The Best Travel Locations above the Arctic Circle
The arctic has become a popular travel destination in recent years. Of course the arctic comprises a huge area and nobody could possibly see it all. There are a number of outstanding destinations north of the Arctic Circle but a few of them stand out above the others. In general the appeal of most arctic travel destinations is the natural terrain. That being said being able to get there is also a major consideration. There are a lot of outstanding areas in the arctic that are very difficult to get to. The best options are the areas that combine the spectacular scenery with being relatively easy to get to.
Tromso Norway is one of the most popular travel locations north of the Arctic Circle. The primary reason for this is simply that it is far and away the easiest place in the arctic to get to. Located 350 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle it is best known as place to see the northern lights. There are also a number of museums located in the city. Being a fairly large city, and huge for the arctic makes it fairly straightforward to visit. There are regular scheduled flights; the city has hotels and restaurants. There are also all kinds of outdoor activities that you would expect in the arctic. The reason that Tromso is such a popular place to see the northern lights is that it is one of the few places in the arctic that is practical to visit in the winter because it has much more tourist infrastructure than other arctic locations. Since the northern lights need to be seen at night and the sun doesn't set at night it is pretty much a necessity to visit in winter if you want to see them.
Kangerlussuaq Greenland is also famous for its northern lights. For whatever reason, and it isn't entirely clear the town has unusually strong auroral activity making the northern lights especially spectacular. The area also has very clear weather which makes it a great place to view the aurora. The other major attraction of Kangerlussuaq is that it is located near where the Greenland ice sheet begins. This is a popular trekking area. The town also has one of the major airports in the air making it fairly easy to get to.
Auyuittuq National Park, Canada is located in the territory of Nunavut on Baffin Island. It is famous for its rugged terrain and is becoming very popular with people into extreme sports. The park has long been a popular trekking location with the Akshayuk pass being the most popular route. Mount Thor is a popular destination because it has the world's largest vertical drop. Long popular with climbers it has recently become popular for BASE jumping and rappelling. Mount Asgard is also popular for these activities since it also has long vertical drop but is a much more technically challenging climb than Mount Thor.