The area around Manuel Antonio National Park is one of Costa Rica’s most ecologically diverse regions, with lush humid rainforests, pristine beaches, and an uncountable number of species of animals who call this area home.
But if you only visit the rainforests by daylight, you’ll be missing out on all the incredible nocturnal animals who also call this part of the central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica home!
At night, the landscape of Costa Rica takes on a totally different character, with a loud chorus of chirps, squeaks, and creaks from the noisy nocturnal creatures enjoying their natural habitat.
You’ll almost certainly see Costa Rica’s famed red-eyed tree frogs on a night walk!
From the pocket-sized red-eyed tree frog to the two-toed sloth, many of most iconic residents of the Costa Rican rainforest only come out at night…
… which is why taking a Manuel Antonio night tour is a must-do if you want to fully understand just how much biodiversity Costa Rica has to offer!
In this post, I’ll talk about what it’s like to go on a jungle night walk in the Manuel Antonio park area, what you should know before you go, and what night tours in Manuel Antonio I recommend.
What It’s Like to Go on a Manuel Antonio Night Tour?
Arriving at the conservation park just as the sun set, ready for our Manuel Antonio night tour!
My night tour started with a hotel pickup, bringing us about 30 minutes outside of the Manuel Antonio & Quepos area to a place in the hills around Manuel Antonio called Rainmaker Park.
Note that none of the tours actually take place in Manuel Antonio National Park, even the tour listed on the park’s official website. The park closes at 4 PM every day, so there’s no tours there during the night time.
Rainmaker Conservation Park is one of the best places besides the national park itself to see wildlife, with well-kept trails and a diverse ecosystem that is a huge magnet for all sorts of tree frogs, lizards, and other nocturnal creatures!
Once we arrived at Rainmaker Conservation Park, which is a private reserve that is the perfect habitat for all sorts of nocturnal life.
An adorable frilled tree frog, look at the colors on its belly!
We dutifully followed our certified tour guide as he showed us all sorts of species of frogs around the pond area during the first hours of the night.
Note that for safety purposes, your guide should always lead the group, as sometimes there are snakes or other creatures on the ground, as well as tripping hazards that they might need to alert you to.
With his expert eye, we immediately spotted one of the famous basiliscos, also known as Jesus Christ lizards for their ability to scamper across the surface of water!
We continued on as he listened for the calls of the frogs, which he knew well, one which was nicknamed a “whiny tree frog” as all it seemed to do was lament “why” loudly through the lush green forest.
An adorable (and loud) tree frog — I love their adorable, bubble-like vocal sacs!
I’m not sure which exact frog it was that made that call (I think it was a snouted tree frog) but we found so many!
According to my notes, which I dutifully kept like a nerdconducting serious research, we spotted: two leopard frogs in the water, several bullfrogs (both female which is more green and male which is more orange in color), a frilled tree frog, and a yellow cricket tree frog.
Some other cool amphibian sightings include an hourglass tree frog with beautiful markings on its back, a green climbing toad, a reticulated glass frog (very rare to spot — our guide was elated!), and of course, Costa Rica’s trademark red-eyed tree frog.
I’m sure there are some others that I missed, too!
I loved learning all about the different markings and ways to tell the different frogs apart!
After exploring the pond area and seeing a truly unfathomable number of frogs, we headed into the forested area to try to spot some other nocturnal creatures.
This is the part where arachnophobes and people scared of insects and snakes may want to look away!
We spotted so many cool creepy-crawlies, including a jewel-colored turquoise stink bug, a poisonous centipede, a sac spider, a millipede, and a bark scorpion (whose sting is painful but not fatal, don’t worry — and they bioluminesce under a UV light, which is pretty cool to see!).
We also spotted a wolf spider (also poisonous but not fatal), a horned katydid, a walking stick bug, and a surprising runner-up when it came to most toxic creature of the night.
The banana spider, the most dangerous creature of the night! Our guide made sure he took all the photos to keep us all safe.
That honor goes to a fluffy looking white blob, which is actually a puss moth caterpillar, high up in the treetops….
… that was, until we saw the actual most deadly creature, the banana spider (also known as a Brazilian wandering spider) shown above!
When it comes to local reptiles, we spotted a few besides the Jesus Christ lizard, including a harmless cat-eyed snake and a tropical night lizard.
But what I found the most cute was this adorable sleeping smooth-helmeted iguana who clung to the same patch of tree trunk for our entire night tour.
This sleepy, lazy smooth-helmeted iguana didn’t move all night!
After the night tour came to an end, we had a hearty meal of chicken and rice back at the park’s kitchen, which was included in the price of the tour (as was the entrance fee to the reserve), before we got driven back to our hotels.
I absolutely loved my night tour in Manuel Antonio: it was a wonderful experience.
It’s definitely my favorite thing I did in Manuel Antonio (and my second-favorite thing in did in all of Costa Rica, after diving Caño Island — and ziplining in Monteverde is a close third).
What to Know Before Going on a Night Tour in Manuel Antonio
Weather conditions may not be your friend — wear a rain jacket!
Always in my trusty Patagonia jacket, here on a mangrove boat tour (also near Manuel Antonio, in Islas Damas)
Whether you visit in the rainy season or the dry season, rain is a common occurrence in Costa Rica, and it’s more likely in the late afternoon and into the evening.
It rained for pretty much the entirety of my night tour, but it wasn’t that much of a downer because I was well-dressed for the occasion with a proper waterproof rain jacket (I wore my one from Patagonia).
Don’t forget long pants and closed-toe shoes.
You’ll be happy for closed-toe shoes if any snakes cross your path, like this cat-eyed snake!
Under a rain jacket layer, you’ll want to wear comfortable clothes that are breathable and easy to move in, as well as long pants to avoid insect bites.
If you’re prone to bug bites, you’ll also want to wear some mosquito repellent.
You’ll also want the right footwear, like a closed toe sneaker or hiking shoe.
You don’t need any special equipment for a night tour.
Your guide will have all the equipment you need to see things like this!
Since you’re going with professional guides, they’ll bring all the needed equipment for the group tours.
For example, your guide will bring things like a spotting scope if needed (we didn’t end up using it, as we didn’t see anything in the canopy), UV light, flashlights, etc.
What you will need is the proper clothing I mentioned above (rain jacket, closed-toe shoes, long pants) and an excited attitude for all the cool wildlife you’re about to see!
You don’t need special camera gear, either.
I still can’t believe this Photo was taken on an iPhone!
When it comes to photography, your guide will be your best pal — they’re simply amazing at getting incredible shots of these wonderful creatures even in low-light conditions with a simple iPhone.
Every single photo in this post was taken with my iPhone, most with the assistance of my tour guide in getting the lighting and focus right.
If you’re a huge wildlife photography geek, like two people on my tour were, you may want to have all the fancy gear (external flash, a mirrorless or DSLR camera, etc.) but it’s really not necessary if you just want photos for your own memory and use!
There are dangerous creatures, but you’ll be safe.
This sac spider may look creepy, but it’s pretty harmless to people.
As I mentioned above, we spotted several poisonous and venomous creatures on our hike — but I never once felt like I was in any danger, as we kept a respectful distance.
Plus, the guide handled all the photography when it came to some of the more dangerous creatures that you don’t want to touch, like the bark scorpion, the puss caterpillar, the wolf spider, and the banana spider.
I don’t love insects, spiders, and bugs, but I also don’t hate them — at least, not when I’m outside and they’re not inside my house, which is a different story altogether!
The reality is that most of these creatures don’t actually want to be around us: shy snakes want to avoid humans rather than see them, and spiders mind their own business unless you threaten them — they’ve got webs to tend, and humans don’t exactly make a snack they can eat.
Actually, on the tour, I grew to appreciate the colorful insects and spiders more — again, so long as they stay out of my house!
That said, it’s not for people with extreme phobias.
This cat-eyed snake was rather shy, and it’s harmless to humans!
While I do maintain that the Manuel Antonio night walk is totally safe to do, it’s a different story altogether if you have an actual phobia of snakes, spiders, or insects.
Not liking these creatures vs. having an a true phobia is an entirely different story.
I almost guarantee you will see some sort of snake or spider along the tour, so if that’s a dealbreaker for you, a jungle night walk in Manuel Antonio is really not the tour for you!
It’s a bit of a long excursion, but it’s absolutely worth it!
An interesting insect seen on the night walk (I forget what this one is called, but I think it’s a katydid)
I was definitely a bit knackered from the night tour, but I had the best time and it was absolutely worth it.
Just keep in mind that you will be walking in a pitch black forest, with only a flashlight to guide you, and the weather conditions may be cold and damp!
You’ll keep to keep your wits about you as you walk, since there may be obstacles on the ground that are hard to spot unless you’re shining your light on it.
There isn’t any heavy-duty hiking, but it is easy to moderate in terms of effort required to walk around for about 2 or 3 hours in the jungle.
The 5 Best Night Tours in Manuel Antonio
Rainmaker Conservation Park Night Tour — What I Did — Book Here!
This reticulated glass frog is a rare and special find that my guide made!
I already talked in detail about my experience taking this Manuel Antonio night tour above, so I won’t fully repeat myself here.
This tour is just excellent — the tour operators really know what they’re doing, and everything is run like a well-oiled machine.
Communication regulation pickup location and time was excellent, the transportation was smooth and easy, the tour guide was an amazing nature interpreter, and he was passionate about helping us get epic photography.
He also was very tolerant of my constant questions and note-taking of all the different species of animals we saw.
Truly, shoutout to his patience as I asked him to repeat the names of the different species we saw so I could take notes for this blog.
I don’t have much more to say — I think this is a great option for a night tour of Manuel Antonio, and I’d happily do it again — I had such a great time.
I loved the orange feet and bright red eyes of this adorable tree frog!
Another option is this three hour night tour of the Manuel Antonio area, including pick-up and drop-off anywhere in Manuel Antonio or Quepos.
This tour lasts two hours and includes transportation, a guide, equipment, and all entrance fees, but it doesn’t include dinner.
To me, that lessens its value compared to the tour I took, which was the same price but had an hour longer in the tour as well as diner included.
Still, it has excellent reviews — on Viator, it has 150 reviews with an average of around 5 stars, indicating it’s w crowd pleaser!
If you want a shorter tour and to choose your own dinner spot after the tour time is up, this is a good choice.
Personally, I was quite tired after my tour and was happy that dinner — even if not the most exciting dinner — was there and waiting for me, as I wouldn’t have wanted to deal with finding a restaurant after the tour.
However, if you have dietary restrictions and prefer more control over your food choices, one of the two tours above that does not include a meal is probably a better alternative.
Combination Chocolate Tour & Jungle Night Walk Tour — Book Here!
The markings of an hourglass tree frog are astounding!
If you want to tick off two things on your Costa Rican bucket list in one easy combination tour — this is the one for you!
Starting at 5 PM, you’ll start the trip at a cacao plantation where you’ll learn all about the art and science of making chocolate — as well as chocolate’s significance in the history and culture of Costa Rica.
You’ll get the chance to sample local artisan chocolate where it was made, from bean to bar!
That chocolate buzz should keep you going as you continue onwards to a nighttime walking tour in the jungle, looking for diverse wildlife like rain forest frogs, nocturnal reptiles, snakes, and insects.
You can also start the tour at 8 AM, visit the cacao plantation for your chocolate tour, then get picked up later in the day to go on your night tour.
Combination Day & Night Tour of Manuel Antonio — Book Here!
You might see colorful insects at night like this turquoise stink beetle!
Another cool way to experience the full range of Manuel Antonio’s biodiversity is to compare and contrast it by day and by night on a combination tour.
This small group tour starts bright and early at 7 AM, so you can be there as the jungle wakes up, spotting creatures that are extra playful at this time of day like capuchin monkeys and squirrel monkeys.
Keep an eye out for the three-toed sloth, which aren’t strictly nocturnal like their two-toed brothers.
They’re hard to find on your own, but luckily, your guide will have a spotting scope and a well-trained eye to help you!
You’ll be returned back to your hotel where you can unwind or enjoy some of the beaches in the area until you get picked up again for your night tour around sunset-time.
Then, you can return to a similar environment and see how it comes to life in a totally different way, with the morning bird calls turning into a raucous symphony of dozens of frogs vying for attention!
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
One of the most popular activities in the Monteverde Cloud Forest area is taking one of the many Monteverde zipline tours through the mist-shrouded canopy.
Why wouldn’t it be? Costa Rica is one of the best places to zip line in the world (this country invented it, after all!).
And ziplining in Monteverde is especially magical: with wisps of mists curling through the the canopy, the bird’s eye view of the stunning cloud forest ecosystem is like nowhere else.
After all, cloud forests only make up 1% of the world’s forest area, since the conditions required are quite rare and hard to line up!
There are a few places you can take zip line tours in Monteverde, since it’s a big hot spot for ziplining in Costa Rica.
I’ll go over the options in this post, as well as walking you through which Monteverde canopy tour I chose (and why!) and what my experience was like.
My Personal Experience Ziplining on a Monteverde Canopy Tour
I picked Selvatura Park because it has a big of everything that I wanted to experience in Monteverde, all in one place.
Not only did I get to go ziplining, but I also got to go on a walk through its famous hanging bridges (puentes colgantes) as well as check out their nature exhibits, including a butterfly garden, a reptile and amphibian area, and even a sloth habitat.
I’ll cover the ziplining portion of the tour here, and in another post, I’ll write more about the other parts of Selvatura that you can experience.
Selvatura’s Monteverde canopy tour takes about two hours to complete, as you soar across 13 ziplines, with the optional (free) Tarzan swing in addition.
For an additional cost of $13 added on at the counter, you can tackle the longest zipline in a unique way: aerial Superman style!
Personally, I didn’t try it this way, but it did look like a lot of fun.
I’ll admit that I thought the canopy tour was a little expensive at first. And in general, yes, Costa Rica is an expensive place to travel, especially in the Central America region.
But when I realized how many people it took for one canopy tour to run like a well-oiled machine, I realized it was worth the price.
For our tour group size of 28 people, it took 5 friendly bilingual guides to keep us running smoothly and safely, without waiting too long between ziplines and always having someone double- and triple-checking our safety gear.
Personally, I feel like the zipline cost is worth it, and the hanging bridges by themselves are a little overpriced — when combined, it’s a pretty good deal.
