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Braving the cold is nothing if you get a chance to see the lights dancing and waving overhead. Combine your aurora viewing trip with a few other highlights planned out by Salmon Berry Tours, and you’ll experience the best of winter in Alaska. The later your departure date in the year, the more chance you will have to see the aurora borealis. AdventureSmith’s specialists witnessed the northern lights (pictured above) during an August North Pole expedition that stopped in Scoresby Sund. While cruises offer a unique perspective, many land-based locations in Alaska, such as Fairbanks, offer excellent opportunities for aurora viewing, often paired with other activities like hot springs or dog sledding. Yes, several cruise lines offer itineraries specifically tailored for aurora viewing, often incorporating experts, lectures, and workshops related to the phenomenon.
Fairbanks
The Northern Lights can appear anywhere in the sky, so it’s not strictly about choosing a side. However, finding a spot with minimal light interference from the ship is crucial. Choosing the right cruise, preparing adequately, and embracing all the adventures en route ensures not just a glimpse of this celestial marvel but a comprehensive, enriching travel experience. Remember, while all these destinations provide potential sightings of the Northern Lights, the natural phenomenon remains unpredictable. Still, the journey through these pristine, remote landscapes coupled with the anticipation of an aurora display makes for an unforgettable experience. The dance of colors in the sky isn’t just a natural phenomenon; it’s a testament to the universe’s beauty and wonder.
DAY 3 Glacier Bay National Park
But there’s plenty of moose to look at when you’re not watching the sky. If you’re in Anchorage and the conditions are ideal, head to a higher elevation. Glen Alps, Point Woronzof, and the Knit River Valley offer decent vantage points—some face north with no pesky mountain peaks in the way.
What Are The Best Cruise Lines That Sail Northern Lights Itineraries?
Imagine a night where the sky transforms into a canvas painted with swirling hues of green, pink, and purple. Choose from a variety of packages that include accommodations and activities like dog-sledding, UTV tours, helicopter sightseeing experiences and more. Under the Northern Light Promise, if the Northern Lights do not appear on a traveler's applicable Norway Expedition cruise, the expedition group will give travelers another Norway cruise free of charge. Make sure folks clearly understand how off-the techno grid the trip is.
Alta's credentials include the world's first permanent observatory for viewing the aurora borealis; it was built there in 1899. A whole industry has sprung up around the lights, including such extravagant shore excursions as an overnight in a tent with viewing windows at a Sami dog-sledding camp. Alta is also home to the Northern Lights Cathedral, an architectural landmark. Put your name on the list, and you'll get a wake-up call or knock on your cabin door should there be aurora action.
The Best Time to Cruise Alaska 2024: A Month-by-Month Guide - Condé Nast Traveler
The Best Time to Cruise Alaska 2024: A Month-by-Month Guide.
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The top Greenland Northern lights cruises are listed below, but view all our Greenland cruises to see more available itineraries that offer you a chance if timed right. Find the top northern lights cruises listed on this page, or read our advice about timing it right to see them on even more trips. If you have a goal of seeing the aurora borealis in any of the destinations mentioned here, you are best off booking as far into the fall as you can find a cruise. Norway is the only prime northern lights destination with winter cruises. Tromso is another Norwegian destination known as a hub for aurora borealis viewing. In late January, there's a northern lights arts festival featuring top artists in various musical genres.
The 6 Best Cruises for Northern Lights Viewing - AFAR Media
The 6 Best Cruises for Northern Lights Viewing.
Posted: Fri, 05 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Another great idea to combine both polar bears and the northern lights on an Arctic tour is the Tundra Lodge Adventure on the shores of Canada’s Hudson Bay. This lodge-based basecamp for viewing polar bears is offered later than cruises, into October and November, just when the nights become longer and allow for opportunities to see the aurora borealis as well. For an extended land tour to chase the aurora — and experience Alaska’s magical winter wonderland ? Book this bucket list eight-day adventure with John Hall’s Alaska. The company’s Alaska’s Winter Wonders tour is offered in February and March; it features up to seven nights of northern lights viewing, as well as adventure-filled days with skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing. Get picked up at your Fairbanks hotel (or meet at the Hyatt Place Fairbanks) for this three-hour northern lights tour in a heated SUV.
Lines cruising in these regions include Hurtigruten, Silversea, Lindblad Expeditions, Viking Cruises, Quark Expeditions, Adventure Canada, and others. The conditions must be just right, but it's highly likely to see this magical and sometimes elusive scientific phenomenon on a Northern Lights cruise sailing the Arctic Circle during the long, dark winter nights. The best time to see the northern lights in Alaska is from late August to mid-April, when the nights are long and dark. (You won’t see them during the summer months because of Alaska’s midnight sun.) Plan to look for the spectacular, multi-colored lights from 11 p.m. To 2 a.m., when the sky is at its darkest and the auroras are the most active. But of course, the northern lights in Greenland can also be seen in many other places like Kangerlussuaq, Disko Bay and Nuuk (all in West Greenland).
Specifically, it occurs within the Northern Lights zone (at latitudes 65 to 72 degrees). While we can’t guarantee you’ll see the Northern Lights on your cruisetour, we can promise you’ll walk away with a deep appreciation for Alaska’s rugged wilderness, flora, fauna, and rich history. In the next section, we’ll provide you with some valuable tips to increase your chances of witnessing the Northern Lights during your Alaskan cruise. The most common colors of the Northern Lights are green and yellow, which are caused by collisions with oxygen molecules at lower altitudes. Reds, pinks, and purples can also be seen at higher altitudes when the charged particles interact with nitrogen atoms.
If you prefer camping and have your own gear, you can camp free of charge on the property during the summer months. Coldfoot Camp also hosts a selection of year-round Arctic adventures and excursions, including a trip to the nearby village of Wiseman for aurora viewing. When it’s time to look up in the sky for the lights, local aurora hunters recommend heading out of town to Christiansen Lake or past the airport on Beaver Road.
However, the season is defined more by its long, dark nights than by solar activity. Gwen Pratesi is an avid travel adventurer who fell in love with Alaska on her first visit to the state many years ago. She’s returned several times on land trips and by ship for year-round outdoor adventure and to chase the northern lights in one of the best places on the planet to view them. She writes about the travel and culinary industries for a variety of major publications. If that’s not enough adventure, test your skills at dog mushing and curling or take an aerial tram ride. Travelers can also check out the local breweries or just sit back, relax and enjoy the spectacular views.
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