Tours have commenced in 2021!
Northern Lights & Wildlife in Swedish Lapland
Most people love being outdoors at night, watching the stars and galaxies and letting their imagination soar. What many people never see though are the Northern Lights, or if they get a glimpse, they are dim and distant apparitions in the night sky.
One of the premier places to experience the Northern Lights directly overhead is in Swedish Lapland (referred to locally as Sápmi; the people indigenous to this region are the Samis) in the northern section of Sweden. Up there, the light pollution is almost nonexistent, which means that your view of the Aurora Borealis will not be diluted because of ground lighting (of course, clear skies are also key to a successful viewing).
The best way to experience a Northern Lights tour is with a small group; you have fewer distractions and more open space in which to lose yourself. Of course, you want to be in a great location; the farther north of the Arctic Circle, the better. And it is best if you spend a few nights in the area, because it will increase your chances of seeing the northern light show and if luck is on your side, you will have multiple evenings of unforgettable displays. Most people who research aurora hunting in Sweden will be directed to Abisko National Park with its famous Aurora Sky Station, and it is certainly an option if you don’t mind joining the crowds insulated in the observation center, but you trade off the intimacy and immediacy of the event for that convenience.
Since viewing Northern Lights is a nighttime event, it also makes sense to arrange other winter activities to fill the days. Sports such as dog sledding and snowmobiling are ideal daytime events, along with hiking and exploring the local terrain. You can also learn the culture, customs, and cuisine of the Samis and immerse yourself in an entirely different lifestyle and way of living.
The best Sweden Northern Light tours are offered through Wild Sweden. This company provides true wildlife adventures spanning the great lands of Sweden. Some of their most popular holiday packages focus on the Northern Lights and are intended to maximize the experience for their clients. They do so by keeping their groups intimate (maximum of 7 clients per guide; 1 or 2 guides per tour) and by avoiding areas where larger crowds of people congregate such as ice hotels and the Aurora Sky Station.
Wild Sweden regularly works with Samis on these Northern Lights tours, so you will be joining them on outside adventures. They know the best spots for dog sledding, sighting moose and other wildlife, in addition to special locations that highlight the dramatic beauty of the Aurora Borealis at night. Seeing the Northern Lights in all their glory is memorable enough, but coupled with living side-by-side with the Samis and immersing into their culture makes the entire trip complete and fulfilling.
Currently, Wild Sweden offers three unique tour packages centering around the Northern Lights. I am listing them below, along with a summary for your consideration. I also offer links to a Wild Sweden reservation page for each tour, so once you have selected which works best for your schedule and interests, you can proceed to save your spot.
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Northern Lights & Wildlife in Swedish Lapland
This 5-day outing will expose you to the wildlife of Lapland, the culture, and lifestyle of the Samis, and 4 nights of Northern Lights displays. The first three nights will be spent in a guesthouse in Jokkmokk, with the final night out under the stars and Aurora Borealis in comfortable, heated tents. Daytime events will include moose and reindeer watching, dog sledding, and the chance to meet up with a true-life reindeer herder. While the herded reindeer have plenty of space to roam, they are more familiar and comfortable with humans, which means that one or more of them may even approach you and eat out of your hands. The final day returns all participants to the starting point of Luleå, where the Unesco World Heritage Gammelstad (a town with over 400 small churches surrounding a medieval stone church) can be found.
Book your northern lights and wildlife in Sweden tour now!
Enthusiastic Wild Sweden clients end up booking these tours year after year and all without a moment of regret. Also, when they share the incredible photos that were taken on these outings, they become the envy of their friends and neighbors. Isn’t it about time that you see the Northern Lights firsthand and share these unforgettable moments with the people you care about? Get on board with Wild Sweden today and find out what you have been missing all of these years!