Northern lights: Travel highlight

We saw our first northern lights shortly after passing the Arctic circle onboard the Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express. This extraordinary sight left a lasting impression on us.

Seeing the northern lights was high on our travel bucket list, alongside exploring Japan or travelling along the Great Silk Road.

On the morning of our third day onboard the Norwegian Coastal Express, travelling from Bergen to the North Cape, we passed the Arctic Circle. We were in the right place (north of the Arctic Circle), at the right time (from October to March), and on a ship whose name, Nordlys, means “northern lights” in Norwegian. It could only be a good omen!

The app My Aurora Forecast told us that the solar activity and weather in were favorable our region. The night was pitch black, the light pollution from towns on the shore almost non-existent. All we had to do was wait while we avidly scanned the horizon from the starboard deck.

Suddenly, something began to glimmer above us. At first diaphanous and barely perceptible, then growing more and more intense. Our very first northern lights! They lit up the sky in greenish scrolls, moving slowly like emerald sails in the breeze.

We gazed at the aurora for a long while before it disappeared, like an illusion vanishing into thin air.

Even though we knew that it’s impossible to control a natural phenomenon, we immediately wanted to experience it again. How could we resist their mysterious beauty?

The next day, as soon as the sun set, we started observing the sky and checking the app we’d used the previous night with feverish impatience. The northern lights are timid and demanding ladies who only show themselves if conditions are perfect: strong solar winds, clear skies, and low light pollution.

This night was different than the first one, but just as stunning. Snow-capped, moonlit mountains served as a grand backdrop while the ladies of the northern lights let their hazy green veils dance elegantly along the horizon.

We were fascinated, captivated, and unable to look away. We simply couldn’t tear our eyes away from this incredible spectacle.

The northern lights drew us in with their magnetism.

Observing this natural phenomenon in person is hypnotizing and intoxicating. The moment is magical, as if suspended in time, and the experience is addictive.

Don’t miss our full article about our trip onboard the Norwegian Coastal Express