Abisko Northern Lights: Best Way to See the Aurora (Tour v. Solo)
Endless green waves with flashes of purple and red against a pitch-black sky: since I was a child, I was obsessed with the idea of one day seeing the Northern lights. I had no idea why they happened; I just knew I wanted to see it with my own eyes.
Flash forward more than twenty years. I finally decided to make this dream a reality when I saw some shockingly cheap roundtrip tickets from New York City to Stockholm… (I guess very few people try to swap the cold of NYC for the cold of Stockholm).
I saw Sweden and a lightbulb went off over my head. I knew what this meant: I could finalize realize my dream of seeing the Northern lights. So in true obsessive fashion, I laboriously researched the best place to see the Northern lights in Sweden… and Abisko topped the list as not only the best place in Sweden, but basically in the world, for seeing the Northern lights.
| 🇸🇪Planning a winter trip to Abisko at the last minute? Here are my quick picks! ❄️ Best Winter Activities in Abisko Northern Lights Tour with Photography Gear Included (#1 aurora company in Abisko!) Dog Sledding Tour with Fika Break (bonfire with coffee and cinnamon bun included!) SĆ”mi Reindeer Ranch Visit & Cultural Tour (meet and feed the reindeer!) Icehotel Day Trip to JukkasjƤrvi (can do on last day and use as transfer to Kiruna) 🛌 Best Places to Stay in Abisko Abisko Mountain Lodge (nicest place in Abisko; books up months in advance) STF Abisko Turiststation (where I stayed; only accommodation in the national park) Abisko Hostel & Huskies (budget accommodations on a husky farm!) |
Statistically speaking, scientists agree that the Northern lights in Abisko are among the most reliable in the world. According to science, there’s an 80% success rate of seeing the lights if you stay in Abisko for three nights.
And luckily for me, this proved to be true time and again for me: with just three nights there, I saw the lights three times!
Anecdotally, I have friends who had previously been to Iceland or Norway in winter and failed to see the Northern lights, even on a multi-week trip. I didn’t want that to happen to me, especially on a trip planned to specifically to see the Northern lights.
I’ve since returned to the Arctic several times — to TromsĆø, Alta, Svalbard, and Rovaniemi — and honestly, in all those experiences, no place has ever beat Abisko for its Northern lights.
The lights in Abisko are far more frequently seen without much travel time, and tours cost a fraction of the price of what you’ll find in neighboring Norway and Finland.
This post will go over the best ways to see the Northern lights in Abisko, including the guided tours I recommend and also how you can see the Northern lights independently, without a tour, if you’re on a budget.
If you’re looking for more information on Abisko, I’ve put it all together in separate guides, including this guide to visiting Abisko in winter and this guide to getting from Stockholm to Abisko.
Table of Contents
How to See the Abisko Northern Lights
There are several ways to see the Abisko Northern lights, depending on your budget and how much time you have. The cheapest (but least reliable) is just hoping for a clear night, walking away from any source of light pollution, and looking up!
However, this isn’t the optimal way to see the Northern lights in Abisko, because weather conditions may not be favorable in your exact location and you won’t have a guide who can predict where the aurora will be at its strongest.
I don’t want to overwhelm you with choices, so I’ve picked my top three choices. Prices fluctuate, so click through to see the current prices, but these range from roughly $100-200 USD for a tour.
- The first is the best value (middle price) and includes photography gear
- The second is the best budget option (lowest price) but doesn’t include camera rental
- The final is offers the most inclusions (highest price) and while it doesn’t include photography gear, it does include dinner, extra mileage, and more time spent aurora chasing.
BEST VALUE: Northern Lights Photography Tour
Ask anyone and this is their top recommendation for an Abisko Northern lights tour.
This particular photography tour has the best reputation in Abisko because it’s run by a passionate aurora photographer who will not only bring you to great spots but also teach you how to photograph the lights on your own.
Plus, you don’t need to splurge on your own fancy camera for this — they will provide you a DSLR camera to use all set up with the proper settings (plus a tripod). They’ll also give you a brief overview of the skills needed to snap your very own photos of the Northern lights.
You’ll get personalized attention since the tour is limited to eight people, and the tour is prepared to travel far and wide to see the Northern lights so you won’t be disappointed. You’ll have at least three hours of dedicated aurora hunting so you have plenty of time to cross your fingers and hope for the best.
