A new way to experience the Northern Light in Swedish Lapland has been launched allowing guests to float into the Arctic skies and hover among the stars in search of the aurora.
Jonas Gejke and Fredrik Broman of Off the Map Travel – founders of the Aurora Safari Camp – are starting hot air balloon operations along with ballooning expert Andrew Peart, who has been flying hot air balloons more than 25 years over the African savannahs.
“This is a first,” says Jonathan Cooper, founder of Off the Map Travel and Arctic travel expert. “We’ve never heard of anything like this before and everything is pointing to this being the region’s next big highlight aurora experience.”
The first aurora flight will take off in December 2020 and will be available through to April – with bookings officially due to open for guests in May 2020. The experience will see the expert guide take off and ascend up to 40 metres into the air where they will hover to hunt for the Northern Lights, anchored to the arctic ice below.
If visitors are more interested in the Arctic landscapes, the new Lapland Ballooning team will also be running daytime expedition flights from its home base in Gunnarsbyn, Råneå River Valley, over the spectacular Arctic wilderness.
The Lapland Ballooning experiences are available for groups of up to six people and are recommended for guests over six years old. As flights will be weather dependent it is also recommended that the experience be included as part of a multi-day stay to allow guests flexibility for their flight.
“To experience the Northern Lights from the tranquility of the balloon in a remote wilderness region of Northern Sweden is a very special experience and one that will serve as a highlight for any luxury Arctic adventure,” adds Off the Map Travel’s Jonathan Cooper. “Although the Aurora is never guaranteed, what better place to hunt for it than by ascending into the stars yourself.”
Off the Map Travel can tailor packages to suit guest requirements. As an example, the full-board four-day Aurora in the Sky itinerary costs from £2,275 per person, not including flights. This includes meals, private transfers, accommodation at the Outpost and Aurora Safari Camp, snowmobile adventure with lunch on the Arctic circle, Aurora Hot Air Balloon experience, and a Snowmobile adventure to “meet the locals” experience.
Those keen to experience the new Aurora ballooning are advised to contact the team at Off the Map Travel to include in itineraries for next winter.
For more information on tailor-made travel itineraries visit offthemap.travel
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