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If you book through them, Picolo earns a commission at no extra cost to you. Our picks are made independently by our editors.","text",[363],{"type":364},"italic",[],"0","BodyBlock",{"_uid":369,"body":370,"card":441,"layout":366,"component":367,"article_rounded":200},"612d4b5e-ea3e-49cd-9ca7-e131f399fd20",{"type":354,"content":371},[372,379,424],{"type":373,"attrs":374,"content":376},"heading",{"level":375},2,[377],{"text":378,"type":361},"In short: Alta and Lyngen",{"type":380,"content":381},"bullet_list",[382,394,404,414],{"type":383,"content":384},"list_item",[385],{"type":357,"content":386},[387,392],{"text":388,"type":361,"marks":389},"Alta:",[390],{"type":391},"bold",{"text":393,"type":361}," a small town at the head of the Altafjord, with the Sorrisniva igloo hotel and lodges outside town. Best for a night on ice and quiet, dark skies.",{"type":383,"content":395},[396],{"type":357,"content":397},[398,402],{"text":399,"type":361,"marks":400},"Lyngen:",[401],{"type":391},{"text":403,"type":361}," the Lyngen Alps east of Tromsø, with cabins below the peaks and about 75 minutes by road from Tromsø Airport. Best for a quieter base than Tromsø.",{"type":383,"content":405},[406],{"type":357,"content":407},[408,412],{"text":409,"type":361,"marks":410},"From the UK:",[411],{"type":391},{"text":413,"type":361}," no direct flights to Alta, so fly via Oslo. For Lyngen, fly to Tromsø.",{"type":383,"content":415},[416],{"type":357,"content":417},[418,422],{"text":419,"type":361,"marks":420},"How long:",[421],{"type":391},{"text":423,"type":361}," at least three nights.",{"type":357,"content":425},[426,430,432],{"text":427,"type":361,"marks":428},"Our first choice:",[429],{"type":391},{"text":431,"type":361}," Sorrisniva Arctic Wilderness Lodge in Alta. ",{"text":433,"type":361,"marks":434},"Check availability and prices at Sorrisniva Arctic Wilderness Lodge",[435],{"type":436,"attrs":437},"link",{"href":438,"uuid":197,"anchor":197,"target":439,"linktype":440},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.hotels.com\u002Faffiliate\u002Fqjk1epw","_blank","url",[],{"_uid":443,"body":444,"card":455,"layout":366,"component":367,"article_rounded":200},"53c291d5-7966-4a80-afb1-0ba677dd192e",{"type":354,"content":445},[446,451],{"type":373,"attrs":447,"content":448},{"level":375},[449],{"text":450,"type":361},"Alta or Lyngen?",{"type":357,"content":452},[453],{"text":454,"type":361},"Choose Alta for Sorrisniva, a night on ice and a small town with the Alta rock carvings and the Northern Lights Cathedral. Choose Lyngen if you fly to Tromsø and want mountains, fjords and darker skies within a couple of hours of the airport. Both lie under the band where the aurora appears most often. The difference is the base and the journey, not the sky.",[],{"_uid":457,"body":458,"card":540,"layout":366,"component":367,"article_rounded":200},"9a917519-82cf-41ba-b498-e884fd67a42d",{"type":354,"content":459},[460,465,471,483,489,494,498,506,511,515,523,528,532],{"type":373,"attrs":461,"content":462},{"level":375},[463],{"text":464,"type":361},"The best hotels in Alta",{"type":373,"attrs":466,"content":468},{"level":467},3,[469],{"text":470,"type":361},"Sorrisniva Arctic Wilderness Lodge",{"type":357,"content":472},[473,475],{"text":474,"type":361},"Rooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling windows on the Alta River, about 30 minutes from the airport, with a fine-dining restaurant. Rated 9.6 out of 10 across 68 reviews. ",{"text":476,"type":361,"marks":477},"See our full review of