Chasing the Northern Lights: A Guide to Experiencing Norway's Magical Phenomenon

The Northern Lights also called aurora borealis, are bright shifting curtains of light that appear in the night sky. Norway has long, dark winter nights and little haze - the lights show up clearly. The best months are November through March. Tromsø, Lofoten besides Kirkenes sit far from city glare plus the sky above them stays black and quiet.

Local guides run evening trips away from roads but also lamps. They know where the sky tends to open and tell stories about Sami legends, polar animals as well as how the lights form. Wear two layers of wool, thick boots and wind-proof outer clothes. Bring a tripod or a camera that allows long exposures if you want sharp photos.

Tromsø lies 350 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. From the harbour you board small boats that sail into dark fjords for unobstructed views. The Lofoten Islands rise straight from the sea - when green bands flare above the jagged peaks, the sight reflects in the water. Narvik has a cable car that climbs 1 000 metres in fifteen minutes - from the upper station you look over snow covered islands and shipping lanes. Svalbard sits at 78 degrees north - there the lights appear even at lunchtime also reindeer, Arctic foxes and polar bears roam the shores. The Norwegian Alps give high, cold ridges where the air is crystal clear next to the snow crunches underfoot.

Small settlements such as Tromsø, Svolvær or Kirkenes keep street lamps low and shops shut early. Timber cabins with peat fires plus wool blankets sit on the edge of frozen bays - you step outside the door and see the sky without walking far.

If the lights stay hidden for an hour or two, slide on a wooden sled down forest tracks, steer a team of huskies across white plateaus or follow a guide through a narrow ice gorge. Strap on skis or snowshoes but also follow marked trails that loop around lakes and return to a warm hut.

A week under the aurora leaves sharp memories - the hiss of sled runners, the smell of pine smoke as well as sudden green fire that rolls across the sky. Norway's cold nights, steady snow and open horizons give every visitor a fair chance to watch the show.