Visiting the Aurora Sky Station in Abisko on a Northern Lights Trip

Located in the heart of Abisko National Park in Swedish Lapland, the Aurora Sky Station and its surrounding areas are world renowned as the ultimate destination for a Northern Lights trip. The prime time to visit is during the aurora season, between the months of December and March, when the pitch-black skies make the perfect backdrop for seeing the aurora borealis.

Why Here?

The Sky Station is the world’s premier destination for a Northern Lights trip because Abisko benefits from such a fortunate geographic location, unparalleled anywhere else on Earth. The prevailing wind patterns in this small village (located 250 kilometres inside the Arctic Circle) push clouds out, leaving the skies consistently clear through most of the year. As a result, fantastic sightings can occur on almost every night of a Northern Lights trip in the aurora season. Furthermore, Abisko suffers little to no light pollution since it’s nestled so far up in the mountains.

About the Station

An experience at the Sky Station in Abisko will leave you wondering where the earth ends and the heavens begin. The picturesque beauty of the lights, especially when taken in amidst the stillness of a star-studded night, is a truly humbling experience. The station has an excellent patio, which makes the prefect vantage for sky gazing in comfort. Inside, you can keep warm by a natural log fireplace and look out for the aurora borealis through massive glass windows offering panoramic views of the landscape. There is also restaurant, where you can enjoy a glass of wine alongside a three-course meal. For something a bit more interactive and informative, you can explore the small but educational aurora exhibition, which explains the science behind Earth’s greatest natural phenomenon.

Above all though, don’t forget to dress appropriately on your Northern Lights trip. You’ll want to make sure you have extra warm clothing, including special arctic thermal overalls and boots, to protect you from the Arctic climate, especially given the fact that you may be outside watching the auroras for lengthy periods.

Travel

From the UK, you can you can fly to Stockholm in 2.5 hours, then another 1.45 hours to Kiruna. To reach Abisko from Kiruna is another one scenic hour by ground transportation. This is the fastest route to reach the sky station and the journey is no hardship – with plenty to see along the way.

Accommodation

The most popular accommodation choices when planning a visit to Abisko are either the original (and fabulous) Ice Hotel in Kiruna or the Mountain Lodge near the sky station.

Kevin Collins is director of Aurora Nights, a company offering a select range of once in a lifetime holidays to see the Northern Lights. For the best Northern Lights trip, Iceland and Swedish Lapland offer an excellent chance to encounter the aurora borealis. Aurora Nights is part of Weekend a la Carte, a family-run company with vast in-depth knowledge based on their extensive travels to the region of the Aurora Borealis and passionate about giving superb client service.