Where to Sleep Under the Northern Lights: The 12 Best Aurora Cabins, Lodges & Camps

1.Reindeer Camp Dinner with Chance of Northern Lights

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 806 reviews · 4h 30m · from $163Our pick

Travel by bus from Tromsø to a nighttime reindeer camp, feed a herd of about 300 animals, and meet Sámi hosts such as Inga, Ulle, Thor, or Isat. Warm up with hot drinks, eat salmon salad, bidos stew, and chocolate cake, then hear Sámi stories and joik. Aurora sightings are possible but never guaranteed.

“Well organized activity, good amount of time for each part of it, nice people explaining the Sami culture and good dinner. We have been lucky enough to see the Aurora too.”

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2.Mountaintop 360° Best Alaskan Cabin with Photography @Aurora Camp

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 322 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $99Best value

Spend about 4.5 hours at Aurora Camp near Murphy Dome, watching the Northern Lights from a warm cabin or 10-acre yard. Joy and David help with aurora photos, while tea, coffee, hot chocolate, snacks, games, and an indoor restroom make the long wait easier. Transfers from Fairbanks can be added.

“Awesome. The hosts are the best and the setup gives you a better opportunity to see the lights. We did two nights and were able to see them both nights! Thanks Joy!”

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3.Aurora Viewing – Aurora Husky Lodge , Great view from top of the ridge

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 283 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $130

Ride from a major Fairbanks hotel to Michi and Keiko’s Aurora Husky Lodge for about three and a half hours of Northern Lights watching. You can wait inside with cocoa, tea, coffee, and snacks, then step onto the deck or up toward the ridge for a clearer view. Michi also helps with camera settings.

“Our guide showed e the correct settings on my Canon R8. I was able to get some good pictures. He was so knowledgeable and friendly. We enjoyed our nights at the lodge.”

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4.Intimate Aurora Tours Cozy Cabin Bucket List

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 277 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $107Top rated

Tracy hosts this small-group Yellowknife aurora outing at a private forest cabin, with hotel pickup, fish chowder, fresh bannock, hot drinks, fur clothing for photos, stories about the Northwest Territories, and help photographing the lights. The cabin gives you a warm place to wait when the sky is cold or cloudy.

“Tracy is a wonderful hostess and her fish chowder and bannock are delicious. A very worthwhile trip.”

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5.Aurora Viewing Lodge

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 276 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $170

Ride from your Fairbanks hotel to a warm Alaskan log lodge with an outdoor deck, drinks, snacks, and an aurora presentation. Guides such as Kathy, Gina, Nicole, and Sage help explain the lights and camera settings. The tour lasts about five hours, but cloud cover and aurora activity remain unpredictable.

“Our group of 12 arrived at a beautiful lodge atop Cleary Summit. We walked into a large darkened room STUFFED with people! I counted over 34 people crammed into the space. There were hot drinks and cookies available. There was a large viewing deck out back. The host said very little, so we were on our own to know when the lights were outside. He even seemed overwhelmed with the number of people. I don't know what happened, but this was described as a "small group tour" and it was far from that! Fortunately, we saw a great light show and since it started late, we were allowed to stay…”

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6.Aurora Crystal Lavvo Experience with Snowshoeing

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 222 reviews · 1 day · from $460

Travel from Tromsø by bus and ferry to Aurora Wonderland Basecamp in Lyngen. Jose, Angelina, and their team host a small-group overnight with fish soup, dinner, breakfast, a 2 km snowshoe walk, thermal gear, and a heated crystal lavvo. You keep the wood stove going and watch the sky from bed.

“Unique way of catching the Northern Lights despite bad weather. Guides and host were very warm.”

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7.Snowtrain to Northern Lights Camp

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 181 reviews · 3 hours · from $132

You’ll ride a Snowtrain through dark Lappish forests to a traditional hut at Apukka Resort. Guides explain Arctic nature, serve hot drinks and snacks, and help you watch the sky for Northern Lights. The train is advertised as heated, though warmth and seating comfort may vary. Transfers from central Rovaniemi and Santa Claus Village are included.

“excelente serviciodeloperadordelavisita,susguas sensacionales y en especial sergiovimos aurorasy estuvieronsensacionales”

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8.Night Reindeer Sledding with Camp Dinner and Chance of Northern Lights

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 165 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $225

Travel about 25 to 30 minutes from Tromsø to a Sámi reindeer camp. Feed up to 300 reindeer, take a 15 to 20-minute sleigh ride, then eat dinner in a candlelit gamme while hearing Sámi stories and joik. The Aurora is possible, but never guaranteed. Warm clothing is essential.

“This tour was greattt, meal was traditional, filling and was delicious! It was very informative about Sami Culture. Reindeers were beautiful and friendly (some had character, when giving food lol).”

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9.Northern Lights Lodge Viewing in Fairbanks

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 117 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $160

You leave Fairbanks around 10pm for a remote viewing site with open sky, a heated yurt, and outdoor fire pits. Guides such as Paul, Joe, Joshua, and Miriam have shared Alaska stories, helped with cameras, and explained the aurora. Return is scheduled around 3am, with pickup from major Fairbanks hotels.

“Enjoyed see all the county between Fairbanks and Murphy Dome. The Alaska pipeline and the guides telling us all about it.”

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10.Aurora Chasing + Aurora Lodge

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 112 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $102

Spend about four hours at Madeline Lake Lodge near Yellowknife, stepping outdoors for aurora views and returning to heated rooms, decks, snacks, and games. Guides such as Mo, Tina, Peter, and Leon have helped with timing, science, and photography. If clouds gather, a warm bus may carry you to another territorial park.

“We stayed in a very nice lodge and were able to watch the aurora outdoors and come back inside to warm up until the next sighting. Leon is an excellent tour guide and very knowledgeable about the science behind the aurora. Moe took great aurora photos. We appreciate their work to make the tour a very enjoyable experience! We will do it again next year!”

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11.Northern Lights Lodge & Chase Tour from Fairbanks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 109 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $325

Michael, a native Alaskan with more than 20 years of aurora experience, drives a maximum of 10 people from Fairbanks into the interior. You’ll watch from a private lodge with a fireplace and panoramic windows, then head out in the heated van if clouds block the view. Drinks, snacks, photo help, and 1 to 3 group photos are included.

“This was a really fun part of our journey. We truly enjoyed the whole experience. Thank you for a memorable experience and welcoming us to your mountain home.”

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12.Reindeer Camp Dinner with Chance of Northern Lights in Tromso

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 86 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $210

Leave Tromsø at 6 p.m. for a 35-minute ride to Tromsø Arctic Reindeer. Feed a herd of more than 200 reindeer, warm up with hot drinks and cookies, then eat salmon salad, reindeer stew, and chocolate cake inside a lavuu. Sámi hosts such as John and Thor share stories, culture, and joik before you return around 10:30 p.m.

“Great experience to feed the reindeer and learn about Sami culture! Great Sami host and we even saw the northern lights”

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