Seeing the Aurora Borealis isn't just luck — it's planning, patience, and picking the right place at the right time.
These expert tips will help you choose locations under the auroral oval, read the weather like a pro, and stay warm enough to wait out the quiet stretches.
Set your expectations, dial in your camera, and give yourself multiple nights — and you'll give yourself the best possible shot at a sky that suddenly comes alive.
Choose Locations Under the Auroral Oval
The first time I saw the northern lights was outside Tromsø, Norway, after traveling from Mexico City to Oslo and then to Tromsø, renting a car, and following the clear skies for three nights.
It seemed as though the sky was breathing — gentle, green and purple waves that ebbed and flowed before erupting into a riotous, full, glowing crown.
The motion was the biggest surprise; it shifts quickly, and you cannot look away.
For a first attempt, visit sites under the auroral oval, such as Northern Norway, Lapland, Iceland, or Alaska, plan on staying three to five nights between late September and late March, pick dark locations away from city lights, and monitor the short-term forecasts from NOAA and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
The cloud cover is more significant than the date, and a bright moon can wash things out.
Wear really warm clothing so that you can stand still, carry hand warmers and a hot drink, and perhaps book a local guided chase if roads are icy.
For photos, experiment with f/2.8, ISO 1600-3200, and an exposure of between 5 and 8 seconds long; tweak as needed based on how quickly the lights are moving.
Alex Veka, Founder, Vibe Adventures
Prioritize Weather Over Northern Map Placement
I travel often for retreats and writing, and I plan a few trips each year around natural phenomena that reset my head and heart.
The northern lights were at the top of that list.
I chose Abisko in Swedish Lapland because its valley creates a pocket of clear skies. I stayed three nights in March, napped after dinner, then joined a small group that drove into the national park.
The first hint looked like a pale cloud that would not hold still. Then the sky opened and moved like slow water.
Everyone went quiet together. It felt less like watching a show and more like the landscape was breathing around us. I slept better that night than I had in weeks.
My advice for a first-time trip is to go where weather wins, not just far north on the map. Abisko, the islands around Tromsø, and Finnish Lapland all have good odds, but cloud cover beats the forecast.
- Book at least three nights so luck has time to find you.
- Get twenty minutes from town lights and let your eyes adjust.
- Use an alert app with your phone dimmed, dress as if you will stand still for hours, and bring a thermos.
- Set your camera before you head out, take a few frames, then put it away and look up.
Most of all, go for the place as much as the lights. When they appear, you will feel it in your body first. When they do not, the quiet and the snow still make the trip worth it.
Lachlan Brown, Co-founder, The Considered Man
Invest in Heated Shelter for Comfort
I haven't seen the Aurora Borealis myself, but I've set up canvas tents for clients in some of the best viewing locations across North America–including Denali National Park in Alaska and parts of northern Canada.
What they consistently tell me is that the experience is worth every uncomfortable moment of standing in sub-zero temps.
One glamping operator we worked with in Yellowknife runs winter aurora camps, and he shared that his guests who see it describe feeling small but connected to something massive.
He said the photos never capture the movement–it's like watching living curtains of light dance across the entire sky. His booking data shows March has the highest success rates because you get longer darkness windows as winter transitions.
My practical advice: don't cheap out on your shelter situation. I've had clients try to aurora-watch from regular camping tents in -20°F and they lasted maybe 20 minutes before retreating.
Invest in a heated canvas tent or yurt setup where you can stay warm between viewing sessions–some operators even cut clear vinyl windows in the roof so you can watch from inside.
The aurora doesn't perform on your schedule, so comfort determines whether you'll actually stay out long enough to see it.
Caitlyn Stout, Owner, Stout Tent
Book a Group Tour with Local Guides
I went to see the Aurora Borealis in Tromsø, Norway, and I couldn't have been more satisfied with my trip!
I didn't want to risk missing out, so I booked a group tour with local guides. I saw the lights 4 out of the 5 nights I went looking.
My biggest surprise about seeing the lights was that they are not very visible to the naked eye; the best way we saw them was through our devices (cameras and phones).
So, I would highly advise setting your cameras up with the correct settings (a high ISO, somewhere between 1600-3200) if possible on your device.
If you're going with a guide, they can often show you how to do this!
Michelle O'Donnell, Travel writer, BritAdventures.com
Manage Your Color Expectations Before You Go
I saw the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) for the first time in person in March of 2023.
My experience was quite different from the pictures I had seen, as they were far too vivid and too green.
For me, it looked more like a large, quiet, pale green veil or curtain gently swaying back and forth hundreds of kilometers high in the sky.
The color was somewhat muted, almost transparent, and it moved in massive waves to fill an entire sky with life.
I was simply standing still while feeling incredibly small, and what seemed to be the vast silence of the night sky gave the entire event a sense of intimacy.
To get that view, I traveled all the way from Sydney, Australia to Tromsø, Norway, which is deep inside the Arctic Circle.
The journey was a long and expensive one, requiring three separate flights, but I knew I had to go that far to ensure the right conditions.
Once in Tromsø, I had to join a local tour that drove us some 95 kilometers inland into a very dark fjord away from the street lights of the town.
We waited outside for nearly four hours in the minus 10 degrees Celsius before the light show began at about midnight.
I would advise every person who hopes to witness this phenomenon to manage their color expectations.
The images of green that you have seen on the internet will be much different from how your eye perceives light.
It is the subtle movement that provides the true visual experience, and as such, it is essential to remove yourself from all artificial lighting sources.
Steven Bahbah, Managing Director, Service First Plumbing
Prepare and Be Patient for the Display
Last year, I visited Fairbanks, Alaska for the very first time just to see the Aurora Borealis.
Getting there required careful planning as you must travel in the dark winter months when visibility is at its best.
My journey involved flying from the lower forty-eight states into Anchorage and then another domestic flight north to Fairbanks.
Seeing the aurora in person is a truly surreal and humbling experience as nothing like it can be depicted in any photograph or video.
It does not seem at all like watching a light show because the colors flow with an organic fluidity across the immense dark canvas of the sky.
The first display was a faint glow of green light, but soon the intensity of the glow increased to shimmering curtains of green and sometimes pink light dancing silently overhead.
This raw power of nature is a reminder of just how much of the world there is outside of the boardroom and the marketing campaign.
My advice for first-time viewers is to prepare and be patient because the display is never guaranteed.
You must get away from bright city lights and research reliable local tour operators or lodging outside of town centers.
On top of this, dress in seriously warm layers because you will be standing outside in subzero temperatures for at least several hours as you wait for the show to start.
Jason Vaught, Director of Content & Marketing, SmashBrand
Northern Lights, Done Right
Give yourself multiple nights, pick a place with a track record of clear skies, and build comfort into your plan so you can stay out when it counts.
Trust the weather more than the hype, and let your expectations soften — the magic is often in the motion, not the neon color.
When the sky finally breathes and the horizon starts to move, you'll be ready.