I would only pick the hanging bridges as a solo option if I was too afraid to go ziplining, but honestly, ziplining is super safe and exciting, so unless you have an actual phobia of heights, you should go for it!
Selvatura Hanging Bridges & Monteverde Canopy Tour – MY CHOICE – Book Here
The ultimate canopy tour in Monteverde combines both ziplining and hanging bridges, so you can experience these two distinct Costa Rican classic experiences all in one day.
Your adventure begins with a quick yet crucial safety session. Your guides will get you suited up, strapped into your harness safely, and your gloves on and helmet secured.
Now, let’s get to the exciting part: the ziplines. Ahead of you await 13 adrenaline-pumping cables that stretch across the jungle canopy, the longest of which is a whopping kilometer (more than half a mile) — which you can take like Superman, flying above the treetops!
Prepare for a breathtaking aerial tour of the rainforest through these cable systems, soaring over treetops and through the mist of the stunning cloud forest.
For the brave-hearted, there’s the optional Tarzan swing. Harness your inner jungle king (or queen) for a more adrenaline-pumping experience, complete with a stomach-churning free fall before you catch and swing back!
That’s also the chance to add on the Superman ziplines, for an additional $13 USD.
After you’ve finished the aerial part of your tour, you can go for a walk on its famous hanging bridges, seeing the same treetops you were soaring past from a different angle.
Enjoy a serene walk along a 3-kilometer (2-mile) circuit of hanging bridges — the peace and quiet only spoiled by the occasional squeal of an excited zipliner ahead.
These marvels of engineering are really unique: some of these hanging bridges are as long as 510 feet and are elevated a dizzying 180 feet above the forest floor.
At different elevations throughout the park, these bridges offer a closer amazing views at the intricate layers of the cloud forest canopy.
You can look out for countless species of plants and trees, plus the critters who call the cloud forest home, ranging from resplendent quetzals and other bird species to slow-moving sloths.
Keep your eyes peeled for those elusive tree-dwelling critters — they’re not easy to spot!
Tip: You can add on a naturalist guide at the reception center if you want help spotting some of these critters.
Once you’ve had your fill of the park, the ticket also includes access to the butterfly garden.
Here, a guided tour will introduce you to Costa Rica’s dazzling array of butterflies in all their iridescent glory, including the stunning Blue morpho.
For an additional thrill (and additional fee), consider adding the reptile and amphibian area, or the chance to see the park’s sloth sanctuary that houses some 20 of these adorable creatures.
These Monteverde canopy tours include free transportation if desired (or you can drive yourself in case you want to be more in charge of when you arrive and leave).
Note: There is a maximum weight restriction of 280 pounds and children must be aged 4 and up.
Basically, this Monteverde canopy tour is as described above, but you don’t have access to the hanging suspension bridges or the butterfly garden after your canopy tour.
If you just want a pure ziplining experience, with or without the superman cables for the last cable, this is the better option at Selvatura, because it only includes the canopy tour.
That also makes it more budget-friendly than some of the other tours at Selvatura.
The other tours are Selvatura offer a combined zipline experience with other things like the hanging bridges, butterfly gardens, etc., so they are naturally more expensive as they’re completely different experiences.
That said, there are some cheaper tours, so it may not be the best option.
I think the main thing that Selvatura offers is the all-in-one experience of being both a great eco-tour as well as a ziplining experience.
If you want just active aerial adventure, without the eco tour or hanging bridges, some of the other tours like the one below may be a better choice as they are more economical.
For a heart-pounding exploration of the lush Costa Rican cloud forest, try all sorts of aerial adventure at the 3-hour combo tour offered by 100% Aventura.
This isn’t just your average Costa Rica zip line tour; it’s a white-knuckle adrenaline rush ranging from ziplining to ATV riding to rope bridges!
100% Aventura’s canopy tour includes 11 pulse-racing zip lines, nine regular zip lines but also not one but two Superman zip lines that are included in the price (no extra fee!).
Note that these are fewer in number than at Selvatura, but these cables pack a punch, since it includes the longest zipline in all of Latin America!
The longest Superman zipline stretches a mind-boggling 1.2 miles—nearly twice the length of Selvatura’s longest cable, by comparison!
You’ll also get to traverse rope bridge suspended high above the jungle floor, enjoy a ATV buggy ride along bumpy forest trails, and perhaps the biggest adrenaline pumper of all, their signature Mega Tarzan Swing.
With a heart-stopping drop from 45 meters (that’s 148 feet!), this swing will get your adrenaline pumping like nothing else.
Scream, laugh, or simply hold on tight as you swing out over the jungle like the king of the apes!
This tour does combine a lot of forms of aerial transportation… but ground transit is not included in the package, so you’ll need your own car to get here.
This tour is great for adventure-seekers on a budget, and those who really want bang for their ziplining buck with experiences like the longest zip line in Costa Rica and two Superman ziplines.
However, this tour doesn’t incorporate the eco-aspect of the tour as much as Selvatura.
For example, there isn’t a hanging bridge circuit that you can take after the canopy tour, nor are there habitats for butterflies, reptiles, and sloths like there are at Selvatura.
So keep that in mind when trying to narrow it down between the two! It’s the best zipline tour for adrenaline junkies, but for eco-geeks, other adventure parks offer a more well-rounded experience.
Note: There is a maximum weight restriction of 240 pounds and children must be aged 6 and up. For Superman, rappelling, and Tarzan swing, the maximum weight is 220 pounds.
Another option when looking for zipline tours in Monteverde is the Original Canopy Tour: true to their name, they’re the pioneer of zipline escapades in the region.
Nestled in the heart of the Monteverde region, their section of the cloud forest is a little denser and teeming with more old-growth forest than its Santa Elena counterpart. Think Jurassic Park vibes!
This classic tour combines your traditional zipline experience with some adrenaline-popping additions, like finishing your canopy tour with a 150-feet rappel straight down to the lush forest floor — talk about a finale!
And if you haven’t had your fill of excitement, you can ascend back to the treetops through a system of ladders for the optional Tarzan swing experience.
This 2.5-hour tour also includes transfers in the Monteverde area, so that your trip to and from the canopy is a breeze, leaving you with more time to soak up the magic of your surroundings.
Note: There is a maximum weight of 250 pounds and young kids must be aged 5 and up.
This isn’t your ordinary day out in the cloud forest; it’s a wild journey through, over, and above the trees in three different ways, at three different speeds.
There’s the epic Sky Walk, a serene yet spine-tingling series of high-flying hanging bridge where you can meander through the lush cloud forest canopy, walking across bridges suspended high above the jungle floor. It’s like strolling through the sky!
Next up, try the Sky Tram, a heavenly gondola ride that sweeps you up and over the treetops. Glide above the lush canopy with breathtaking views over the sprawling rainforest and towards the towering mountains beyond.
With seven cables covering a combined distance of 2.5 miles, it’s not the longest zip line route in Monteverde but it is still quite impressive.
Their longest cable stretches a whopping 2,500 feet, nearly half a mile of pure thrill at speeds up to 40 mph.
Plus, five epic observation towers dot the park, offering breathtaking views over the cloud forest.
After the high-speed rush of the ziplines, these towers provide a moment of tranquility, a chance to pause, catch your breath, and admire the view while standing on your own two feet.
All three of these extraordinary experiences—Sky Walk, Sky Tram, and Sky Trek—are included in the ticket price.
The entire adventure takes about 5 hours, and it includes transfers to and from Monteverde or Santa Elena.
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Seeing the Northern lights is a true bucket list must, and the part of Norway north of the Arctic Circle is one of the best places in the world to tick it off your list!
However, I personally think Norway is underrated here! It has some amazing Northern lights hotels that specifically bring in design elements that enhance the experience of viewing the aurora.
Visiting Tromso in winter!
I’ve picked out the best hotels in Northern Norway where you can see the Northern lights dancing overhead — no Northern lights tours required (although they are quite fun!)
For the purpose of this post, I’ve focused on unique hotels offering something special to the Northern lights experience, whether that’s staying in an ice hotel, a glass igloo, or having access to incredible winter activities.
So, let’s get into it: here are my top picks for the best Norway Northern lights hotels!
My Top 3 Norway Northern Lights Hotels
This post goes into detail about all the great places to stay, but it’s quite exhaustive, with 13 possible options… which may cause decision fatigue for some.
If you’re in a hurry, not to worry — I’ve narrowed it down to my top 3 and shared why I think each one has a unique edge that makes it an epic choice.
#1TOP PICK
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Aurora Borealis Observatory ✔️ Glass igloos available (check their “one bedroom bungalows”) ✔️ Gorgeous hot tubs to watch the aurora from! ✔️ Fine dining New Nordic restaurant
The city of Tromso is often a hub for Northern lights tours; however, the city itself is not the best place to see the lights.
I stayed there for one week, and I was only able to see the Northern lights from my Airbnb in the city on time, when the lights were especially active.
As a result, if you want to stay in a Northern lights hotel in Tromso, you’re better off staying in a hotel outside the city center, away from the light pollution. Tromso is a city of nearly 75,000 people, after all — the third-largest city in the Arctic Circle.
Your overnight stay includes a night in a crystal lavvo. Wait, what’s a lavvo?
It’s a traditional indigenous Sami lodging style that is comparable to a tipi in shape and construction.
Of course, these lavvos are a little different. Rather than being constructed with reindeer pelts like Sami lavvos are, they are made of panes of glass joined together.
This makes a beautiful panoramic view where you can watch the Northern lights dance in front of you!
Your stay also includes transportation from downtown Tromso and a tour (either snowmobiling through the Lyngen Fjord and Alps, or whale watching tour in Skjervoy).
You’ll also get to enjoy a group lunch, the ability to choose between a snowshoe or cross-country ski activity, and a photography workshop for the Northern lights complete with tripod rental.
Of course, then you have free time to enjoy your glass-roof lavvo and snap as many photos of the aurora as you can — weather permitting of course.
The tour also includes dinner and breakfast the following morning as well as return transit to Tromso the next day.
Book your overnight stay at the Aurora Camp Tromso here — pick between the snowmobiling or whale watching option!
The first ice hotel on this list, Tromso Ice Domes is a fantastic place to stay free of light pollution so you can see the Northern lights in their full glory.
However, do note that the ice hotels have no windows (you are encased in ice, after all!) so you will have to leave your room to see the lights dance.
The Tromso Ice Domes are constructed entirely from ice derived from a river near the Finnish border, where the colder temperatures allow for ice blocks to form more easily.
Sitting on one of the beds at the Tromso Ice Domes, a great Northern lights spotting destination!
It takes about two months each year to build the Ice Domes from scratch, and they’re open for just a few months each year — from December 10th to March 31st.
Tromso is actually too warm to support the cold temperatures that the Ice Domes require to be structurally sound.
For that reason, despite the name, the Tromso Ice Domes are actually located in the Tamok Valley, about an 1.5 hour drive from the city of Tromso.
This budget-friendly aurora hotel near Tromso, located on the island of Kvaløya, is a good choice if you don’t want the fanciest accommodation option, but you do want a good chance of seeing the Northern lights.
MelisHome Aurora Observatory is a little bare bones in terms of rooms and amenities (although they do have a sauna!), but the location can’t be beat, located right on a fjord with no light pollution to disturb your aurora watching.
Note that you will need to arrange transportation or have a rental car in order to get around here, since it’s a bit out of the way from downtown Tromso.
However, once you’re there, you’ll find you have all you need, including a kitchen to make your own meals if you are trying to save money there.
Located on Senja Island about 10 minutes from Finnsnes, away from light pollution the Aurora Borealis Observatory is a fantastic place to stay to see the Northern Lights in Norway.
This is one of the hotels where you can stay in a “glass igloo” style accommodation (the likes of which you’ve probably seen in those viral photos of those famous igloo hotels in Finland!).
From your glass igloo, you can enjoy nearly 360-degree views of the sky, all from the comfort of your own bed at this beautiful Northern lights resort.
There are also other more traditional styles of suites, but everything comes with huge windows so you can appreciate the beautiful aurora right from your own hotel!
There are ski rentals available so you can enjoy the natural winter beauty of Senja Island by day, while waiting for the aurora to make its appearance at night… which you can enjoy from a Jacuzzi or from the wide-windowed privacy of your own aurora suite.
Daily breakfast is provided and there is also a restaurant on-site providing fine dining options, including a beautifully-executed tasting menu that celebrates Northern Norwegian cuisine.
Tip: If you want to book the glass igloo, it’s listed as the “one bedroom bungalow” on the website!
Best Arctic “Pyramid” Cabins: Trasti & Trine Boutique Hotel – Book Here
Close to the conveniences of Alta just over five miles from the city and near to the Alta River, Trasti & Trine is the perfect Northern lights hotel in Norway: convenient, but far enough away from the city lights so you can see the beautiful aurora borealis!
Trasti & Trine has a variety of room types, from double rooms in a typical hotel to self-contained cottages better for a larger group.
They also have their own private pyramid-shaped Arctic cabins in a completely unique geometric design, way different than the igloos you’re used to seeing online!
Their unique tiny-house like “Radderud” cabins are built over two stories, with lots of angled glass panes, so you get a great panoramic view no matter where you are in the cabin!
Note: These are listed as the one and two-bedroom cottages on Booking — take a look at the photos to ensure you’re booking the right room type!
Besides having a prime aurora watching location, you can also go snowshoeing, hiking, or cross-country skiing on trails that leave right from the hotel!
This is also a great place to stay for foodies, as this hotel serve all-organic delicious breakfasts and dinners prepared by their team of chefs, who can cater to a variety of dietary needs.
But best of all?
Trasti & Trine is located just a short walk from their in-house dog kennel that houses 60 beautiful Alaskan huskies who are excited to welcome visitors — when they’re not busy dog sledding, that is!
Located with a pristine view of the Gammelbollo River, Sorrisniva Arctic Wilderness Lodge is a stunning Norway Northern Lights hotel option in Alta.
This is probably the best luxury hotel option of all the Northern lights accommodations suggested here.
Sorrisniva is quite simply an incredible Arctic hotel, and it even has its own on-site ice hotel. (Which we’ll talk about in the next section, as it’s listed separately!)
Beyond the ice hotel rooms, they also have typical warm rooms with gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows so you can aurora-watch from your comfortable bed.
These rooms also have a patio area where you can sit outside and see the aurora privately from your own terrace if you don’t mind the brisk night air!
