Aurora borealis, often referred as Polar lights or Northern lights is a natural light display in the sky seen in the high latitude regions around the Arctic.

To fully appreciate the glory and grandeur of this celestial display,  you have to settle beneath the ever-changing lights and watch them curve and curl, slither and flicker.

If you’re planning an aurora-viewing trip, make sure not to schedule it in the middle of summer. You need darkness to see the northern lights, and places in the auroral zone have precious little of it during the summer months.

You also want clear skies. Winter and springtime are generally less cloudy than autumn in and around the northern auroral zone, so a trip between December and April makes sense.

Dress warmly, plan to watch the sky between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, although an active period can occur anytime during the dark hours. Active periods are typically about 30 minutes long, and occur every two hours, if the activity is high. The aurora is a sporadic phenomenon, occurring randomly for short periods or perhaps not at all. You can have an aurora experience without even leaving your room or cottage if you so choose.

Consider downloading an aurora tracking app, like My Aurora Forecast & Alerts, to receive notifications on your phone for active periods.

Wintertime in Syöte area is a wonderful time to visit, and the snow covered trees make the hilltop a dreamy place. It’s definitely worth visiting, with or without the Auroras – take them as a special bonus if they appear!

Aurora forecast

Northern light safari

Embark on a magical nighttime snowmobile safari offering a truly magical experience as you ride beneath twinkling stars, across majestic fells, and through enchanting snowy forests. Along the way, we’ll stop to marvel at the starlit sky and enjoy a cozy coffee break by an open campfire. And if you’re lucky, you might even witness the breathtaking Northern Lights!

• Included: Snowmobile safari, coffee and buns, safari outfit
• Duration: approx. 2,5 hours
• Price: 135 € / person when 2 persons/snowmobile or 180 € / person when 1 person/snowmobile

Northern light safaris are part of Hotel Iso-Syöte’s winter-season weekly programme on Tuesdays and / or Wednesdays.