How to capture the elusive Northern Lights

Every winter, visitors travel to northern Sweden in the hope of witnessing one of nature’s most captivating phenomena: the aurora borealis. Shades of green, red and purple swirl across the night sky from September to April. On rare occasions, the Northern Lights are so strong that they produce a faint crackling sound.

The Northern Lights are as unpredictable as they are beautiful, and knowing when and where to go is key. Your chances increase significantly with an expert guide who is familiar with the local conditions. So head for the Arctic, check the weather forecast – and join a tour that matches your sense of adventure. With the sun currently nearing the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, the 2025–2026 aurora season is expected to offer ideal conditions.

Here are five Northern Lights tours designed for food lovers, animal enthusiasts and thrill-seekers alike.

5 extraordinary Northern Lights tours

Dog sled tour

Imagine gliding through a winter wonderland in a sled pulled by huskies, with the Northern Lights dancing overhead – two magical moments in one. Kiruna Husky offers Northern Lights tours where you’ll learn how to harness and handle the dogs before heading out into the polar night with a guide. After the ride, you’ll warm up around an open fire in a Nordic tipi and enjoy a traditional Swedish fika.

Photo tour

The elusive aurora borealis can be difficult to spot, and even more challenging to photograph. A photo tour with Lights of Lapland can help you capture it for real. With professional photographers as guides and preset cameras ready, the tour takes you into Abisko National Park. Warm overalls, hot drinks and all camera gear are included in their Ultimate Aurora Photo Adventure, which suits photography enthusiasts of all levels. A picture of your own Northern Lights experience is a souvenir to be proud of.

Horseback tour

Take your Northern Lights chase to the next level – on horseback. Ride an Icelandic horse through snow-covered forests near Sweden’s highest mountain range. The Icehotel’s Northern Lights horseback tour is eco-certified and serene. Before setting out, you'll help prepare your horse and enjoy a quiet moment in the stable. The tour ends with a locally sourced dinner, served in a traditional Sámi hut.

Snowmobile tour

For those craving speed and scenery, chasing the Northern Lights by snowmobile is a thrilling choice. On Kiruna Sleddog Tours’ adventurous Aurora Tour Snowmobiles, you’ll explore the Arctic landscape in a fast-paced but safe way. Guides make sure even beginners feel confident. Prefer not to drive? Ride as a passenger and keep your eyes on the sky. A stop at a Sámi tent includes an open fire, homemade fika, and, if you’re lucky, a view of the sky’s glowing green streaks.

Local street food tour

Great food deserves lavish surroundings – and few are better than the aurora borealis. Kiruna-based Stejk Street Food offers a Street Food & Aurora Tour that feeds both body and curiosity. The evening begins with dinner in a lavvu tent, where you'll hear stories about the Sámi way of life and the moving of Kiruna city. Then you’ll set off by vehicle with a local guide to a nearby spot chosen for the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights that night.

How to photograph the Northern Lights

So, you’ve found your spot, checked the weather and dressed warmly. But how do you actually capture the Northern Lights? Photographing auroras can be tricky. It’s dark, often freezing, and the lights can appear and vanish without warning. Here are a few practical tips to help you increase your chances of getting that perfect shot.

Wear two pairs of gloves

Use a thick pair to keep your hands warm and a thinner pair underneath that allows you to handle your camera or phone without removing them.

Use a tripod

Shooting the Northern Lights often requires a long shutter speed, so keeping your camera steady is essential. A tripod is ideal, but a rock or car roof can also work in a pinch.

Set a timer or use a remote

Even the lightest touch can blur a long-exposure shot. Use your camera’s timer or a remote shutter release to avoid camera shake.

Avoid condensation

Moving your gear from warm indoor air to the cold outdoors can cause condensation on the lens. One trick is to place your camera in a waterproof bag and put that inside your camera bag while transitioning. If you’re only stepping indoors briefly, keep the bag closed, and the gear won’t have time to warm up.

Bring a spare battery

Cold weather drains batteries quickly. Always carry a fully charged extra battery and keep it close to your body to keep it warm.

Camera settings

Optimal camera settings depend on your equipment, location, and the conditions on the night; there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. However, here are some general guidelines to help you get started. Always shoot in RAW format if possible, as it gives you greater flexibility when editing your photos later.

• ISO: Start at ISO 800. If it’s very dark, increase to 1600 or even 3200.
• Shutter speed: Try 10–30 seconds. If the aurora is moving fast, reduce the exposure time to avoid blur and compensate with a higher ISO.
• Aperture: Use the lowest f-number your lens allows – ideally f/2.8 or lower.
• Focus: Switch to manual focus. Try focusing on a distant star or the moon, or set the focus to infinity.

If you’re unsure, many guided Northern Lights tours are led by photographers who can help you find the best settings on the night. For time-lapse photography, set your white balance manually to maintain a consistent tone across all images.

Mobile phone settings

While smartphone photos may not match the quality of a camera, you can still get impressive results by adjusting a few settings:

• Use night mode, if available.
• Turn off the flash to avoid overexposing nearby objects.
• Use manual focus, or tap to focus on the sky.
• Bring a tripod – stability is key, even for phone cameras.
• Carry a power bank – cold temperatures drain phone batteries quickly.

Good luck!