Northern Lights hunting through the fjords of Norway with Hurtigruten. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the Northern Lights attracts me and many others on a weeklong Norwegian coastal cruise with Hurtigruten. Guests have come all the way from China, Japan, the U.S. and Europe—united by a common goal. So what does it take to see the Northern Lights, exactly? “As long as we are north of the Arctic Circle, the only conditions we need to see the Northern Lights are clear skies and darkness,” said Bjørn Lemcke, assistant expedition leader on Hurtigruten’s Nordnorge. “We get many weird questions from guests about the Northern Lights. I always joke that I turn them on around midnight, and that I have a switch under my desk.” Sometimes the activity is strongest late at night, when guests are fast asleep. If you value seeing the lights over your beauty sleep, Bjørn suggests turning on the “info” button inside your cabin so that you can hear announcements about sightings on deck. “When the announcements are made, it’s crazy. Everyone will get up in the middle of the night if they haven’t seen it before,” he said. Not all the excitement takes place in the middle of the night, though. You might choose to spend the day admiring the Art Nouveau architecture in Alesund or walking up some 400 odd steps to the top of Mount Aksla. Perhaps you’ll try dog sledding at dusk in Tromso or take a winter walk in Bodo, through Viking graves and an ancient village. My favorite daytime excursion with Hurtigruten was a trip to the North Cape. A 1,000-foot cliff overlooks the northernmost point in Europe, and the untouched, barren landscape really makes you feel like you’ve reached the end of the earth. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Did you see the Northern Lights or what, lady? Well, the conditions were not in our favor for the majority of the cruise, with rain, snow and overcast weather. However, on our very last night onboard, after much perseverance and hours spent on deck, I finally caught a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis. Though they were not shining as brightly as they could have been, I was able to get some decent photos on my digital camera thanks to some handy tips provided by Bjørn and the rest of Hurtigruten’s Expedition Team. Whether you see the lights or not, a trip along the Norwegian coast with Hurtigruten is filled with eye-opening experiences, cultural programming and striking scenery— leaving you with a new appreciation for the way Norwegians see the world. ___ If you value experiences over consumerism, if you think there's more to life than the 9-5, if you want to travel to every country in the world before you die, subscribe to my channel, and let’s see where we end up next: http://ow.ly/Vx3Xs Daily Snapchats: JoanJetsetter Blog: http://www.joanjetsetter.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoanJetsetter Vine: https://vine.co/JoanJetsetter Instagram: http://instagram.com/JoanJetsetter Tumblr: http://joanjetsetter.tumblr.com/ Executive Producer: Skye Mayring Editor: Gerardo Jaquez Lechuga Music courtesy of Killer Tracks [BMI] Name of Song: Ibitza CD Number: SA033 Track Number: 1 Name of Song: Clutching Tight CD Number: CM 105 Track Number: T33 Name of Song: Dimensions CD Number: ATMOS 344 Track Number: T8 Name of Song: Talk about it CD Number: CM 107 Track Number: T11 Name of Song: Crazy Parade CD Number: MAT 264 Track Number: T16 Name of Song: Change CD Number: BER 1245 Track Number: T58 My trip to Norway was made possible by Visit Norway USA and Hurtigruten USA. Views expressed are my own.

Comments

1. I have heard the iPhone does not work when it gets too cold in the Snow Hotel or anywhere else. Is this true? What camera do you suggest instead?
2. Hi Joan, what month did you go ? I am interested but a bit concern that may not see the northern lights. Many thanks
3. Is it all year long?? or any preferred months ?
4. Ok, that lady's reaction to your ice water baptism was totally worth the shoutout - had me cracking up!!
5. What kind of once-in-a-lifetime accommodations would you prefer? Would you rather overnight in an ice hotel or spend the night in a castle?