From Glacier Climbing to Ice Hotels, These Are the 10 Best Arctic Adventure Vacations

The aurora borealis (i.e. the northern lights) is, along with its counterpart in the South Pole, Mother Nature’s greatest light show. Caused by electrically charged particles from the sun colliding with Earth’s atmosphere, the result is rippling curtains of green, pink, blue, and violet lighting up the night sky. Tour companies across the Arctic Circle offer light-hunting expeditions. You can opt for a single-day excursion, like this new trip from Off the Map that claims to be the most environmentally friendly northern-lights holiday in the world, or embark on a multiday adventure to several locations, like this 11-day expedition through Norway and Swedish Lapland from Vacations by Rail.

Sure, anyone can tackle a night in the Arctic tucked inside a heated hotel room, but only the brave would opt to sleep in a suite crafted entirely of ice and snow. Ice hotels are surging in popularity, from the ultra swanky to the youthful and thematic. Sleep inside an art suite in Sweden’s Icehotel, warm up in a premium deluxe suite with a private hot tub in Quebec City’s Hôtel de Glace, or opt for a themed suite inside Lapland Hotels SnowVillage (a past theme was Game of Thrones!). Reindeer hides and thermal sleeping bags are included.

If sleeping on a bed of ice sounds a bit too intense, you can still get the igloo experience without the chill. Enter Kakslauttanen, a glass-domed igloo hotel in Greenland, where you can watch the starry night sky from the comfort of a heated room.

The historic Northwest Passage, the sea route that connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean via the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, is a journey into one of the most remote areas on the planet, where the wilderness is wild and untamed, walruses and polar bears roam free, and calving glaciers extend as far as the eye can see. Follow in the footsteps of many of history’s greatest explorers and traverse the once-impassable waters on board a luxury cruise liner for the rare opportunity to explore this vast and mesmerizing territory. Hurtigruten offers cruises that range from 19 to 29 days long.

Very few activities will answer the call of the wild quite like slicing through the snow-drenched wilderness behind an eager pack of Huskies – no motors required. It’s both an exhilarating and tranquil experience, and seriously, what could be better than hanging out with a group of adorable dogs all day?

As with any animal activity, it’s important to do your research beforehand to ensure you choose a company that employs ethical treatment of our four-legged friends.

From orcas to massive humpbacks, the Arctic is home to 17 different whale species. Board a maritime safari and watch in awe as the magnificent mammals glide, breach, and sky-hop in frosty waters. This tour from Tromsø takes adventurers through Norwegian fjords to watch the whales that come to feed during the Winter season.

Sure, you can take a tour to see a glacier, but why not hike one, too? Glacier tours (like this one in Iceland from Glacier Adventure) take intrepid travelers to the edge of the world, where they can climb frozen ice caps, journey through ice tunnels, explore ice-covered volcanoes, and even venture inside the glittering walls of a blue ice cave.

There’s just something about the contrast of hot and cold that leaves your body invigorated. Greenland might be 80 percent ice, but it’s also a secret thermal-spring hotspot, as the country is home to a ton of warm thermal pools that provide much-needed reprieves from the frosty Winter air. Lie back and bask in the warm waters while taking in the views of mountain peaks and drifting icebergs. Many of the springs also boast natural healing properties, helping to zap any tired or achy muscles.

An ancient Scandinavian tradition, plunging into a cold bath is said to ease sore and aching muscles and can even aid your central nervous system. The Arctic Bath hotel, set in the magical Swedish Lapland, is famed for its immersive spa experiences on the Lule River, complete with a cold-bath ritual. Don’t worry, the experience includes a hot sauna, too.

Think speeding through thick powder on a snowmobile sounds exciting? Try it under the Arctic night sky! This snowmobile trip into the polar night in Norway takes travelers up and over snow-capped mountains and into valleys while the Nordic stars sparkle above. On the journey, the guides regale you with tales of the past and give you a glimpse into how the local Sámi culture lived and thrived on the frozen terrain for thousands of years.