Snowmobile, van or on foot in Abisko?
The five aurora tours around Abisko move you in four different ways, and that choice shapes the evening more than the price does. A bus can drive away from cloud. A snowmobile is loud and cold, while a walk is quiet but stays put. This guide sets them side by side.
Four shapes of one evening
Every tour on our list leaves Abisko after dark and lasts three to four hours. What differs is the way you get to the spot where you stand and look up.
- A chase by bus or car, which drives to wherever the sky looks clearest
- Snowmobiles on trails through the valley and out onto the lake
- A walk on foot with retired huskies to a lávvu and a fire
- A mixed photo tour that picks its method on the night
None of them can make the aurora appear, and it is never guaranteed on any of the five. The method only changes how you spend the waiting and how far you can go to find a gap in the cloud.
The bus or car chase
Lights Over Lapland's aurora chase from ~$100 picks you up at hotels in Björkliden and Abisko. From there the bus ranges up to 100 km (60 miles) in a round trip. It aims for one of several spots, many of them beside lakes or rivers whose ice can catch the aurora's reflection.
Warm clothing and a hot drink come with it, and so does camera equipment. Up to 28 people ride along, so you share the guide and the view with a full bus.
The smaller version is Explore Arctic's car chase from ~$146, with eight guests at most. Here the guide is a professional photographer too and puts you in the frame under the lights. It holds 4.9 from 80+ reviews on GetYourGuide.
The trade-off of any chase is time on the road. On a cloudy night you may spend a good part of the evening in a seat, but that seat is warm and the driver goes where the gaps are.
Snowmobiles on the trails
Experience Abisko's snowmobile tour from ~$100 runs for three hours with up to 18 people. When booking you choose between driving your own machine and sharing one. You can also ride in the sled the guide tows.
Anyone driving needs to be at least 18 and carry a licence valid in the EU, then sign a liability agreement. Everyone arrives 30 minutes early for instructions. The company lends snowsuits and boots as well as hats and gloves, with helmets for drivers.
The routes vary with the conditions. The listing names the Abisko valley along the edge of the national park and climbs into the mountains above the fog. It also mentions a run towards Abiskojaure and trips out onto frozen Lake Torneträsk.
Drive your own machine under the northern lights
Experience Abisko's three-hour snowmobile evening. Suits and helmets are lent, and there is a seat in the sled for anyone who would rather not drive.
The catch is noise and wind. Engines drown out the silence that many people come for, and the speed adds wind chill to air that is already well below freezing.
Snowmobiles also need snow, and they stay on the trails rather than driving far to escape cloud. It holds 4.7 from 140+ reviews on GetYourGuide, and the season guide covers when the trails open.
On foot with retired huskies
AbiskoHikes' husky hike from ~$140 is the quietest choice. You walk about 4 km (2.5 miles) round trip on a gradual climb to an open area, with a few retired Alaskan huskies along and snowshoes if the snow is deep.
Halfway, the group stops in a lávvu, the Sámi-style tent, for a fire with a hot drink and cinnamon buns warmed over it. Groups stop at 12, and the company lends overalls and boots as well as mittens and headlamps.
It holds 5.0 from 30+ reviews on GetYourGuide, the fewest of the five. With no vehicle there is no chase, so on a cloudy night you stay where the cloud is.
The mixed photo tour
Lights Over Lapland's photo tour from ~$160, our pick, does not commit to one method. The guide makes the call on the night from the weather and the aurora forecast.
- A walk on foot to a nearby teepee
- A chase in a 4x4 van
- A sleigh pulled by a snowmobile to a wilderness camp
That flexibility is the point, and also the catch, since you cannot book the sleigh ride and count on it. The group stops at eight with a DSLR and tripod lent to each guest, and our photography guide explains what that kit does.
Warmth and noise against mobility
Each shape gives up something. A bus is warm and mobile but crowded. A car is warm and small but costs more, while the snowmobile is thrilling but loud and cold.
The walk is silent and slow, with a fire as its source of heat. Families with small children usually find the bus easiest, and our page for families lists every age limit.
Whatever you pick, you will stand still outside for long stretches. Dress for that rather than for the ride, as our guide to clothing sets out layer by layer.
A fixed spot or a chase
Abisko is known for clear skies, and our page on the blue hole explains why. Cloud does still drift in, and on those nights a vehicle that can move counts for a lot.
On a forecast of clear sky, a fixed spot with a fire can be the more pleasant evening. If you have only one night, a chase gives you more ways to find a gap, and the price guide compares what each option charges.