The Best Places to See the Northern Lights in January
Oymyakon, Russia
Searching for the Northern Lights in January means getting cold, so why not go for broke and see them from the world’s coldest inhabited place? This seven-day tour from Yakutsk in eastern Siberia to Oymyakon at 63° N includes dog sledding and a trip to the UNESCO-recognized Lena Pillars Nature Park. Oymyakon is at its coldest in January at around -36.4 °F.
Troms?, Norway
Troms? is above the Arctic Circle at 69° N, so experiences the Polar Night from the end of November to the end of January. Head there for the Polar Night Halfmarathon on January 6, 2018, an event that last year attracted 1,700 people.
Ilulissat, Greenland
Forget Times Square this New Year and instead welcome 2018 with nature’s own fireworks display at 69° N in Greenland, an autonomous country within Denmark. You'll get to celebrate twice; Danish New Year is four hours beforehand, so festivities commence at 8 p.m. and midnight. Will the aurora dance twice to ring in 2018?
Fairbanks, Alaska
As luck would have it, Alaska will see a Total Lunar Eclipse on January 31, 2018. The moon will go pink or even blood-red between 3:51 a.m. and 4:29 a.m. local time as it passes completely through the Earth's dark shadow. Your challenge: photograph an eclipsed moon surrounded by Northern Lights.
Hammerfest, Norway
If you want to get well into the Arctic Circle to experience the Polar Night, there's only one place to go. Known as the northernmost town in the World, Hammerfest lies at 70° N and from late November to late January experiences almost 24 hours of darkness. Cue the constant possibility of Northern Lights.
Reykjavík, Iceland
At 64° N and easy to get to, Iceland's small, sophisticated capital city is the perfect destination for anyone who wants a glimpse of the Northern Lights, but doesn't want to travel to remote locations. The Dark Music Days festival of contemporary and new music, held from January 25-27, 2018, takes place at the city's Harpa concert hall.
Levi, Finland
Finland's largest and most popular ski resort provides a great reason to come to almost 68° N, beyond the Arctic Circle. The most reliable month for both snow and Northern Lights, organized activities in the resort town in January include nightly snowmobile safaris, snowshoeing trip to K?tk?tunturi fell, and a private dinner in a cottage equipped with a camera and tripod in case the aurora arrive.
Kiruna, Sweden
The northernmost town in Sweden, Kiruna in Lapland is at 68° N, and ideally placed for exploring local Sámi culture and the remote Abisko National Park. To celebrate the rend of the Polar Night, Kiruna will hold its annual Sn?festivalen (including snow-sculptures and kid’s playgrounds built with snow). The main festival day takes place on Saturday, January 27, 2018.
Murmansk, Russia
Russia doesn't get much attention as a Northern Lights destination, but Murmansk at 69° N in the country's northwest is as well placed as anywhere in Scandinavia. Nearby Kola Peninsula is a good place to hunt for the Northern Lights, and from December 24-January 5, 2018 the city itself is opening a 'Snow Village' installation––a town built entirely of snow and ice (including an ice bar).
And?y, Norway
The Arctic may be the HQ for aurora, but by day it’s also famous for whale watching. Male Sperm whales gather to feed off And?y all year round, but January sees the arrival of Orcas (killer whales), Humpback whales, and Fin whales.
Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Iceland
It's not just reliable Northern Lights and relatively warm temperatures that bring tourists to Iceland in January. It's also Ora (killer whale) watching season here, and they can be seen from land on the western Snaefellsnes Peninsula at at 64° N. Responsible Travel is holding a photo tour here starting January 31, 2018.
Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
This archipelago in the North Sea doesn't often get a mention as a Northern Lights destination, but at 62° N (it’s about halfway between Scotland and Iceland) it gets plenty of aurora action. If you need another excuse to visit this “jewel of the Atlantic,” its tiny, charming capital city Tórshavn holds a Winter Jazz Festival from January 25–28, 2018.
Skógafoss, Iceland
How about a moon-bow with your Northern Lights? Although devilishly hard to predict, the spray from south-facing Skógafoss waterfall in southern Iceland (in prime aurora-viewing territory) often produces a moon-bow on or near full moon. It’s like a rainbow, but produced by the light from the moon rather than the sun.
Kirkenes, Norway
Seeing the Northern Lights is easy; stay in the Arctic Circle away from light pollution, and wait. That's what the Hurtigruten Northern Lights Astronomy Voyage does for 12 days from January 12, 2018, when it sails from Bergen (60° N) to Kirkenes (69° N) and back, complete with lectures and guided tours of the night sky from the deck of the ship delivered by British astronomer Dr. John Mason, MBE.
Will you make 2018 the year you see the Northern Lights? A winter phenomenon in the northern hemisphere, the dancing green lights are the result of charged particles from the sun colliding with nitrogen and oxygen atoms.
They have to be seen to be believed, and there's no better time than in January, with the long Polar Nights in the Arctic Circle maximizing your green sky time.
Related: This Cruise Guarantees You’ll See the Northern Lights — or Your Next Cruise Is Free
From ringing in the new year under arctic skies to visiting the world's coldest inhabited place, we've selected 15 places you should consider heading to — all between 66-69° North latitude inside the Arctic Circle — this January to see the awesome aurora borealis in bloom.