The Lazy Traveler’s Guide to the Northern Lights (Or: How to Hunt Aurora Without Freezing Your Toes Off)

Let’s be honest about “chasing” the Northern Lights.

The Instagram photos look magical. They don’t show the part where you stand in a dark parking lot at 2:00 AM, wearing four layers of thermal underwear, unable to feel your feet, praying for a cloud to move.

It’s an adventure, sure. But it’s also exhausted, freezing work.

We have a controversial opinion here at WonderInn: You shouldn’t have to suffer to see the magic.

This year, we are proposing a new way to hunt for the Aurora Borealis. It doesn’t involve tour buses, snowsuits, or frostbite. It involves a glass of wine, a private jacuzzi, and a mirror cabin just 45 minutes from Oslo.

You might be thinking, “Wait, don’t I need to fly to the Arctic Circle to see the lights?”

Usually, yes. But right now, the sun is going through a phase called the Solar Maximum. Without getting too nerdy about it, the sun is hyperactive right now. It’s sending way more energy toward Earth than usual, which pushes the Aurora zone much further south.

This means that here in Fenstad—just 20 minutes from Oslo Airport—the chances of spotting the lights are better than they’ve been in a decade.

Is it a 100% guarantee? No. Nature is a diva; she performs when she wants to. Is it a valid possibility? Absolutely. Our guests have been spotting green swirls from their patios all season.

We designed our mirror cabins (Lush, Mara, and Koti) with one specific goal: seeing nature without actually being in nature.

The walls are glass. Floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall glass. But from the outside, they are mirrors. The squirrels can’t see you, the alpacas can’t see you, but you see everything.

This setup changes the Northern Lights game completely.

Instead of standing outside shivering, you crank up the heating, pour a drink, and lie in a king-sized bed. You watch the sky. If the lights show up, you have the best seat in the house. If they don’t, you’re still lying in a luxury cabin looking at a beautiful river.

It’s a win-win scenario.

If you do want to be outside, we suggest doing it in 40-degree water.

The mirror cabins come with private jacuzzis. There is something specifically wonderful about the contrast of the biting Norwegian winter air hitting your face while the rest of your body is submerged in hot bubbles.

You turn off the jets. You let the steam rise up. You look at the stars.

Because we are out in the countryside, away from the bright streetlights of Oslo, the sky here is ink-black. Even if the Aurora takes the night off, the Milky Way usually makes an appearance.

This is the risk every Aurora hunter takes. You can travel all the way to the North Pole and still get cloudy weather.

But here is the difference: If you go to a standard hotel to chase the lights and you miss them, you just spent a lot of money to be cold.

If you come to WonderInn and miss them, look at what you still had:

A private sauna session (included with your stay) where you sweated out all your stress.

A visit with our resident alpacas and ponies (who are honestly cuter than the lights anyway).

A cozy night in the Shepherd’s Hut with the copper tub, or high up in the Pano cabin watching the sunrise over the river.

Delicious tapas delivered right to your door.

Don’t put off a winter escape because you don’t have a week to fly north. You can get the full Norwegian winter experience—snow, sauna, stars, and yes, potentially the Northern Lights—on a quick overnight trip from Oslo.

Pack your swimsuit, leave the heavy parka at home, and come chase the lights the lazy way.

[Check availability for Lush, Mara, and Koti here]