Hunt the northern lights by snowshoe with views over the Finnmark plateau

To see the Northern Lights, you have to be outside. And outside, the best way to keep warm is to keep moving. Join Turgleder in Karasjok on a trip to the top of Halde, with great views over the Finnmark plain.

If you can walk, you can snowshoe

Snowshoes are not something that you require prior knowledge of — anyone who can walk will get the hang of them straight away. Most of the walk is through the light pine forest that is almost everywhere around Karasjok, although you do climb above the tree line near the summit. However, it isn’t much of a climb — only 130 metres/260 ft. over the 1.5 kilometres (a mile) to the summit, which is 347metres /1138 ft high. At a comfortable pace, it takes an hour and a half each way. In other words, this isn’t a marathon, but a trip for everyone.

You will see the coast of Finland at the same time

On clear, moonlit nights, you can see right across the Finnmark plain from the summit. Between the peaks of the thousand-metre Gaissene mountains to the north, you can see as far as the coast, while to the south-east, you can see deep into Finland, as far as the hills of Saariselkä. It’s a perfect place to light a bonfire and swap stories over a warming cup of coffee.

Nothing is a guarantee but your chances are good

The Northern Lights don’t necessarily start when you are at the summit; they can appear at any time. And if it’s snowing when you set off, it might clear up. The point is to be outside, under an open sky for as long as possible. Karasjok has an ideal climate for Northern Lights spotters, with little precipitation and high chances of clear weather. Admittedly, it is also one of the country’s coldest spots, but you can always dress for the cold. The trip is between 8 p.m. and midnight, the most likely hours for the Lights. Even though the Northern Lights can never be guaranteed, you won’t miss a single green flicker if they do appear.