Depending on what is forecast in terms of the weather and the aurora, there are three different ways the tour chases the aurora: by foot at their wilderness camp if the weather is clear, by car in a cozy 4×4 van so you can get further afield if the weather is cloudy in Abisko, or even on a sleigh pulled by a snowmobile through Abisko National Park!
You won’t just be standing around as you wait for the lights to appear, either; during the tour, your guide will explain the cultural and spiritual significance of the Northern lights to the SĆ”mi indigenous people of the region.
BEST BUDGET: 3.5 Hour Aurora Chasing Tour
While the above photography tour is my top choice in Abisko, I acknowledge it’s also a little bit pricy. This aurora chasing tour is a decent amount cheaper, so if you’re on a budget, this may be the way to go in Abisko.
This tour does not include photography equipment, but if you already have your own high-quality camera set up (at a minimum, this includes a mirrorless or DSLR camera, wide-angle lenses, and tripod) then this may not matter to you.
This aurora tour travels by minivan up to 90 kilometers away from the heart of Abisko National Park if needed to one of their favorite spots, such as Lake TornetrƤsk, Bear Mountain, or the mountains near Bjƶrkliden.
Note that this tour has less personalized attention than the above tour, since there can be up to 20 guests per tour. That said, if you don’t mind the lack of photography equipment or the larger group size, it’s a great option to help you save some money in pricy Sweden!
BEST OVERALL: Northern Lights Tour with Dinner
If a mere 4 hours of aurora chasing isn’t enough for you, here’s another great value offer — a 6-hour long Northern lights chase including dinner.
This small group tour (max. size 8) includes dinner first, then you’ll depart on a minivan tour chasing the lights, with up to 300 kilometers of distance included, so your guide has many opportunities to bring you to the best possible place for the aurora based on the forecast.
Wherever you stop, they’ll set up a makeshift camp with a roaring campfire and hot drinks, so you can stay warm while waiting for the aurora to make its appearance. Before it does, your guide — who is also a pro photographer who has been published in National Geographic and the European Space Agency — will tell you all about how to capture the best photographs of the aurora.
Keep in mind that unlike the first tour, this one does not provide any photography equipment, so you’ll have to bring your own from home. Rather, this tour’s extra value comes from its expert photographer guide, the additional hours and mileage of aurora-chasing compared to other tours, as well as including dinner as part of the experience.
Seeing the Aurora Without A Tour
That said, you don’t need to take an Abisko Northern lights tour in order to see the lights. Self-guiding is an option, too!
I was on a strict budget while I visited Abisko since it was back in my teaching days, and I was spending my money elsewhere on things like my dog-sledding tour so I didn’t take a Northern lights tour while in Abisko.
Instead, each night when I was staying at STF Turiststation, I would check the aurora livestream and then go for a little night hike with my photography gear. You can check the aurora livestream on Twitch — it’s going off right now as I type this, at 7 AM Swedish time, which is surreal for me to write from the forever-summer of Bangkok!
The first two nights I did this, there was some Northern lights activity in Abisko but I didn’t get to take very good photos, because the conditions were really fleeting and I didn’t really know what I was doing. Plus, it was really cold and standing around aimlessly without a fire or anything didn’t make it easy to have the patience I’d need for a better chance of great photos.
The final night I got better photos, walking down from where I was staying at STF Turiststation to the frozen-over Lake Tƶrnetrask, determined to truly see the lights. Just as I was giving up and heading back in, the Northern lights erupted above me and I was able to snap the above photo!
It’s not a fantastic photo, but I’m proud that I was able to capture the purple element which was visible even to the naked eye.
So, yes, you can absolutely self-guide and see the Northern lights on your own! However, after taking several Northern lights tours in Tromso and other places since then, I have to say that taking a tour offers a far better and more comfortable experience with a much higher guarantee of seeing the lights.
Personally, if I were to re-do this trip, I’d take a tour at least one night of my trip — it would have been worth the extra expenditure, something I can now only see with hindsight.
Where I Stayed to See the Abisko Northern Lights
Originally, we booked to stay at Abisko Hostel & Huskies. I mean, it has huskies in the name — how could you not? However, due to a last minute problem with the hostel (a malfunctioning fire alarm system that they were fixing), they had to cancel our reservation.
