Where to see northern lights
 

Hi my elderly parents are visiting from asia
And one of their Bucket check list is to see northern lights

Is there an observation area that give you the best chance to see it?

They want to avoid the special tours package that priced really high.

Can you just fly to yukon somewhere and get a local tour guide to take you to some observation center or some sort? And at a scheduled time the light will somehow visible. And is $1000- $1500 budget will get you see northern lights?

Or all tours are super rugged wilderness style with extreme weather and hiking required?


I think my parents idea to see it is in some comfort and warmth place to watch them


I never see northern lights myself. But my mind tells me it need some extreme hiking and withstanding cold weather conditions in uncomfortable tent cold and muddy waiting at night type thing... And only a small percentage the chance that it would be clearly visible. Unless you know how to carefully plan time and with the mercy of weather and clear sky in the prediction...

Anyone has experience this has any tips for the highest chance to see it with minimal planning and a small budget lol...?

Thanks

https://www.travelbestbets.com/deals/yukon

Probably worth it to spend some money and be comfortable.

Parents from Asia + wanting to see in observation deck = be prepared to pay

If they want to cheap out, they'll have to rough it in the cold. Be a good son, buy them some Moncler or Canada Goose jackets, and send them up on a nice package deal.

I recently helped a group of 10 booked a trip to Yukon so I can charm in a little.

When are they coming? Most flights and hotels are fully booked out in Yellowknife for February 2018. March or Whitehorse would still have some occupancy, but YMMV.

Typically, people go for 4D3N, you can do longer or shorter. 3D2N is do able, but you're risking it if both nights they cannot see the aurora, then it's a trip wasted. Packaged deals are actually VERY reasonable. You're not saving much, if any, by doing things separately. I looked extensively into this.

The typical tour package includes
- airport pickup & transfer
- 2 to 4 nights of hotel
- 2 to 4 nights of them bringing you out at 10pm to see the Northern night, and returning back to hotel around 1am
- Day 2 morning usually consist of some city tour that hit up all the attractions in the city.
- Other activities are all optional and additional $ (dog sled, hot spa, ice fishing, etc)

With these tours, they drive you farther out to the wilderness, and you can wait inside their heated tents. Drinks/light snack usually included. No hiking required. Yes, you can alternatively just cheap out and not do these tours. Just walk outside your hotel door at midnight - but you're risking a very YMMV.

Most, if not all, tours will give you the option to rent. Canada Goose jacket + pants + boots for 3 nights was $135.

Even if you're balling to buy your parents one - you're very unlikely going to be able to wear it in Vancouver or Asia. The type they use up there is the Snow Mantra https://www.canadagoose.com/ca/en/sn...op-mens-parkas Not the typical Canada Goose you see fobs wear in Vancouver malls.

I can chime in on this. please do buy your own. We had someone getting a really bad rash from bug bites. It's not a surprise to say most places aren't going to wash and dry clean. Guess the fur from the hood but yeah; bring your own unless it's necessary.

Setting the expectations is very importantly. It's not guaranteed and it's considered lucky so just make sure you don't tell people how awesome it is and expected to see it like the Eiffel tower.

Brush up on how to take proper pictures is key.

OH, we also had a family with a baby kid and it just wasn't possible to just let the kid sleep at the hotel (since it's very late night) and leaving the kid in the car while you stand outside is not good either.

I've spent years working in northeaibc up to Yukon, and I would make sure you temper your expectations, most likely you will not see them. I haven't seen them since November and they weren't anything too special then either.

Also I think you'd be wasting your money paying for a tour, just rent a comfortable vehicle and drive outside town it's not like there's secret spots where you can see them.

Not trying to defend the rental companies. But unless there are more reports of this happening regularly, I see this more as a one-off than the norm.

The jackets used up there in the North, would be over kill for 95% of people in Vancouver / Asia, even if you are a frequent skier/snowboarder.

Curious, is the chance higher in the Jan-Feb months? That seem to be most high season for tourists.
It used to be mostly Yellowknife, but Whitehorse seem to be getting more n more popular in the past few years.

How much is it to rent a car?
How comfortable is OP/ OP's parents driving in the winter?
How much would it to rent some kind of heater? Since it will be a waste to keep car's engine running all night while you wait.

- I don't know, look it up
- how the fuck would I know
- you think I own a rental company? Look it up. Pretty sure the cost of renting a generator and a heater will greatly exceed the cost of leaving your engine running though.

I've seen northern lights from my deck before. and also while driving home at night.
this was unheard of 10 years ago...

but I live in Calgary.
lol

I've used this site before
Aurora Watch


the more north you are, the more common it is, but Northern Lights do show up south once in a while.