On Svalbard, an Arctic archipelago located in between Norway and the North Pole, the land is covered with fjords, glaciers, mountains, and polar bears. Although each of these is a worthy reason to make these islands a vacation destination, there’s another feature that makes this a sought-after destination.
The sun is at least six degrees below the horizon between mid-November and late January each year. This means that there is darkness 24/7 during this period. Although the moon and stars light up the night sky during this time, it is the aurora borealis, or the Northern Lights, which really light up the sky. As long as it isn’t overcast, the Northern Lights can be visible during this time, 24/7.
Recently, Off the Map Travel, which specializes in luxury, tailor-made trips to unlikely destinations, began offering an All Day Aurora trip to Longyearbyen, the world’s most northernmost town on Svalbard.
“To have the best chance of seeing [the Northern Lights], you need a setting without any light pollution and you will more than double your chances of getting that when the sun never rises above the horizon,” said Jonny Cooper, founder of Off the Map Travel.
In addition to the Northern Lights, the trip allows you to explore Spitsbergen island, ride a dog sled, ride in a Snowcat, try out snowshoeing, and spelunking. If you’re sick of looking at the Northern Lights, you can chill back with some champagne and delicious food at a luxury hotel.
Longyearbyen is a cultural hub, with an art gallery, museum, and a brewery, so there is plenty to do while you’re there.
Off the Map Travel says that “each destination has been hand-picked by one of our passionate travel experts, allowing us to create truly bespoke, tailor-made luxury Northern Lights holidays that will be built to suit your exact requirements.” This way, tourists can pick and choose exactly the type of trip they want.