Northern lights family holidays

The best time to see the northern lights is any time from September to early April. During this time, Arctic skies are dark enough for aurora viewing.

However, if the family is keen for adventures in the snow, you should travel from December to the end of March, when a good covering of snow is guaranteed.

Absolutely. In the UK, lots of families travel to see the northern lights during the Christmas holidays or at February half term. The Aurora Nights team can help you choose the best destinations and itineraries for peak-season travel.

Sightings can never be guaranteed. But you have an excellent chance of seeing the aurora borealis on your family northern lights holiday.

On an Aurora Nights trip, we take you to the very best northern lights destinations in Europe — places out in the Arctic wilderness with very little light pollution.

You also embark on exciting northern lights excursions with an expert aurora guide. You travel in search of clear skies where the northern lights are shining brightest.

You maximise your chances of seeing the northern lights if you stay up past bedtime. But the northern lights can appear at any time, as long as the sky is dark.

That means, during winter months — when there are only a few hours of daylight in the Arctic — there’s lots of opportunity for aurora viewing (even if you don’t want to keep the kids up too late).

On an Aurora Nights holiday, you can choose from family rooms in boutique hotels, log cabins, glass igloos and exclusive-use lodges — with full-board, half-board, self-catering and private chef options.

On northern lights holidays with children, you can go snowmobiling, husky sledding and ice fishing. You can visit Santa and his elves, take a reindeer sleigh ride through frozen landscapes or embark on a peaceful snowshoe excursion through the countryside.

Other popular activities include whale watching, tobogganing, snowman-building, listening to Sámi storytelling in a traditional teepee, visiting the Polar Museum and — of course — chasing the northern lights.

Temperatures vary by destination. Sweden and Finland are often significantly colder than Iceland and Norway. Temperatures can drop as low as -17 ˚C in northern Sweden in winter months.

To keep you warm and comfortable on your Arctic adventure, we provide Arctic outerwear in a wide range of child and adult sizes. We also recommend you bring hand warmers and lots of thermal layers.

If you’re travelling with younger children, we tend to plan short outdoor excursions, with breaks in between. That way, everyone has plenty of time to warm up before heading back out into the snow.

Read more: What to wear on a northern lights trip

Yes, at our family-friendly accommodation options, you’ll find a range of child-friendly dishes. We’re also happy to accommodate dietary requirements — just let us know what you’ll need when we’re planning your trip.

A northern lights family holiday package includes:

• Accommodation
• Transfers
• All activities
• Half-board or full-board dining

Arctic outerwear is also provided as part of our northern lights packages to Sweden and Finland (where temperatures are particularly cold in winter).

In Norway and Iceland, where temperatures are a little warmer, Arctic outerwear is provided for particularly chilly outdoor activities.

No, flights aren’t included in our northern lights family holiday packages. However, our team of travel experts is happy to advise you on the best flights and airlines for your trip.

You can start by taking a look at the flight information we’ve put together here:

• Flying from the UK to see the northern lights
• Flying from the USA to see the northern lights

When you book a northern lights tour package with Aurora Nights, you can count on:

• Tailored trips — our travel experts can create a bespoke northern lights holiday package, suited to your interests, budget and schedule
• Exceptional experiences — the very best accommodation and bespoke activities, with private or small group tours as standard
• Experienced local guides — our guides can show you a lesser-seen side of the Arctic and are skilled at tracking down the northern lights
• A hassle-free holiday — you book your flights, we take care of everything else — so you can focus on the excitement, not the organisation

Wherever you go and whatever your itinerary, the Aurora Nights team promise to make your family holiday a trip like no other.

Start by browsing the tours above for inspiration. Then contact the Aurora Nights team to start planning your tailor-made trip.

You can send us an email, give us a call or fill in the website form. We’ll chat about dates, accommodation, activities and budget. Then plan the aurora holiday you’ve been dreaming of.