Norway, Finland, Sweden, or Iceland– you will find a list of places mentioned almost everywhere whenever you are looking out for the “best place on earth to watch the northern lights”. I kind of had the same (read: popular) opinion. Until I visited the largest city within the Arctic Circle- Murmansk, Russia.
Murmansk isn’t quite on the bucket list of most travelers. But what if I tell you, that by spending half of what you would spend in the popular Nordic countries, you will get the experience of the SAME Aurora, dancing and glimmering in the skies, while you look up amazed, mesmerised, and wondering how you got so lucky?
Then read till the end.
Where is Murmansk?
Located in the far northwest part of Russia, Murmansk is a beautiful port city that sits on the eastern shore of the Kola Bay, which starts from the Barents Sea. Known as the largest city within the Arctic circle, Murmansk also hosts the Sami (Lapland) tribe that spans over four countries. The city is also home to the Lenin IceBreaker, the world’s first nuclear-powered ship, and civilian vessel.
Although you can get lucky to see the lights from the main city itself, local tour operators recommend driving for some 2 hours to the North to see an uninterrupted view of the polar show. We made our booking with @North4You, and we were so spellbound with our first hunt, that we decided to join them for a second hunt within a day!
How can you reach Murmansk?
You can reach Murmansk from either of the two well-known commercial hubs of Russia- Moscow and Saint Petersburg. To save time, one can opt for direct flights from either of the two cities or take the Arktika train that takes 35 hours from Moscow and 25 hours from Saint Petersburg to reach the Arctic city. We opted for the train because we wanted to travel through the snowy Russian villages and have our share of magic experience from the Polar Express movie!
How much does a trip to Murmansk cost?
A return trip from Delhi to Moscow will cost around INR 35000-40000 if you plan well in advance. And Arktika train from Moscow to Murmansk costs around INR 4500.
Additionally, a Northern Lights tour package for two cost us INR 11000. Depending on your tour operator, you can even opt for a second chase for a discounted rate.
Please note: The prices are subject to change.
How are the Northern lights in Murmansk different from the lights in Scandinavian countries?
THEY ARE THE SAME. The polar lights rarely depend on the place, and a person seeing the lights from Norway will see the same lights from Murmansk. If the skies are clear, and the polar activity forecast is nice, you are in for some good show, no matter where you are within the Arctic circle. In fact, like I said, watching the lights in those commercial places will cost you 3X the money, with way more crowd.
What is the best time to see the Northern lights in Murmansk?
Generally, September to April is considered the best viewing period for the Northern lights. Go for a winter tour if you want to see the lights while enjoying a winter wonderland. However, be mindful that the temperatures in Murmansk can drop as low as -30°C (-54 F) during wintertime. We visited Murmansk in February, the temperature was harsh, but the beauty of the lights kept us warm!
What should you pack?
Here’s what we packed for our Northern lights trip:
a. Thermal tops, pants, and socks
b. Thick, insulated, light-weight jackets
c. Waterproof pants
d. Snow/Hiking shoe
e. Hand warmers/gloves
f. Winter caps
g. Some snacks and drinks as the hunt can last for hours
The entire experience from almost missing the lights due to cloud cover to actually getting to see them dance for a few minutes made my heart cry out of joy! Given a chance, I would keep going for such hunts every single night.
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