Seeing the Northern Lights in Sweden

Swedish Lapland is blessed with one of the darkest skies in the world, thanks to long winter nights and virtually no light pollution, making it the perfect place for stargazing - and for observing the aurora borealis as they flicker above. You’ll have to get out of town to take them in to the fullest extent, perhaps traveling out by husky sled, snowmobile or on snowshoes; and watching the lights dance above a frozen landscape of lakes and taiga forests - with utter silence other than the breathing of your travel companions or the rustle of a herd of nearby moose or reindeer - is an incredible experience not to be forgotten. Read on to find out how to see the Northern Lights in Sweden.

All of our Northern Lights vacations in Sweden are small group trips and last between five and nine days. Some vacations include Northern Lights viewing on a longer, action-packed itinerary; others have it as their main focus and will give you as many opportunities as possible to see the elusive auroras.

Northern Lights chasing is a full-on experience, so you’ll be out every night – whether that’s going for a sleigh ride at midnight, following the lights on snowshoes or wrangling your own team of huskies to take you far into the wilderness. You could also ride out to cabins that are in prime position for gazing up at the sky.

Several of our breaks are timed to coincide with winter celebrations. You’ll head for the wilderness area of Laponia and enjoy Christmas or New Year's Eve dinner by the fire, taking it in turns to go outside and watch for the lightshow, and capping it all off with celebratory hot drinks around an outdoor fireplace by a frozen lake.

Depending on which Northern Lights vacation you choose, you might stay in a wilderness log cabin, a traditional clapboard cottage or at the famous Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi. Often, the reception staff will offer you a buzzer that’ll wake you up if there’s auroral activity in the night.

You could also combine viewing the Northern Lights with learning about the life and culture of the local Sámi communities in Swedish Lapland. Visit a reindeer herder at a Sámi camp, eat traditional food and hear myths and legends about the significance of the Northern Lights to the Sámi people.