A unique occasion deserves a unique experience.
We are experts in providing once a lifetime Northern Lights holidays to Swedish Lapland, Iceland, Norway and Finland.
A unique occasion deserves a unique experience.
We are experts in providing once a lifetime Northern Lights holidays to Swedish Lapland, Iceland, Norway and Finland.
Aurora Borealis blends Greek and Roman mythology, combining Aurora, the Roman goddess of Dawn, with Boreas, the Greek North Wind.
The mesmerizing Northern Lights have sparked myths and legends across the ages. Standing under a breathtaking aurora, you’ll feel the awe and see why superstitions once thrived without scientific explanations.
We did the aurora nights break and had a great time overall. Everything related to flights, hire car, and hotels ran smoothly. There were a few issues largely relating to the weather and driving conditions (we travelled in mid March), but what we did manage to do was amazing.
The blue lagoon was easy to access from the airport and was a brilliant experience. We booked the standard package and it came with a free drink and face mask. Facilities were clean and organised with free toiletries in the shower rooms, which helps if you’ve gone there straight from the airport.
The drive to Hotel Ranga afterwards was long but fine (check out the road on google streetview to know what to expect). The hotel and staff were great. We were limited to one option as vegetarians on the bar and a la carte menus, but the food was lovely and if you are a meat eater you will see options of unusual dishes like puffin and reindeer.
Our northern lights super jeep trip was cancelled on both nights due to a poor forecast, but we were lucky enough to get an aurora wake up call from Hotel Ranga the first night. We couldn’t use the hottubs as there are only a few and they were always taken in the limited time we spent at the hotel, so don’t go expecting to get lots of time in one and you won’t be disappointed. View them as an add on if you can time it right. We were travelling with an 11 year old, so we didn’t stay up really late. If you are a couple you probably have a better chance of getting one later on.
The glacier/volcano super jeep trip was outstanding. Our driver, Íbí was excellent. She went above and beyond and gave us such an awesome experience. We were also super lucky with the weather the first two days and had great views across Iceland.
The ice cave tour was also incredible and the guides running it were excellent. The group size was much bigger than expected (especially after the more exclusive volcano super jeep tour), but it was broken down into smaller groups that were managed well, with plenty of time factored in for photographs. There were several unexplained delays getting to the cave during the tour that meant we weren’t able to ‘mini tour’ the rest of the South Coast afterwards, so if you plan to do the ice cave don’t overplan for the afternoon as you may not have much time. Not a huge disappointment for us as we got to experience the cave, but I imagine someone who planned a full itinerary afterwards might be frustrated by the estamiated timings not always being right and subject to change with the weather (which was wicked that day).
Driving around Reykjavik was a horrible experience as we arrived around rush hour and weren’t prepared for all the traffic, having only experienced quiet roads along the south coast. It was difficult finding a parking space, so be prepared to drive around a little when you arrive. If you haven’t driven on the right before and are not a confident driver this could leave you feeling stressed. Again, check out the roads into Reykjavik on Google maps to get a sense of what awaits if you aren’t used to self-driving.
We didn’t get to tour the golden circle because of road conditions/ice/road closures, so we spent the day in Reykjavik instead. This turned out okay for us as we did some of the attractions (Lava Centre and Fly Over Iceland – both hughly recommended), but it ended up being an extra expense and we missed out on the golden attractions. Again, not a big issue if you are aware this could happen. The weather is so changeable that having a plan B is a good approach.
Weekend a la Carte sent us a text warning us about the bad weather conditions, which we’d already seen on the Safe Iceland app, but we were grateful for anyway. It was good to know they were looking out for us!
All in all, a remarkable trip, with some unique experiences. If you book this in the knowledge that nature will have her own way, and you may not see everything you want (especially in winter), you will have a great time. Ranga is definitely the best place to maximise your chances of seeing the lights.
Thoroughly enjoyed the trip. The Abisko Mountain Lodge was fantastic, every member of staff was friendly welcoming and charming. Accommodation, upgraded room was excellent. The food in the lodge definitely deserves the high reviews. Good breakfast, great hime made lunch soups and extremely tasty evening dinners.
The included trips were great. The only let down was the camera night, couldn’t see the lights no one fault, but we were walked through thigh high snow to be left on a frozen lake for the duration of the trip. There was no warning of the difficult walk and we had a 91 year old with us and I have hip problems! That said the guide was great, as were the ones on the skimobile and husky rides. We went up to the sky station in a snow storm with high winds, added to the experience!
Would go back in a heart beat.
