When to Travel : In the Northern hemisphere, September to March is considered the best time to view the lights – this is when the nights are long, and there is very little or no interference from sunlight. Further we minimize interference from moonlight by planning trips on or around new-moon nights
Destinations
In Pursuit of the Northern Lights
Some journeys just cannot be described, some sights cannot be captured in pictures, and some moments cannot be expressed in words. When we ask fellow travellers to describe their experience of Northern Lights, they don't! They simply say, ``You have to see it to believe it`` So come with us to witness a rare and exquisite display of celestial beauty, as we venture to the most remote corners of our planet.
Trip Highlights
We organize trips to several locations to see the Northern lights, including Alaska, Canada, Iceland & Norway
All our Northern Lights trips are a part of our Learning on the Road™ programme, where we travel with experts to learn more about the subject. This year we will be accompanied by noted astronomer & Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society of London, Mr. Parag Mahajani. We carry state-of-the art equipment (telescopes & cameras) for sky watching & Northern Lights photography
Apart from Northern Lights, we will also do some winter activities like snow mobile and husky dog sleds
Interesting Tidbits
What are Northern Lights - Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis (the technical term) is a vivid but shifting display of colors seen on clear dark nights from places in the Northern hemisphere - typically around the arctic circle. They are caused by collision of high energy charged particles from the Sun with the gases in the atmosphere- typically oxygen and nitrogen make up the majority, hence the lights are of specific colours. They occur at around 60 miles above the earth's surface (in comparison, a commercial airplane flies around 7-10 miles above the earth's surface)
Requirements to see the Northern Lights - The night has to be dark (so you need to be away from city lights), clear (free of clouds) and preferably moon-less. In the Northern hemisphere, this restricts us to either late fall (September-October) or early Spring (March). The lights are best seen between 8 pm and 3 am
Best Locations to watch the Northern Lights – Northern Parts of Alaska (Fairbanks), Northwest Territory in Canada (Yellowknife), Iceland and Northern Norway are the best places to watch -both in terms of the lights themselves, and the infrastructure for traveling. Greenland & Siberia while in the Northern Lights Belt, are tougher to access
VISA INFO
Valid passport: Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your intended stay and have two blank pages.
Travel insurance: You need a travel insurance policy that covers the entire Schengen territory and has a minimum coverage of 30,000 euros.
Proof of accommodation: You need to show that you have a place to stay during your trip.
Travel itinerary: You need to provide a round trip reservation or itinerary with dates and flight numbers
Proof of funds: You need to show that you have enough money to support yourself financially throughout your stay
Visa application form: You need to complete and sign the application form
Passport photos: You need two recent passport photos taken within the last three months
Visa interview: You need to attend an interview in person at a consulate, embassy, or visa application center
