I had never even heard of Murmansk until a friend visited there last year. It’s a place in the arctic circle in very northern Russia, right next to the arctic ocean. My friend saw the mystical Northern lights and had fun dog sledding in the snow.

Ever since I was a child I’ve been fascinated with the Northern lights. I think it’s because it’s a natural phenomenon that only happens so far North. I dreamt of seeing it with my own eyes.

Luckily in Russia we get Woman’s day as a public holiday, so I decided to book a long weekend in the mystical North. After being there for 4 days I saw the Northern lights twice and had an amazing time exploring the arctic tundra.

I actually think that Russia is the best place to see the Northern lights. Here are three reasons why:

It’s cheap!

If you venture outside of Moscow, Russia is pretty cheap. Murmansk is the largest city in the arctic circle but feels like a small town compared to colossal Moscow. I had amazing meals starting at just £3.50 in swanky restaurants and my accommodation was just £20 a night for a private room in a hostel.

There are many tour operators offering Northern lights trips in Murmansk. My hostel (Evrohostel), offered it too but it was one of the most expensive prices that I had seen (5500 rubles/£69.58), but they offered unlimited visits until you actually saw the Northern lights.

I decided to go with Murmansk Turizm who offered a tour for just 3000 rubles (£37.97) if you see the Northern lights and 2000 rubles (£25.30) if you don’t see the Aurora Borealis. I was really happy with my decision because the guide Roman was so enthusiastic about seeing the lights. His attitude made the atmosphere so positive that we were having fun even before we saw the lights. He blared out inspirational music and told us about what he was looking for in the sky.

He took over 25 amazing photos of m in front of the Aurora Borealis and sent them to me as soon as I sat back down on the bus.

Finally seeing the Aurora Borealis was literally a dream come true. That night I actually felt like I was floating in bed when I was thinking about it, It was so surreal.

Compared to the surrounding arctic countries like Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden, Russia is a great budget option to see the Northern lights. The tours to see the Northern lights are extremely cheap when compared to similar tours offered in Iceland and Scandinavia. Couple this with the extremely cheap accommodation, food and drink and Russia is a great budget destination to go hunting the Aurora Borealis.

 

The Northern lights can be seen from the city

I arrived late in Murmansk and I quickly walked to the local supermarket to buy some supplies. When I was walking back I saw a green line in the sky. Time seemed to stand still as I stopped to watch what was unfolding above me. At first I thought it might be light pollution or my eyes playing tricks on me. Slowly the line moved to the right, to the left and then stretched out until it disappeared.

I had witnessed the near impossible. Northern lights from the biggest city in the arctic circle!

The Northern lights here are so strong that they can be seen from the city frequently. Heading outside the city and away from the light pollution offers better views but it’s an amazing experience to see the phenomenon on a regular evening.

Murmansk is the ideal place to explore rare arctic tundra

Arctic tundra is basically a snow desert. A stark landscape that is frozen for most of the year so vegetation and trees find it impossible to grow. This bare landscape looks quite spectacular when coated in gleaming white snow and is a great place to explore.

The following day I went on a trip to Teriberka, a small village on the arctic ocean. On the way we stopped off to take photos of the stark yet beautiful landscapes. I really felt like I was on the end of the earth. Our guide likened it to the white room in the Matrix.

I’ve never seen anything like it, despite being used to snowy winters after living in Northern Japan and Moscow!

Go to Murmansk

You probably have never heard of Murmansk. This city is extremely close to Norway and Finland and just a 2.5 hour from Moscow. It’s a great place to spend a few days having an arctic adventure and see the Northern lights on a budget!

Have you ever seen the Northern lights? If so when and where did you see them?

Have you ever heard of Murmansk before?