Northern Lights Tours in Sweden: How to Choose
Kiruna, Abisko, or Luleå: how to pick where to book, fast.
Trying to stay still for the photo at -30ºC is a challenge….
Sweden has three real bases for a northern lights tour: Kiruna, Abisko, and Luleå, all in Lapland. Each has its own tour scene, and we've covered each in depth elsewhere. This page is the fast version: how to pick a destination, what a good tour includes, and whether you need one at all.
Want to optimize your chances? See our Best Hotels to See the Northern Lights in Sweden.
🛌 Where to stay:
• Camp Alta, Kiruna: frozen lake, sauna, built for aurora watching.
• STF Abisko Turiststation: the hub for aurora travelers, right by the Blue Hole.
• Clarion Hotel Sense, Luleå: harbor views, the most central option in town.
🇸🇪 Top tours:
• Aurora Chase in Abisko: small group, local guide, built around the Blue Hole.
• Evening tour from Kiruna to Abisko: for when Kiruna's own sky clouds over.
• Sami culture, reindeer & northern lights, Luleå: meet a Sami family, feed reindeer, chase the aurora.
🚗 Tours include pick-up, but you can rent a car to chase clear sky on your own schedule. Book one here.
Best northern lights tours in Sweden: quick answer
Best base overall: Kiruna, for the widest range of tours, an airport, and the ICEHOTEL nearby.
Best for clear skies: Abisko, thanks to its "Blue Hole" microclimate.
Best for a quieter, coastal base: Luleå.
Best time to book: December through March, when nights are longest (aurora season runs from late August to early April).
Kiruna, Abisko, or Luleå: where should you stay?
In February in Luleå, we got three awesome aurora nights in one week!
Kiruna has the most infrastructure: an airport, the widest range of tours, and the ICEHOTEL twenty minutes away. Good default if it's your only stop in Swedish Lapland. Full breakdown in Northern Lights Tours in Kiruna.
Abisko has the edge on clear skies, thanks to its "Blue Hole" microclimate. Smaller and quieter than Kiruna, with less to do if the sky doesn't cooperate, but our favorite place for dogsledding and any outdoor activity. Full breakdown in Abisko Northern Lights Tours.
Luleå sits further south on the coast, less touristy and more affordable, and you can often see the aurora without leaving the city. Plus, where else do you get to walk on a frozen archipielago? Full breakdown in Luleå Northern Lights.
If you're only picking one and have flexibility, base yourself in Kiruna and add an Abisko evening if the forecast calls for it, many Kiruna-based tours already do this automatically on a cloudy night.
Zoom in the maps below to find hotels & cabins in Swedish Lapland
Do you need a tour, or can you go alone?
A van tour is great if you want to warm up for a while!
You don't strictly need one if you have a rental car and a few nights to spare. A tour helps most if you're a beginner in aurora chasing, if you’re short on time, don't want to drive in Arctic winter conditions, or would rather have a guide tracking cloud cover and moving you toward clear sky in real time. To help you in your decision, read our Northern Lights in Lapland guide.
What a good Sweden northern lights tour includes
I took this photo from Camp Alta in Kiruna. They also organize tours.
A few things worth checking on any listing before you book:
A guide who moves, not just watches. The value is in someone tracking real-time cloud cover and driving toward clear sky, not parking at the same spot every night (trust us, they exist).
Clear terms on any "guaranteed" claim. It usually means a money-back refund or a promise to drive further, not a guarantee you'll see the lights. Nobody can even guarantee this, except Lady Aurora herself! Full breakdown of what this means in Kiruna specifically in our Northern Lights Tours in Kiruna guide.
Warm gear and hot drinks included, so you're not standing in -30°C in whatever you brought from home. Or read our guide to What to Wear on a Northern Lights Trip.
Recent reviews, not just the overall rating. Look for a specific guide mentioned by name, if possible.
Don’t just look at the price. As for many things in life, you get what you pay for. The cheapest tours usually have more people, and/or seasonal guides with less expertise who are more drivers and less aurora pros.
Penguin tip:
High season in Swedish Lapland is actually winter. If you’re planning to visit in February or March, we recommend booking 3–6 months ahead — especially for Abisko and Kiruna. Accommodation options are limited and can get very expensive.
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FAQ: Northern lights tours in Sweden
When's the best time to book a northern lights tour in Sweden? Late August through early April, with December to March offering the longest, darkest nights.
Should I book a tour in Kiruna, Abisko, or Luleå? Kiruna for infrastructure and variety, Abisko for the clearest skies, Luleå for a quieter, more affordable base. Many travelers combine Kiruna with an Abisko evening.
Do northern lights tours in Sweden guarantee a sighting? No. "Guaranteed" usually means a refund or a promise to drive further if the group doesn't see the aurora, not a guarantee you personally will.
How much do northern lights tours in Sweden cost? We don't have a confirmed, current price list, rates vary by destination, group size, and season. Check current listings through the links on this page before you plan.
Do I need a rental car for a northern lights tour in Sweden? Not for the tour itself, most include pickup. But a rental car gives you the freedom to chase clear sky on your own schedule between tours, and to move between Kiruna, Abisko, and Luleå if you're combining destinations.
Wherever you book, Kiruna, Abisko, or Luleå, the tour changes your odds more than almost any other decision on the trip. Pick a destination that fits your itinerary, then a guide with real-time flexibility over one that just promises a headline. And, if possible, book a northern lights hotel for the best chances.
Finally, explore all our Lapland Travel Guides here.
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