Sorrisniva",[478],{"type":436,"attrs":479},{"href":480,"uuid":481,"anchor":197,"target":482,"linktype":28},"\u002Fen-gb\u002Fpicolo\u002Fdestinations\u002Feurope\u002Fnorway\u002Falta\u002Fsorrisniva","c396934b-60fc-4f0b-91b1-2e8a23c21702","_self",{"type":357,"content":484},[485],{"text":433,"type":361,"marks":486},[487],{"type":436,"attrs":488},{"href":438,"uuid":197,"anchor":197,"target":439,"linktype":440},{"type":373,"attrs":490,"content":491},{"level":467},[492],{"text":493,"type":361},"Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel",{"type":357,"content":495},[496],{"text":497,"type":361},"Ice rooms at minus 4 to minus 7°C, rebuilt each winter beside the lodge, with breakfast, a morning sauna and the ice bar included. Rated 9.4 out of 10 across 78 reviews. Book one night as part of a longer stay.",{"type":357,"content":499},[500],{"text":501,"type":361,"marks":502},"Check availability and prices at Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel",[503],{"type":436,"attrs":504},{"href":505,"uuid":197,"anchor":197,"target":439,"linktype":440},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.hotels.com\u002Faffiliate\u002FcMMrnV8",{"type":373,"attrs":507,"content":508},{"level":467},[509],{"text":510,"type":361},"Flatmoen Natur Lodge",{"type":357,"content":512},[513],{"text":514,"type":361},"Panoramic cabins with big windows and a hot tub on the outskirts of Alta, about 17 minutes from the airport and close to the rock carvings. Rated 9.8 out of 10 across 67 reviews.",{"type":357,"content":516},[517],{"text":518,"type":361,"marks":519},"Check availability and prices at Flatmoen Natur Lodge",[520],{"type":436,"attrs":521},{"href":522,"uuid":197,"anchor":197,"target":439,"linktype":440},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.hotels.com\u002Faffiliate\u002FC362GIO",{"type":373,"attrs":524,"content":525},{"level":467},[526],{"text":527,"type":361},"Thon Hotel Alta",{"type":357,"content":529},[530],{"text":531,"type":361},"A town hotel near Alta Museum with free breakfast and a health club, practical for the first or last night. Rated 9.0 out of 10 across more than 1,000 reviews.",{"type":357,"content":533},[534],{"text":535,"type":361,"marks":536},"Check availability and prices at Thon Hotel Alta",[537],{"type":436,"attrs":538},{"href":539,"uuid":197,"anchor":197,"target":439,"linktype":440},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.hotels.com\u002Faffiliate\u002Fdm4prpO",[],{"_uid":542,"image":543,"theme":14,"author":14,"component":549,"caption_text":550,"caption_title":14,"image_caption":550},"91d55ee7-4e5a-4d98-ac8e-a53a5d78e3c3",{"id":14,"alt":544,"name":544,"focus":14,"title":544,"width":545,"height":340,"source":546,"filename":547,"copyright":546,"fieldtype":16,"meta_data":548,"is_external_url":200},"A hot tub on a wooden deck under the northern lights at Flatmoen Natur Lodge",2560,"Flatmoen Natur Lodge \u002F Hotels.com","https:\u002F\u002Fres.cloudinary.com\u002Fpicolo\u002Fimage\u002Fupload\u002Fv1793651008\u002FPicolo\u002FHotels\u002Falta\u002Fhot-tub-northern-lights-flatmoen-natur-lodge.jpg",{"alt":544,"title":544,"copyright":546},"FullImage","Flatmoen Natur Lodge on the outskirts of Alta, where guests watch the aurora from the hot tub",{"_uid":552,"body":553,"card":577,"layout":366,"component":367,"article_rounded":200},"74b6c15f-c956-4f76-94fa-2c4c68b22bca",{"type":354,"content":554},[555,560,565,569],{"type":373,"attrs":556,"content":557},{"level":375},[558],{"text":559,"type":361},"Where to stay in Lyngen",{"type":373,"attrs":561,"content":562},{"level":467},[563],{"text":564,"type":361},"Svensby