Know Before You Go: Northern Lights Tours
What Are the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)?
The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are one of the most spectacular natural wonders on Earth. These glowing ribbons of green, pink, violet, and white light occur when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in Earth’s magnetic field and upper atmosphere. The result is a dazzling natural light show that shimmers, pulses, and dances across Arctic skies.
For centuries, cultures across the North have been inspired by the aurora, weaving stories, legends, and spiritual meaning into its glowing arcs. Today, seeing the northern lights is a bucket-list goal for nature travelers, photographers and adventurers around the world.
Sidebar: Aurora Quick Facts
Caused by solar storms interacting with Earth’s magnetic field
Usually green, but can also appear pink, purple, red, or white
Visible mainly in the auroral oval near the Arctic Circle
Appear as arcs, curtains, or spirals that seem to move and dance
Best seen on long, dark, clear nights away from city lights
Why Choose Nat Hab for a Northern Lights Tour?
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Northern Lights Tours
Viewing Northern Lights
Where Can I See the Northern Lights?
The aurora is visible in a region called the auroral oval, which circles the Earth’s magnetic poles. Travelers most often experience the northern lights in the Arctic and Subarctic.
What are the Best Places in the World to See the Northern Lights?
Destination | Why It's Great | Best Viewing Season |
|---|---|---|
Churchill, Canada | Directly beneath the auroral oval with 300+ nights of activity each year | Jan–Mar |
Lapland, Finland | Snowy landscapes, glass-roofed lodges, Indigenous Sámi culture | Dec–Mar |
Iceland | Easy access, geothermal hot springs, dramatic volcanic scenery | Sept–Apr |
Norway & Sweden | Fjords, mountains, and remote Arctic villages | Sept–Mar |
Greenland & Alaska | Wild, remote, and far from light pollution | Sept–Mar |
With 300 nights of auroral activity each year Churchill, Manitoba, is often considered one of the most reliable places on Earth to view the aurora borealis.
How Do I Get to Churchill, Manitoba?
Although Churchill is remote, Nat Hab makes it easy to reach. Our trips include:
Roundtrip charter flights from Winnipeg (skip long layovers)
Trips beginning and ending in Winnipeg, which has connections to major U.S. hubs
Extra time under Arctic skies instead of in transit
When Is the Best Time to See the Northern Lights?
The best time of year to see the northern lights is midwinter, when nights are longest and skies are cold and clear.
Churchill Northern Lights by Month
In Churchill, February–March offers the highest odds of success thanks to fewer clouds, crisp cold nights, and strong solar activity.
Month | Daylight Hours | Aurora Chances | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
January | Very limited | Excellent | Coldest temps, longest nights |
February | 9 hrs daylight | Excellent | Peak aurora + stable weather |
March | 11 hrs daylight | Very good | Slightly warmer, clear skies |
Why Travel with Nat Hab for Northern Lights Tours?
We combine location, timing, expertise and exclusive access for the best odds of seeing the aurora.
Nat Hab’s trips are scheduled in peak viewing season, far from light pollution, and led by expert naturalist guides. You’ll visit a variety of private heated viewing sites, chosen each night based on cloud cover and aurora forecasts. Our roundtrip charter flights to Churchill give you more time in nature—and more chances to see the lights.
Six exclusive, heated aurora-viewing locations keep you warm while you wait for the skies to glow.
Expert naturalist guides explain the science of the Northern Lights and share insights into Arctic wildlife and ecology.
Small groups ensure personalized attention and a more intimate travel experience.
Cultural encounters with Indigenous hosts offer authentic perspectives on Arctic traditions.
Complimentary Arctic gear (parkas, boots, and snow pants) makes traveling in extreme cold stress-free.
WWF partnership ensures your trip supports Arctic conservation and responsible travel.
This combination of exclusive access, expert guidance, and conservation leadership makes Nat Hab’s Northern Lights tours the premier way to experience the aurora.
When is the Best Time to See the Northern Lights?
Midwinter offers the best chance to see the northern lights, thanks to long, dark nights and cold, clear skies. In Churchill, Nat Hab’s aurora trips run from January through March, when solar activity is strong and cloud cover is minimal. The colder it is, the better your odds—just bundle up and look up!
How Do I Get to Churchill, Manitoba?
Churchill sits on the edge of the frozen Hudson Bay, deep in the Canadian North. Though remote, it is surprisingly accessible.
Nat Hab makes it easy: we charter roundtrip flights from Winnipeg, eliminating long layovers and maximizing time under Arctic skies. Our trips begin and end in Winnipeg, which is well connected to major U.S. cities.
Why Travel with Nat Hab to See the Northern Lights?
Private heated viewing sites, far from light pollution
Custom-built structures like our Aurora Pod® and Aurora Sphere
Expert naturalist guides trained in aurora science and Arctic ecology
Small group size with personalized attention
Authentic cultural encounters with Indigenous communities
Loaner Arctic gear provided—no shopping required!
