5 Aurora Sailing Trips in the World to Build a Night Around

1.Northern Lights Yacht Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,253 reviews · 2 hours · from $93Our pick

Sail from Reykjavík’s Old Harbor into Faxaflói Bay for two hours of aurora watching. Your English-speaking guide points out the lights, stars, and photo settings, while three decks, blankets, Wi-Fi, and a full bar help you stay comfortable. Hotel pickup is optional.

“Was an incredible evening seeing the Northern Lights whilst in the sea. Could see the Northern lights within 5 minutes of sailing. Initially not to dissimilar to seeing them in the UK (faint green) however after about 30 minutes then lights came alive and illuminated the sky. Dancing across they looked incredible, even seeing a meteor during the spectacle. Reduced my mother to tears! Incredible evening experienced by the whole family.”

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2.Aurora Dinner Cruise by Hybrid-Electric Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 727 reviews · 3 hours · from $198

Settle into a heated, panoramic catamaran for a three-hour evening around Tromsø. You’ll enjoy a three-course Arctic meal, hear local stories in English, and step outside when the sky clears. Seafood is central, with a vegetarian option available if requested at least 24 hours ahead.

“The crew was great and very supportive. They informed us as soon as they noticed some activities in the sky and helped with the camera settings when needed, so that we could see the lights on the way back to Tromsø. One thing, some of the guests were really annoying as they focused on drinking and became louder and louder. Therefore, it was hard to understand eachother or the crew‘s instructuctions or announcements. Nevertheless, great experience !”

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3.Northern Lights Yacht Cruise in Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 428 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $94

Sail from Reykjavik’s Old Harbour into Faxaflói Bay for about two hours of aurora watching. You’ll have heated indoor seating, a viewing deck, Wi-Fi, a bar, and guides such as Isabella helping with sky updates and photography. Wildlife sightings are possible, but the northern lights are never guaranteed.

“While we didn’t see the northern lights on this trip, the crew were fantastic, pointing out constellations etc When we left they told us too come back as we hadn’t seen the lights … Fast forward 2 years and I emailed asking if the offer still applied. They replied quickly and we were able to go while on a return visit. We saw an amazing display and again the crew were fantastic.”

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4.Luxury Northern Lights Yacht Cruise with Hot Tub from Tromsø

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 139 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $344Top rated

Join Captain Kenneth and Sachi aboard Stella Oceana for a four-hour evening cruise from Tromsø. Search for the aurora, warm up with reindeer soup and hot drinks, and enjoy scheduled hot-tub time at sea. The yacht holds no more than 12 people and returns to the same dock.

“Beautifully curated and luxurious experience! Big icebreaker yacht and plenty of space and time to relax , eat, enjoy the sky and the hot tub!”

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5.Northern Lights Motor Yacht Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 133 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $99

Sail from Reykjavík Old Harbor into Faxaflói Bay on the MY Harpa or MY Amelia Rose. Your guide watches the sky for the Aurora Borealis while you enjoy views of Harpa, Sun Voyager, Höfði, and Viðey. Inside seating, Wi-Fi, blankets, and hot drinks make the wait comfortable.

“Great trip, the guides were great and gave great commentary throughout, my only minor point was the meeting point was a bit of a mess in that the map location didn’t say go into a an office so I was wandering around for a while looking where to go but other than that great trip and we were blessed with a great northen lights show !”

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