Chasing the Northern Lights in Finland and Norway
Sometimes it takes a little more effort to see mother nature’s display. In theory, northern Lapland (Finland) is an excellent place to see the northern lights. That’s why we based ourselves in the Utsjoki, Finland for the week. Our riverside cottage was a perfect place to relax and watch the snow pile up and river gradually freeze. We spent our days learning about the Sami culture, going dog mushing, and hiking/snowshoeing to the top of the fells. Our nights were spent around the campfire eating reindeer meat anytime we weren’t out chasing the northern lights.
It was still late fall, and with the temperature only hovering around freezing, that meant clouds were not uncommon. Colder temperatures in the winter ensure clouds don’t cover the sky. So instead of missing the colorful sky show, we decided to drive. It took almost three hours, but we drove through the darkness all the way to Lakselv, Norway, at the southern end of the large Porsanger Fjord. Here was the only place in reachable distance with a cloudless sky. There we waited a couple hours, until about 10 pm before the show began.
And it was certainly worth it.
