Do you know anyone who doesn’t want to see the Northern Lights? But that is just the start of an Arctic adventure.
The natural phenomenon of the aurora borealis – ribbons of green and red lights illuminating the night sky – is one of the most popular attractions in the Arctic region. But there is so much more on offer in this incredible part of the world.
On a Northern Lights trip, you can track the elusive polar bear, cruise through a sea of broken ice or follow in the footsteps of early Arctic explorers as you cross the famous Northwest Passage.
Here are the three things you should do in the Arctic, in addition to the Northern Lights:
Cruise, and crush some sea ice
You don’t have to be a fan of Nordic Noir TV shows to appreciate the epic, ethereal nature of northern Europe’s ice-capped wilderness. On a Chimu Adventures cruise, you could be crushing ice aboard the world’s only nuclear icebreaker. Chimu is a specialist in Latin America and the polar regions and has recently launched their product to the Arctic.
All around you on this cruise, you will see the soaring mountains, the bright blue glaciers and the sheer white icebergs of Greenland.
Go in search of polar bears
Spitsbergen is known as the Arctic’s “capital of wildlife” and it provides the perfect step off point for trying to see a polar bear, located as it is deep inside the Arctic circle between Norway and the North Pole.
Chimu offers an eight-day tour through the region’s scenic glaciers, fjords and ice fields looking for polar bears and other Arctic wildlife like walruses, musk ox and beluga whales.
Travel in the footsteps of Arctic explorers
When you take a Northern Lights tour you want to engage with the landscape, to explore this relatively untouched wilderness in much the same way as the early explorers.
You can learn about and discover Inuit settlements, trek along the tundra, climb mountains and observe Arctic wildlife in its natural habitat. Your accommodation will be an expedition vessel and you will learn about the history of how this inhospitable part of the world was first discovered.
Ok, ok, see the Northern Lights
You are here to see one of the all-time most amazing naturally occurring wonders of the world but you might still have to hunt around, tracking down the light show is all party of the adventure.
The best time to see the Northern Lights is between September and March. At other times of the year (particularly May, June and July) the midnight sun will mean that it is too light to see them. Chimu’s Northern Lights cruises run in September.
From eight to 17 days, Chimu has a range of tours to suit different budgets and schedules. Chimu is the Latin America and Polar Specialists. Contact one of their expert team who can organise an itinerary to see the Northern Lights for you.
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What excites you about the Arctic?
Written by Paul Chai, KarryOn contributor
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