We had little communication with Weekend a la carte, no need as all communications were clear and contained all the information we needed. Very informative emails
Would use again if going back
We have never before experienced such friendly and simultaneously professional service! Alex’s communication was super prompt, questions encouraged and welcomed and attended to with great care and detail. Everything was well organised and available on beautifully designed and very useful platforms. Our destination (Mattarahkka Northern Lights Lodge) was fabulous on so many different levels – exquisite views, friendly interactions from everyone on the team, great food, exciting activities, perfectly situated to see the northern lights (seen twice in 4 nights’ stay), a great fire place, and not to mention our fantastic guide Fabio. Their provision of winter kit (hats, down jacket, snow trousers, leather gloves and boots) offered everything we needed to be comfortable outside. All we needed to have packed really were base layers, a few layers of clothing and woollen socks. Defintely somewhere we would highly recommend and return to when possible!
Brilliant short break. Hotel Ranga was lovely, excellent food. Managed to see the Northern Lights as well! Iceland on the whole was quite expensive but a lovely place to visit, the people were very friendly.
My daughter and I had an amazing time on our trip, we didn’t want it to end! Everything went according to plan, each excursion was well organized and everyone involved with each activity, as well as everyone at the lodge was kind, friendly, positive and happy, which makes such a difference to your whole experience. The food at The Abisko Mountain Lodge was also incredibly good. Our room was large, comfortable and well-furnished. The bathroom too was also spacious and well-equipped. The outdoor clothing provided was of very good quality which kept us warm, and the staff members are happy to change items if they are not quite the right size for you. This is my second trip with Weekend a la carte and I’m sure there will be more as I have complete trust in them. I highly recommend Aurora Nights, it was fabulous.
My wife and I had an awesome and memorable trip to Iceland thanks to Alex at Aurora Nights. Alex tailored the itinerary to exactly what we wanted to see and chose excellent hotels to stay at. We totally enjoyed the city of Reykjavik and the many beautiful waterfalls. He went above and beyond to not only recommend sights to see around the Golden Circle and Ring Road, but also mapped it out so we were prepared to drive through the country during unpredictable weather and road conditions. And we were especially pleased to see the Northern Lights on our visit. Alex was very flexible to make changes to our plans and choosing the wonderful Sky Lagoon to replace our tickets for the Blue Lagoon due to the closure from the volcanic activity. We highly recommend Alex and Aurora Nights.
What a fantastic trip! I booked this for myself and my husband to celebrate my 40th birthday and it didn’t disappoint! Booking was simple and we were kept up to date with all the details from the office team in the UK.
From the moment we arrived at Kiruna airport all the staff we encountered were so friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. We opted for the upgraded room at the Abisko Mountain Lodge which I would highly recommend. The cold weather clothing which was supplied was fantastic and kept us really warm in the sub-zero temperatures. The dog sledging, snowmobiling and the Northern Lights photography were all superb and the staff leading the trips were really friendly and so knowledgeable. Even though we weren’t able to do the sky station trip because of the weather, there was a lovely alternative evening organised for us which included a traditional dinner and a walk to the lake where we were able to see the lights. The food at the lodge was also exceptional and showcased some lovely traditional dishes using Moose and Reindeer which were wonderful to try.
I would like to send a massive thank you to all the staff at The Abisko Mountain Lodge as well as the guides we used for our guided walks, dog sledging and snowmobiling. I’d highly recommend the trip, it was our first visit to Sweden and we would definitely return. Thanks again to everyone (including the huskies) who made it so memorable!
An excellent holiday which was enjoyed by all. The super jeep ride on the second day to the Eyjafjallajokull volcano was memorable and thanks to our driver Margaret who proved to be a really good guide. We thoroughly enjoyed the facilities in the hotel Ranga. The staff were very helpful and we managed to see the Northern Lights. The Hotel Reykjavik Centrum was very nice with amazingly helpful staff. All in all, the whole holiday was brilliant.
Have a different question about the Northern Lights? We are always happy to help.
Witnessing the Northern Lights in their full glory must rank as one of the most amazing life experiences for anyone who has had this privilege. If you are planning a northern lights holiday then you may find our information hub particularly useful as questions like:
We hope we can help you create your dream Northern Lights holiday.
Over 15 years we have built up an enviable reputation as one of the leading Northern Lights holiday companies.
We specialise in Nordic countries which offer contrasting experiences. Sweden, Norway, and Finland provide the traditional holiday with snow sports like dog sledding with huskies and snowmobiling, while Iceland provides one of the most spectacular landscapes on earth to explore. Volcanoes, waterfalls, whales and open vistas are what thrill the senses on a super jeep or self-drive adventure.