But they rebooked us for no extra cost at STF Turiststation, a more expensive (but incredibly nice!) hostel that also has cabins and private rooms. We loved our stay at STF so much that if your budget allows I’d really recommend staying there, because you truly can’t beat having all of Abisko National Park to yourself.
STF has multiple saunas, snowshoe and cross-country ski rentals, TWO of the nicest hostel kitchens I’ve ever seen, a fireplace and lounge room.
Plus, it’s walking distance to frozen waterfalls and the frozen lake in Abisko National Park, which are great places to go during the day while waiting for the Northern lights to appear at night.
Even if you don’t stay there, it’s a great place to go for lunch – they have a daily buffet for about $15 USD, which is a fantastic deal for pricy Sweden.
The people at Abisko Hostel & HuskiesĀ were so lovely, and really helped us out with everything related to our stay… but I can’t speak to how the dorms were as we endedĀ up being unable to stay there. The dogsledding tour we took with them, however, was excellent!
What to Pack for a Trip to Abisko’s Northern Lights
Despite being located north of the Arctic Circle, Abisko isn’t always as cold as you might think. It’s colder than Tromso in winter, but generally the weather here is warmer than Rovaniemi in the more-popular Finnish Lapland region.
Temperatures of -20Ā° C (-4Ā° F) are common, and on rare occasions, the weather will reach as low as -40Ā° C (-40Ā° F). However, when I visited in mid-February, the weather really wasn’t that bad. In fact, Abisko was actually warmer than the icy weather in NYC that I had left behind!
We usually had temperatures of around -1Ā° C (30Ā° F) during the day, and as low as -9Ā° C (15Ā° F) at night. However, the weather is unpredictable, so you will most certainly want to pack accordingly.
Here’s what I recommend you bring for a Northern lights trip to Abisko (for a more complete list, check out my winter in Sweden packing list)
- Down parka
- Base layers (ideally merino wool or other performance fabric)
- Warm sweaters
- Waterproof pants
- Wool socks
- Insulated snow boots
- Touchscreen-friendly gloves and waterproof gloves
- Hand warmers (preferably rechargeable)
- Tight-knit hat
- Large scarf
- Mirrorless/DSLR camera
- Wide Angle Lens
- Lots of extra batteries
- Tripod
- Lens defogger
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016, visiting 75+ countries in total. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. As a former educator, she merges her writing and educational experience to encourage ethical, sustainable travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and TBEX. Her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. When she’s not on the road, she lives in Bangkok, Thailand.
Such magical images, each one of them so different and showing such beauty of nature that one cannot have enough of them
Thanks so much! I wish I had gotten more photos but the -10 C temperatures caused crazy havoc with my batteries!
Hi Allison, thank you for sharing your experience, so funny and so informative! I have a few questions though, I hope you don’t mind if I e-mail you?
Hi Linette! Sorry for the delay in responding, I’ve been in Cuba without wifi for the last week and a half. Please feel free to email me at allison at eternalarrival dot com š I’d love to help!
Allison,
A great article, thanks very much. Can I ask, is it worth paying to visit the Abisko sky station, or can you see the Northern Lights well without booking a tour?
Hi Gill! In my opinion, it’s not worth it to visit the Abisko Sky Station. I would recommend staying at STF Turiststation where you can walk 10 minutes to the frozen lake where you can see the lights beautifully.
Hi Allison, I’m Juan Bautista from Argentina and I really loved you pictures! I intend to go to Abisko next year in January/February. I just want to see the Northern Lights on a budget. How long would you recommend me to go to Abisko and how cheap could it be if I don’t do any activity? Thank you very much!
Hi Juan! Thank you š I would recommend you go for at least 3 days, and excluding transport, budget $40-50USD per day if you aren’t doing any activities, cook all meals yourself, and don’t drink more than a beer or two from the supermarket. A hostel at Winterday is about $30 a night, or was last year at the exchange rate back then. So then add on another $10 or so for groceries each day. Transit is expensive though – flights are about $120 roundtrip plus another $80 or so to get between Kiruna and Abisko, so keep that in mind!
