Northern Lights In Norway – Skip The Tours For An EPIC Cabin Experience

UPDATED MAR 2020. Imagine this. You rug yourself up in a warm jacket and step outside into a dark, winter night. The air is cold and still. You break the peaceful silence with a light, crunching sound that marks each step you take through the fresh powdery snow. As you stop to gaze up into space, you can see stars twinkle across the endless dark sky. Then, magic happens. The bright and colorful lights of the Auroras dance across the darkness, moving and swaying as if having a life of their own. Does this sound like a dream experience to add to your bucket list? If so, read on. Today I am sharing all the details on how you can experience this very dream of seeing the Northern Lights in Norway without breaking the budget.

Northern Lights In Norway – Skip The Tours For An EPIC Cabin Experience

FAQ for seeing the Northern Lights in Norway

Do you have a recommended location?

Kvalsund, Northern Norway.

What is the accommodation style?

Cabin – budget travel style.

How do you get there?

1-hour drive from Alta airport.

Who is this suited for?

Couples, friends, families. Most of all low maintenance types of people.

How do you book?

Through Airbnb (3-night minimum stay).

Other options for seeing the Northern Lights?

This is a cabin stay experience, but another option would be to stay in a city like Tromso and take tours away from the city to see the Northern Lights.

Flying into Northern Norway

Why this is the best place to see the Northern Lights in Norway

This incredible cabin is the best place to see the Northern Lights in Norway because it’s a complete travel experience.

Instead of simply taking a night tour from a big city for a couple of hours, you get a private show of the Northern Lights every night – weather permitting.

It is a remote cabin without a lot of light pollution in the area, so you can watch them from the cabin windows, the jacuzzi, or even just standing outside the cabin.

It allows for lots of viewing opportunities during your stay and you don’t need to go far to see them.

When is the best time to see the Northern Lights in Norway

You need darkness to see the Northern Lights, so the best time to be able to see them is between October/November to March/April.

This is when there is less sunlight – only 2 hours of light a day when I visited in December! The dark days allow for the Northern Lights to be seen easily.

You can visit the cabin any time of year though as it is a completely different experience in each season.

If you prefer hiking and outdoor adventures, it would be better to visit in Summer when there is endless sunshine and the area comes to life.

The hot tub and sauna

The main cabin area radiates coziness. It’s so cozy in fact that I always sleep on the couch by the fire instead of in a bedroom.

If you prefer a bed, there are two bedrooms in the main cabin. One room has bunk beds and the other is a master room. There is also another bed in a separate building across from the main one.

If you are in the mood for relaxation, the cabin also boasts an unmissable sauna and outdoor jacuzzi.

I cannot tell you how serene it is to sit in the warm jacuzzi, with snowflakes falling on your face, a cold cider in your hand, and looking up to see the glow of the Northern Lights.

It is definitely one of the coolest experiences of my life.

Sauna

Jacuzzi under the stars

Where to buy food

There is a small grocery store about 10 minutes drive away in the town of Skaidi, and a bigger (and cheaper) store about 30 minutes drive away in Kvalsund.

In the main cabin building, there is a kitchenette equipped with all the utensils you need for making meals.

There is also an outdoor fire pit which I used for cooking as well. Putting sausages on a stick and cooking them in the fire was a fun way to make a simple meal.

Outdoor kitchen

The kitchen area in the cabin

Tips you need to know about this remote cabin in Northern Norway

There is no running water at the cabin.

There is an outdoor pump which you can use to fill jugs for drinking and showering. Side note – it is seriously the freshest, most refreshing water you will ever drink!

The pump is easy to use and close to the cabin.

Don’t fret if you like hot showers, you can still have them. After you fill your jugs, you simply connect them to a pump and heater in the shower room, and, voila you have hot shower water.

There are two toilets in the cabin. One is indoors with a bag system for disposing of waste. That is, the waste collects into a bag that you have to take to the nearby town to dispose of.

The other toilet is an outdoor drop toilet in a separate enclosed structure. Personally, even though it wasn’t in the warmth of the cabin, I found it easiest to use the outdoor toilet.

Your home away from home for watching the Northern Lights in Norway

This is not for high maintenance folks

I love the simple living at the cabin and, in a weird way, I kind of like the uncomfortable things like pumping water or walking out into the cold to pee in the outdoor toilet.

It reminds me to appreciate my apartment.

However, I think it’s safe to say that if you are high maintenance, Kardashian type of person, then you won’t enjoy this cabin.

Or, perhaps you should try staying in a place like this and you may even surprise yourself?

What to do in Kvalsund

This cabin is a perfect place to stay to relax in nature and see the Northern Lights in Norway.

If you want to get out and experience as much as possible there is a lot to do in the area though.

I took a day trip to the North Cape which is the northernmost point in Europe and I also took trips to Hammerfest and Kvalsund which were all really fun outings.

Kvalsund Bridge

The roads are well managed, with snow being cleared often so the driving is smooth. Even better, the views while driving are gorgeous!

There are plenty of things to do around the cabin too. In addition to jacuzzi dipping, you can make snowmen, go sledding down the hills, and enjoy food by the outdoor fire.

The cabin had a TV with a small selection of DVDs and also board games too.

Lounge area in the cabin

Seeing the Northern Lights

The most wonderful part of the location is that it is the perfect place to see the Northern Lights in Norway!

I stayed at the cabin for a week and the Northern Lights were in the area every single night. I even saw them one afternoon at about 3pm while walking to the car which was really cool.

While I was there I used this app to track the forecasts. It showed me the probability of seeing the lights based on my location as well as sending alerts if there was about to be a good display of Northern Lights.

What to expect when you see the Northern Lights

It’s always different.

Sometimes they are a faint white color and look like a cloud. Sometimes they are bright greens and purples. It depends on the day.

Seeing them so much at the cabin allowed me to observe how different they were each night. Different movements, lines, and colors.

One thing is that a camera is much more powerful than your eye, so if you aren’t sure if it’s a cloud or Northern Lights, take a photo. Usually, if the cloud is swirling or moving a lot then it’s the lights. I posted more tips for taking photos of them in my guide linked below.

This complete Northern Lights experience felt like I made the most of this bucket list item, which is the best feeling for a holiday.

View from inside the cabin.

For more information and booking

Contact: Tor Even

 Click here for Airbnb listing – 3 night minimum.

Other guides for planning a visit to Northern Norway

• Visit Nordkapp In Norway – How To Plan A Trip To The Top Of The World

• A Beginners Guide To Photographing The Northern Lights

• What To Pack For A Week In Northern Norway – Winter Getaway Guide

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