AurorA
Monday, October 31, 2016 METRO 43
Travel | Culture | Adventure
Aurora
the merrier
There’s more ways than ever to see the Northern Lights, says a starstruck Richard Mellor
Sparkle: The Northern Lights For The Soul trip in Norway and, below, Reykjavik’s NYE fireworks
Ringside seat: Finland’s Arctic Treehouse Hotel and one of its rooms Rovaniemi (from £94pp return, norwegian.com) can help you visit Yukon wonderment two thrilling new treehouses in farScandinavia’s nearer but for fully flung Finnish Lapland. Start at the Iso fledged, nature-goes-nuts wildness Syöte Hotel’s two-floor Eagles View you’ll be needing northwestern Suite, which is built around a Canada. In the Yukon territory, tree. The private sauna and frosted mountains meet hot tub are exceedingly frozen rivers, bear and romantic but don’t get moose wander, golddistracted – you’ve rush settlements sit got some Northern in isolation and, Lights to look for come winter, skies through the glass routinely showcase roof. Ski and the Northern snowmobile by day, Lights. On The then proceed to the Aurora Zone’s new Arctic Treehouse exploration, nightly sky Hotel. Opening in hunts and photography lessons are interspersed with Carve-up: Hop on a mid-November, this eyehusky-sledding and drives snowmobile in Finland grabber features elevated pod suites with one allalong Dempster Highway, glass wall and Scandi-chic interiors. A which crosses into the Arctic Circle. Seven nights’ half board from gourmet restaurant is at ground level. Four nights’ B&B (two per hotel) £2,240pp with all transfers and most from £995pp with transfers, activities, theaurorazone.com magneticnorthtravel.com
Best for adventurers
Best for Iceland-yearners The Borealis and more
Always wanted to visit Iceland? Desperate to see the Northern Lights? Combine both bucket-list staples on Discover The World’s Northern Lights, Glaciers & Waterfalls itinerary. Introduced this season, it’s a fly-drive based in southwest Iceland, home not only to the country’s geographical headliners but also, encouragingly, its Northern Lights Institute. By day, you can whalewatch, venture inside Langjökull, the country’s second largest glacier, and explore the lava-formed stalactites of the vast Víðgelmir Cave, just opened. Spend evenings at Hotel Husafell, scanning the skies from geothermal hot tubs and desperately scrambling out of bed whenever an aurora wake-up telephone rings. Four nights’ B&B from £657pp including international flights, car hire and activities, discover-the-world.co.uk
Best for trendies
Fresh stuff in Finland
Launching in December, Norwegian’s non-stop flight from Gatwick to
Best for meditators Wellness and wows in Norway
Escape Escape Escape Escape
Best for families Igloo building meets waffles
Ever wondered how igloos are constructed? Find out with Off The Map Travel, which now offers lessons on its family-friendly Arctic Ice Adventure. This one-night add-on transports you deep into the Swedish Arctic wilderness to assist an igloobuilding project atop a frozen lake. You’ll then go to bed in a pre-built version! Only available from February 11-26, the experience is included within ‘Half-Term Aurora itineraries’, based in Abisko and also featuring time in traditional Sami teepees, a waffle-fuelled photography tour and, of course, nightly quests for the Aurora Borealis. Ice-fishing and trips to meet wolves and bears at Polar Park zoo in nearby Norway are optional (and cost extra). Four nights’ half board costs from £1,299pp for two adults and two children with transfers and activities, offthemaptravel.co.uk. Flights from £188pp return (mytrip.com)
Best for party-animals
Set in the spectacular NYE in Iceland Norwegian fjords, Off The Combine the Northern Map’s Northern Lights Lights with New Year’s For The Soul retreat Eve on a four-night aims to turn your break to Iceland, anxiety and staying in one of dissatisfaction into three hotels in the wisdom, joy and centre of Reykjavik. contentment. Whatever happens, Twice-daily guided you’re guaranteed to mindfulness sessions see bright colours will take in the decorate dark skies on surrounding coastline this one. Even if the Deep: Into an Northern Lights don’t and tree-cloaked peaks plus Icelandic glacier appear on one of two trips – – hopefully – the Aurora Borealis as inspiration, one by all-terrain putting the phenomenon to spiritual ‘superjeep’, the other by boats into use. Running from March 20-25, the the Atlantic – there’s always five-night gathering incorporates Reykjavik’s annual, excellent Tibetan yoga, walks and chanting in firework display on December 31. Sami teepees. Accommodation is at The remainder of the trip is up to the contemporary Malangen Resort, you: hiking, horse-riding and Blue near Tromsö, meaning access to its Lagoon visits are among the options. sauna and Jacuzzis. Departing December 29 or 30, four Five nights’ full board from £2,399pp nights’ B&B from £1,195pp with including transfers and all sessions, transfers and Northern Lights offthemaptravel.co.uk hunts, theaurorazone.com
