Green northern lights over snow-covered Arctic mountains

Winter package · 5 days

Aurora Hunter

Five days, four nights, and the sky as the main event. An aurora-focused winter trip: learning to read conditions, repeated hunts after dark, and a snowmobile run into the valleys where the town glow falls away. From €1,590 per person, November to February.

Length: 5 days · 4 nights
From: €1,590 pp
Season: November to February
Base: Hotel in Longyearbyen · 4 nights
Guiding: English-speaking guides

A trip built around the sky

Five days gives the aurora room to cooperate. Instead of one outing and a hope, you go out across several nights, so a cloudy evening is a setback rather than the end of the trip. That is the honest case for a longer winter stay: more chances, not a promise.

You base yourself in Longyearbyen and head out from there after dark, sometimes by road to a quiet rise away from the town glow, once by snowmobile deep into the valleys where there is no light at all. Your guide reads the forecast each day and picks the direction that gives the clearest sky.

What we can and cannot promise

The aurora is a natural event, and no one controls it. We will not tell you it is certain, because it is not. What we can give you is dark skies for most of the day in the polar night, repeated outings, and guides who know where to wait when conditions shift. The lights, if they come, come on their own terms.

On this trip

What you’ll see and do

Reading the sky for the lights

Your guide walks you through what makes an aurora night: cloud cover, solar activity and where to stand away from the town glow. The aurora is never guaranteed, so the point is to give you more chances by going out when the sky is actually worth it.

People watching the aurora under a dark sky

Aurora hunts after dark

Across several nights you head out repeatedly to look for the lights, which is the real advantage of a longer stay. One quiet night does not end the trip. You simply go again, with a guide who knows which way to drive when the forecast shifts.

Snowmobile into the valleys

A guided snowmobile run carries you out of Longyearbyen into the dark valleys, far from any light. It is a fast, cold way to reach open sky, and on a clear night those wide dark spaces are the best place to watch for the aurora overhead.

Day by day

Your 5 days, day by day

5 guided days, 4 nights based in Longyearbyen.

1
Day 1

Arrival in Longyearbyen

Your transfer meets you at the airport in the dark and brings you to your hotel. Your guide runs an evening briefing on the aurora plan and the week's weather, fits your gear, and points you to a first walk through the lit town.
2
Day 2

Reading the conditions

A relaxed day in the polar-night light to learn how the lights are read: forecasts, cloud and sky. Once it is dark, your first guided hunt away from the town glow, going where the conditions look best.
3
Day 3

Snowmobile into the dark

A guided snowmobile day out into the valleys, with wide open ground far from any lights. If the sky cooperates after dark, you are already in the right place to watch for the aurora.
4
Day 4

Another night out

A flexible day kept light so you are rested, then a second or third aurora hunt once it is fully dark. More nights out is the whole reason for the longer stay, and your guide adjusts the route to the forecast.
5
Day 5

Final morning and departure

Breakfast, a last look down the snowbound valley, and your transfer back to the airport. Four nights of dark skies and several chances at the lights behind you.

The fine print, up front

What your price covers

What's included

English-speaking guides
Full winter clothing: thermal suit and insulated boots
Transfers to and from the airport
4 nights' hotel in Longyearbyen
All activities listed in the itinerary
Search & rescue cover
Daily breakfast

Not included

Flights to and from Longyearbyen
Personal travel insurance
Most lunches and dinners
Optional extra excursions

From €1,590 per person, double occupancy. Flights to Longyearbyen are not included. Your final price depends on your exact dates and group, and we confirm it within 24 hours.

From the season

What it actually looks like

Snowy Longyearbyen valley in winter light

Good to know

Before you book

Does a longer trip mean I will definitely see the aurora?

No. The aurora is never guaranteed. More nights simply means more chances, because you can go out again after a cloudy or quiet night. The lights need a clear sky and active conditions, and we are honest when a night looks unlikely.

When is the aurora season here?

Roughly late September to late March, when the sky is dark enough. This trip runs November to February, inside the polar night, so the sky stays dark for most of the day rather than only late at night.

How dark is it during the day?

In the polar-night months the sun never clears the horizon. You get a few hours of dim blue twilight around midday and darkness the rest of the time. That darkness is exactly what aurora hunting needs.

What should I wear for standing out in the cold?

Aurora nights mean staying still in the cold for long stretches, so warmth matters. We supply a thermal suit and insulated boots; bring thermal base layers, a warm hat, gloves and a neck gaiter. A tripod helps if you want to photograph the lights.

How fit do I need to be?

Low to moderate. Aurora hunts mainly involve standing and waiting in the cold, and the snowmobile day needs basic balance and the ability to ride for a few hours. No long walking is required.

Can I photograph the northern lights?

Yes, with the right kit: a camera that allows manual settings, a sturdy tripod and spare batteries, which drain fast in the cold. Your guide can help with settings, though phone cameras vary in what they can capture.

Make Aurora Hunter yours

Tell us your dates and who’s coming. We’ll confirm the plan and the exact price within 24 hours, no pressure.

Plan this trip