Tursenter",{"type":357,"content":566},[567],{"text":568,"type":361},"Cabins of about 25 to 55 m² in Svensby, in the Lyngen Alps by the ferry, with kitchens, balconies and a sauna. It is about 75 minutes by road from Tromsø Airport. Rated 9.4 out of 10 across 55 reviews. Choose it for a self-catering base among the peaks.",{"type":357,"content":570},[571],{"text":572,"type":361,"marks":573},"Check availability and prices at Svensby Tursenter",[574],{"type":436,"attrs":575},{"href":576,"uuid":197,"anchor":197,"target":439,"linktype":440},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.hotels.com\u002Faffiliate\u002FkmSX4ht",[],{"_uid":579,"image":580,"theme":14,"author":14,"component":549,"caption_text":587,"caption_title":14,"image_caption":587},"c11f78a7-7c6f-4ecc-b818-e329583d0227",{"id":14,"alt":581,"name":581,"focus":14,"title":581,"width":582,"height":583,"source":584,"filename":585,"copyright":584,"fieldtype":16,"meta_data":586,"is_external_url":200},"Two timber cabins with lit windows among snowy trees at Svensby Tursenter in Lyngen",3000,2250,"Svensby Tursenter \u002F Hotels.com","https:\u002F\u002Fres.cloudinary.com\u002Fpicolo\u002Fimage\u002Fupload\u002Fv1793651010\u002FPicolo\u002FHotels\u002Flyngen\u002Fcabins-snow-svensby-tursenter-lyngen.jpg",{"alt":581,"title":581,"copyright":584},"Svensby Tursenter in the Lyngen Alps",{"_uid":589,"body":590,"card":601,"layout":366,"component":367,"article_rounded":200},"4fa6b540-8176-4b8b-965e-4888a719c700",{"type":354,"content":591},[592,597],{"type":373,"attrs":593,"content":594},{"level":375},[595],{"text":596,"type":361},"Getting there from the UK",{"type":357,"content":598},[599],{"text":600,"type":361},"There are no direct flights from the UK to Alta, so fly via Oslo and continue north. Sorrisniva runs minibus transfers from Alta Airport. For Lyngen, fly to Tromsø, which had direct flights from Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Bristol and Luton in winter 2025\u002F26. From Tromsø, Svensby is about 75 minutes by road, including a short ferry.",[],{"_uid":603,"body":604,"card":631,"layout":366,"component":367,"article_rounded":200},"9b9b109c-5456-4811-b806-df5f2e3013d2",{"type":354,"content":605},[606,611],{"type":373,"attrs":607,"content":608},{"level":375},[609],{"text":610,"type":361},"When to go",{"type":357,"content":612},[613,615,621,623,629],{"text":614,"type":361},"The northern lights season in Alta runs from mid-September to the end of March, according to ",{"text":616,"type":361,"marks":617},"Sorrisniva",[618],{"type":436,"attrs":619},{"href":620,"uuid":197,"anchor":197,"target":439,"linktype":440},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sorrisniva.no\u002Ffrequently-asked-questions",{"text":622,"type":361},". The Igloo Hotel is open in the winter months only, while the lodges stay open all year. In Lyngen, February and March bring more daylight for skiing and still dark nights. Check the forecast on ",{"text":624,"type":361,"marks":625},"Yr",[626],{"type":436,"attrs":627},{"href":628,"uuid":197,"anchor":197,"target":439,"linktype":440},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.yr.no\u002Fen",{"text":630,"type":361}," each afternoon, and plan at least three nights.",[],{"_uid":633,"theme":308,"title":634,"people":635,"cta_link":658,"overline":659,"body_copy":660,"component":661,"cta_label":662},"cd9c9ed4-89e9-46af-95eb-efa7677728e0","Sorrisniva Arctic Wilderness Lodge: our pick in Alta",[636,647],{"_uid":637,"name":638,"text":639,"image":640,"cta_link":645,"component":646,"job_title":14},"b7e67040-51e6-40d6-8d1b-81bde97f7bd2","River