8 scenic spots where you can appreciate the mysterious aurora

[Canada] Yellowknife

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Yellowknife is the capital of the Northwest Territories in northern Canada, on the shores of Great Slave Lake. Since it is located directly below the aurora belt, it is a popular spot that is said to have a higher probability of observing the aurora than other spots.

During the winter months of Yellowknife, there are many sunny days and the air is dry, so the conditions for encountering the aurora are met and the probability of viewing it is high.

The best season for viewing the northern lights is from mid-November to mid-April in winter, and from mid-August to late September in summer. I recommend winter! The probability of clearing is high and the air is clear, so you can see the beautiful aurora borealis of high quality.

[Canada] Whitehorse

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Whitehorse is the capital of the Yukon Territory, located next to Alaska.

For aurora viewing at Whitehorse, you can go to the viewing spot by picking up from a hotel in the city, but there is a nice lodge where you can stay at the viewing spot, so you can watch it just by stepping outside the lodge. can.

As with Yellowknife, mid-November to mid-April and mid-August to late September are the seasons when the aurora encounter rate is high.

[Alaska] Fairbanks

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Fairbanks, Alaska is also famous as a spot for viewing the northern lights. Fairbanks is located in the center of Alaska and has direct flights from Japan. There are many lodges in the suburbs of Fairbanks where you can see the northern lights, and you can wait until the time when you want to see the northern lights. Auroras are available all year round, but the best season is from November to March. It may be observable from late August to September, when it is relatively warm.

[Norway] Tromso

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Tromso is the central city of northern Norway. It is located at latitude 69 degrees north, which is close to latitude 60 degrees north, which is the condition for the aurora to appear, but due to the influence of the Gulf Stream, the temperature is milder than the area located at the same latitude. The night view of the city of Tromso is beautiful, and the night view from Mt. Stallsteinen on the opposite bank is famous along with the midnight sun. Watching the Northern Lights from a boat along the Norwegian coast is also wonderful!

[Sweden] Kiruna

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Kiruna is the northernmost city in Sweden. In the eastern part of Kiruna, Yucca Sjervi, famous for its ice hotels, is also known as a tourist attraction. The Swedish National Institute of Space Physics, which is famous for its aurora research, is also located in Kiruna, and it is truly the city of aurora. The northern lights are most likely to be seen from mid-September to mid-October and from mid-March to early April.

[Denmark Greenland] Kangerlussuaq

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Kangerlussuaq, the world's largest island in Greenland, is a town centered around Kangerlussuaq Airport and its related facilities. Although there are few Japanese tourists, there is a hotel directly connected to the airport, and there are duty-free shops, clinics, markets, etc., so it is convenient and you can see the northern lights from the hotel room. Because of the highest sunny weather rate in the world, the visibility rate of the aurora is one of the highest in the world, and it is a spot you want to go to see the aurora.

[Denmark Greenland] Ilulissat

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Located at the mouth of the Ilulissat Glacier in Greenland, Ilulissat is a town that means "ice block" in Greenlandic. In addition to the Ilulissat Glacier, glaciers such as the Jacobshan Izbrae Glacier are the center of tourism, and the Ilulissat Glacier is registered as a World Heritage Site. There is also a hotel where you can enjoy the northern lights while you are in your room, and it is a tourist destination that you can enjoy while watching the glaciers.

[Finland] Inari

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Inari in Finland is the sixth largest town in Europe with Lake Inari. Lake Inari is a lake that freezes from November to June, and there are more than 3,000 islands in the lake. In autumn, when the surface of the lake is not frozen, you can enjoy the "upside-down aurora" where the aurora is reflected on the surface of the lake. The northern lights look more vivid on the shores of Lake Inari than in the bright city, and if you stay at a hotel on the shores of the lake, you can appreciate the northern lights from inside the hotel.