Travel | Culture | Adventure
Aurora
the merrier
There’s more ways than ever to see the Northern Lights, says a starstruck Richard Mellor
Sparkle: The Northern Lights For The Soul trip in Norway and, below, Reykjavik’s NYE fireworks
Ringside seat: Finland’s Arctic Treehouse Hotel and one of its rooms Rovaniemi (from £94pp return, norwegian.com) can help you visit Yukon wonderment two thrilling new treehouses in farScandinavia’s nearer but for fully flung Finnish Lapland. Start at the Iso fledged, nature-goes-nuts wildness Syöte Hotel’s two-floor Eagles View you’ll be needing northwestern Suite, which is built around a Canada. In the Yukon territory, tree. The private sauna and frosted mountains meet hot tub are exceedingly frozen rivers, bear and romantic but don’t get moose wander, golddistracted – you’ve rush settlements sit got some Northern in isolation and, Lights to look for come winter, skies through the glass routinely showcase roof. Ski and the Northern snowmobile by day, Lights. On The then proceed to the Aurora Zone’s new Arctic Treehouse exploration, nightly sky Hotel. Opening in hunts and photography lessons are interspersed with Carve-up: Hop on a mid-November, this eyehusky-sledding and drives snowmobile in Finland grabber features elevated pod suites with one allalong Dempster Highway, glass wall and Scandi-chic interiors. A which crosses into the Arctic Circle. Seven nights’ half board from gourmet restaurant is at ground level. Four nights’ B&B (two per hotel) £2,240pp with all transfers and most from £995pp with transfers, activities, theaurorazone.com magneticnorthtravel.com
Best for adventurers
Best for Iceland-yearners The Borealis and more
Always wanted to visit Iceland? Desperate to see the Northern Lights? Combine both bucket-list staples on Discover The World’s Northern Lights, Glaciers & Waterfalls itinerary. Introduced this season, it’s a fly-drive based in southwest Iceland, home not only to the country’s geographical headliners but also, encouragingly, its Northern Lights Institute. By day, you can whalewatch, venture inside Langjökull, the country’s second largest glacier, and explore the lava-formed stalactites of the vast Víðgelmir Cave, just opened. Spend evenings at Hotel Husafell, scanning the skies from geothermal hot tubs and desperately scrambling out of bed whenever an aurora wake-up telephone rings. Four nights’ B&B from £657pp including international flights, car hire and activities, discover-the-world.co.uk
Best for trendies
Fresh stuff in Finland
Launching in December, Norwegian’s non-stop flight from Gatwick to
Best for meditators Wellness and wows in Norway
Escape Escape Escape Escape
Best for families Igloo building meets waffles
Ever wondered how igloos are constructed? Find out with Off The Map Travel, which now offers lessons on its family-friendly Arctic Ice Adventure. This one-night add-on transports you deep into the Swedish Arctic wilderness to assist an igloobuilding project atop a frozen lake. You’ll then go to bed in a pre-built version! Only available from February 11-26, the experience is included within ‘Half-Term Aurora itineraries’, based in Abisko and also featuring time in traditional Sami teepees, a waffle-fuelled photography tour and, of course, nightly quests for the Aurora Borealis. Ice-fishing and trips to meet wolves and bears at Polar Park zoo in nearby Norway are optional (and cost extra). Four nights’ half board costs from £1,299pp for two adults and two children with transfers and activities, offthemaptravel.co.uk. Flights from £188pp return (mytrip.com)
Best for party-animals
Set in the spectacular NYE in Iceland Norwegian fjords, Off The Combine the Northern Map’s Northern Lights Lights with New Year’s For The Soul retreat Eve on a four-night aims to turn your break to Iceland, anxiety and staying in one of dissatisfaction into three hotels in the wisdom, joy and centre of Reykjavik. contentment. Whatever happens, Twice-daily guided you’re guaranteed to mindfulness sessions see bright colours will take in the decorate dark skies on surrounding coastline this one. Even if the Deep: Into an Northern Lights don’t and tree-cloaked peaks plus Icelandic glacier appear on one of two trips – – hopefully – the Aurora Borealis as inspiration, one by all-terrain putting the phenomenon to spiritual ‘superjeep’, the other by boats into use. Running from March 20-25, the the Atlantic – there’s always five-night gathering incorporates Reykjavik’s annual, excellent Tibetan yoga, walks and chanting in firework display on December 31. Sami teepees. Accommodation is at The remainder of the trip is up to the contemporary Malangen Resort, you: hiking, horse-riding and Blue near Tromsö, meaning access to its Lagoon visits are among the options. sauna and Jacuzzis. Departing December 29 or 30, four Five nights’ full board from £2,399pp nights’ B&B from £1,195pp with including transfers and all sessions, transfers and Northern Lights offthemaptravel.co.uk hunts, theaurorazone.com
