Felicity Long
Mother Nature has been showing her displeasure with us in dramatic fashion of late, but amid the storms, fires and droughts that dominate the international news, there is at least one bright spot to brighten the mood — the eerily beautiful northern lights.
For those not following the predictions, 2025 is the peak period of the sun's 11-year solar cycle, which means that this year and next are your best chance in a decade to see the heavenly light show at its most intense.
September to March is generally considered the best period to see the phenomenon in the night sky, and while Alaska, Canada and Scotland are among the destinations expected to offer great views of the phenomenon, your most reliable bet will be the Nordic countries.
Tour companies are aware of this, including Trafalgar, Intrepid and Hurtigruten, all of which are showcasing itineraries designed to offer the maximum chance to see the lights.
And to make sure you don't sleep through the show, at Iceland's Blue Lagoon Retreat and Silica, guests can request a northern lights wake-up call.
For clients looking for a private, high-end customized tour, Blue Parallel is an option for well-heeled travelers comfortable with rates that start at $3,500 a day.
The company, a Virtuoso member, is the brainchild of founder Emmanuel Burgio with an emphasis on Unesco World Heritage Sites and insider experiences.
This year, Blue Parallel is expanding its offerings to include Norway's High Arctic Region, from Bergen through Alta, and has added a three-city Scandinavian combo of Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen.
"Expanding into Norway's High Arctic — which is a perfect vantage point for the northern lights and something we've seen a notable rising interest in in recent years — and designing journeys to these remarkable cities are natural next steps for us," Burgio said, adding that a high percentage of clients are repeat customers.
In Norway, a High Arctic sample itinerary can include a ride on Bergen's funicular to the top of Mt. Floyen; a fish and cheese tasting; a cruise through fjords and a journey on the Flam Railway. In Alta, adventures can include snowshoeing to a private bonfire, ice-sculpting lessons, dogsledding, a reindeer sleighride with the indigenous Sami people and snowmobiling. Guests can also enjoy a VIP tour of the Igloo Hotel and spend the night on a bed made of ice.
Meanwhile, the Capital Cities sample itinerary starts in Oslo, with private access to the Kon-Tiki and Fram museums and guided experiences in the Akershus Fortress, the Vigeland Sculpture Park and the Holmenkollbakken ski jump and ski museum.
Key highlights in Stockholm include private, after-hours access to the Vasa Museum and a private yacht voyage along the coast. The Copenhagen tour offers an after-hours visit to the Christiansborg Palace, a tour with a local inhabitant of free-town Christiana, a visit to the Tivoli gardens, wildlife spotting at Dyrehaven and a seaweed harvesting activity.
But, as fascinating as these daytime experiences are likely to be, travelers are encouraged to venture out at night — and look up.