Polar night has fallen over northern Norway.
The Hurtigruten Coastal Express glides smoothly along the snow-covered fjords as its passengers drift off to sleep.
Suddenly, a voice rang out over the speakers.
“We are currently observing intense Northern Lights ahead of the boat.
The excitement then spreads to the boat!
Travelers jump out of their bunks, grab their cameras, and rush to the outdoor platforms to witness one of nature's finest spectacles.
After a few seconds, their eyes accustomed to darkness begin to distinguish the lights.
And then it's the explosion!
From one end of the celestial vault to the other, immense phosphorescent draperies begin to undulate.
Hesitating between green and yellow, the colored scrolls seem to dance on the starry scene of the firmament.
They deform, disappear, reappear, multiply, freeze… Wrapped up in their down jackets, the spectators remain speechless.
The hypnotic ballet will last for hours.
For many travelers, seeing the Northern Lights is the ultimate goal of a Norway cruise.
The realization of a dream!
But like any natural phenomenon, such an appearance remains subject to many hazards.
On a two-week circuit beyond the Arctic Circle, the chances are still very high of seeing these famous “Northern Lights”.
Aware of this expectation, Hurtigruten promises the spectacle of the aurora borealis to its passengers.
If their dream has not been fulfilled on a Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen trip of at least twelve days, the Norwegian shipping company offers them a second Bergen-Kirkenes trip of one week.
A mystery solved
Scandinavian populations have long considered the Northern Lights to be supernatural manifestations.
These fairy lights inspired the Vikings with the reflections of the moon on the armor of Valkyrie warriors.
For the Same people, it was more about souls on the way to the afterlife.
The phenomenon then imposed hiding in the most total silence, under penalty of attracting the attention of the deceased...
Advances in science have since explained to us that the auroras are directly linked to solar activity.
Our star, in fact, is an immense cauldron whose bubbling projects electrified particles through space.
When this “plasma” approaches our planet, it collides with its magnetic field which directs it towards the poles.
During their descent through the upper atmosphere, solar particles collide with gaseous molecules.
The latter react by emitting a colored light whose hue varies from green to red, depending on their nature and the altitude.
The aurora then takes the form of an arc or a circular curtain which moves with the wind.
The phenomenon occurs simultaneously in both hemispheres.
An aurora borealis therefore responds to an aurora australis.
But the Arctic remaining much more accessible than the Antarctic, it is towards the Far North that one naturally heads to attend the spectacle.
The auroras appear there between October and March, in an area located around the polar circle up to the 75th degree of north latitude.
The director general of Hurtigruten France, Christine Bois, points out that “the next three winters will be exceptional for the auroras because we are reaching the cyclic maximum of solar explosions”.
The absence of cloud is an essential condition to see them.
To maximize your chances of observation, it is also advisable to move away from cities and major traffic arteries, then to arm yourself with patience... This is why, far from any light pollution, a slow winter cruise towards Cape North can become the best trip of a lifetime.
Journey
Svalbard, the ultimate adventure in a polar nature sanctuary
Journey
In Norway, life is a long, quiet fjord
Go
The low-cost airline Norwegian makes it possible to reach Bergen from Paris or many provincial airports.
Offer
Expert in travel on the coasts of Norway, the company Hurtigruten promises the northern lights on cruises of at least 12 days between Bergen and Kirkenes, round trip, carried out between September 26 and March 31.
Count 2,424 euros flights included, full board with French guide.
If the natural phenomenon is not observed during the trip, passengers are invited the following year to a new 6-day cruise, this time in a double interior cabin with breakfast.
Heir to the historic shipping line inaugurated by Richard With in 1893 to open up the coastal towns of Norway, Hurtigruten is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year.
On this occasion, the company is launching two “Iconic” itineraries aboard the recently renovated MS Trollfjord.
The "Spitsbergen Express", linking Bergen to Longyearbyen, and the "Cape Nord Express", departing from Oslo, will offer new experiences, such as longer stops, testimonies and conferences on the history of the company, tastings culinary items or limited edition souvenirs.
Forecasts
To estimate your chances of observing an aurora borealis, the site of the American center Space Weather Prediction offers a probability map updated every 30 minutes.
As the phenomenon is not visible in overcast weather, these probabilities must be cross-referenced with the weather forecasts.
The locals don't bother with technology.
They estimate that with clear skies, the odds are always one in two.
Journey
Norway
Arctic
Cruises
Nature
Winter