They also have huskies who live there who are available for dog-sledding, and they offer really extended excursions — like a 30 kilometer full-day husky sledding trip (most dog sledding tours in Norwayonly last a few hours maximum!)
They also offer all sorts of other on-site experiences, from snowshoeing to snowmobiling to going fishing for king crabs to reindeer sledding with Sami reindeer herders and more!
It’s a great place to have a mash-up of cultural experience, nature escape, and an absolutely luxurious getaway — in equal parts!
However, do note that the ice hotel rooms won’t have a good view of the aurora, since they are totally surrounded by ice with no windows.
So if you are looking for aurora spotting from your room, you will want to book one of the standard ‘warm rooms’ in the wilderness lodge above.
You’ll also get to enjoy all the amenities of the wilderness lodge, so staying in the Igloo Hotel is a great way to have the best of both worlds.
You can also stay one night in the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel for the experience (which you likely only really need one night!) and then switch to a warm room in the neighboring lodge with panoramic windows for the rest of your stay.
Personally, that’s what I’d choose, especially since these rooms are quite pricy.
One of the more unique ways to stay in a Northern lights hotel in Norway is to stay in a tented dome with GLØD Aurora Canvas Dome!
You get to stay in a tent with see-through paneling so you can watch the aurora dance overhead on nights with a clear sky — all while you still feel very at one with nature.
Don’t worry about feeling cold — the canvas dome comes with a log-fueled fireplace and electric blankets are also available so you’re sure to feel extra cozy.
Note that the bathroom is located outside the canvas dome in an outhouse right nearby the tents.
The accommodation style is a bit unique here in that each suite is a standalone wooden cabin with large floor-to-ceiling windows on 3 sides of the cabin, giving you nearly 360-degree views to enjoy aurora watching!
The design is very typically Scandinavian and comfortable (the Norwegian word for that would be koselig!)
The cabin has great heating so you can be sure to be toasty warm despite all the glass walls!
There is also an en-suite bathroom unlike some of the other options on this list which require you leaving the accommodation to use an outhouse, so it’s great if that’s a concern for you!
There are only two of these glass cabins, so be sure to book in advance if this is the right Northern lights hotel in Norway for you.
Lofoten Islands, Norway’s Best Northern Lights Hotels
Best Rorbuer-Style Traditional Fishing Huts: Hattvika Lodge
The charming Hattvika Lodge located in Ballstad in the Lofoten Islands is a great choice for a Norway Northern lights hotel.
In general, the Lofoten Islands are more of a summer destination, when the midnight sun allows for hours of Arctic water sports like sea kayaking and even surfing!
As a result, it’s a little harder to find a Northern lights hotel in the Lofoten Islands, but Hattvika Lodge is one of those hotels that works really well for aurora spotting as well as summer activities.
The Lodge features “Rorbuer”, which are traditional fishing huts that have been modernized beautifully.
Each little hut has been updated with modern Nordic design, evoking a beautiful modern mountain lodge vibe on the inside, despite being located in a small fishing village!
The rooms feature have large windows and comfortable amenities like saunas and hot tubs great for enjoying the winter nights!
Tip: The Deluxe Studio and the Deluxe Two-Bedroom have the best windows for aurora spotting and amazing views day or night!
Located in Leknes in the Lofoten Islands, Lofoten Basecamp is simply beautiful.
Its fishing cabins perched over the water are pretty much the closest thing Norway has to overwater bungalows — just Arctic-style, so you’ll hardly want to jump in!
Each little unit has its own terrace that offers a stunning overlook of the sea view — and the Northern lights at night!
Each unit also has a kitchen with dishwasher, oven, and fridge, so it’s perfect if you are self-catering to save some money (or cater to a dietary requirement) while you are traveling Norway.
Enjoy the stunning sea and mountain views from your private terrace, where you can enjoy the Northern lights at night.
One of the best options is Snowhotel Kirkenes, about 6 miles from the Northern Norwegian city of Kirkenes.
This snow hotel is simply spectacular to behold, made entirely of blocks of ice and snow. The property also has a sauna, restaurant, and free WiFi on-site.
Inside the handful of snow suites, your room will feature ice sculptures, and have thermal bedspreads and sleeping bags available so that you can stay warm despite the air temperature being below 0 Celsius.
Wondering how you use the bathroom in a snow hotel? There is a bathroom facility in the building nearby.
Not feeling up to staying in a snow hotel? There are also wooden cottages, inspired by traditional Sami architecture, with large windows perfect for viewing the Northern lights!
You can also enjoy all sorts of traditional Northern Nordic winter activities here, such as dog sledding, husky rides, snowmobile safaris, and more.
The Northern Lights are an entirely natural phenomenon that occurs when gas particles that are free-floating in the Earth’s atmosphere interact and collide with other particles released by the sun.
These particles from the sun occur after solar storms produce massive clouds of particles that are electrically charged (ions) — and when they collide with the Earth at certain latitudes, the magnetic fields of the Earth create beautiful light shows.
The different colors of the aurora relate to different gases, as well as how high the particles are when they interact.
The most common color you’ll see is green, which is characteristic of low-altitude oxygen. If you see a scarlet red, that’s also oxygen, but interacting at a high altitude (which is atypical unless there is high solar activity).
You may also see purple, pink, and blue, which are caused by nitrogen particles.
Keep in mind that photos you see of the aurora are typically more intense than the Northern lights you see in person.
This is because the eye takes in light information at, well, the speed of light, whereas as a camera taking photographs of the northern lights is typically set on a tripod and takes photos for anywhere from 1-5 seconds, which allows for more light collection and thus more vibrant color.
This is not to say that the photos are altered per se, but that the camera “sees” differently than the human eye does.
That said, I’ve seen the Northern lights on nearly a dozen separate occasions, and you can absolutely see the lights with your naked eye quite dramatically when they are particularly active, and I’ve even been able to snap good photos with a simple smart phone.
If you want more information about the aurora, I wrote a post about seeing the Northern lights in Sweden which applies to seeing the Northern lights in Norway just as well!
When Can You See the Northern Lights in Norway?
Solar activity technically happens year-round, but you won’t be able to see them during the midnight sun. You need enough hours of dark night sky to be able to see the aurora, after all, as it’s not visible during the day.
Technically, the aurora may be visible as soon as there’s enough darkness, which may be as early as the end of August or the end of April. However, typically, the best Northern lights season is typically between October and March.
I’ve typically gone to Lapland area in February, which allows a nice combination of some daylight hours after polar night has ended, with plenty of hours still for aurora chasing.
If you’re planning a Northern lights trip, I recommend either January or February. Pick January if you also want to go whale watching and have the chance to see killer whales, since they leave the Tromso area by the end of January.
Recommended Photography Equipment for Taking Photos of the Northern Lights
The cold can wear out your camera batteries… and frost over your camera! This is my old Sony A6000, which I loved.
Mirrorless or DSLR Camera
Personally, I prefer mirrorless cameras because they are really lightweight. Ever since I started blogging in 2016, I’ve been using the Sony mirrorless series.
I now use a Sony A7 II camera body, which is a step-down from their top-tier full frame camera, but it is still professional grade.
Before that, I was using a Sony A6000, which is a more affordable option.
As a rule of thumb, full frame camera gear tends to be pricier than crop sensor gear, especially when it comes to adding lenses to your gear kit.
However, you will be able to capture a lot more of the night sky with a full frame camera with a wide angle lens than you will with a crop sensor, which has a magnifying effect.
Lens Warmer
If you have a large camera lens, you may want to grab a lens warmer which will keep your camera from icing up.
This happens a lot when shooting the Northern lights (take it from me and the photo above!)
Tripod
You’ll absolutely want a sturdy tripod to stabilize your camera for Northern lights photos.
I suggest setting up a two-second delay on taking photos, so that there is no camera shake from you pressing the shutter button.
The Sony cameras also have a feature where you can control snapping photos with your smartphone, which will also reduce the potential shake but allow you more control of when exactly you snap the photo, so you don’t miss anything.
You don’t need a super expensive tripod, but it does need to have a little heft to it so that wind does not shake it and blur your photos, so resist the urge to buy the cheapest possible Amazon option.
Hand Warmers
It gets super cold while waiting for the Northern lights a lot of the time, and there’ll be a lot of waiting… patience is a virtue, here.
These rechargeable hand warmers are great to keep in your gloves or mittens, or in your pocket to keep your batteries warm!
Extra camera batteries
Be sure to have lots of extra batteries with you, fully charged.
The cold will zap the battery way faster than you are used to!
When planning any trip, especially a winter trip, be sure not to forget about travel insurance!
I use SafetyWing and its Nomad Insurance to insure all of my trips for its affordable rates and comprehensive coverage for all my travel needs.
For a trip as expensive as traveling to Norway, it’s especially important for me to have coverage. Plus, it’s a Norwegian company!
It provides both travel insurance (coverage for trip delays, cancellations, interruptions — the likelihood of which increases in winter) and travel medical insurance (coverage for things like accidents, illnesses including Covid, etc. — also more likely in winter!).
When you throw in travel to the Arctic, things get even more unpredictable with the weather, and you’ll be especially glad for the peace of mind!
Coverage is really affordable — for me, it costs roughly $11 USD for a week of coverage outside of the U.S., with a policy max of $250,000 after a deductible of $250. Not bad!
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The motto of Caye Caulker may be go slow – but the marine life doesn’t seem to have gotten the memo.
As soon as you dive beneath the clear turquoise waters, a riotous world awaits you, with fish speeding around like mad.
If you go snorkeling in Caye Caulker, you’ll see countless colors of fish, but that’s just the start of it.
You’re also guaranteed to see giant-yet-friendly nurse sharks, curious stingrays, a few turtles and if you’re lucky — perhaps an elusive West Indian manatee or a spotted eagle ray!
I’ve been to Belize three times and wrote this post after my second trip snorkeling on Caye Caulker, and I’ve recently updated it to make it more helpful for you.
The first time I snorkeled in Belize, I left from Ambergris Caye on a half day trip.
This time, I did a full-day snorkeling tour from Caye Caulker, and it was a wonderful way to spend a day!
Want to join the fun? Here are the top Caye Caulker snorkeling tours I recommend.
What’s It Like to Go on a Caye caulker Snorkeling Tour?
You’ll start off the day by slathering yourself in reef-friendly sunscreen, which had the hilarious effect of making you look like a streaky ghosts.
You can do your part by switching to reef-friendly mineral sunscreens and avoiding the ingredient oxybenzone as much as possible.
Buy sunscreen in your home country if possible, as you will have less selection abroad.
At the first stop, we spotted innumerable colorful fishes, ranging from standard silver to bright yellow, purple, and electric blue.
A few sting rays undulated on the floor below us, unperturbed by us up at the surface.
We hopped back on the boat and about five minutes later, had a crew of sharks patiently trailing us.
Proving Pavlov right, these sharks followed us, tipped off by the hum of the motor. No doubting it: it was shark breakfast time!
Luckily the squid they feed these sharks are far easier of a catch than tourists!
So don’t worry, the nurse sharks (and cheeky jacks) are well-fed and completely uninterested in the people bobbing above them.
I’ve dived and snorkeled with sharks many times — there’s nothing to be afraid of.
And nurse sharks are basically puppies of the ocean, perfectly harmless so long as you don’t bother them.
In the history of recording shark attacks, there have only been 5 unprovoked nurse shark attacks… like, ever. And none of those were fatal.
Personally, I reserve my fear only for great white sharks — a leftover fear from growing up near Stinson Beach, shark attack capital of California.
Seeing these sharks is one of the highlights of a snorkeling tour in Caye Caulker so don’t let an overblown fear of sharks scare you out of it!
After our stop marveling at the sharks, it was time to visit Hol Chan Marine Reserve, the best place for snorkeling in Belize.
There, our guide dove down and pointed out different species of fish, telling us their names and interesting facts about them.
We even got lucky and spotted an adorable sea turtle!
Sea turtles are often quite shy, at least compared to the sharks and rays who are easier to great to visit you.
I see turtles a lot when I’m scuba diving, but rarely when I snorkel, so it’s really a rare treat to get to see them — and you have a good chance of it in Hol Chan.
Our last and final stop was snorkeling in the gorgeous Coral Garden.
Here, we admired beautiful coral that looked like hands had spouted everywhere, next to fan coral that waved to us in the ocean current.
Electric blue fish darted into their hiding spots. And then, something amazing happened —
A beautiful spotted eagle ray photobombed me and glided right past.
I followed it for a few minutes, and even managed to snap a few selfies with this gorgeous, elegant creature!
After all that excitement, I tucked into the all-you-can-drink rum punch that they offered on board my snorkeling tour.
Whiiiiich I may have taken a little too literally, judging by the photos that ended up on my camera roll after the tour.
Whoops!
But when in Belize, right?
But the highlight of my day snorkeling in Caye Caulker hadn’t even happened yet.
No – that was the pod of three wild dolphins who swam alongside us as we sailed home.
They swam in perfect formation, diving into the water and disappearing momentarily only to resurface to the squeals and ahhs of our entire boat.
Dolphins are one of my favorite creatures on Earth — which is saying something, as a massive animal lover — and this was a moment I’d never forget.
Nope, not even after unlimited rum punch.
Forgive the tiny photo – in my delirious excitement I could do little more than capture shaky video!
This snorkeling tour’s commitment to the environment reflects in several aspects of the tour.
Say goodbye to single-use plastics—their eco-conscious operations respect Mother Nature and ensuring our undersea friends can continue to flourish for generations to come!
You’ll kick off your aquatic adventure with an adrenaline-fueled hour-long visit to Shark Ray Alley, where you’ll get the chance to swim with friendly nurse sharks and curious stingrays.
Don’t worry — they’re friendly and peaceful, and they’re very used to visitors!
After Shark Ray Alley, you’ll also get to snorkel in a more coral-filled area (since the shark and ray area is sandy with some turtle grass on the bottom) to see some of the amazing fish life that teems around the preserved waters of Hol Chan!
And don’t worry if you don’t have your own camera, because the guides will capture every gasp-worthy encounter on GoPro, giving you not just memories, but incredible visuals to take home and share.
The best part? It’s all complimentary!
After all that diving and underwater sightseeing, you’ve probably worked up an appetite.
Savor local flavors as you recount the morning’s underwater sightings with your fellow adventurers. But the tour’s not done yet!
There are three bonus stops that are sure to make your adventure even more memorable.
