Domestic northern lights tours gain popularity in China as affordable alternative to Nordic trips

Aurora tours within China are becoming increasingly popular as domestic travelers discover they can check the northern lights off their bucket lists without the high costs of Nordic travel.

Travel agencies and local governments are heavily promoting aurora viewing routes on social media, attracting significant tourist interest. Major viewing locations include Xinjiang's Altay region, Inner Mongolia's Hulunbuir and Heilongjiang's Mohe, which offer ideal geographical and climatic conditions for aurora observation.

While Nordic trips can cost tens of thousands of renminbi, domestic aurora tours typically run just several thousand yuan - as little as one-tenth the price of European alternatives.

The current surge comes during the peak of the 11-year solar cycle, with heightened solar activity between 2024 and 2025 leading to more frequent and intense aurora displays. China's National Space Weather Monitoring and Warning Center predicts increased geomagnetic disturbances will make the lights more visible in northern high-latitude regions including northern Xinjiang, northern Inner Mongolia and northern Heilongjiang.