room","The rooms have tall windows facing the hills, and some have a skylight, so on a clear night the aurora can be the first thing you see from bed.",{"id":14,"alt":641,"name":641,"focus":14,"title":641,"width":340,"height":545,"source":642,"filename":643,"copyright":642,"fieldtype":16,"meta_data":644,"is_external_url":200},"A room with a skylight and mountain view at Sorrisniva Arctic Wilderness Lodge","Sorrisniva \u002F Hotels.com","https:\u002F\u002Fres.cloudinary.com\u002Fpicolo\u002Fimage\u002Fupload\u002Fv1793651001\u002FPicolo\u002FHotels\u002Falta\u002Froom-skylight-mountain-view-sorrisniva-lodge.jpg",{"alt":641,"title":641,"copyright":642},{"id":14,"url":438,"target":482,"linktype":440,"fieldtype":29,"cached_url":438},"person",{"_uid":648,"name":649,"text":650,"image":651,"cta_link":657,"component":646,"job_title":14},"c189ece5-9333-4a15-856b-ae8047446017","By the river","The lodge buildings stand along the Alta River below forested hills, far enough from town for a dark sky and close enough for a short transfer.",{"id":14,"alt":652,"name":652,"focus":14,"title":652,"width":653,"height":654,"source":642,"filename":655,"copyright":642,"fieldtype":16,"meta_data":656,"is_external_url":200},"Lodge buildings by the Alta River at Sorrisniva",3276,2235,"https:\u002F\u002Fres.cloudinary.com\u002Fpicolo\u002Fimage\u002Fupload\u002Fv1793650999\u002FPicolo\u002FHotels\u002Falta\u002Flodge-alta-river-sorrisniva-arctic-wilderness-lodge.jpg",{"alt":652,"title":652,"copyright":642},{"id":14,"url":438,"target":482,"linktype":440,"fieldtype":29,"cached_url":438},{"id":14,"url":438,"target":482,"linktype":440,"fieldtype":29,"cached_url":438},"Our recommendation","For a northern lights trip to Arctic Norway away from the crowds, we would book the Arctic Wilderness Lodge at Sorrisniva. It stands on the Alta River about 30 minutes from the airport, with tall windows facing the hills and the Igloo Hotel next door.","HalfAndHalfBlock","Check availability and prices",{"_uid":664,"body":665,"card":767,"layout":366,"component":367,"article_rounded":200},"acfd5539-ffe0-405f-a0bd-0efde4d7588e",{"type":354,"content":666},[667,672,680,688,696,701,706,710,715,719,724,728,733,737,742,746,751],{"type":373,"attrs":668,"content":669},{"level":375},[670],{"text":671,"type":361},"Our verdict",{"type":357,"content":673},[674,678],{"text":675,"type":361,"marks":676},"What Picolo would choose:",[677],{"type":391},{"text":679,"type":361}," two nights at Sorrisniva Arctic Wilderness Lodge and one night in the Igloo Hotel. If you fly to Tromsø instead, three nights at Svensby Tursenter in the Lyngen Alps.",{"type":357,"content":681},[682,686],{"text":683,"type":361,"marks":684},"Why:",[685],{"type":391},{"text":687,"type":361}," both bases are darker and quieter than Tromsø, and Sorrisniva adds a night on ice that you cannot get in the city.",{"type":357,"content":689},[690,694],{"text":691,"type":361,"marks":692},"The trade-off:",[693],{"type":391},{"text":695,"type":361}," Alta has no direct flights from the UK, and Lyngen needs a hire car. For the shortest trip, a hotel in Tromsø with a tour is easier.",{"type":373,"attrs":697,"content":698},{"level":375},[699],{"text":700,"type":361},"Frequently asked questions",{"type":373,"attrs":702,"content":703},{"level":467},[704],{"text":705,"type":361},"Is Alta good for the northern lights?",{"type":357,"content":707},[708],{"text":709,"type":361},"Yes. Alta lies well north of the Arctic Circle, under the band where the aurora appears most often, and the season runs from mid-September to the end of March. Stay