Spend 40 magical minutes at each additional snorkeling stop, which can include the Conch Shell Graveyard, a stop that’s a favorite gathering place for turtles, and a beautiful coral garden rife with reef fish.
Also, your guide will also do everything in their power to help you spot one of the rare West Indian manatees that loves the waters around Caye Caulker!
Best of all, a portion of this company’s proceeds is dedicated to uplifting the Caye Caulker community and making the island better for its inhabitants!
With seven awe-inspiring snorkeling stops—among them the majestic Hol Chan Marine Reserve and the legendary Shark Ray Alley—you’ll be riveted from the moment you step on the speedboat.
You’ll kick off bright and early with a 9 AM briefing on safety and marine life respect because we’re not just visitors to this water world—we’re guests. Take only photos, leave only bubbles!
Once the rules of the underwater road have been covered, it’s time to dive in and discover the best places to snorkel around Caye Caulker!
After a short boat ride, slap on some reef-safe sunscreen, don their high-quality snorkel gear, and dive into the first stop: a stunning coral garden rife with a truly impossible-to-count variety of species of fish!
After, you’ll get to explore the Shark Ray Alley, where sociable nurse sharks and curious stingrays will greet you.
Then, at noon, you’ll break for a hearty local lunch on board, filled with succulent seafood and tantalizing Belizean fare. Refuel and get ready to dive back into those clear waters!
The afternoon will be dedicated to further exploration at different snorkel sites: see the eerie beauty of a sunken shipwreck, witness the technicolor magic of the coral gardens, try to spot elusive manatees and eagle rays, and try to spot turtles in their favorite spot.
One unique feature of this tour that sets them apart is their dedication to spotting one of Belize’s smaller creatures: the ever-elusive seahorse.
They offer not one but two bonus sightseeing stops with one aim: spotting these rare, almost mythical creatures. (True story: I’ve logged 50 dives, and I’ve only seen a seahorse once. Talk about a treasure hunt!)
Every unforgettable moment will be captured on GoPro. The best part? All the footage will be sent to you for free.
Note that they don’t offer hotel pick-ups, but Caye Caulker is a tiny walkable paradise, so meeting them at the tour office is as easy as a stroll down the beach.
Oh, and did I mention the rum punch? Yes, that’s right! Enjoy a delightful, rummy wind-down as an added bonus to your snorkeling adventure. Cheers!
This all-inclusive snorkeling tour of the spectacular Hol Chan Marine Reserve departs right from Caye Caulker and tackles it all — quickly!
With six jaw-dropping sites to visit, this 4.5-hour snorkeling tour from Caye Caulker has you seeing more marine life than you can imagine in a quick span of time.
Of course, no snorkeling tour from Caye Caulker can skip Shark Ray Alley.
In these famous waters, nurse sharks and stingrays glide elegantly beneath the surface, unfazed by humans — they’re more into the squid snacks that the boat operators offer each day.
And while sightings of these beautiful creatures are guaranteed, there are other more elusive guests you might just bump into if Poseidon is looking down on you?
Ever swum with a manatee or eagle ray? Here’s your chance! (I struck out on manatees, but saw a gorgeous eagle ray — my first ever!)
Another epic stop is the sunken shipwreck—a time capsule of sorts, a metal husk now home to an abundance of sea life with coral reclaiming the surfaces.
But even more spectacular are the breathtaking coral gardens, which is basically a bustling city of tropical fish going about their day.
For extra fun, snag a fish identification book before you go and try to spot how many you can! It’s like Pokémon for grownups.
And here’s the cherry on top: You won’t be snorkeling on an empty stomach!
A mouth-watering lunch will be served right on board the boat—delicious local Belizean fare, of course, all while anchored amidst a breathtaking seascape!
The all-inclusive promise rings true: you won’t pay an extra penny from pick up to drop off, from the included lunch to the GoPro photos and videos that will be sent your way to renting snorkeling gear and life jackets.
Well, just remember to tip if you enjoyed your tour, that’s all!
Like the other snorkeling tours on this list, snorkeling at Hol Chan Marine Reserve (a protected area) is the key draw to this tour.
But one special aspect of this tour is that the group size is capped at 12 people — and your professional guide, of course.
After congregating at the meeting point, you’ll embark on a 30-minute boat ride to Hol Chan, a marine reserve that covers a whopping 7 square miles.
This channel is perfect for snorkeling as it’s quite shallow — some areas only about 5 feet deep, and the deepest part at 30 feet deep (barely deep enough for divers to bother with!).
You’ll have the chance to make several snorkel stops in the stunning Caribbean Sea on this tour.
Start with a 45-minute snorkel stop at a coral-strewn landscape, identifying a diverse variety of fish species, from pufferfish to angelfish to barracuda and more!
Then, you’ll visit Shark Ray Alley for a chance to see (and snap selfies with!) nurse sharks and stingrays.
Afterwards, it’s time to try to spot the sea turtle, so this snorkeling tour will take you to their favorite hang-out spot.
One unique feature of this tour is that they have WiFi on board, so you can Instagram story to your heart’s content in real time!
Like other Caye Caulker snorkeling tours, they’ll also take GoPro footage of you underwater and share that with you after your tour, too.
Lunch, fruit, snacks, and water are all included on your tour as well.
For being a short tour, though, you don’t sacrifice on fun!
You’ll get the chance to see all of the Belize Barrier Reef’s beloved residents: barracuda, snappers, tarpons, moray eels, nurse sharks, and stingrays, among others!
This tour visits the Serene South Channel, where you’ll have the chance to see barracudas, morays, and snappers in abundance.
Afterwards, it’s a visit to the Shark Ray Alley, because is it really a snorkeling tour in Caye Caulker if you don’t visit this legendary snorkel site?
The third stop is the Coral Gardens, where you’ll see all sorts of parrotfish and butterflyfish and silly, territorial damselfish protecting their favorite patch of reef — they’re the chihuahuas of the sea, with a bark bigger than their bite!
One cool spot this tour takes you to that others don’t is the Tarpon Pool, which is an underwater cave where you can find some huge tarpon fish!
While it may have only 3 snorkeling stops whereas other tours have up to 7, you still see quite a variety of marine landscapes in a short amount of time.
This is a great option if you don’t have the time or the budget for a full-day snorkeling tour while visiting Caye Caulker.
Plus, since it’s only a 3-hour tour, you don’t need to have lunch on the snorkeling trip — you can eat wherever you like afterwards.
Depart from the sweet, sandy shores of Caye Caulker by speedboat, heading about 20 minutes off the coast of Belize to the Hol Chan marine area.
Enjoy the the sun on your back, the salty breeze in your hair, and the unbelievable feeling of freedom as you cruise through the Caribbean waters!
Your stops will vary depending on the day, but one of the coolest stops you might make include an eerie-yet-interesting small shipwreck that you can snorkel over.
Here, you can see nature reclaiming its own, with colorful coral colonizing the weathered hull, transforming the out-of-use boat into an underwater utopia!
Of course, all trips will include a visit to the world-renowned Shark Ray Alley, where you can swim alongside nurse sharks and stingrays in shallow waters for some uncanny close encounters.
Trust me, sharks and rays may sound scary, but they’re extremely friendly — you’ll be just fine.
You might also see tarpons (and have the chance to feed these enormous fish) and snorkel in other popular sites, like Chatos Place and the Coral Gardens.
But the most extraordinary stop of all is the opportunity to look for the shy West Indian manatee!
The waters around Caye Caulker harbor the world’s largest population of this particular species of manatee, so you have a greater-than-normal chance of spotting them.
Still, these gentle giants are as elusive as they are endearing — so if you do see one, count your lucky stars!
But manatees or not, you’ll still get the chance to see all sorts of tropical fish (angelfish, butterflyfish, damselfish, moray eels, you name it, it probably lives here!) and sea turtles living amongst the coral reefs.
Best of all, you don’t have to worry about capturing these perfect moments, because this tour offers a complimentary GoPro service! They’ll snap photos and take videos of you during the tour and share the footage with you after.
And of course, being a full-day tour, a Belizean lunch is provided, alongside fresh fruit and drinks to keep you sated through your many dips in the sea!
This tour is unique in offering not only a visit to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and all the sites you’re used to seeing on this list so far, but also Caye Caulker’s neighboring island, Ambergris Caye.
On this 6-hour tour, you’ll see a variety of marine landscapes and marine animals in just four snorkel tops.
You’ll see the Hol Chan Reserve first, stopping at two different sites in the marine reserve.
Here, a rich variety of marine life can be seen, including adorable damselfish, parrotfish, and schools of fish like blue tang, all against a backdrop of brain coral and fan soft corals waving in the tide.
After your first stop, you’ll head over to Ambergris Caye and its largest town, San Pedro — the perfect spot to enjoy a group lunch at a restaurant facing the beach!
Then, it’s back to the waters, where you’ll visit Shark Ray Alley after the morning buzz has subsided a bit, since most snorkeling tours visit this spot before lunch and you’re coming after.
You’ll end the tour with a snorkel in Coral Gardens, one of the most rich-with-life spots in the reserve.
And you may get a chance to see a manatee or an eagle ray if you’re lucky along the way, too!
Note that the tour includes lunch at the beach restaurant, but you’ll have to pay for any drinks separately.
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The landscape in Arizona is ever-changing. Oases can be found in the middle of the desert, mountains seem to magically appear on the horizon, and the city landscape can quickly disappear into a fairytale forest.
Among Arizona’s grandest landscapes lies hidden treasures: hundreds of turquoise waterfalls and crystal clear swimming holes waiting to be bathed in. If you’re looking for some reprieve from the hot Arizona sun, look no further than these 5 magnificent waterfalls in Arizona, complete with their own natural pools that are perfect for dipping in.
Best Hikes with Waterfalls in Arizona
Romero Pools
Imagine wandering through a desert canyon. You’re surrounded by towering Saguaro cacti, vast desert views fill your vision as you walk, majestic mountains lead you further into the desert and all the while you’re on the hunt for pristine hidden pools flowing with chilly mountain water.
Romero Pools is hidden high in the Santa Catalina Mountains of Tucson, Arizona. It’s a beautiful 6-mile trail that winds through the desert floor and then gradually leads hikers higher and higher into the Santa Catalina Mountain Range.
At the end of the Romero Pools Trail is a series of waterfalls that all flow into their own pools perfect for swimming. Romero Pools is a beautiful oasis set among the desert landscape. It’s a large area full of smooth granite boulders that are perfect for sunbathing, cliff jumping, or just enjoying the views of Tucson in the distance.
Trail Specs: The trailhead for Romero Pools lies inside Catalina State Park. A $7 fee is required for visitors to experience the park. The trailhead starts at Sutherland Wash. A small wash that only flows seasonally, and continues for a flat easy 1 mile to the base of the Catalinas. As you get closer to the Catalinas, the trail ascends for 1.7 miles up to Romero Pools.
It typically takes hikers 2 hours to ascend to the Pools but the reward is well worth it. The Pools look like something out of a fairy tale. Crystal clear water with spots deep enough to cliff jump. Huge granite boulders surround the waterfalls that are perfect for sunbathing. Pack a lunch and enjoy this all-day adventure while soaking up some of Arizona’s best views.
Seven Falls
Seven Falls is another breathtaking Arizona waterfall hike lying just outside the busy city of Tucson.
What draws hikers to this particular trail is, you guessed it, the series of seven waterfalls descending from the walls of Sabino Canyon. Seven Falls is a highly popular hike due to its relative ease, beauty, and location. If you decide to do this hike, arrive at the trailhead early, as the parking lot fills up quickly.
Seven Falls is an 8 mile, relatively flat hike through Sabino Canyon. A couple of shin-high water crossings make this hike exhilarating. Throughout the trail, you can find pockets of swimming holes and plenty of places to sunbathe on your way up to the actual Seven Falls. Seven Falls is such a rewarding sight and boasts several pools to swim in.
Trail Specs: Seven Falls is located outside Tucson in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area. The trail begins in a small parking lot marked as Bear Canyon Trail. The first 3 miles are speckled with creek crossings and are generally flat.
In classic Arizona fashion, you’re surrounded by beautiful desert landscapes and towering canyons. As you enter into Bear Canyon you begin to ascend. As you ascend, Seven Falls becomes visible in all its glory. Seven continuous waterfalls pour from the walls of Sabino Canyon.
Each waterfall catches enough water to make perfect pools to float in. Be sure to pack a camera because Seven Falls is a sight you’re going to want to remember!
Water Wheel Falls
If you’re looking for an easy, quick trail with a rewarding swimming hole, then Water Wheels Falls is the trail for you!
Water Wheel Falls is a short, flat 1-mile trail located in Payson, Arizona. Don’t let the ease of this hike fool you, the waterfalls and the swimming holes are just as breathtakingly beautiful as others that require a more arduous hike.
Crisp mountain water pours from the East Verde River creating deep gorges and dramatic waterfalls. Water Wheel Falls is the perfect spot to spend the afternoon. The entire trail runs the length of the river so there’s plenty of places to take a dip, relax in solitude and enjoy the sights around you.
Trail Specs: Water Wheel Falls is located on the outskirts of Payson, Arizona off of Houston Mesa Road. Ample Parking can be found at the trailhead. As you begin your hike you’ll see the namesake of the trail, a large Water Wheel that used to be a component in extracting gold.
About a quarter-mile into the trail, you’ll get your first chance to dip into the chilly water of Ellison Creek. Most families choose to stop here and play, but keep hiking! Massive granite boulders begin to appear and the small creek turns into a beautiful turquoise river. A half-mile in, the sound of waterfalls fills your ears. Follow the granite boulders that line the river and you’ll end up at the roaring waters of Water Wheel Falls.
Bell Trail to Beaver’s Crack
Beaver’s Crack is Arizona’s ultimate waterfall swimming hole! Bell Trail to Beavers Crack is located on the outskirts of Rimrock, Arizona. This is a perfect day hike for Sedona visitors wanting to get away from the heat and crowded Sedona trails.
Beaver’s Crack is a moderate 7-mile hike through the Sonoran Desert. Everything about this hike is desert so be prepared! Bring plenty of water, food and sunscreen because there’s not much reprieve from the elements.
But your reward is the ultimate swimming hole! Small waterfalls from Wet Beavers Creek feed into “the crack” making a massive emerald swimming hole. Several cliffs surround the area for those looking for an extra thrill, or there’s plenty of flat, shaded areas for the ones who want a more relaxing getaway.