Nice info about where to see the Northern lights and also stunning photographs
Thanks Joseph! Glad you found it helpful š
Hello,
Thanks for the article.
I am planning to go to abisko national park in January 2018 (2nd January ā 5th January 2018). I know that no one can give 100% guarantee about northern lights appearance.
1 .But can you please suggest me that is it a good time to see the northern lights?
2. What about the weather during theses day ? I saw the forecast and it says that it will be dark throughout the day.
Hi Peeyush.
You have about an 80% chance of seeing the Northern lights if you are there for 3 days so you are pretty sure to see them as long as there are no winter storms that cover up the sky. But the microclimate of Abisko means that clouds are less likely than other places in the far north so you have a very good chance to see them. I saw them 3 nights in a row, but the first 2 nights were kind of cloudy so you could only see them for a bit.
The weather will likely be very cold as there is no sun to warm you up. I’d estimate anywhere from -20F to 10F and yes, it will be dark pretty much all throughout the day as you are only a week or two after the solstice. Dress warm and be prepared to be kind of confused by the lack of day and night!
Great Post. . Thanks for sharing. .
Thanks, glad you enjoyed.
Thanks for sharing! May I ask what you wore? Iām thinking buying boots, thermals, jumpers etc will break the budget!
Fleece lined leggings (Amazon link in my post) + regular North Face down jacket + smaller Uniqlo down jacket + waterproof boots, plus normal sweaters and jeans. I lived in NYC and just used multiple layers of my warmer winter clothes; if you don’t have warm winter clothes you can also ask your hotel to see if they can lend you a snowsuit for activities outside. Abisko.net for sure has some š
Curious, is North Face best? I was considering LL Bean down jacket
I haven’t tried LL Bean personally but I do love my North Face so much! I’ve had it for 7+ years and it’s kept me warm through temperatures as low as -20 C — I highly recommend it!
Hi Allison,
Thanks for the great post.
Me and my brother are looking to di the trip at the end of March2018. I quickly wanted to check with you regarding Abisko. Is it necessary to rent a car to drive around in Abisko if you are there for three days? Did you do any other activities during the day in Abisko? And regarding the traveling: fly from Stockholm to Kiruna and then train/shuttle from Kiruna to Abisko.
Thanks.
Hi Willem! I didn’t find it necessary to rent a car, but it depends what you want to do. I did a day of dog-sledding which included a transfer; the rest of the time I was just doing walks and hikes in Abisko National Park. I personally flew from Stockholm then Kiruna, then took a taxi with a friend to Kiruna city then a train to Abisko. I’d recommend doing a shuttle instead (the train station is located a bit outside the city so it’s kind of inconvenient); I did that on the way back and it was much easier.
Hi Allison,
We are travelling for couple of days to Abisko and Kiruna for Northern Lights and Ice Hotel by car .
I have a couple of questions
1. Is that possible to just go around the Abisko Mountains by Car without any event Companies
2. Is there any best place to view the Northern Lights
3. Any Hiking places and MUST visit places
Thanks
Sandeep
Hi Sandeep, I’m sorry, I don’t understand your first question. If you’re asking if you need a tour to visit Abisko National Park, the answer is no š In my opinion the best place to see the Northern Lights is by the frozen lake in Abisko National Park, as it’s far from light pollution. But pretty much anywhere you get away from unnatural light, you will be able to see the lights if they are out and it is a clear night. You can also try the Aurora Sky Station but I think it is quite expensive. For hiking, there isn’t that much during the winter due to the snow, but there are a few nice trails you can do in the national park near STF Turiststation. Ask someone at the STF hotel about the walk to a frozen waterfall š
Hi,
This is so much informative. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us Recently I have been to Iceland in this October end, I stayed there from 27th October to 7th November but unfortunately couldn’t able to see northern lights. So everyday I’m thinking about it. so finally thought of visiting Abisko to see NL after doing lot of search. so could you please tell me that March 2018 would be the great time to visit!? And do I need to check weather forecast and moon phases!?
Thank-you
Hi Smita! Glad you enjoyed it. Too bad about Iceland š March should be a good time to visit, but unfortunately nothing is ever really certain. You do have a better chance there than other places, as the weather is generally clearer and since you are north of the Arctic Circle you’re more likely to see it. You’ll need to check the weather the week of your trip to make sure it won’t be stormy (unfortunately you can’t predict more than that). Moon phases don’t matter that much. A full moon may dull it a bit, but I saw the lights three times when the moon was full or nearly full.