outside town, at Sorrisniva or Flatmoen, for darker skies, and plan at least three nights to allow for cloud.",{"type":373,"attrs":711,"content":712},{"level":467},[713],{"text":714,"type":361},"How do you get to Alta from the UK?",{"type":357,"content":716},[717],{"text":718,"type":361},"There are no direct flights from the UK, so fly via Oslo and continue north to Alta. From Alta Airport, Sorrisniva is about 30 minutes by road and runs minibus transfers you book in advance. Flatmoen Natur Lodge is about 17 minutes from the airport.",{"type":373,"attrs":720,"content":721},{"level":467},[722],{"text":723,"type":361},"Where should you stay in Lyngen?",{"type":357,"content":725},[726],{"text":727,"type":361},"In the Lyngen Alps rather than Tromsø if you want darker skies and mountains. Svensby Tursenter has cabins with kitchens and a sauna by the ferry in Svensby, about 75 minutes by road from Tromsø Airport. A hire car is the easiest way to get there and to chase clear skies.",{"type":373,"attrs":729,"content":730},{"level":467},[731],{"text":732,"type":361},"Alta or Tromsø for the northern lights?",{"type":357,"content":734},[735],{"text":736,"type":361},"Choose Tromsø for direct flights from the UK, restaurants and many organised tours. Choose Alta for a quieter trip, the Sorrisniva igloo hotel and lodges outside town with darker skies. Many travellers fly to Tromsø and add a few nights in Lyngen for the same reason.",{"type":373,"attrs":738,"content":739},{"level":467},[740],{"text":741,"type":361},"When is the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel open?",{"type":357,"content":743},[744],{"text":745,"type":361},"In the winter months, when the ice rooms are built, while the Arctic Wilderness Lodge stays open all year. Sorrisniva says the northern lights can be seen from mid-September to the end of March. A stay from January to March gives you both the ice rooms and dark nights.",{"type":373,"attrs":747,"content":748},{"level":375},[749],{"text":750,"type":361},"Sources",{"type":357,"content":752},[753,755,759,761,765],{"text":754,"type":361},"The Igloo Hotel facts and the northern lights season come from ",{"text":616,"type":361,"marks":756},[757],{"type":436,"attrs":758},{"href":620,"uuid":197,"anchor":197,"target":439,"linktype":440},{"text":760,"type":361},". The weather forecast is on ",{"text":624,"type":361,"marks":762},[763],{"type":436,"attrs":764},{"href":628,"uuid":197,"anchor":197,"target":439,"linktype":440},{"text":766,"type":361},". Hotel facilities, room sizes, distances and guest ratings come from Hotels.com. The comparison of Alta and Lyngen and our picks are Picolo's own. Last checked: 2 November 2026.",[],{"_uid":769,"body":770,"card":812,"layout":366,"component":367,"article_rounded":200},"bbf2deaf-95da-448a-9640-7fc9311935fc",{"type":354,"content":771},[772,777],{"type":373,"attrs":773,"content":774},{"level":375},[775],{"text":776,"type":361},"Read more",{"type":380,"content":778},[779,790,801],{"type":383,"content":780},[781],{"type":357,"content":782},[783],{"text":784,"type":361,"marks":785},"Tromsø, the northern lights city",[786],{"type":436,"attrs":787},{"href":788,"uuid":789,"anchor":197,"target":482,"linktype":28},"\u002Fen-gb\u002Fpicolo\u002Fdestinations\u002Feurope\u002Fnorway\u002Ftromso\u002Fnorthern-lights-city","be2308d8-ce31-4b0b-9fa3-48ae093802fa",{"type":383,"content":791},[792],{"type":357,"content":793},[794],{"text":795,"type":361,"marks":796},"Ice hotels