The 11 Best Evening Aurora Experiences in the World

1.Northern Lights Night Tour from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 1,921 reviews · 3 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $63Our pick

Leave Reykjavik’s city glow behind on a 3 to 5-hour Gray Line Iceland coach tour. Guides explain the science and folklore of the aurora, choose the night’s best viewing area, offer camera tips, and provide a free repeat trip if no lights appear.

“We were originally booked on 9/26/24. The excursion was canceled due to weather conditions. We rescheduled for 9/27/24. This time the trip wasn't canceled even though it was 100% cloud cover. We didn't see the northern lights and we requested a refund...but no one responded to my request.”

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2.Evening Aurora Cruise (dinner optional)

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,570 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $100

Sail from central Tromsø at 8 p.m. with Polar Adventures, searching the fjords and Arctic sea for the Aurora Borealis. Your English-speaking crew, including guides such as Ken, Holly, Thomas, and Hans, helps with camera settings while you warm up with hot chocolate, coffee, cookies, and indoor seating.

“Real 10 out of 10. super friendly guides. The atmosphere was cosy and happy.”

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3.Night Tour in Search of the Aurora with BBQ

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 390 reviews · 4 hours · from $68

You travel from Rovaniemi to three dark Arctic locations with guides such as Daria, stopping for aurora viewing, photos, and a Lapland BBQ. Expect sausages, pastries, cookies, marshmallows, and hot berry juice by the fire, plus hotel pickup and drop-off during this four-hour evening tour.

“We had the most amazing experience and got to see the Aurora Borealis vividly in both spots! Our tour guide Daria was great! She took pictures of everyone with her iPhone and sent them to people individually! She was also very knowledgeable and friendly. A lovely BBQ wity sausages, pastries, cookies and marshmallows were also served around a campfire. I highly recommend this experience!”

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4.Night Reindeer Sledding with Camp Dinner and Chance of Northern Lights

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 165 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $225

Meet up at Tromsø’s bus terminal at 6 p.m. for a short ride to a Sami reindeer camp. Feed the herd, take a 15 to 20-minute sleigh ride, then enjoy dinner in a candlelit gamme with joiking, stories, and Sami culture. Aurora sightings are possible, but never guaranteed.

“We loved it. The Sami were lovely friendly people and the reindeers lovely. Great experience and lots of happy memories”

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5.Northern Lights and Chena Hot Springs Night Tour from Fairbanks

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 115 reviews · 10 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $240

Ride from Fairbanks to Chena Hot Springs with a driver-guide such as Ed, Paul, Jake, or Randy. Visit the Ice Museum, soak in the rock lake pool or indoor pool, and wait for the aurora until about 2 a.m. The group is limited to 12 people.

“We had a wonderful time and our guide was excellent! He was very kind and informative. The springs were very relaxing. You have to take off your shoes in the lobby, so I would suggest bringing flip flops or some type of shower shoes, or else you have to walk from the pool house lobby and through the locker rooms barefoot. The description for this tour says the ice museum is closed until Summer 2024, but it is open. Admission to the ice museum is not included in the price of this tour, and you can buy tickets online before going.”

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6.Yukon: Aurora Borealis Late Night Viewing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 78 reviews · 4h 30m · from $122

Meet at the Sternwheeler Hotel for a 270-minute late-night Aurora Borealis outing. A bilingual English and Spanish guide drives you to a private viewing site with a warm cabin, restrooms, snacks, hot drinks, and photography help.

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7.Arctic Day: Aurora Viewing Tour | late night

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 76 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $125

Leave Whitehorse at 11:20 pm for a four-and-a-half-hour aurora hunt at Arctic Range Adventure’s dark-sky viewing center. Expect hotel pickup, warm cabins, hot drinks, snacks, fireside time, guide support, and possible camera help from staff such as Eli, Akino, Kei, or Jessica.

“It's awesome but all dependent on the weather so pick the evening carefully. We were very fortunate to see what we had seen. The photos were taken by the guides so have many taken and pick that perfect photo which is well worth buying. Tripods were available for time lapse photography to capture the light so bring a real camera if you have one. :earn to take time lapse photos before going. It's very very cold out so make sure you dress for it. Many thanks to Pascal for taking that perfect photo of us.”

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8.Northern Lights Night Adventure By Snowmobile

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 58 reviews · 4 hours · from $278

Ride from Alta into the Beskardes mountains along the old postal road. You will learn to drive a snowmobile, share it with a passenger, and stop in the dark Arctic wilderness for coffee, snacks, and possible northern lights. Guides such as Roger and John are praised for patient instruction and warm care.

“Had never been on a snowmobile before, but the guide was very patient and checked regularly that I was OK. It was a brilliant experience, especially at night with the snow falling. We stopped off for a short break by a fire and it was magical. Highly recommend the whole experience.”

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9.Night Snowshoeing Adventure under the Northern Lights

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 50 reviews · 3 hours · from $123

Join a professional English-speaking guide for three hours of night snowshoeing near Rovaniemi. Walk through forests, across frozen waterways, or toward a hilltop, then warm up with hot drinks and a Finnish campfire snack. Guide Jordi has led especially personal tours for very small groups.

“Belle activité. Ciel magnifique. Guide génial. Bémol, l'activité raquette est un peu courte et assez simple : balade dans une forêt à peine 1h. Le temps de trajet vers le lieu d'activité est de 35'. Le temps de trajet est plus long que l'activité. Le réconfort près du feu est intéressant mais se fait à la fin dans un yourth sur le parking...”

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11.Aurora Optimum: Best 3-Night Forecast

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 4 hours · from $209

Let Robin and his guide network choose the strongest night and start time for your aurora chase in Innlandet. Travel by minibus to darker skies, warm up with hot chocolate, and receive free unedited photos. The four-hour tour welcomes up to 15 people and may include Burger, the aurora-sniffing dog.

““It was a very nice chill evening, Robin was a good Tour Guide, the predictions where not so good but he took us to an amazing spot and we see some Aurora dancing! Happy for the pics he took of us! We also warm up with some good hot chocolate his wife made! Very nice evening!””

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