Trail Specs: Bell Trail to Beavers Crack is located off forest service road 618 in Rimrock, Arizona. A small parking lot is located at the Trailhead. The actual trail itself is an easy 3.5 miles to Beaver’s crack.
Halfway through the hike, you’ll experience a small elevation gain into Wet Beaver Wilderness. As you follow the trail the landscape will switch from flat to the classic red rocks of Sedona. As you wrap and weave around boulders and massive saguaros, you’ll begin to approach Beavers Crack. From here, get into your bathing suit and enjoy the icy flow of Wet Beavers Creek.
Cibecue Falls
Cibecue Falls is one of Arizona’s true hidden gems, which is surprising given its outrageous beauty.
Nestled deep in a canyon, this 40-foot waterfall is every bit worth the exhilarating hike. The out and back trail is a 4 mile, rock hopping, river crossing adventure. Arizona’s most impressive landscape is on display as you walk among the towering canyons of the White Mountain Apache Tribal Land.
Trail Specs: Cibecue Falls is located about 40 miles outside the town of Globe, Arizona. It is located on the Fort Apache Reservation which requires a $30 permit for each visitor. A rocky narrow road will lead you along Cibecue Creek to the trailhead.
From the trailhead, the adventure begins! Expect to get wet as you crisscross and boulder jump through the Salt River. As the trail begins to narrow, the roars of Cibecue Falls can be heard echoing off the canyon walls. The massive Falls pours into the turquoise pools below making it the perfect destination after an adventurous Arizona waterfall hike!
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The arid Arizona landscape is speckled with roaring turquoise waterfalls. Whether you’re looking for an adventurous day hike or just to catch the serenity of a magnificent waterfall, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for in the Grand State of Arizona.
Sabra is an adventure-hungry outdoor enthusiast originally from Dallas, Texas. She has been to 33 states, 3 countries, and has traveled America while living out of the back of her truck. Besides writing, Sabra can be found powerlifting, running her online personal training business, and enjoying time with friends and family.
From rugged mountain peaks that jut out from the island’s topography into the clouds to the emerald-green valleys teeming with waterfalls and springs, Madeira’s landscapes are perfect to explore by foot.
But hiking in another country can occasionally be a little intimidating.
Whether it’s navigating the signage system, figuring out public transportation or driving, or just committing to getting up when your alarm goes off… a guided Madeira hiking tour can ease you into it.
This selection of Madeira trekking tours — both guided and independent — offer the perfect opportunity to explore the island’s unique flora and fauna, as well as its varied volcanic topography.
Whether you want to traverse the UNESCO-listed the Laurissilva Forest, wander alongside the levadas, centuries-old irrigation channels that crisscross the island, or reach the highest peak of Madeira, there’s a hiking tour for you.
Whether you prefer a guided tour with a knowledgeable guide or a self-guided experience where you can hike at your own pace, Madeira’s hiking tours are well-organized, ensuring safety, enjoyment, and an unforgettable adventure.
Here are 7 of our favorite hiking tours in Madeira to choose from!
One of the best hikes in Madeira, the Rabaçal and 25 Fountains hike is an absolute must-do for outdoors lovers.
This Madeira hiking tour brings you to Rabaçal Nature Reserve, home to the picturesque 25 Fontes waterfall.
With close to 500 positive reviews, this is one of the top-rated hiking tours in Madeira for its great guides and stunning landscapes that you’ll see.
This full-day tour — taking about 8 hours — picks you up and drops you off, so you can focus on your hike with a certified mountain guide.
Your local guide will explain the ancient Laurissilva forest, a place so magical it earned a spot as a literal UNESCO World Heritage Site!
Continuing down the narrow path of the Levada das 25 Fontes, as you approach the waterfall you’ll hear the soft murmur of the springs that give the waterfall its name as you hike.
Arriving at the falls, it’s hard not to drop your jaw at the sheer magic of the 25 natural springs that coalesce into what seems like a single waterfall, cascading into a crystal-clear lake before you.
Note that the tour does not include lunch, so pack a lunch or carry cash to purchase it during the journey. In addition, carry all your hiking essentials essentials such as sunscreen, a hat, and plenty of water!
This stress-free transportation option allows you to explore at your own pace while eliminating the hassle of arranging your own transport.
Your journey begins with an early morning transfer to Rabaçal, scheduled to ensure you’re one of the first to reach the park.
Given the popularity of the 25 Fontes and Risco Levada – the most visited levada (walk alongside an irrigation channel) in Madeira – this early start allows you to experience the stunning views and tranquil atmosphere before the crowds arrive.
The transfer from Funchal to Rabacal is by van, which can take up to eight people. The journey takes approximately 1.5 hours each way
You’ll be given about 5 hours to complete the hike, which is about 10 kilometers in length, so you’ll have plenty of time to explore at your own speed, without feeling rushed.
From the breathtaking small springs that coalesce in one large waterfall to the stunningly tall Risco Waterfall, you’ll be blown away by all the waterfalls in this lush part of Madeira.
Please note that this transfer service does not include a guide during the hike, nor does it provide food and drinks. Bring all you need for a successful day hiking, as well as some cash.
In total, the tour lasts for about 8 hours, including 3 hours in transit and 5 hours of self-paced hiking, catering perfectly to independent adventurers who want to escape the tour groups but still have some convenience.
With more than 800 reviews and tons of positive feedback, this challenging yet rewarding Madeira trek is a real crowd-pleaser.
On this 8-hour tour, you’ll traverse some of Madeira’s highest peaks, starting at Pico Arieiro (the island’s third-highest) and ending at Pico Ruivo (its highest).
You’ll literally reach of the pinnacle of Madeira — the peak of Pico Ruivo, sitting at a breathtaking 6,107 feet (1862 meters) above sea level.
While the mountain is often shrouded in clouds and fog, when it isn’t, the spectacular views of the island of Madeira from here are absolutely stunning.
It’s not all about the summit though — the hike itself is gorgeous, with a path that winds through dramatic volcanic landscapes and offering birds-eye views of Madeira below you.
Although the walk is indeed challenging due to the high peak and demanding terrains, the sense of accomplishment upon reaching Pico Ruivo is unparalleled. The tour is suitable for adventurous souls with a decent level of fitness, with a can-do attitude who will be spurred on by their guides.
After soaking in the views at Pico Ruivo, you’ll begin your descent down to Teixeira at the end of the hike to enjoy one of life’s best pleasures — a refreshing drink after a tough hike.
Remember to pack essentials such as sunscreen, a hat, food, and drinks to keep you hydrated and energized throughout the hike.
Prefer to hike independently, but you don’t want to deal with renting a car in Madeira — or more importantly, just want to do a one-way hike instead of having to return to your car?
It’s important to note that this tour is only a transfer service, rather than a guided hike like many of the Madeira hiking tours on the list.
Some people may prefer the peace of mind of a guide, knowing that they won’t get lost or left behind — then a guided tour is a better choice.
But for some, the idea of a guided hike isn’t quite right, like if they’re an an experienced hiker and don’t want to feel bogged down.
Or maybe it’s the inverse: those who know they’re slow hikers but don’t want to feel rushed by the group.
Either way, you’ll have 4.5 hours to make the hike, which is plenty of hike for even slower hikers, before reaching your shuttle point.
Once at Pico do Arieiro, you’ll embark — on your own or with your travel buddies — on the exhilarating hiking trail to Pico Ruivo, the tallest of the mountain peaks on Madeira Island, only accessible by foot.
Starting at 1,540 meters and ending at 1,860 meters, you’ll certainly gain a decent amount of elevation over the hike, but it’s spread out over some distance, so it’s not too bad.
After reaching the top of Pico Ruivo, you’ll arrive at Achada Do Teixeira, where you can wait for the transfer service back to your starting point.
Another great hiking tour in Madeira is this Queimadas Natural Park guided hike, trekking alongside one of Madeira’s oldest levadas, the Caldeirão Verde, or “big green caldera” in Portuguese.
Set off on a 5-hour trek that navigates along this centuries-old irrigation channel, a lifeline that has been bringing water from the mountains to the farmlands of Faial throughout the years.
Walking alongside this levada, you’ll see a piece of Madeiran history, as well as a landscape marked by moss-covered trees, towering waterfalls, small rivers, and more.
You’ll hike to the heart of the valley, the São Jorge brook, which is a distance of 7.5 miles (12 km) from your starting point.
It’s considered to be an easy-to-moderate hike, as the highest elevation you’ll reach is 3,248 feet (990 meters).
As part of your hike, you’ll traverse rock tunnels carved out by hand, a testament to the hard work of Madeiran people in shaping the levadas that this island is known for.
Note that food and drinks are not provided as part of the tour, so be sure to pack your own or bring cash for any purchases you wish to make along the way.
For a small group hiking tour that explores Madeira’s stunning east side as well as its famous Laurissilva forests, this is the hiking tour for you.
You’ll see all the highlights of East Madeira, from the traditional triangular houses of Santana to the wild beauty of Ponta São Lourenço, all on a 7-hour tour.
Starting the day at Pico do Arieiro, a whopping 1,800 meters up, you’ll take a guided walk around this third-highest peak of Madeira before continuing on your tour.
You’ll also hike the lovely Ribeiro Frio, taking a 45-minute levada walk to one of the island’s best viewpoints.
Have lunch and a walk around Santana, a charming village known for its distinctive dwellings, with steep thatched roofs and vibrant colors.
The tour will also make a new non-hiking sightseeing stops, like the Miradouro de Guindaste viewpoint, a visit to Porto da Cruz (where you can taste their local rum!), and the Ponta do Rosto viewpoint at Ponta São Lourenço.
Immerse yourself in the stunning beauty of Madeira with this hidden forest hike to Rochão, a delightful 3-hour tour that’s perfect for those who want a shorter walk.
The hike covers a 5-mile (8 kilometer) stretch along a picturesque levada, an irrigation channel characteristic of Madeira.
This tour comes with a guide, who will help you keep the pace and explain the history and nature of the region.
You’ll start in Choupana, not far from Funchal, for this hike.
Along the way, you’ll admire the highlands of Funchal and the expansive forest that makes up the heart of the island.
As you walk, you can admire the small villages on the outskirts of Funchal nestled amongst the vibrant green landscape.
Your endpoint, Rochão, offers yet more panoramic views over the area!
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
To experience the wild side on your next trip to Madeira, whale watching and dolphin spotting tours are the way to go!
Besides the breathtaking nature, incredible hikes, jaw-droppingly beautiful waterfalls, and delicious wines, what really sets Madeira is its marine wildlife!
Picture this: you’re cruising through the sparkling blue waters, the salt wind whipping at your hair, and the skyline of Funchal fading into the distance as you get deeper into Madeira’s waters.
You’re starting to stare the horizon, lost in thought, when suddenly, your guides alert you to a whale at one side of the boat, and stop the engine a safe distance away from the whale, pausing to let everyone get a better look.
Whale watching in Madeira is like having a VIP pass to witness an extraordinary selection of whales, with species like the fin whale, the second-biggest animal on the entire planet, making frequent appearances.
And let’s not forget about the beautiful dolphins, those acrobats of the deep, bobbing up and down like a carousel next to the boat.
Each Madeira whale watching tour boat communicates with other boats out on the sea, sharing their intel, so everyone knows exactly where to go for the best chances of seeing whale life.
So always keep your cameras close at hand, because things can change quickly!
Besides whales and dolphins, you may see dazzling flying fish or surfacing sea turtles, coming up from the underwater world for a brief sip of air.
And even if the sea wildlife isn’t cooperating, the landscapes will blow you away — no wonder that it’s one of the best things to do in Madeira!
Best Time for Whale Watching in Madeira
The best time to go whale watching in Madeira is during the spring and summer months, from April to September.
Why then? This time period roughly coincides with the migration of different whale species through the waters surrounding the archipelago.
However, don’t fret if your trip to Madeira is outside of these months: it’s still possible to see whales outside the peak months, as its an important feeding and breeding ground for many whales.
When it comes to whale species, Madeira has a unique variety of species.
The most common sightings include the graceful fin whales, known for their immense size (the second largest on earth, only smaller than the blue whale).
As you can imagine, this is quite an epic sighting!
Sperm whales are another common sighting in Madeira, and these are one of the few whales that actually stay in the islands around Madeira year-round.
If you’re visiting outside of whale season you should keep your fingers crossed for seeing one of these!
Here are a few of the whale species you might see and when:
Blue whale (rare, from April through September)
Fin whale (common, from March through October)
Pilot whale (common, present year round)
Sperm whale (somewhat common, present year round)
Sei whale (uncommon, from March to October)
Minke whale (rare, from June to August)
Humpback whale (uncommon, from April to May and October to November)
Best Time for Dolphin Watching in Madeira
Dolphin watching is less seasonally dependent in Madeira, because these are resident dolphins as opposed to migratory dolphins.
That said, the spring and summer months are still the best time to go simply due to the fact that the sea conditions are generally more favorable — more chances to see dolphins and not have your trips canceled by bad weather!
Madeira has a pretty wide variety of dolphin species, with the most frequently seen being the the common dolphin and the Atlantic spotted dolphin
On occasion, tours may encounter bottlenose dolphins, striped dolphins, and Risso’s dolphins — your guides will be able to identify them and tell you more about them!
The 13 Top Whale & Dolphin Watching Tours in Madeira
⌛ Tour Length: 3 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.7/5 stars (460+ reviews) | 🐬 Book Now
Tour Highlights:
– Most eco-friendly option with hybrid engine – Silent & emission-free electric engine disturbs the whales and dolphins less, letting you get a better glimpse! – Wheelchair accessible boat and toilets
Setting sail from Funchal, this purpose-built boat has been specifically designed for wildlife safaris, equipped with a hybrid gas/electric engine.
This ensures that when you approach the wildlife, you can do in a way that is both quiet and emission-free!
You’ll venture out a few miles off the coast in search of the whales and dolphins who prefer deeper waters, as certified guides explain which cetaceans you may see at the time of the year you’re visiting.
But it’s not just dolphins and whales!
You may also see turtles, flying fish, and endemic bird species, and your guides will know all about the different finned and feathered friends that call the waters around Madeira home.
You’ll observe sea life the right way – in the wild, where it truly belongs.
The best part of this whale watching tour, and why it’s our #1 choice, is its silent electric engine mode.
