Where to watch the Northern Lights while floating on an Arctic lake

There’s a new way to experience the ever-popular Northern Lights called the Aurora Floating Experience, where you float on a frozen Arctic lake in Rovaniemi in Finland while taking in the colourful sky.

Sounds chilly, but you’ll have thermals and a red head-to-toe high-quality survival suit keeping you warm and dry. The three-hour-long experience gives you the chance to take a dip in the frozen lake whilst staring skywards searching for the Northern Lights. The experience starts at 7.30pm, when you take a short walk to the lake dressed in your rescue suit over warm layers of clothing.

Directed by candles and your guide, you’ll reach a neatly-cut hole at the water’s edge, which exposes the lake’s freezing water. No special swimming skill is required but participants must be over 47 inches tall. You then float on the water’s surface as you gaze at the stars waiting for the sky to burst into colour.

“The Arctic is one of the best places to enjoy the night sky and the Northern Lights, and looking skyward while floating on your back is a really special way to enjoy them,” says Jonny Cooper, founder of Off the Map Travel and Arctic travel expert. “Although the Aurora can never be guaranteed, this is an experience that puts you in a wonderful position to search for the Northern Lights. For some, seeing them can be quite spiritual, especially with the many local myths and stories surrounding them. The option to float under the stars amplifies the relationship with the night sky and the Northern Lights, creating a new and powerful Aurora experience.”

The programme is available to guests through 15 April 2018, from Off the Map Travel, which specialises in experiences and destinations that allow people to explore hidden wonders of the world. For more information visit here.