Hello, i will be going this March the 1st because its new moon, i’ll be there for 9 days, hoping darkness of new moon will aid in seeing the lights better =)
Between the new moon and the 9 days, I bet you’ll see a ton! The aurora has been super actively lately, so my fingers are crossed for you!
This was so helpful and awesome, thank you! We are going to Sweden and Norway in February and cannot wait to use your recommendations.
Hey Julio, I’m so glad to hear that (and jealous about Norway – that’s one of the places super high on my bucket list!) I hope you have an amazing time, and best of luck with seeing the lights!
HI Allison,
Thanks a lot for your blog post, it’s really helpful. This is my second comment on your post. (First I asked you about the plan…see above š )
So I am going to Abisko on 2nd of January 2018 and I need your advice about activities in Abisko e.g. dog sledding, ICE hotel etc.
Do I need to book them in advance using some website? If yes then can you please suggest me some websites.
Or can i get them at my hotel (STF Tourist station) ?
Hi Peeyush! Glad that this post has been so helpful. I personally booked dogsledding in advance with abisko.net, but I know that STF Turiststation has tours and things you can sign up for upon arrival, though you might want to book in advance if you have very specific things you want to do like seeing the Ice Hotel. Enjoy your trip!
Hi Allison, is it safe to travel alone to Abisko or should I join a tour company from Stockholm or Gothenburg to Abisko? Thanks!
Perfectly safe to travel alone to Abisko! Sweden is very safe š I would just recommend that if you fly, you book a shuttle (you can find one on Abisko.net’s website) or take the train to Abisko as timing the flight, taxi, etc. with the daily train connection from Kiruna-Abisko can be a bit of a hassle (and it’ll be cheaper than taxi+train if you’re traveling alone)
Thanks Allison for your advice! Iāll go for the shuttle
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
You’re welcome! A Merry Christmas to you and yours as well š
Allison, thanks a lot for so much useful information. Can you tell me if it is easy to walk from Abisko.net (Winterday hostel) to STF? I understand it is about 2 km but not sure if it is easy to walk because it will be quite cold when we visit there in 2 weeks from now. Reason for considering Abisko.net is that it is 50% cheaper than STF
Hi Piyush. I haven’t made the walk so I can’t tell you from personal experience, but I’m pretty sure there’s just the one main highway that you’d have to walk so I don’t think it would be the safest choice. My situation was a little unique in that I booked to stay at Abisko.net (for the same reason) but they had a problem with their sprinkler system the week we were due to arrive, so they rebooked everyone into other hotels and guesthouses. They arranged transport for us between STF and Abisko.net as a result of that. I’d reach out to the team at Abisko.net and ask them directly. Keep in mind that it may already be booked up if your trip is in two weeks, though! It was booked up months in advance when I went two years ago.
Brilliant write-up! Thanks for great tips.
Thanks Claire! Hope it helped!
I am planning to visit Oslo, Tromso, Alta and Stockholm in mid-october of 2019. Can you please suggest what can be a good but very cheap itinerary for 3-5 days? Seeing the Northern Lights is a prime reason for the entire trip.
Hi Annay, do you have 3-5 days for Abisko or for that entire trip? If you have 3-5 days for the entire trip then I recommend only picking one place, and I’d pick Abisko, Sweden if you are on a budget.
Hi Allison,
Thanks for the great article! I just wanted to ask you about the snowshoe/XC ski rentals at STF Turiststation – is it really free with a room?? It seems too good to be true and I can’t find anything about it online. Do you think it may have changed since you were there?
Also, in general, I’ve been clicking around your blog now and I love your work! Very relatable for me, as a fellow quirky/outdoorsy Californian avoiding adulting while living in Berlin. Keep it up!!
Hi Ruby! It was free with a room when I stayed in 2016 but I’m not sure if anything has changed in the last 2 or 3 years, sorry!! You could always e-mail them and ask. And thank you and hello fellow Californian abroad! š Berlin is great – I actually considered moving there before ending up based in Sofia!