This ensures minimal disturbance, allowing everyone on board to witness whales’ and dolphins’ natural behaviors up close — and also ensuring their health and safety.
The boat is also very comfortable and designed for everyone to have a chance to get a good view, as the upper deck has panoramic 360-degree views.
Meanwhile, the bridge deck has a shaded area as well as large catamaran nets to relax on, and also a lower-deck observation area.
As you head back, you’ll spot the sea cliffs of Cabo Girão and the charming fishing village of Camara de Lobos, a favorite of Winston Churchill.
Note: This boat is also accessible to guests with disabilities, with two wheelchair-accessible toilets on board!
⌛ Tour Length: 2 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.6/5 stars (560+ reviews) | 🐬 Book Now
Tour Highlights:
– 80% chance to swim with Madeira’s common and spotted dolphins – Tour refunded if no dolphins are sighted; tour partially refunded if dolphins are sighted but you can’t get in the water – Speed boat ensures smaller groups and faster transit
Maybe just spotting the dolphins from the boat isn’t enough – maybe you’ve always dreamed of swimming with wild dolphins.
The tour promises a 99% chance of seeing dolphins, and they allow you to enter the water if the conditions are safe!
Madeira has strict regulations for swimming with wild dolphins (as it should!). The rules are as follows:
One, you can only enter the water with common and spotted dolphins, not the rarer kinds of dolphins.
Two, you can only enter the water in groups of 4, safely connected to the boat.
As a result, you may not always be able to get into the water, but the guides here say they have an 80% success rate of people getting in the water!
Keep in mind these are wild dolphins and this isn’t Sea World.
The dolphins will likely not interact with you at all, and you’re there more to observe than anything else.
This tour also is one of the few that offers a sighting guarantee: if you don’t see any dolphins or whales, you can take another free tour.
And it goes even further than that — if swimming is not possible but you do get to see dolphins, you will be refunded the difference between a dolphin watching tour and the swimming tour, which is more expensive.
Furthermore, this boat is a small group tour, limited to merely 12 people, and they use speedboats vs. catamarans.
The benefit of this is one, that speedboats are faster (well, duh), but also speedboats give you less of a chance of motion sickness than the catamarans!
This tour is only two hours, so it is a bit shorter, but make no mistake, there’s a whole lot of ground (er… sea, rather) to cover here in two hours!
Your guides will be there to support you every step of the way, so just relax and enjoy the experience!
⌛ Tour Length: 2 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.7/5 stars (240+ reviews) | 🐬 Book Now
Tour Highlights:
– Led by a marine biologist guide & expert crew – Small RIB boat means fast speeds, close access, & small groups – Land spotters assist in scouting the wildlife before you go
Seeing cetaceans up close and personal is one thing, but a dolphin and whale-watching tour in Madeira with a marine biologist is something else entirely!
This tour is the one to take if you want the best possible chance to see cetaceans and the best knowledge on your whale watching tour.
Powered by some of the most powerful engines and in a light RIB boat, you’ll be able to cover larger distances than any other cruise, giving you the top chance to see the wildlife.
Plus, you’ve got an incredible team: your crew also includes a marine biologist guide, who will give you the most useful and interesting information on the local cetaceans and other animals in the region.
Not only is there a great crew on sea, there are people working on land too — wildlife spotters on land scout out the waters for you, so they can point your captain in the right direction of sea life.
With a boat this small, you can get rather close to whales and dolphins without disturbing them, but always remember to be respectful.
⌛ Tour Length: 3 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.9/5 stars (320+ reviews) | 🐬 Book Now
Tour Highlights:
– Get greeted with a glass of sparkling wine – Unlimited drinks and local snacks while on board – 30-minute swim or snorkel stop at Cabo Girão (gear included)
Madeira dolphin and whale-watching tours generally offer amazing boat trips, but this luxury catamaran cruise takes things to the next level!
You’ll be met with sparkling wine as soon as you board from Funchal, and you can get unlimited drinks at the bar the entire trip, and as many snacks as your heart desires.
Does it get more VIP than that?
Once you’ve had your fill of whale watching and dolphin seeking, you’ll be stopping over at Cabo Girão for a thirty-minute swim or snorkel stop — or just a good old-fashioned soak in the Madeiran sun on the catamaran!
As you head back to Funchal, don’t put your camera away — the area around Madeira’s capital has an unbelievable coastline, so this is a great chance to snap some once-in-a-lifetime photos!
⌛ Tour Length: 3 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.7/5 stars (230+ reviews) | 🐬 Book Now
Tour Highlights:
– Combine a sunset cruise with a dolphin and whale watching tour! – Complimentary drink on board – Pre-sunset swim or snorkel in the waters of Cabo Girão
A dolphin and whale watching tour in Madeira is always a treat, but doing a sunset whale watching tour makes the experience that much more special!
Heading up to three miles off the coast of Funchal, you’ll get the chance to see some of the region’s most incredible cetaceans led by expert guides.
Your yacht has a maximum capacity of 20 people, so you won’t feel crammed in like a sardine, as it’s rather spacious.
Before sunset, you’ll also be stopping at the beautiful Cabo Girão to go for a swim or a snorkel (gear is included).
If you don’t want to swim, you can simply admire the beautiful coastal landscapes from the boat. You will be offered one complimentary drink on board and be able to admire the beautiful sunset over the sea.
You’ll definitely want to do this at least once when you’re in Madeira… as long as the water is warm enough that is!
If you’re not up to it, there’s always the option of grabbing a complimentary drink and enjoying the sunset views from the comfort of the boat!
To call this boat luxurious would be an understatement – the interior is incredible, and there are those wonderful catamaran nets out on the deck if you want to bask in the sunlight.
As you make your way to the deeper ocean in search of dolphins and whales, the guides will share all their fascinating knowledge about these wonderful creatures.
Your boat will anchor at the foot of the sea cliffs of Cabo Girão, towering nearly 600 meters above your head.
This is where you’ll have the chance to jump in and go for a snorkel!
After snorkeling about, you’ll slowly sail back to the Funchal Marina, admiring the coast as you head back in.
⌛ Tour Length: 3 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.5/5 stars (2110+ reviews) | 🐬 Book Now
Tour Highlights:
– One of the most reviewed whale watching tours in Madeira – Chance to go snorkeling or swimming near Cabo Girão
This dolphin and whale-watching tour in Madeira is one of Funchal’s most popular tourist activities as it’s one of the cheaper options for whale watching in Madeira.
You’ll see all kinds of different animals out at sea, no matter what time of year you decide to visit, though the spring and summer months have the best chance of dolphin and whale sightings.
That said, you should try to go in the summer since you can snorkel and see schools of silvery fish up close!
After all, the water is particularly clear near Cabo Girão, so you might as well make the most of it!
Once you’ve had your fill of sightseeing, you can grab a drink from the catamaran’s bar (not included, so bring some cash!) and unwind on the deck.
⌛ Tour Length: 3 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.6/5 stars (360+ reviews) | 🐬 Book Now
Tour Highlights:
– Sail on a replica of a historical ship navigated by Columbus – Very family-friendly and fun for kids – Adults can sample Madeira; all can try local honey cake
Want to feel like a historic sea explorer for a day?
Although it’s (obviously) a recreation, you can really feel the soul and the history in the boat’s construction. It genuinely does a great job of sending you back in time!
This is a great tour for families traveling with kids as it has a bit of a pirate ship vibe to it – it’s certainly unique, and it’ll really get the kiddos’ imaginations going!
You’ll be making your way to Cabo Girão for a swim, and you’re all but bound to run into some adorable dolphins along the way, perhaps even a whale or two!
On top of that, you can sample Madeira’s distinct wine as well as a treat of their local honey cake. Hey, no reason to turn down a local delicacy!
⌛ Tour Length: 3 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.8/5 stars (60+ reviews) | 🐬 Book Now
Tour Highlights:
– Explore in a traditional, restored Madeiran wooden fishing boat – 85% chance of seeing marine mammals – Leaves from Lobosonda, not Funchal; good if you’re staying elsewhere on the island or want to travel outside the city
This wooden fishing boat is unlike any other in Madeira – it’s been restored to perfection, and it perfectly captures a piece of the island’s history.
Besides cetaceans, you can expect to see some turtles, endemic birds, or possibly even monk seals too.
There’s always a small chance to not run into animals during these tours, but this is one of the most consistent options you can find, with over an 85% marine mammal spotting rate!
All of this is complemented by the gorgeous Madeira coastline, so even if you don’t spot wildlife, you’ll be quite happy.
Note: The tour starts at Lobosonda, so if you want to get out of the capital for a bit, getting here makes for a fun and scenic road trip!
⌛ Tour Length: 5 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.8/5 stars (10+ reviews) | 🐬 Book Now
Tour Highlights:
– Longest whale watching tour = most chances to see cetaceans! – Explore several different bays other tours don’t see – Delicious seaside lunch (included) + snorkel stop away from the crowds
⌛ Tour Length: 8 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.7/5 stars (30+ reviews) | 🐬 Book Now
Tour Highlights:
– Great full-day itinerary of multiple Madeira itinerary must-sees – Perfect for those who are not renting a car in Madeira but still want to see its sights – Inclusive of 4×4 tour, Skywalk, wine tasting, and cruise
Sometimes you just don’t want to think and you just want to be led on an incredible, multi-stop day trip. Vacation’s for turning off your brain, right?
This is the tour for you, then: it includes a 4×4 tour, a visit to Madeira’s Skywalk, a delicious wine tasting, and a dolphin watching tour!
Launching from the capital, this Madeira whale-watching tour doubles as an amazing wine-tasting experience – it’s a long day, but it’s worth every minute!
You’ll head out from Funchal to see the panoramic vista of a lifetime over at Miradouro Boca dos Namorados, then soak in the incredible views of Nun’s Valley.
The Skywalk at Cabo Girão tends to be the show-stealer during these tours, and you’ll get some stunning glass balcony views before trying the wines at Câmara de Lobos.
From Funchal Harbor, you’ll board a catamaran and go whale and dolphin watching along the south coast.
If you play your cards right and visit in the summer, there’s a good chance you’ll go for a cliffside swim before heading back to Funchal!
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Seeing the aurora borealis is one of the most common bucket list items out there — and Finnish Lapland is one of the best places to do it!
The Lapland area is home to the largest concentration of glass igloos in Finland, so you have plenty to choose from!
There are also aurora cabins with glass walls, snow hotels with real snow igloos, and more: creative Northern lights hotels in Finland are really something special.
This post will cover all kinds of places to stay in Finland to see the Northern lights
So get ready to enjoy a marvelous winter wonderland at some of the best glass igloo resorts in Finland for observing the Northern lights.
What’s It Like to Stay in a Glass Igloo in Finland?
Don’t shiver at the term igloo! These are thermal glass igloos which are well heated.
They are named “glass igloos” because they have the shape of a snow igloo, but instead of ice, there is a see-through glass dome.
This is the perfect place to watch the aurora from!
Many glass igloos are made for two people to stay in.
They will typically have a small kitchen, a private bathroom with shower facilities, and a double bed which you can watch the aurora from.
Typically, there will also be a main building on-site where there is a concierge who will help you book outdoor activities.
Think fun winter activities like snowmobile safaris, cross country skiing, husky sledding, or even a reindeer farm visit — anything you want on your Lapland winter itinerary, these hotels can likely help you arrange!
There is also often a restaurant on-site in a separate building.
Also, free parking is often provided as many of these igloo hotels are rather remote once you leave the Rovaniemi area.
Most glass igloos in Finland will also have other amenities for guest to enjoy, like smoke saunas, an outdoor jacuzzi, its own restaurant, etc.
The best hotels will have all of this and then some!
My Top 3 Picks for Glass Igloos in Finland
No time to read the full article and just want my top picks?
Here are my three favorite glass igloo hotels in Finland to get you started on your search!
#1TOP PICK
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Apukka Resort ✔️ Husky and reindeer farm on site ✔️ Unique snow sauna & portable sauna amenities
How Much Does it Cost to Stay in a Glass Igloo in Finland?
It can be quite expensive, but if you’re going all the way to the Arctic Circle for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, it is worth spending a night or two in a famous Finland glass igloo resort.
Glass igloos in Finland typically cost about $600-800 USD per night during peak season — even for a small glass igloo for two.
However, while this is the general baseline price, you might find some to be more expensive.
This is especially true during peak times around Christmas and the New Year, when the cheaper igloos will book up far in advance.
You’ll also want to budget for any meals during your Finnish glass igloo stay!
Breakfast is typically included, other meals are typically not.
Keep in mind that many of these glass igloos are in remote parts of Finland, where you will not be able to easily find restaurants nearby.
Luckily, most igloo hotels have on-site a la carte restaurants, so you won’t have to worry about that. Some glass igloos even have small kitchens as well if you prefer to save money by booking.
Finally, you’ll want to also factor in any activity costs that you want to organize.
If you’re staying in a glass igloo near Rovaniemi, it may be cheaper to organize yourwinter activities independently.
On the other hand, if you’re staying somewhere more remote, you will likely have to organize through your hotel.
Another factor is transit costs to and from your hotel.
Glass igloo hotels sometimes can be quite far from airports!
When you’re trying to pick one, I suggest thinking about distance from an airport, as well as whether you plan to rent a car or not.
Also, consider if the glass igloo hotel provides any sort of transfer service.
Lastly, keep in mind that most glass igloo hotels in Finland are open year-round.
While they are very popular during Northern lights season, if you come during the summer months, you can enjoy the magical midnight sun and beautiful Finnish nature.
Best Finland Glass Igloos & Northern Lights Hotels (Broken Down by Region)
Northern Lights Hotels & Glass Igloos near Rovaniemi
One of the best igloo hotels in Finland can be found right in Rovaniemi, and it’s the perfect place to stay in Rovaniemi in winter: Glass Resort, located right in Santa Claus Village.
Each of these glass igloos are climate-controlled, and the location is perfect — just five miles out of central Rovaniemi (shuttle services are provided!).
This is just a short walk to Santa Claus Village’s shops and restaurants, yet in a beautiful winter wonderland.
Each igloo includes a private bathroom with a rain shower, bathrobe, and slippers.
They also each have their very own tablet which you can use to contact the front desk with any questions — and also get Northern lights alerts so you can awake to see the lights dancing above without needing to stay up!
