Taking A Different Type Of Cruise To See The Northern Lights
One of the most popular items to feature on the bucket list of many people is to see the Northern Lights, and in Northern Norway the Aurora Borealis is a relatively common sight in the night sky. The green, yellow, red and violet lights are caused by particles entering the upper atmosphere, and it is only really at the higher latitudes that these spectacular sights can be enjoyed. Taking a cruise north to see these amazing sights with Hurtigruten is a great way to tick off this experience from that list of life experiences that really shouldn’t be missed, and I love the fact that the cruise offers some fascinating tastes of Norway along the way too.
Seeing The Northern Lights
The spectacular colored lights are usually seen against the night sky, and the best way to see these lights is in areas of the country where there is very little ambient light. This is why Norway is such a popular place to experience the Northern Lights, as there are plenty of rural areas of the country that are well away from towns and cities which will allow visitors to view these magnificent scenes. I like the fact that Hurtigruten have plenty of experience when it comes to hunting these sights along the coast of Norway, and that they also offer cruises with astronomy experts who can tell me a bit more about this phenomenon too.
Winter is also the best time of year to take in the Northern Lights, with higher chances of seeing the lights, particularly between the Lofoten Islands and the North Cape, which is a very important part of the cruise. In December and January the snows settle over the country and this provides an amazing backdrop from which to enjoy these spectacular sights. As with any trip to see the Northern Lights, I know there’s no guarantee that they’ll happen while I’m there, but this winter offers a very good chance of seeing them.
Activities In Northern Norway
I must admit I am someone who prefers to explore the spectacular winter scenes to lying on hot beaches, and the chance to get out and enjoy more of Norway’s attractions is one of the reasons for taking the trip. One of the most iconic activities in Scandinavia is to take a dog sledding trip, and some of the packages offered by Hurtigruten do include this as a part of the journey. The dogs always seem to be having as much fun pulling the sled as the passengers are in the sled itself, with the lively yelping as the sled pulls away a great sign of this.
I’m also looking forward to the snowmobiling which takes us out into the snowy landscapes, and in winter the Norwegian landscape is at its most spectacular. The speed and adrenaline of the snowmobile also helps to make for a great experience, and whizzing through the pure white snowy landscapes sounds like a lot of fun!
Life On Board The Cruise Ship
One of the most interesting aspects of taking a cruise with Hurtigruten is that their ships aren’t just for tourists, but they also carry locals between some of the most remote settlements on the Norwegian coast. I’m also looking forward to enjoy the cuisine, as they pick up fresh food in the stops along the coast, and every meal is going to be a taste of the Norwegian cuisine. From natural sights to the stunning Northern Lights in the sky, I can’t wait to enjoy my cruise up the Norwegian coast.
Many thanks to Hurtigruten for sponsoring today’s story and encouraging me to visit Norway and see the Northern Lights.