Sweden is home to one of the most recognised northern lights holiday destinations on earth – Abisko. We pioneered Abisko as a northern lights holiday destination and still offer market leading breaks to this premier aurora destination. Sweden is also home to the original ICEHOTEL which is now 30 years young. If you are visiting Swedish Lapland on a northern lights holiday then you must try to see this amazing structure even if the thought of a night staying in one of its amazing art suites does not appeal.
We have worked with many local partners since we launched 15 years ago and are proud to offer some of the best places to stay in the region. Besides Abisko Mountain Lodge and the ICEHOTEL we offer:
In many cases we can offer exclusive use of lodges for our guests. As we do so many special occasion wedding anniversary or birthday celebrations our clients value having a private retreat so do let us know if this is what you are looking for. Our breaks are designed to give you the best of what the region has and we offer action packed breaks where we endeavour for you make the most of your time on your northern lights adventure.
If it’s the Lapland experience you are looking for then Swedish Lapland should be high on your list. It is the less developed of the Nordic countries from a tourism point of view which means you can enjoy more exclusive wilderness experiences.
Whether you are looking for a 3-night action packed short break or a longer Northern Lights holiday spanning 2 weeks and several destinations we offer a choice of bucket list adventure holidays.
To spend time in the Northern Lights capital of Abisko in Sweden see our breaks
To experience the original ICEHOTEL or the unique TREEHOTEL see our choice of breaks
We offer a range of classic short breaks that are designed to give you a high impact northern lights holiday whilst staying in some of the best northern lights destinations in Swedish Lapland. See our range of breaks.
If you are looking for something just that little bit special then take a look at our Exclusive Retreats.
Whilst many people’s initial thoughts are of a mid-winter break to see the northern lights they are visible from September through to early April and the autumn is a superb time to visit. A self-drive holiday at this time allows you to explore the vast landscapes and appreciate the majestic Fall colours.
Finally if you are thinking that you may only visit Scandinavia once in your life and want to see and do as much as possible then take a look at our epic multi country northern lights breaks. These combine Sweden with Iceland and parts of Norway. Iceland offers a wonderful contrast to Swedish Lapland for anyone planning a northern lights holiday. As the world’s youngest country in Geological terms it is truly a land of fire and ice.
We offer holidays in 2 parts of the country – The North and South West!
Reykjavik, Iceland’s vibrant capital city is in the south and with so many flight connections is easily accessible from many European countries as well as US cities. Our Breaks in the south in most cases combine experiencing Reykjavik with northern lights hunting in the south of Iceland away from any artificial light and in an area renowned as Iceland’s best for consistent sightings.
We have breaks that provide you with the opportunity of staying at remote wilderness cabins or if you prefer hotel accommodation then the celebrated Hotel Ranga is an excellent base for a northern lights holiday.
Exploring the Golden Circle featuring the Gulfoss waterfall, Pingvellier National Park and the celebrated erupting Geysir are a must for any first time traveller to Iceland. There is also the world famous Blue Lagoon where you can relax in geothermal waters and whale watching off the coast. We work with the best guides in South Iceland to provide you with both day time and northern lights explorations in specially adapted Super jeeps that allow you to get out and experience the awe inspiring beauty that is Iceland.
North Iceland remains largely undiscovered and provides wilderness on a different scale. It is possible to do both husky and snowmobile adventures in the north as well as soak up the geothermal waters at the Myvatn Baths. If travelling in Autumn then a trip to the Askja volcanic crater is a must. North Iceland around the port of Husavik, is the whale watching capital of Europe. If you are planning a midnight sun holiday or an autumn northern lights holiday then a day out searching for Humpback whales is a must! North Iceland is also accessible now with direct flights from London Gatwick with Easyjet.
We combine Iceland with Sweden and Norway to provide some epic multi country aurora hunting journeys – but that isn’t all – our team are experience in building tailor made trips to fit your requirements and make the most of your once in a lifetime trip. So if you plan to visit Scandinavia or Iceland on your next northern lights holiday then the team at Aurora Nights would be delighted to provide you with the insights and use of our skills and contacts to create a once in a lifetime northern lights holiday.
Here are 4 reasons to trust us with your northern lights holiday experience:
Book with Aurora Nights, the Northern Lights holiday experts. We will personally plan your bucket-list Northern Lights adventure holiday to Swedish Lapland, Iceland, Norway and Finland.