There are few experiences in nature that can top the exhilaration and thrill of gazing up at the beautiful Aurora Borealis as it dances across the night sky, exploding with colour and lighting up the snow-covered landscape beneath. It is something that many can only dream of experiencing in their lifetime, mainly due to the nature of the lights being so unpredictable or the perceived high expensive required to travel to suitable locations which provide the best chances of observing this phenomenon – or is it?
Abisko National Park, in Swedish Lapland is one of the best places in the entire world to experience the magic of the Northern Lights, and with easy travel connections across central Europe, it is one of the most convenient and cost-effective locations in the world. We have compiled this short blog, highlighting just three reasons why you should consider Abisko as your next winter holiday destination, and why it is here that we have some of the best chances of observing the most magical natural display on earth.
1: It’s easy to access!
Abisko is one of the most cost-effective locations in the world to see the Northern Lights, thanks to its location and comprehensive selection of available transportation. When visiting Swedish Lapland and Abisko National Park, the most common form of transport is a flight to Stockholm’s Arlanda international airport via your home country. From Stockholm, you can then catch a quick domestic flight to Kiruna in Swedish Lapland, which takes approximately 1-hour. From here you can either rent a vehicle or take a ride to Abisko with the leading transportation company for airport transfers, Visit Abisko, who offer a large range of airport transfer services to suit your requirements. The drive from Kiruna to Abisko is incredibly beautiful, and thanks to the untouched wilderness it isn’t uncommon to see wildlife such as reindeer, moose, red foxes and eagles along the way. For the traveller that yearns for a little more adventure, and the opportunity to see a bit more of the Swedish back country, you also have the option of a romantic train journey from Stockholm all the way to the doorstep of one of the most stunning hotels in Swedish Lapland (The Hotel STF). There are two train stops in Abisko, making this an affordable and convenient form of transportation.
2: It allows some of the highest chances anywhere in the World to experience the Aurora!
Geographically Abisko National Park is very unique, and it is thanks to this unusual geographic location that lends Abisko as one of the best places in the World to see the lights. Abisko is one of the driest places in all of Scandinavia. Due to our geographic location in a rain shadow caused by the nearby peaks in Norway, we have more clear, cloud-free nights than nearly anywhere in the world within the Aurora oval. We are confident that there is no better place on Earth to see the lights than Abisko!
3: You don’t need strong Aurora forecasts for Abisko!
Abisko is located roughly 200km north of the Arctic circle, it is therefore well within the Aurora oval. This coupled with the clearest skies anywhere in Scandinavia provides some of the highest chances for observing the lights, even if forecasts are looking low. The Lights Over Lapland team have all experienced some of their personal best Auroras while the solar activity has been low – all thanks to Abisko’s unique geographical location and how the Aurora is drawn to Earth circling the northern hemisphere and magnetic poles.
So there we have it, just three reasons why Abisko is one of the best places in the World to see the Northern lights. If you have always dreamt of seeing the Magical Aurora, let us create the perfect holiday package for you!
Contact our specialist team of Aurora experts today and experience the #1 activity in Abisko.