They even have a button you can press to defrost the glass for the perfect view — they’ve really thought of everything.
The premium igloos for two even include a private sauna, and there are also family igloos for four with an alcove for two more people to sleep!
Another glass igloo hotel located in Santa Claus Village, this is a great place to stay for a bucket list experience.
Santa’s Igloos Arctic Circle offer everything you want in a Finland glass igloo experience: a wake-up aurora alarm, comfortable rooms with heating and an en-suite bathroom, an on-site restaurant.
These glass igloos are stylishly furnished, more similar to a boutique hotel room than a ‘glamping’ type experience.
Photo Credit: Santa’s Hotels
The views of the Northern lights as they dance above, combined with the prime location of the hotel, make this a one-of-a-kind place to stay near Rovaniemi.
It is quite similar to the other option listed above, since they are located very near each other.
I suggest comparing dates and availability to find the best combination of price and amenities to you.
For a unique and memorable stay watching the Northern lights in Finland, the Arctic Treehouse Hotel is hard to beat.
Despite the treehouse name, it has a ton of modern amenities, including all the things you’d expect like WiFi.
So, why treehouse in the name? Well, the Arctic Treehouse Hotel features unique mini-cabins perched on stilts for a perfect unobstructed view.
Each room houses a cozy bed that faces an enormous panoramic window — perfect for watching the Northern lights, even without leaving bed!
Each cabin suite has an en-suite bathroom, and some even have kitchenettes in case you prefer to self-cater during your stay, although there is also an on-site restaurant.
Photo Credit: Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
There are also Arctic Glass Houses which are more like a chalet, but with tons and tons of windows so you can see the aurora from any room in the house.
These private chalets also include an en-suite sauna in addition to a kitchenette, two bathrooms, and space for up to four guests.
There’s also the Arctic Scene Executive Suite, which has its own private sauna and bathtub — perfect if you’re coming to Rovaniemi for a honeymoon, anniversary, or celebration and want an extra special experience!
This hotel is located right next to Santa Park (perfect if you have kids who want to meet ‘Santa Claus’) and a short distance from all the amenities in town at Rovaniemi, including Santa Claus Village.
The staff is also happy to help you organize all sorts of Finnish winter activities like cross-country skiing, ice fishing, snowmobile rides, dog sledding, and more!
15 minutes away fromRovaniemiis a charming town called Apukka, home to Apukka Resort, a gorgeous lakefront property.
Because it’s located a bit outside of the town of Rovaniemi, you’ll be able to enjoy beautifully clear night skies without the light pollution of the city. Even if the Northern lights don’t dance, you’ll love the chance to admire the starry sky!
Apukka Resort is also home to a husky and reindeer farm, so you can go on a husky safari or try a reindeer safari with the reindeer that were — and are — so important to the indigenous Sami people who are the original stewards of this land.
They also offer horse sleigh rides, and you can get a discount on winter activities if you book directly with them.
You can also rent a private hot tub and sauna experience, with either an electric sauna or the traditional wood-heated sauna.
The interior of the glass igloos are minimalist but with nice touches that make your stay more comfortable.
They’ve thought of things like a seating area, an electric fireplace for coziness and warmth, a thermostat so you can control the temperature, and hooks for hanging your winter coat: all these little elements set Apukka Resort ahead!
Best of all, these glass roof cabins (called Aurora Cabins) offer you incredible views of the Northern lights dancing overhead as you lay on your back in bed! It’s the perfect way to see the Northern lights.
They also have larger suites such as the Lappish Luxury Suite and the Lappish Kammi Suite, which still offer all the views of a glass roof but with more amenities inside.
There are also apartments with wide, panoramic windows offering stunning lake views — many of which also offer sunrise views, as another show after the Northern lights dance all night!
All cabins include an en-suite bathroom so you won’t have to worry about going outside in the cold in the middle of the night! A free breakfast is also included.
So far we’ve mostly talked about Finnish glass igloos, but there is another kind of Finland Northern lights hotel that is a truly unique experience: staying in a snow hotel!
These temporary hotels are built entirely of ice and are rebuilt every year — an impressively massive undertaking!
And with Arctic Snow Hotel, you don’t have to choose between the two, because the property has both snow rooms and glass igloos.
Photo Credit: Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos
In these hotels, you’ll find everything ice related — you can stay in an actual ice room with an ice bed, covered in reindeer pelt, topped with a thermal sleeping bag.
The property also has fun amenities like an on-site ice bar and ice restaurant.
That said, if you’re looking for glass igloos, you’ll find those here too, designed beautifully to be comfortable, heated, and with an excellent view of the Northern lights anywhere you look.
Best of all, it’s very close to all the sights of downtown Rovaniemi so organizing transportation, activities, and meals is all very easy.
Located a short drive from Levi, one of the main areas for downhill skiing in Northern Finland, Levin Iglut is one of the best spots to stay for epic sky views!
Even though Levi is a big ski destination, Levin Iglut is no average ski resort! It’s perfect for Northern lights viewing, with unique igloos with glass ceilings so you can perfectly enjoy the lights from your aurora dome.
The glass ceilings aren’t just ceilings, too; there are glass windows as well, giving you practically 360-degree views of the Northern lights (convenient, as sometimes, they might be located to the right or left of you, and rooms that only have one window might not get full views of the sky!).
Of all the igloo hotels in Finland, I think Levin Iglut is one of the most sophisticated. The igloo rooms enjoy decor that would be beautiful even in a standard hotel room, and the private bathrooms are luxurious, almost spa-like.
The on-site restaurant serves fine dining that is elevated so that it looks as beautiful as it tastes!
Despite being a bit far from Rovaniemi area, it’s still quite convenient to access: it’s just 11 miles from the Kittilä Airport and 5 miles from the Levi Ski Resort.
Another great Northern lights hotel option in Levi is Northern Lights Village. It even has its own reindeer paddock, where you can meet the local reindeer!
The rooms feature glass roofs so you can see the Northern lights while you relax in bed.
The Aurora Cabin rooms are designed beautifully, with wood paneling on a large portion of the room, then opening up to several panels of glass.
The glass ceiling is heated, so that even on a snowy day, any snow will melt within 20 minutes!
From these panels, you can enjoy views of the snowy forest by day and hopefully the aurora by night!
Photo Credit: Northern Lights Village
The rooms also have a seating area and en-suite bathroom included in each unit.
On the property, there is also an on-site restaurant specializing in the cuisine of Lapland, so you can eat well without having to trek into town.
Best of all? Dinner is included in your rental price!
There’s also an on-site sauna that is available for guests to use — there’s no better way to relax after trying to spot the aurora than in a sauna, after all.
Photo Credit: Northern Lights Village
The sauna also has a glass ceiling so the aurora watching doesn’t have to stop while you sauna!
There is also an outdoor jacuzzi you can sit into watch the lights. The sauna and the jacuzzi can both be rented for private use.
One of the more remote glass igloos in Finland on this list, Arctic Land Adventure is located in Kilpisjärvi, about 250 km from Kittilä Airport.
Connections are provided by thrice-weekly transfers and a daily bus service, but if you land outside of convenient times, private taxis are also available, as is renting a car.
It is actually closer to Tromsø (another fantastic winter destination in the Nordics), about 188 km away, where there is a daily bus that connects Tromsø and Kilpisjärvi.
Depending on your transportation budget and if you are also visiting Norway in winter, this may be one of the better options, despite its remoteness.
Once you get there, you’ll see all pains taken to get there are worth it. Their glass igloos are large and can sleep up to 4 guests, and they have all the comfortable amenities you need: smart TVs with Netflix enabled, an en-suite bathroom, a kitchenette, heating, etc.
Some of the rooms even have their own private hot tub to enjoy!
Photo Credit: Arctic Land Adventure – Reindeer Ranch and Glass Igloos
You’ll enjoy breathtaking views of the mountains and frozen lake, and the Northern lights dance here more than anywhere else in Finland due to its location.
Past guests raved about the hospitality as well as the delicious on-site restaurant, serving local dishes with Arctic touches like reindeer meat and cloudberries.
As if that wasn’t enough of a dream come true, Arctic Land Adventure is also located right on a reindeer farm, and you can even arrange to spend the day with a Sami reindeer herder to see what their life is like.
Photo Credit: Arctic Land Adventure – Reindeer Ranch and Glass Igloos
The reindeer are free to roam around your glass igloo so you can often spot them wandering around.
This glass igloo hotel also offer snowmobile rides and all sorts of other outdoor experiences, so you don’t have to worry about missing out on anything on your Arctic bucket list just because you’re in a remote location.
It’s located 4 miles from Levi and 11 miles from Kittila Airport, making it a convenient stay especially if you want to do a mixed ski holiday and Northern lights chasing trip.
The glass pyramids feature incredible views from every direction, with amenities like a kitchenette, en-suite bathroom, and seating areas.
Admire the incredible views while being close to all the comforts that Levi offers!
Ivalo is a quiet, remote area of Finland located about 21 miles from Saariselkä and 25 miles from Inari.
Aurora Village Ivalo is located just 8 miles away from the Ivalo Airport, though, making it relatively easy to get somewhere so remote!
This stunning property has the unique cabins with glass roofs, allowing you to watch the spectacular views of the Northern lights undulate overhead while you’re lounging in bed.
There is an on-site restaurant serving up new Nordic cuisine. The dishes are absolutely exquisite, using local ingredients and beautiful plating.
If you need help planning any winter activities, a tour concierge who can help you plan the Finnish Lapland trip of your dreams — from dog sledding to snowshoeing, the Finnish winter wonderland is right at your doorstep.
There’s also a glass sauna — yes, you can watch the Northern lights from a sauna at Aurora Village Ivalo!
This is a unique offering I haven’t seen at any other Northern lights hotels in Finland (or anywhere else, for that matter, but nothing gets between a Finn and their sauna).
There’s also an outdoor hot tub which is another fantastic place to spot the lights.
The cabins all have their own coffee machine, seating area, and en-suite bathroom with toiletries and hair dryer — it’s amazing how much fits into these small but scenic cabins!
The hotel takes inspiration from the Sami culture which informs much of Northern Norwegian life and culture, in its food, decor, and architecture.
There are several options for the kind of accommodation at this hotel.
The most affordable room style is the Wilderness Room, which is your typical hotel room with Scandinavian and Nordic design elements. It’s comfortable and has an en-suite bathroom, but isn’t as unique an offering as the other room types at this hotel.
Photo Credit: Wilderness Hotel Inari
Another great choice are the Arctic Chalets with large panoramic windows for seeing the Northern lights from your window — and these come complete with a private sauna! These are also quite reasonably priced.
Another option are their Log Cabins, which include a cabin and a fireplace, which can sleep six — you’ll have to inquire directly with the hotel regarding this, as it’s not available on the booking website.
But the reason most people come to Wilderness Hotel Inari is for their Aurora Cabins, which feature several panels of glass shaped similarly to a Sami lavvo (similar to a tipi).
This is where you’ve seen those viral photos of a person in bed with the Northern lights dancing all around them through the paneled glass windows.
Photo Credit: Wilderness Hotel Inari
In terms of amenities, there is an onsite restaurant that serves Northern Finnish cuisine including dishes like reindeer and moose, well as an on-site sauna for communal use.
All sorts of activities are also on offer here, including snowmobiling, husky safaris, ice fishing, cross-country skiing, and aurora chasing tours.
Located on top of a beautiful mountain, you can enjoy some of the best views of the aurora you can possibly imagine at Star Arctic Hotel!
Just 17 miles from Ivalo Airport and yet feeling like another world atop beautiful Kaunispää Mountain, the property has everything you need to feel at home and tick seeing the Northern lights off your bucket list.
This hotel doesn’t have “glass igloos” per se but it does have Aurora Cabins, which feature pyramid-shaped glass roofs that give a similar 360-degree effect from the bedroom portion of the cabin.
There are also View Suites which do not have the glass roof, but do have large panoramic windows, as well as View Suites that also come with en-suite saunas!
As with all the other Finland Northern lights hotels on this list, they can assist you with any winter activity bookings you want to make, from dog sledding to snowmobiling and beyond!
One of the classics of Northern lights hotels, Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is one of the most famous glass igloo hotels in Northern Finland.
In fact, when you think of glass igloos in Finland, this is probably the property that comes to mind.
Located way in the North, far from light pollution, you can enjoy pristine skies many nights of the year at Kakslauttanen Resort.
However, since this is the original, it is one of the more expensive offerings. That said, they have updated what they offer so that it does have some unique qualities that other glass igloo resorts in Finland don’t have.
Their newest room type, the Kelo-Glass igloos, combines a log cabin feel with the standard glass aurora dome you are used to seeing in a Finland glass igloo.
These rooms sleep up to six so it’s perfect if you need an extra bed or two for kids or other people in your party, as many glass igloos only sleep two people comfortably.
While located in Kemi — not technically part of Lapland — the Seaside Glass Villas are another possible choice for a Northern lights hotel.
These villages feature glass windows on the ceiling, in front of the bed, and on one full side of the bedroom area (all the side windows can be covered up with curtains for privacy), with one wooden-paneled wall.
There’s also a cozy sauna to enjoy and walks along the seaside can be spectacular.
However, do note that Kemi is further south than Rovaniemi, not to mention other Northern lights hotels which are even further north (and therefore, a lot more likely to get better aurora displays!)
Therefore, I wouldn’t recommend this as my top choice for a Northern lights hotel, even though it does look spectacular, simply because Kemi is not the most predictable place to see the Northern lights.
Generally, you’ll find glass igloos around Rovaniemi and points further north, as those are part of the Arctic Circle.
There is the most selection around Rovaniemi itself, but there are also some choices in area around Kittilä Airport (Levi, etc.) and Ivalo Airport (Saariselkä, etc.)
Can I see the Northern Lights from a glass igloo?
Yes – that’s kind of the whole point!
The igloos have glass roofs that are heated to help melt any snowfall, so it doesn’t pile up and obstruct your view.
You’ll have to keep all your lights off and not look at bright lights (put that phone away!) to adjust your eyes to see the aurora properly, but if it’s strong, you can see it from bed!
What time of the year is best to stay in a glass igloo in Finland?
Every season has its benefits! Of course, it’s most popular to stay in a glass igloo in the winter because of the aurora.
But these glass igloos are also really marvelous to stay at in the summer, when there’s midnight sun (don’t worry — there are blackout curtains!)
