The cheapest places in the world to see the Northern Lights have been named, and the top two are both situated in Scotland.
On Thursday evening, the aurora borealis lit up the night sky in a spectacular kaleidoscope of colour. As reported by the Daily Record, Scots across the country have shared beautiful photos of the incredible phenomenon.
The Northern Lights are set to make a return to Scotland on Friday night, with the Sun reaching the peak of its 11-year cycle. A new study conducted by InsureandGo has revealed the areas of the country where you are likely to spend the least amount of money catching a glimpse.
The Isle of Harris is the most affordable destination in the world for those looking to travel to see the aurora borealis in all its glory. According to the experts, you can expect to pay an average of £41 on a hotel for the night on the Scottish Hebridean island.
Like other islands in the Hebrides such as Uist and Barra, Harris is renowned for its low levels of light pollution. This means that when conditions are just right, as they are set to be this weekend, you are far more likely to see the Northern Lights with the naked eye.
The other Scottish destination to appear on InsureandGo’s list, following behind in number two on the global list, is the Cairngorms National Park. The experts say that those travelling to the UK’s largest National Park in northeast Scotland will pay £54 per night on average for a hotel.
Just like the Isle of Harris, the Cairngorms National Park is known for its low levels of light pollution. The Glenlivet and Tomintoul area in particular has previously been named a Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association in recognition of its ideal conditions for stargazing.
Elsewhere, Gjogv in the Faroe Islands and Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales follow behind in third and fourth place, with hotels costing an average of £58 and £72 per night respectively. Rounding out the top five is Rovaniemi in Finland, where the experts say a hotel room will set you back £80.
InsureandGo also worked with astronomy professor James LaBelle to provide tips for aurora watching. According to LaBelle, finding somewhere with minimal light pollution and avoiding looking at your phone are both important if you want the best chance of getting a look at the Northern Lights.
Head of Communications at InsureandGo Letitia Smith commented: “Seeing the northern lights has featured on travel bucket lists for decades and there’s currently a great opportunity to experience them at their best, that many people won’t want to miss out on. With this in mind, we would urge travellers to book up their accommodation as soon as possible, as the added interest in seeing the auroras will result in stays getting booked up quickly.
“The great thing is that this increased solar activity means there are more locations to see the auroras from, meaning more options for varying budgets. However, in the excitement of seeing this natural phenomenon, remembering to make sure you have travel insurance to cover your holiday is a must.
“Trips into dark sky places are often remote, and as Professor LaBelle points out, in the middle of the night. Meaning that while planning a trip to see these natural light shows with your own eyes is hugely exciting, it’s always best to make sure you are covered for an unplanned incident while away.”
To put together its list, InsureandGo analysed the average hotel costs in locations around the world known for their dark skies and heightened opportunity to see the Northern Lights. More information can be found on the InsureandGo website.
The 10 cheapest places to see the Northern Lights
- Isle of Harris, Scotland
- Cairngorms National Park, Scotland
- Gjogv, Faroe Islands
- Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales
- Rovaniemi, Finland
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Fort McMurray, Canada
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Exmoor National Park, England
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Whitehorse, Canada
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Northumberland National Park, England
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Levi, Finland
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