Chasing the Northern Lights: Why November to March Is the Season to Go

If you’ve ever wanted to see the Northern Lights, this winter is a very good moment to go.

The Sun runs on an 11-year cycle, and we’re currently just past the peak of the latest one. That matters, because the aurora tends to be at its best in the years following solar maximum. Space scientists have been saying for some time that 2026 and 2027 should deliver some of the most spectacular displays we’ll see for a decade. Earlier this month, forecasters were already tracking a fresh burst of solar activity and flagging stronger-than-usual aurora chances across the north.

For anyone who has spent a few cold nights staring at a cloudy sky waiting for something to happen, that’s welcome news.

Why November to March?

The Northern Lights are there all year round, but you can only see them when it’s properly dark. From November through to March the nights in the Arctic are long, the skies are often crisp and clear, and the snow-covered landscape makes everything feel that bit more magical. Activity also tends to rise around the March equinox, so the end of the season can be a particularly good time to be looking up.

And here’s the thing we always tell our guests: the lights are only part of it. Winter in the far north is extraordinary in its own right, with glaciers, huskies, reindeer, steaming geothermal pools and saunas followed by a plunge into an ice-cold lake. Even if the sky stays stubbornly dark, you’ll come home with stories.

Iceland: ice, fire and aurora

Our Mini Winter Iceland Experience squeezes the very best of Iceland in winter into four nights. You’ll soak in the Blue Lagoon, explore the Golden Circle, walk behind the curtain of Seljalandsfoss and feel the spray of Skógafoss. You’ll also see icebergs drifting across Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, walk the glittering Diamond Beach and step inside a glacier on a guided ice cave excursion, a sight that’s only possible in winter. Each evening, if skies are clear, there’s a chance to head out and look for the aurora. It runs from November to January in small groups of up to eight.

Lights, ice and a very unusual bed

If you want the aurora to be the star of the show, take a look at our Northern Lights & Ice Hotel Experience, a five-day small-group adventure running from 17 to 21 December 2026.

You’ll begin in Norway, in Tromsø, which is renowned as one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights. With the Sun at the very end of its peak activity for the decade, your chances of a spectacular display have rarely been better. Here you’ll explore the city, visit its iconic Arctic Cathedral and head out on a Northern Lights safari, and you’ll get a second chance to hunt for the aurora later in the trip. There’s also a traditional sauna experience to warm you through.

From there you’ll travel to Narvik, also in Norway, then cross into Sweden aboard the Arctic Scenic Train, one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the region. The journey ends at the ICEHOTEL, the original ice hotel, rebuilt from Arctic river ice every year. You’ll spend a night there in a bed carved from ice and topped with reindeer skins, which is exactly as unusual as it sounds. On your final morning, a husky sledding adventure is followed by the journey back to Tromsø in Norway for your flight home.

Along the way you’ll stay in comfortable 4-star hotels, with private transfers, a dedicated Untravelled Paths tour manager and local guides included throughout. Flights are easy from the UK, with direct services to Tromsø from London and Edinburgh. This is a small-group departure and places are strictly limited.

Lapland: the classic aurora destination

Finnish Lapland, sitting right on the Arctic Circle, is one of the most dependable places in Europe to hunt for the Northern Lights, and we run three different ways to experience it.

The Lapland Experience is for anyone who has always dreamed of lying in bed under the aurora. You’ll stay in glass-roofed accommodation near Levi, so if the lights appear you can watch them from under the covers. Along the way there’s husky sledding, an Arctic sauna and ice plunge, and a visit to Santa Claus Village. It runs from November to April.

The Adventure Lapland Experience heads to the forests around Pyhä for three nights of huskies, reindeer and aurora-spotting. Winter wonder and Arctic adventure in equal measure, from December to February.

The Family Lapland Experience is the one for families. It starts with a night in Santa Claus Village, then moves to Lucky Ranch and the slopes at Pyhä. There’s husky sledding, a reindeer ride, a snowmobile safari in search of the aurora after dark, and a night in a snow igloo. February half-term is a great time to go: the dates line up well with the school holidays, the snow is reliable and the nights are still long.

A word on booking early

Lapland’s glass accommodation is famously popular, particularly in December, and it sells out far in advance. Some December 2026 departures are already fully booked. If you have your heart set on a glass igloo in the run-up to Christmas, it’s well worth thinking about next winter’s season now. Planning ahead means you get your pick of dates and a far better chance of the exact stay you’re dreaming of.

No guarantees, but great odds

We’ll always be honest with you: the Northern Lights can never be promised. They depend on solar activity, clear skies and a bit of luck. What we can say is that you couldn’t pick a better time to give yourself the chance, and that every one of these trips is worth taking for the landscapes, the activities and the experience alone. The aurora, when it comes, is the cherry on top.

Ready to start planning?

Winter 2026/27 is shaping up to be a standout season for the Northern Lights, and the best dates are already filling. Whether you’re after a long weekend in Iceland, a glass-igloo escape in Lapland or a magical family trip at February half-term, we’d love to help.

For a limited time, take 10% off all trip dates from November 2026 to October 2027. Quote OCT10% when you book. The offer ends on 31 October 2026.

Browse our Iceland trips | Browse our Lapland trips | Or get in touch at info@untravelledpaths.com and we’ll help you find the perfect dates.

Written by James Chisnall

The post Chasing the Northern Lights: Why November to March Is the Season to Go appeared first on Untravelled Paths.

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