Early spring and fall also have some possibility of seeing the aurora, so these may be the most affordable time to stay in a glass igloo and still see the Northern lights.
What facilities are available in a glass igloo?
Generally, a glass igloo will have everything that a regular hotel room has (and sometimes more!).
All these Finland glass igloos are very high-tech. They all have a modern, en-suite bathroom, and some have kitchenettes.
Every glass igloo will be well-heated and have privacy curtains that you can draw closed when you need to.
Some igloos come with aurora alarms and a member of the staff who will alert them if the Northern lights are putting on a show!
Then you can take a connecting flight to one of the three major airports in Finnish Lapland: Rovaniemi Airport, Kittila Airport, and Ivalo Airport, listed in order from southernmost to northernmost.
Rovaniemi is the most popular base for Finnish Lapland adventures because it’s home to Santa Claus Village — but that also means it is the busiest and most light-polluted area, so you’ll want to stay outside of the city center for a better chance of seeing the skies.
As you go further and further north, the Northern skies will be clearer and afford you more spectacular aurora displays!
I’ve broken down this post into three sections, corresponding to the nearest airport for each, since that is a big factor when planning your trip.
Another question people often ask is do you need to rent a car? Frankly, it depends.
Unless you’re a seasoned (ha) winter driver, I would say no — it’s safer and likely more economical to simply book transfers or taxis from the airport to your destinations.
Once at your Finland Northern lights hotel, many of the activities are organized on-site, and you won’t have to worry about transportation.
However, if you prefer the comfort and freedom that having a rental car gives you, it may be a good choice. If you do opt to rent a car, Rovaniemi Airport will have the most options and the best prices on car rentals.
I recommend searching with Discover Cars, which browses through a database of over 500 rental car agencies to find the best price for your rental.
What to Pack to Take Photos of the Northern Lights
The cold can wear out your camera batteries… and frost over your camera! This is my old Sony A6000, which I loved.
Mirrorless or DSLR Camera | Personally, I prefer mirrorless cameras because they are really lightweight. Ever since I started blogging in 2016, I’ve been using the Sony mirrorless series.
I now use a Sony A7 II camera body, which is a step-down from their top-tier full frame camera, but it is still professional grade. Before that, I was using a Sony A6000, which is a more affordable option.
Wide Angle Lens | Besides your camera body, you’ll also want to make sure you have a wide-angle lens (like this one for the Sony full frame series, or this one for the Sony crop sensor cameras).
As a rule of thumb, full frame camera gear tends to be pricier than crop sensor gear, but you will be able to capture a lot more of the night sky with a full frame camera with a wide angle lens than you will with a crop sensor, which has a magnifying effect.
Lens Warmer | If you have a large camera lens, you may want to grab a lens warmer which will keep your camera from icing up.
Sounds weird, but trust me, it happens a lot when shooting the Northern lights (take it from me!)
Hand Warmers | It gets super cold while waiting for the Northern lights a lot of the time!
These rechargeable hand warmers are great to keep in your gloves or mittens, or in your pocket to keep your batteries warm!
Extra camera batteries | Be sure to have lots of extra batteries with you, fully charged.
Tripod | You’ll absolutely want a sturdy tripod to stabilize your camera for Northern lights photos in Finland. I suggest setting up a two-second delay on taking photos, so that there is no camera shake from you pressing the shutter button.
The Sony cameras also have a feature where you can control snapping photos with your smartphone, which will also reduce the potential shake but allow you more control of when exactly you snap the photo, so you don’t miss anything.
You don’t need a super expensive tripod, but it does need to have a little heft to it so that wind does not shake it and blur your photos, so resist the urge to buy the cheapest possible Amazon option.
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
It’s hard to get sick of Taipei: the city is electric, full of activity and excitement!
Whether you’re exploring the urban architecture or snacking at one of the many night markets in Taipei, it’s nearly impossible to get bored of all the great things to do in Taipei.
However, you can get a bit tired of the constant flow of traffic and go-go-go atmosphere of city life anywhere, and Taipei is no exception.
Luckily, one of the most amazing things about Taipei is just how accessible this city of nearly 3 million people is to such green, beautiful nature.
Even better, Taiwan’s excellent transit system makes it pretty easy to get just about everywhere you’d like to go — an epic Taipei day trip is always within reach.
Like Yangmingshan National Park – a mere 40 minutes from central Taipei!
I was initially a bit nervous to try to traverse Taiwan’s public transportation given that I neither speak nor read Chinese: turns out I shouldn’t have worried at all!
Like I learned while navigating the Taipei airport, the public transportation here has excellent signage with plenty of English language directions.
And in my few moments of confusion, Taiwanese locals have always proven to be extremely friendly and ready to help!
(That said, one of my top Taiwan tipsis to have a SIM card and to use Google Translate’s camera feature to help you translate Chinese characters when needed — it always is handy to be self-sufficient when possible!).
Tours, however, can make the experience incredibly easy: this day tour even picks you up and drops you off at your hotel, including stops at Pingxi, Shifen Old Street, and Shifen Waterfall.
There’s a reason why Shifen is among the most popular Taipei day trips: not only is it beautiful and interesting, but it’s quite easy to get to Shifen from Taipei independently.
First, you’ll want to to take the MRT to Taipei Main Station.
From there, you can board any northbound train except a Keelung-bound train and then get off at Ruifang (note: the express trains are called Tzechiang, and I believe those cost a bit more).
As of 2023, the cost of the trip is 49 TWD from Taipei Station to Ruifang Station, which is about $1.50 USD.
This is the only place I found the signage a bit confusing, as it wasn’t immediately apparent which trains were going to stop at Ruifang.
You might want to ask a local to be sure you’re getting on the right train if you don’t read Chinese!
At Ruifang, transfer to the Pingxi line and ride that all the way to the end.
The best deal is to buy a day pass for the separate Pingxi line. As of 2023, it costs 80 TWD ($2.60 USD).
The Pingxi line can be quite crowded and you may have to stand – but try to look out the window as you go because you’ll cross some really beautiful scenery!
Via Tour
Me on the suspension bridge walking to Shifen Waterfall!
Alternately, you can skip the headache of navigating public transit and take a tour, as many of them are quite reasonably priced for a day trip.
This is a good idea if you have limited time on your Taipei itinerary and really want to make the most of your time.
This day tour includes hotel pickup and drop off and includes the town of Pingxi, as well as Shifen Old Street, and Shifen Waterfall.
There are also full-day tours that include several epic Taipei day trip spots in one, like this Yehliu, Shifen, and Jiufen tour that ticks off 3 day trip-worthy spots in one single day!
Originally built during the Japanese colonial area for the purpose of transporting coal, the Pingxi railway runs right through the heart of Shifen, and the Old Street clusters around that.
The train still runs through the middle of the street today! Watching it pass by is a unique experience that you can’t find in many other places — though Shifen Old Street does remind me a bit of that famous Train Street that goes right through a market in the center of Hanoi.
As you pull into town, the bell will ding manically, telling the people standing in the train tracks taking selfies and sending lanterns into the sky to get off the rails.
This train ritual is a well-oiled machine though (pun fully intended — I can’t help myself), and plenty of conductors are present to direct the selfie-stick wielding crowds off the tracks in a timely and safe manner.
You’ll cross the tracks and immediately, you’re in the heart of Shifen’s Old Street, where plenty of delicious and tempting Taiwanese street snacks await you.
Eat all the delicious snacks along Shifen Old Street.
Some personal favorites are Taiwanese fried chicken and xiao long bao (pork soup dumplings — look for steam rising from bamboo baskets!).
My Taiwanese girlfriend’s favorite street snacks are stinky tofu (she swears it tastes like blue cheese — I’ve yet to confirm it!) and pork pepper buns, so keep an eye out for those while you visit Shifen Old Street.
You can also look for delicious taro balls and grilled sausages, and a variety of tasty fried goodies!
For a sweet treat, keep an eye out for peanut ice cream rolls — they’re another one of my girlfriend’s favorites.
Light a lantern and make a wish.
The quintessential thing to do in Shifen is light a lantern for good luck and send it off into the sky.
It has an interesting history and isn’t just a tourist trap — it actually has rich cultural history to the region as reported on by Al Jazeera.
This tradition goes back to the 16th century, and the original purpose is thought to be to deliver messages during wartime, or to let outsiders know the village was being invaded.
The lantern was used as a method of protecting the candle or oil lamp within from getting blown out with the wind while their message was being delivered.
With phones and the internet, lanterns are no longer necessary to send out such alerts, but the artistry of the tradition continues.
And tourists are welcome to join in on the fun!
It costs 150 TWD (around $5 USD) for one color, or 200 TWD (around $6) for 4 colors; each color is symbolic and represents a wish you’d like to come true.
Ever the narcissists, we chose attraction and popularity (in reality, Janet just wanted a pink one!).
Jury’s still out on if it’s working yet.
Jokes aside, while touristy, I’ll admit it was a fun experience!
It was a cool experience to write our wishes (and our blog names, because again, #narcissists) on the lantern, light it up, and watch it go careening into the sky to disappear somewhere over Taiwan’s green mountains.
Getting from Shifen Old Street to Shifen Waterfall
Shifen Waterfall’s nickname is “Little Niagara” – you can see why!
Once you’ve snacked to your heart’s content and sent your wishes skyward, it’s time to visit the stunning Shifen Waterfall.
We were able to rent an electric bike for an hour for 200 TWD (about $6 USD), which carried two people — barely.
At some points, I thought I was going to have to get off and let Janet scoot her way up the hill, as all the xiao long bao I’ve consumed over the past few days certainly wasn’t helping our center of gravity.
To be honest, though, the electric bike ride was so short that I don’t even know if it’s worth it unless you’re really in a rush.
I think it would have only been like 30 minutes walking to the parking lot (signs say it’s one hour, but that includes the walk from the parking lot).
You have to walk about 20 minutes once you’ve reached the parking area anyway, so an e-bike only saves you about a 30-40 minute walk… but it is rather fun!
Visiting Shifen Waterfall
The walk to the waterfall is a real beauty, passing two suspension bridges, an insanely turquoise river set into luscious green mountains, and countless photo spots.
It struck me when I was there that this is a side of Taiwan that too few people know about.
Most people who haven’t been to Taiwan probably just think of Taipei and Chinese food (if they think about it at all, to be frank).
They don’t think about the verdant green mountains, stunning landscapes, or ease of access to an abundance of different natural wonders within a maximum two hour train ride from the city.
The walk to Shifen Waterfall is easy, and there’s also some cafés here in case you get peckish (though after visiting Shifen Old Street, I’d doubt you are!).
The offerings here looked a little less interesting and fresh than on the Old Street, so I’d recommend eating in the town first.
Make sure you go to the Observation Point Trail past the first major viewpoint of the falls.
You can walk nearly all the way to the bottom of Shifen Waterfall where you’ll get the best view and photos (that is why you came, no?).
Shifen Waterfall is probably Taiwan’s most famous and has been nicknamed “Little Niagara” because the horseshoe shape mimics North America’s most famous waterfall.
It’s not as tall nor as wide, at 20 meters high and 40 wide — though it is incredibly powerful. It is, however, insanely beautiful!
Tips for Photographing Shifen Waterfall
To get the best photos of Shifen Waterfall, I recommend using a manual camera where you can change the settings.
I set mine to f/22 (as high as it could go, to let in less light), 0.5 seconds shutter speed (to keep the shutter open longer), and my ISO to 100 (to decrease light sensitivity).
I balanced my camera on the fence to reduce my hand shaking, as I have perpetually caffeinated twitchy fingers.
As you can see, there’s a slight blur on some of the foreground, but I don’t think it impacted the shot negatively.
If you’re super prepared, which I am never, you’d bring a tripod and maybe some filters to let you take an even longer exposure.
But I found with these settings, I was able to get that silky smooth waterfall look I was aiming for.
What Else to Do on a Shifen Day Trip
If you’ve finished up in Shifen and are looking to add something else to your day trip from Taipei, I have two suggestions.
One is to visit Houtong Cat Village, a village packed with stray cats that’s now become a tourist attraction in its own right.
The location is super easy to add on to your Shifen day trip as it’s right on the Pingxi line on the way back to Taipei from Shifen.
We didn’t get a chance to visit here, as we ran out of time, but I’m hoping to have a chance to visit on an upcoming trip to Taiwan!
What we did instead was return to Ruifang and then catch a bus to Jiufen in time for sunset.
As soon as you step off the bus in this hillside town, you’re treated to epic views of Taiwan’s beautiful, temple-studded coastline.
Climbing up through the Old Town, you’ll get even better views which you can enjoy with a sunset cup of (overpriced) coffee or dessert.
Once the sun is down, thousands of orange paper lanterns light up the streets and it becomes incredibly crowded — even on a normal-seeming Monday night in the middle of winter.
Still, even with all the crowds, it’s beautiful and quite easy to combine Shifen and Jiufen into a one-day trip from Taipei.
We did this independently with public transportation (and then shared a taxi back — there are several shared taxis that wait around at the overcrowded bus stop!)
Mosquito repellent: As per my Taiwanese girlfriend… the mosquitos in Taiwan are bad enough to leave you traumatized years later, especially in the summer coming off the end of the rainy season. She recommends lathering up in Picaridin and treating your clothes with Permethrin before you go.
Bug bite treatment: … And since a few bites are inevitable, the best way to help is with immediate heat treatment ASAP. My girlfriend is both traumatized by mosquitos and very into tech, and she discovered this awesome product called heat it that works with your smartphone! Basically, you open the app, plug the little treatment wand into your phone, let the phone’s power heat it, then you press it on your bite until the app notifies you. I’ve tried it and I can admit it is mildly painful, but it does relieve the itching significantly! Read about it and check it out — we’re truly living in the future!
Rain jacket: Since you never know if a rain shower is in the forest while you visit Taiwan, even in the so-called ‘dry season’, be sure to have a jacket at hand just in case. I love the Marmot PreCip jacket because it has zippered underarm vents (to keep you from getting overheated in hot summer rain, if you’re visiting Taiwan at that time of year!)
Comfortable walking shoes: I love Hoka shoes for travel — I’ve never worn a more comfortable walking shoe in my life! They’re a bit chunky, but apparently that’s the look and they’re very trendy in the Bay Area right now — I literally see almost every other person at my gym wearing them these days! Trendy or not, I’ll always wear them now, because they’re just that comfortable.
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
