TRAVEL experts have revealed the cheapest way to see this year’s number one bucket list destination – the Northern Lights – and it’ll only cost an estimated £68 for a night in Aberdeen.
Travel company Expedia has released its Northern Lights Insider Guide, showing the top trending hotspots to glimpse the natural wonder, which is due to have its most visible year ever.
And they reckon visiting Aberdeen in Scotland, in March, could be done for an average of just £68 which will get you a hotel room for the night – after reviewing average daily rates from previous years.
Other wallet-friendly destinations include Greenland in December, for just £86 for a room each night, which is £100 cheaper than going in February or March year on year.
However, the Faroe Islands in February would set you back an estimated total of £96 daily, instead of £156 during its peak month of September.
The data comes after research of 2,000 Brits, commissioned by the brand, found 57 per cent are daydreaming about chasing the aurora borealis this year.
And a third (34 per cent) admit they’d be ‘disappointed’ if they never got to see it during their lifetime, according to the OnePoll.com figures.
The Northern Lights are the top bucket list priority for adults, beating a visit to the Pyramids of Egypt (31 per cent) and strolling along the Great Wall of China (28 per cent).
Melanie Fish, from Expedia Group Brands, said: “Planning your Northern Lights adventure might feel like navigating uncharted territory, but we want to make it easy for travellers to make this trip a reality.”
“From Churchill to Tromsø, the free guide shows where to stay for under £148 a night, or how to bundle a whole trip together, for under £1,500.
“There’s even a photography guide to make sure you know how to capture the memory.”
Expedia also revealed Norway remains the ultimate hotspot for seeing the celestial display, with hotel searches for Tromsø increasing by 40 per cent in 2023.
Churchill was the top Canadian destination for Northern Lights viewing, boasting a 140 per cent increase in historical hotel searches year on year.
Other trending hotspots included Yellowknife and Yukon, which both saw increases of around 20 per cent year-on-year, continuing its momentum from 2022 which saw demand for both destinations spike over 105 per cent.
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EXPEDIA’S BEST TIMES AND PLACES FOR BUDGET-FRIENDLY NORTHERN LIGHTS TRIPS, BASED ON HISTORICAL AVERAGE DAILY RATES:
• February: Faroe Islands, rates at £96, a £60 contrast from the most expensive month, September.
• March: Aberdeen, priced at £68, £9 cheaper than April.
• April: Tromsø, marked at £117, an £63 difference compared to January.
• September: Finland, with rates at £108, £71 cheaper than December.
• October: Lapland, priced at £83, nearly half the cost of December, January, and February.
• November: Yellowknife, priced at £109, 10% cheaper than January and February.
• December: Greenland, rates at £86, a £79 difference compared to February and March.
For more information on how to make the most out of your Northern Lights trip this 2024, visit https://www.expedia.com/magazine/northern-lights.
