ACTIVITIES
Adventure guide
Season to taste
So, which appeals to you most? Calm, curious or exhilarating?
TEXT: Sarah Dearne
Photo: Buubble Tours / buubble.com
If you’re visiting the North this autumn or winter, you might have planned on catching culture or enjoying the outdoors. To give you some inspiration, we pick a theme and sort activities by adventure level, from keen beginner to expert explorer. This issue, we tilt our gaze to the skies in search of northern lights.
Photo: Shutterstock
Photo: Nikolaus Brinkmann / Visit Greenland
Calm
Curious
Exhilarating
Iceland takes glamping to its logical conclusion with Buubble accommodation – inflated transparent “igloos” set amidst Icelandic nature. The orbs are transparent, revealing views of the surrounding pine forest, the starry night sky, and – if you’re fortunate – the northern lights swirling overhead. The bubbles are located near the Golden Circle route in South Iceland and are available exclusively as part of a tour of the coast or the Golden Circle route.
While the Faroe Islands aren’t quite as well situated for aurora spotting as their northerly neighbours, getting away from light pollution will up your chances. The village of Gjogv (pop. 50) is ideal, located at the northernmost tip of Eysturoy island and far from the lights of larger towns (yet only an hour’s drive from Torshavn). Arm yourself with some cocoa, take a hike on a clear evening, and you may be in luck.
If you’re travelling in September, a multi-day hike from Ilulissat or Nuuk will boost both the adventure factor and your odds of seeing the aurora, while an evening snowshoe tour of the Ilulissat Icefjord is splendid if you’re shorter on time. Later in the season, remote yet accessible Kulusuk is ideal, with direct Air Iceland Connect flights running yearround. A hike up Mt. Isikajia makes for a dazzling vantage point.
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