compared",[797],{"type":436,"attrs":798},{"href":799,"uuid":800,"anchor":197,"target":482,"linktype":28},"\u002Fen-gb\u002Fpicolo\u002Fexperiences\u002Fnordics\u002Fice-hotels","eecd7e34-5a8b-45e7-a15e-bf313d8f883d",{"type":383,"content":802},[803],{"type":357,"content":804},[805],{"text":806,"type":361,"marks":807},"Best places to see the northern lights",[808],{"type":436,"attrs":809},{"href":810,"uuid":811,"anchor":197,"target":482,"linktype":28},"\u002Fen-gb\u002Fpicolo\u002Fexperiences\u002Fnordics\u002Fbest-places-to-see-northern-lights","ff2674ed-c9bd-4dc3-9fe6-8dab733a8b15",[],{"_uid":814,"theme":14,"author":815,"component":820,"author_name":14,"author_text":14,"author_image":821,"section_overline":822,"facebook_share_link":823,"instagram_share_link":824},"fb46deb9-218a-427a-9b40-146919bbfdcf",{"name":223,"created_at":311,"published_at":312,"updated_at":313,"id":314,"uuid":315,"content":816,"slug":325,"full_slug":326,"sort_by_date":197,"position":327,"tag_list":818,"is_startpage":200,"parent_id":329,"meta_data":197,"group_id":330,"first_published_at":331,"release_id":197,"lang":204,"path":197,"alternates":819,"default_full_slug":197,"translated_slugs":197,"_stopResolving":208},{"_uid":317,"name":318,"image":817,"overline":14,"component":324},{"id":14,"alt":223,"name":14,"focus":14,"title":223,"width":320,"height":320,"filename":321,"copyright":14,"fieldtype":16,"public_id":322,"aspect_ratio":323,"is_external_url":200},[],[],"ArticleFooter",{"id":197,"alt":197,"name":14,"focus":197,"title":197,"filename":14,"copyright":197,"fieldtype":16},"Happy aurora hunting",{"id":14,"url":14,"linktype":28,"fieldtype":29,"cached_url":14},{"id":14,"url":14,"linktype":28,"fieldtype":29,"cached_url":14},{"_uid":826,"card_type":14,"component":827,"filter_by":828},"4b902332-8ee0-465d-98b0-9f22d8b82e5a","PaginatedArticles",{"_uid":829,"plugin":830,"values":831},"a851beb0-7254-416d-bd58-0d0f1fd78275","storyblok-tags-select",[147,832,240],"Oslo",{"name":223,"created_at":311,"published_at":312,"updated_at":313,"id":314,"uuid":315,"content":834,"slug":325,"full_slug":326,"sort_by_date":197,"position":327,"tag_list":836,"is_startpage":200,"parent_id":329,"meta_data":197,"group_id":330,"first_published_at":331,"release_id":197,"lang":204,"path":197,"alternates":837,"default_full_slug":197,"translated_slugs":197,"_stopResolving":208},{"_uid":317,"name":318,"image":835,"overline":14,"component":324},{"id":14,"alt":223,"name":14,"focus":14,"title":223,"width":320,"height":320,"filename":321,"copyright":14,"fieldtype":16,"public_id":322,"aspect_ratio":323,"is_external_url":200},[],[],"Alta and the Lyngen Alps in Arctic Norway: an igloo hotel on the Alta River, panoramic cabins outside town and cabins below the Lyngen peaks. The best hotels, how to get there from the UK and how to plan your nights.","Experience",{"_uid":841,"plugin":830,"values":842},"2c26c8b2-a780-4988-b322-5e22ae80c202",[843,147],"Northern lights","Article","The Lyngen Alps in winter, a short drive and ferry from Tromsø",{"id":14,"alt":339,"name":339,"focus":14,"title":339,"width":340,"height":341,"source":342,"filename":297,"copyright":342,"fieldtype":16,"meta_data":847,"is_external_url":200},{"alt":339,"title":339,"copyright":342},"alta-lyngen-northern-lights","en-gb\u002Fpicolo\u002Fdestinations\u002Feurope\u002Fnorway\u002Falta\u002Falta-lyngen-northern-lights",-10,[],237410109332384,"5d160863-91c9-4a00-98a9-56ffaa4fd535","2026-11-02T20:25:26.941Z",[856],{"id":857,"name":858,"slug":859,"published":208,"full_slug":860,"is_folder":200,"parent_id":861},237410714229836,"Alta og Lyngen","alta-lyngen-nordlys","nb-no\u002Fpicolo\u002Fdestinasjoner\u002Feuropa\u002Fnorge\u002Falta\u002Falta-lyngen-nordlys",237410110127009]