Backed by our partnership with WWF, supporting conservation in the North
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I need to pack for a northern lights trip?
Bring moisture-wicking base layers, warm socks, indoor clothes for lodges, pajamas, and personal items. Nat Hab provides all heavy Arctic gear—parka, boots, mittens, and snow pants—so you don’t need to buy specialized clothing.
Even in midwinter, traveling to see the northern lights in Churchill can be cozy and comfortable with the right gear.
Are the northern lights visible every night in Churchill?
Churchill is one of the most reliable places in the world for aurora viewing, but sightings depend on solar activity, weather, and darkness. Trips are timed for the best odds, but nature offers no guarantees.
Factors that influence visibility:
Solar flare activity (aurora needs energetic particles)
Clear skies (no clouds blocking the view)
Darkness (no daylight or artificial light)
Viewing location (Nat Hab’s sites are well away from town)
Can I photograph the northern lights with my phone?
Yes! Modern smartphones with Night Mode or long-exposure apps can capture aurora photos. For best results:
Use a tripod or stable surface
Activate Night Mode or manual settings
Use a timer to prevent blurring
Bring spare batteries (cold drains power fast)
How cold is it during northern lights season in Churchill?
Expect -20°F to -40°F at night. Nat Hab’s Arctic gear keeps you safe and warm, and heated viewing structures allow cozy sky-watching between outdoor photography sessions.
Churchill’s subarctic climate means bitterly cold but stable conditions in late winter—perfect for aurora viewing. You’ll spend time in heated lodges, warm vehicles and cozy viewing structures like Nat Hab’s Aurora Pod® and Aurora Sphere, stepping outside only when conditions are ideal.
What happens if I don’t see the northern lights?
Even without aurora, Churchill offers once-in-a-lifetime Arctic adventures:
Dog sledding with real mushers
Snowcoach exploration of the boreal forest
Cultural encounters with Indigenous elders and artists
Wildlife tracking and Arctic ecology learning
Nat Hab's Northern Lights Tours
Northern Lights & Arctic Exploration
Churchill, Manitoba is arguably the best place on Earth to view the aurora borealis—see it in comfort from secluded, private viewing locations, including our exclusive glass Aurora Pod with a 360° view on the sky.
Northern Lights Photo Expedition
You'll find no better location for aurora photography than Churchill—and no better approach than this one, led by expert photographer guides, featuring remote and atmospheric private settings for stunning images.
Travel Stories
An Expedition Leader’s Extraordinary Northern Lights Adventure in Churchill
—By Eddy Savage
As a year-round Expedition Leader with Natural Habitat Adventures, part of my annual circuit of trips has me leading groups on the most extraordinary of winter adventures...
The Sounds of the Northern Lights
—By Nat Hab Expedition Leader Eddy Savage
Crackling, popping, whooshing. These are the sounds described as being produced by nature’s most beautiful phenomena. But where might they come from?
Northern Lights, Sun Dogs and Fire Rainbows: 5 Optical Phenomena and Where to See Them
—By Ruksana Hussain
Count yourself lucky if you’ve been an audience to some of these performances by Mother Nature, including the northern lights, sun dogs, fire rainbows, light pillars and the rare Brocken spectre. Keep your eyes on the skies to check these five off your list!
Preparing for Photographing the Northern Lights
—By Nat Hab Expedition Leader Eddy Savage
I have several key preparations in my Northern Lights Photography Kit that make my life easier and the rush of photographing the aurora borealis a lot of fun...
NASA Has Sent Two Rockets into the Northern Lights
—By Samantha Miller
A new NASA mission has recently sent two rockets through an active aurora to study how the aurora borealis impacts the energy exchange in Earth’s atmosphere up close.
7 Northern Lights Photography Tips (That Aren’t Camera Settings)
—By Megan Koelemay
Equip yourself with the right gear and an imaginative spirit, and you’ll have a delightful experience photographing the northern lights!
Women in the Light—An Account of Our First Ever Women-Only Adventure
—By Ben Bressler
If my mother were still alive she would have understood the power of women joining together to explore the world and discover themselves. And she would have signed up for this trip in a heartbeat (if only to get away from my brother and me).
Natural Habitat Adventures Announces Northern Lights Encounter Exclusively for Women
—By Nat Hab
The first-ever departure will focus on the Arctic through a female lens via outdoor adventures, Indigenous storytelling and learning about powerful women leading lives as entrepreneurs, scientists and trailblazers in Canada’s North.
Video: The “Scientific” Beauty of the Northern Lights
—By Candice Gaukel Andrews
While you may think that describing the process that creates the aurora in such detail takes away from their magic and beauty, there’s an even greater magnificence, I think, in understanding the science behind one of nature’s most breathtaking phenomena.
15 Native Tales About the Northern Lights
—By Marsea Nelson
We know today that the aurora borealis, commonly called the “northern lights” occurs when electrically charged particles from the sun zoom into Earth’s...
