Day tour · Winter
Northern Lights Hunting
Guided northern-lights chase across the dark season, often by electric snowmobile. 3 hours, October to March. Sightings depend on solar activity and a clear sky.
- Duration
- 3 h
- Season
- Winter
- Group
- Small group, max ~8
- Min age
- All ages
- Meeting point
- Hotel pickup
- From
- €140 pp
- Intensity
- Easy
- Drive out beyond the town glow into the dark
- A guide who reads the forecast and chases clear sky
- Hot drinks while you wait in the cold
- Camera tips and tripods for night shots
A guided northern-lights chase that runs through the polar night. You are out for about 3 hours, mostly between October and March, driving away from town lights to wherever the sky is clearest. Many operators run the trip by electric snowmobile, which keeps the engine quiet while you wait. The honest part first: the aurora needs darkness, a clear sky and solar activity at the same time, and no guide controls any of that.
What to expect, honestly
Most of the evening is spent standing and waiting in the cold, so the difference between a good night and a miserable one is usually how well you layered. A clear, active sky can show curtains overhead; a clouded one shows nothing, and a refund is rare because the guide still ran the trip and chased the best chance. What you are paying for is someone reading the forecast and driving toward the odds, not a guaranteed sighting.
On this tour
What you'll do
Out where the town glow ends
You leave Longyearbyen behind and drive into the dark, because the aurora only stands out once the streetlights are gone. The guide picks a spot based on that evening's cloud and the solar forecast, not a fixed viewpoint, so where you end up changes night to night.
The wait, with hot drinks
Most of the trip is standing and watching. There are hot drinks to keep you going and time to let your eyes adjust, which takes longer than people expect. Nothing here is on a schedule: you wait, and either the sky performs or it doesn't.
Chasing a clear patch of sky
If cloud rolls in, the guide moves the group rather than waiting it out, sometimes more than once. It is the reason a guided chase beats standing outside your hotel: someone is actively reading the conditions and driving toward the better odds.
A day on this tour
How the day runs
- 19:30
Pickup from your hotel
A guide collects you in Longyearbyen and you suit up in warm gear before heading out.
- 20:00
Drive out of the light pollution
You move away from town into Adventdalen or beyond, where the sky is dark enough for a faint aurora to show.
- 20:30
Set up and watch
The convoy stops at a chosen spot. You settle in with a hot drink, let your eyes adjust, and wait.
- 21:30
Relocate if cloud rolls in
If the sky closes over, the guide moves the group to find a clearer patch rather than waiting in vain.
- 22:30
Return to Longyearbyen
Drop-off at your hotel. The exact end time shifts with conditions and how the night plays out.
Times are a guide; the running order shifts with weather, light and the group.
Want this on your dates?
Tell us when you're coming and we'll build it into a plan, with real prices.
What's included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Thermal suit, boots, gloves and a balaclava
- Hot drinks during the wait
- English-speaking guide
- Camera tips and shared tripods
What to bring
- Warm base and mid layers under the suit
- A hat and a buff or scarf
- Hand-warmers for standing still in the cold
- A camera with a spare battery, since the cold drains them fast
Season planner
The best months for this
Activities are gated by snow, ice and daylight. Pick your month, then pick what's actually possible.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora hunting |
From the trail
A look at the day
Good to know
Before you book
Will I definitely see the northern lights?
No. The aurora needs darkness, a clear sky and solar activity at the same time, and no guide controls any of that. A clear, active night can show curtains overhead for an hour; a cloudy one shows nothing. Treat a sighting as luck and patience stacked together, not a booked deliverable.
How does the chase actually help my chances?
The guide reads the cloud and solar forecast and drives to wherever the sky looks clearest, and relocates if conditions change. It puts you in better odds than standing outside your hotel, but it cannot manufacture an aurora that isn't there.
How cold will it be, and will I be warm enough?
Evenings often sit between −10 and −25 °C, and you are standing still, which feels colder. You get a thermal suit, boots, gloves and a balaclava over your own layers; bring warm base layers and hand-warmers and you'll cope well.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes, all ages can join, though the standing-around cold and the late hour suit older children better. Tell us your group's ages and we'll let you know what to expect.
Can I take photos of the aurora?
Yes. The guide offers camera tips and shared tripods, since a phone or hand-held shot rarely captures faint lights. A camera with manual settings and a spare battery gives the best results.
How many evenings should I plan for?
If the aurora is your main goal, plan two or three evenings. Any single night can be clouded out, and more attempts simply raise your odds.
Add Northern Lights Hunting to your trip
Answer a few questions and we'll fold this into a Svalbard plan that fits your dates and group, with real prices and one reply within 24 hours.
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