PONANT has unveiled its Northern Lights Quest itineraries for 2025, offering guests the unique opportunity to witness the enchanting phenomenon of the Northern Lights. Beyond the Arctic Circle, where daylight is fleeting, spectacular curtains of emerald green illuminate the winter sky, creating an unforgettable experience for travellers seeking adventure. These expertly crafted voyages promise an immersive journey through some of the most remote and pristine landscapes on the planet.
Discovering the Northern Lights
A pioneer in polar expeditions, PONANT has designed its 2025 itineraries to maximise guests’ chances of witnessing the mesmerising Northern Lights. The season and location provide the perfect conditions to observe these ethereal, dancing lights that have captured human imagination since ancient times.
Aboard PONANT’s elegant ships, guests can enjoy the Northern Lights from the comfort of open-concept common areas and private staterooms, each featuring a balcony for an unparalleled, immersive experience. During shore excursions, local guides lead the quest for the lights, with authentic experiences like sipping coffee under a traditional lavvu on the snowy tundra. As evening falls, with a bit of luck, the sky comes alive with the magic of the aurora borealis.
The Northern Lights, A Natural Phenomenon Behind Many Legends
The Northern Lights, a breathtaking natural phenomenon, occur when particles from powerful solar storms are propelled into space. Travelling across the vast expanse of 150 million kilometres that separates the Sun from Earth, these particles take about four days to arrive. As they approach our planet, many are drawn toward the Earth’s magnetic poles. Upon entering the atmosphere, these particles release tremendous energy, creating vibrant colours that dance across the polar night sky. The intensity and beauty of the Northern Lights evoke profound emotions in all fortunate enough to witness this enchanting display.
Long before science offered explanations, the Northern Lights inspired rich myths and legends among the peoples of the Far North, including the Inuit in Greenland and the Sami in Scandinavia. Onboard lectures led by naturalist guides, who are experts in these regions, delve into the spiritual beliefs and cultural significance of the Northern Lights, illuminating the profound connections indigenous peoples have with this spectacular phenomenon.
“Sami people are animists, they believe in spirits; for the elders, the Northern Lights represent the tail of the red fire fox running across the sky,” says José Sarica, PONANT Expedition Experience Director.
PONANT offers several sailings for a chance to observe the Northern Lights:
Nordic Discoveries & Traditions
As the Arctic winter draws to a close, Norway unveils its breathtaking scenery for travellers who cherish vast, wild landscapes where nature reigns supreme. PONANT invites guests to venture beyond the Arctic Circle in pursuit of the mesmerising Northern Lights. From the majestic Lofoten Islands to the iconic North Cape, PONANT’s destination experts have carefully curated a selection of ports and activities to ensure an experience that is as diverse as it is exhilarating. Guests can immerse themselves in the rich traditions and customs of the Sami people, embark on thrilling dog sledding or snowshoeing adventures (weather permitting), explore charming local villages adorned with picturesque wooden houses and churches, or enjoy birdwatching opportunities to spot skuas, guillemots, puffins, and many other fascinating species. One excursion per guest per port of call is included.
Discover more about these voyages
Venture further on the ultimate polar exploration aboard the world’s only luxury icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot:
Disko Bay: Meeting the Inuit & Discovering the Unknown
Embark on a remarkable voyage to the heart of Greenland, journeying from Reykjavik to the enchanting Disko Bay. In the pristine landscapes of the Far North, snow-covered expanses yield to the surprising topography of Greenland during this season, where the largest icebergs in the northern hemisphere rest majestically in the frozen waters of Disko Bay. PONANT invites guests to experience an extraordinary polar exploration. Encounters with Inuit communities provide a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in their daily lives and traditions, adding a deeply human, authentic, and unforgettable dimension to this exceptional journey.
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