Abisko's northern lights with kids
Children can love the aurora as much as adults even though late hours and cold ask a lot of them. The tours on this site set different age limits, from none in our notes to ten years and up. This guide sorts them by age and covers naps and snacks as well as the waiting.
Age limits, tour by tour
Each listing sets its own rules for children, and some are stricter than parents expect. The table shows what the listings state, so check the listing again before you book for a young child.
| Tour | Children | From |
|---|---|---|
| Photo tour | Not for children under 10 | ~$160 |
| Bus chase | Not for children under 5 | ~$100 |
| Snowmobile tour | Children ride in the sled with at least one adult; drivers 18+ | ~$100 |
| Car chase with photographer | Not for children under 3 | ~$146 |
| Husky hike | No age limit in our notes; check the listing | ~$140 |
Prices on this site are per person. We have no child rates in our notes, so look at the listing for any family price before you add up the trip with our cost guide.
The late hour
Aurora tours start in the evening, around 7 to 8 pm, and last three to four hours. A child who joins the bus chase at an 8 pm pickup may not be back in bed until around midnight.
Plan an afternoon nap, even for children who stopped napping years ago. A slow morning after the tour helps as well, since a tired child on the next day's outing tends to be a cold and unhappy one.
The aurora often shows late, and it is never guaranteed. Some nights the sky stays empty, so tell children in advance that the lights may not come, and that the outing in the dark is part of the fun.
Small bodies in deep cold
Expect −15 to −25 °C (5 to −13 °F) on a typical winter night in Abisko. Children lose heat faster than adults and may not say they are cold until they are already miserable.
Dress them in wool against the skin with fleece and a windproof shell over it, the same layering adults need. Check fingers and toes every half hour, and carry hand warmers to slip into mittens. Our guide to dressing for a −25 °C night covers each layer.
The waiting, and how to fill it
Most of an aurora tour is waiting, and for a child that can feel longer than the drive. Bring snacks they like, because what the tours serve may not suit a picky eater.
Give them a job. A child can scan the sky for the first pale band of green. Older ones can hold the headlamp on red light so nobody loses their night vision.
Guides on these tours read the sky and the forecast for a living, so let children ask them what they see. Our page on reading the Kp forecast makes a good evening lesson before you go out.
The husky hike for children who love dogs
AbiskoHikes runs the gentlest outing on this site. Its northern lights husky hike from ~$140 covers about 4 km (2.5 miles) round trip with a gradual climb, and a few retired Alaskan huskies walk along.
Along the way the group stops in a lávvu, a Sámi-style tipi, to sit by the flames over a cinnamon bun and a hot drink. Overalls and boots are lent with mittens and headlamps, and snowshoes come out if the snow is deep.
The catch is the walking. Some of it is uphill in the cold, and there is no vehicle to warm up in or to drive toward clearer sky.
Dogs and a fire on a slow walk
The AbiskoHikes husky hike takes up to 12 people on a three hour walk with retired huskies and a lávvu stop. It is rated 5.0 from 30+ reviews on GetYourGuide, a small number, from ~$140.
The bus chase for younger children
Lights Over Lapland's aurora chase at ~$100 takes children from five. Between stops a cold child can warm up on board while the parents stay outside.
The bus can cover up to 100 km (60 miles) on the round trip toward clear sky. A warm drink and warm clothing are on board, but the group is up to 28 and much of the night is spent seated.
For children from three, Explore Arctic's car chase takes up to 8 people, and its photographer sends digital photos of the family under the aurora. Nobody can promise the lights, but a family picture taken on a good night is a souvenir children keep.
Snowmobiles and older children
On Experience Abisko's snowmobile tour, children ride in the sled behind the guide with at least one adult. Driving is for those aged 18 and over who hold a licence valid in the EU.
The sled is fun for older children but cold and noisy, so dress them for the wind. Our side-by-side of the ways out sets out how each one feels.
The snowmobile tour also needs snow on the ground, so it fits the deeper winter months. Families coming in early autumn should look at the bus chase first, and check on each listing which dates run before the snow arrives.
A family plan for the stay
Book two or three nights so one cloudy evening does not ruin the trip, and put the tour on an early night. Our guide to a night with no aurora has daytime ideas. Abisko or Kiruna helps you choose a base close to the pickups.
Autumn nights are milder than midwinter ones, which matters with small children. See the aurora months in Abisko before you settle on dates.