $350

Spend two days exploring North Iceland with a small group of up to 18 people. Guide Sigi, also called Ziggie, leads you to Goðafoss, Lake Mývatn, Grjótagjá, Hverarönd, Dimmuborgir, and Skútustaðagígar, then takes you outside Akureyri to search for the Northern Lights. An EasyJet airport shuttle is included.

“This included transfer to and from the airport, northern lights and lake Myvatn. Ziggie was our guide/driver for all and he was fantastic. We had a great time on both trips and would definitely recommend”

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12.Northern Lights Snowshoe Hike in Levi with Latvian Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 3 hours · from $116

Leave Levi’s lights behind for a relaxed three-hour snowshoe walk with an English or Latvian-speaking guide. Mikus has provided hot tea, brownies, homemade honey, and Northern Lights photos on past outings. Snowshoes, headlamps, snacks, and Lapland nature stories are included.

“We had a great time in the woods at a freezing night out to search for the northern lights (which luckily appeared on a starry night sky with an almost full moon) with Mikus who is a fantastic guide and brought hot tea and brownies with selfmade honey! He also did great photographs of us once the lights where out.”

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13.Northern Lights Electric Snow-Scooter Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $158

Travel from Rovaniemi in a small group of up to eight, change into thermal gear, then ride an electric Reindeer through snowy forest to an Aurora cabin. You’ll meet reindeer, enjoy hot glögi and Finnish treats, and seek the northern lights with an English-speaking local guide. Riders under 15 travel in a sleigh.

“Great experience! Very very good guidance and service. Thank you so much.”

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