Hi Allison! Great article! Thanks for sharing your experiences and beautiful photographs! Which month in the year did you go to Abisko? I was thinking about going for 3 days around Christmas…Happy Holidays!
Hi Roneeta, I went in mid-February. Keep in mind that around Christmas is the polar night, meaning no true daylight at all at any point for about 3 weeks! There will be post-sunset twilight-y colors but that’s about it. So if that doesn’t bother you I say go for it! If you think that would get to you, save it for late January or later.
Hi Alisson! I loved your blog regarding your Sweden experiences vis-a-vis Northern Lights in Abisco. This includes your informative comments from various readers. Me and my travel buddy plan to travel Sweden in early January 2020 (probably between 6-10 January. Would you think this is an ideal period to see the northern light, taking into consideration to stay in Abisco for 3 nights as you suggested? Indeed I appreciate your comment on this query.
Hi Ernesto, thanks for your comment! This is a good time, just keep in mind it is during the polar night when there is no daylight – check the sunrise and sunlight times. There will be some twilight so it is not always completely pitch black but it may be a bit disorienting. Personally if you have flexibility I think that the end of January or early February will give you a better balance of day and night while still giving ample opportunity for Northern lights. In terms of time of the year generally the aurora is a little stronger in fall than in winter but if you have three nights you have the 80% chance. You could always be unlucky with clouds or no solar activity but your odds are better than anywhere else. Have a great trip!
I was frantically searching for information to go to abisco in feb 2021, if the covid situation improves. I found your post and it had a ton of information, i ma sure would be sufficient. maybe I will get back when things are formalised.
thanks
You’re welcome Sudhir, I hope the Covid situation improves and you can visit next year!
Great post, got a lot of information. Thanks Allison, you’re doing a great job.
You’re welcome Ruchira, happy travels
Hi Allison,
Is there any app you know which are dependable for Aurora forecast? I understand that it is only possible to see the aurora in winter months. Just wanted to check once if any chance of that in summer though.
Thanks for compiling all relevant information in one place. You made my trip plan way easier.
Regards,
Soumi
The best is My Aurora Forecast: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/my-aurora-forecast-alerts/id1073082439
However, you need true darkness in order to see the Northern lights and you won’t really be able to get that in summer. Late August would be the earliest in summer you’d be able to see the lights.
I would love to hear what you appreciate most about this app, I’m trying to improve my northern light app and I’ve understood that my aurora forecast is the most popular app on the market, looking for improvements we can make on our end. Thank you in advance!
Hi Viktor, I’m sorry but I’m confused — do I reference your app here?
My friend and I are leaving for Abisko in 32 days. Loved your blog.great information. I was waffling between taking a tour to see the lights or not and thanks to your info we will be taking a tour.
Thanks
The countdown is on! Yes, you definitely won’t regret seeing a tour. I’m going back to the North (Rovaniemi & Tromso this time) and I will definitely be taking a few northern lights tours again even though I have seen them before. It’s just that magical!
Hi Allison,
Wonderful posts and information on Northern Lights. one of the very best amonst all the ones I read so far.
We are planning a Northern Lights tour in 2nd week of March and want to go to 2 different places.
we have zeroed down on Rovaniemi as one for sure. For the second (or lets say the first), we are confused.
Initially thought of doing Tromso but having second thoughts after reading your article. Is Abisko a good option (also considering that we will anyways be going to Rovaniemi) or you recommend any other place?
Thanks in advance.
Aneesh.
Hi Aneesh, Tromso is more fun for winter activities as there is a lot more variety and the landscape is more naturally pleasing to the eye than Rovaniemi or Abisko, in my opinion.
That said, if your goal is the Northern lights only, Tromso is not really the place for that. The lights rarely appear over Tromso; when they do, they are faint or mostly covered by cloud. Northern lights tours almost always drive 3+ hours to Finland in order to even see a good lights display.
So for Northern lights I’d pick Abisko. For everything else (fjord landscape, winter activities, culture of a Northern city) I’d pick Tromso. I hope that helps!
This post is incredibly informative! Iām especially excited about the guided tours you mentioned, as they seem like a great way to enhance the experience. Any tips on the best time of year to visit?
hi Jenni, October/November probably have the best aurora chances but I like February for also having snow sports and activities available š