Experience a unique northern light safari
We offer both sled rides during the day, at night , with or without sleepover or a pure feeding of the reindeers tour either during the day or night with the chance to see the northern lights.
After sledding through the snow we arrive back at the camp where we will adjust the program depending on the northern lights activity, this to ensure that you get the most of this unique experience.
What are the northern lights?
The northern lights are shapes of light that can be seen in the night sky close to both poles of the earth in some areas called Polar circles.
How does the Northern Light appear?
They originate when the sun ejects some clouds of gas in what we call “coronal mass ejection”. When these clouds of gas travel towards the earth and reach it (taking between 2-3 days) their particles enter in contact with the gas in our atmosphere and react creating the light we see.
Usually, the northern lights shine in green, but they could also be white-ish, purple, or most rarely, red, and blue.
The northern lights are very hard if not impossible to predict, how come?
There are many factors needed for the northern lights to happen. Some factors depend on the sun and those can be predicted 2-3 days in advance. But most of them happen here on our planet, and those are constantly changing, such as the magnetic fields on earth, which can decide how far south the aurora borealis can be seen, if they will be strong or weak in color, etc.
Since the sun is not constantly sending an homogeneous stream of particles, we never know how long the spectacle will last or when it will start… Basically we can just know if there is a good chance of having strong auroras or how far south they will be seen (KP index).
Up here in Tromsø, we are very lucky because no matter the KP index, we will always have the chance to see the northern lights when they happen. But now there is (probably) the most important factor we need to check to see the northern lights: Clouds.
Northern Scandinavia tends to be quite cloudy, but do not lose your hope! Because the weather changes quite a lot, especially here on the coast. Also not all kinds of clouds are the same (there is something called high clouds, which tend to be very transparent) and if you have a small gap in the sky, you might already be lucky enough!
The strength of the Northern light
Sometimes the northern lights are so strong that you can see the green glow through the clouds, it is quite amazing to be fair.
So do not lose your hope if your forecast seems cloudy, this is pretty usual and most nights, several groups get to enjoy this night show.
Factors enhancing your chance to see the unique northern light
Now I would like to mention some other factors that go the extra mile to make this experience the best one ever:
- Not having light pollution from cities, towns, etc.
- Having amazing arctic scenery around you to get the best pictures ever.
This is why we started doing our evening tours where, if lucky, you will get surprised by the beautiful dance of lights that lady aurora has to offer while feeding our reindeer herd, or sledding out in the valley through the tundra forests and on the open plains, even staying overnight in one of our lavvos and staying up late in one of our bonfires while you glance up to the sky and make the time stop.
Sign up for a unique northern light safari
Bring your family, friends, work or whoever you like and come join us and the reindeers! We are looking forward to welcoming you.
