Björkliden

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Björkliden is a small mountain village in Swedish Lapland, just a few kilometres from Abisko and within the same favourable microclimate that makes this corner of northern Sweden one of the best places on earth to see the aurora. The surrounding mountains help to break up cloud cover, resulting in remarkably clear skies for a location this far north.

The village sits on the shore of Lake Torneträsk, one of Sweden’s largest and deepest lakes. The open water and surrounding peaks create dramatic foregrounds for aurora photography, and the lack of light pollution means displays are vivid even on nights with modest geomagnetic activity.

Björkliden is a popular destination for skiing in winter, with a small but scenic resort on the slopes of Låktatjåkka. The area also offers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and guided aurora tours. In the warmer months, the midnight sun and hiking trails through Abisko National Park draw a different crowd entirely.

Accommodation is limited compared to larger towns, giving Björkliden a quiet, intimate feel. The nearest airport is Kiruna, around 100 km to the east, with the journey itself passing through some of Lapland’s most striking scenery.

Credit: Nils Söderman
Credit: bjaglin
Credit: Malin Strandvall
Credit: Vomir-en-costard

How are my chances of seeing the aurora today?

Many factors contribute to your likelihood of viewing the aurora in Björkliden. Geomagnetic activity, cloud cover and the amount of ambient light all play a big part. Check the forecasts for how good the viewing conditions are today.

17%

There is a 17% chance of seeing the aurora overhead in the Björkliden area (forecast for 30 August 2026 at 10:22pm UTC)

Kp 2.00

The Kp-index is a scale used to measure geomagnetic activity. It ranges from 0 to 9, with higher values indicating greater geomagnetic activity.

0-2 (Very low) Far north, quite dim, and not very active.
3-5 (Moderate) Can be seen further south, with increased brightness and activity. Chance of good viewing conditions nearer the pole.
6-7 (High) Visible in many northern regions, with vibrant displays.
8-9 (Extreme) Widespread visibility, often seen in areas much further south than usual, with intense and colorful displays.

HPI 22 GW

The Hemispheric Power Index (HPI) is a vital measure used to assess the strength of auroral activity at the poles. It estimates the total auroral energy input, with values above 20 GW indicating an aurora-active state. When the HPI reaches levels of 100 GW or more, it signifies a very significant geomagnetic storm, which can lead to spectacular auroral displays.

Bz -2 nT

Bz refers to the north-south orientation of the magnetic field embedded in the solar wind. It is measured in nanoteslas (nT).

When Bz is negative (southward), it allows solar wind particles to penetrate the Earth’s magnetic field more easily. A strong negative Bz is often associated with increased chances of seeing the Northern Lights.

Conversely, when Bz is positive (northward), the Earth’s magnetic field tends to block the solar wind, resulting in reduced aurora activity.

Bt 5 nT

Bt measures the overall power of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) from the Sun; higher numbers (e.g., above 20 nT) mean more energy available for aurora.

Density 3.27 p/cm³

Solar wind density refers to the number of charged particles in a given volume of the solar wind, typically measured in particles per cubic centimetre (p/cm³).

A typical solar wind density is around 2.76 p/cm³.

The density of the solar wind affects how many particles reach the Earth’s magnetosphere. A higher density means more particles are available to interact with the Earth’s magnetic field. When these charged particles collide with the gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, energy is released in the form of light that we see as the aurora.

Speed 430.6 km/s

Solar wind speed refers to the velocity at which charged particles are ejected from the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona.

A typical solar wind speed is about 375 km/s. When both speed and density are high, the energy transferred to the Earth’s magnetosphere increases, enhancing the chances of seeing vibrant auroras.

Moon

Waning gibbous 84%

Sunrise 5:01am

Sunset 8:31pm

Moonrise 7:32pm

Moonset 8:49am

Rain

11°C Feels like 11°C

High: 13°C
Low: 10°C

Chance of precipitation 100%
Cloud cover 100%
South-Easterly winds 4 km/h gusts of 8 km/h
Rain 8 mm

Aurora season in Björkliden

The aurora season in Björkliden runs from September to March, with the best viewing conditions in October, February and March.

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Peak viewing In season Off season

Book an amazing adventure in Björkliden

Explore this selection of tours and activities to make the most of your visit to Björkliden.

Free cancellation

Abisko Aurora Chase

4.9 (206)

4 hours From £78.48

Would you like to experience the thrill of searching for and chasing the northern lights in the area surrounding Abisko National Park? Your professional aurora chasing guide will use the experience of the Lights Over Lapland team, combined with local weather and aurora forecasts to make the best possible decision about where to look for the northern lights. During our evening together we will travel up to a maximum of 100 KM roundtrip to one of several spectacular locations with a proven track record and very high likelihood of success. During this adventure, your guide will talk about the auroras, the history of Abisko National Park and serve you a warm drink. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime aurora chasing expedition, which will allow you to use our experience and mobility to go to where the aurora activity is the highest, and where there weather gives us a good chance of success! Book your adventure today!
Free cancellation

Autumn Abisko Aurora Chase

4.9 (68)

4 hours From £86.37

Would you like to experience the thrill of searching for and chasing the northern lights in the area surrounding Abisko National Park during the Autumn aurora season in October & November? Your professional aurora chasing guide will use the experience of the Lights Over Lapland team, combined with local weather & aurora forecasts to make the best possible decision about where to look for the northern lights. During our evening together we will travel up to a maximum of 100 KM roundtrip to one of several spectacular locations with a proven track record and very high likelihood of success. Your guide will talk about the auroras, the history of Abisko National Park and serve you a warm drink. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime aurora chasing expedition, which will allow you to use our experience and mobility to go to where the aurora activity is the highest, and where there weather gives us a good chance of success! Please note this tour is not wheelchair accessible.
Free cancellation

The Ultimate Aurora Photo Adventure

4.9 (547)

4 hours From £125.80

While other operators may give you one method of chasing the lights on foot or in a minivan, we are proud to be the only outfitter to invest so much time and customer research into a brand new adventure that gives you not one, but THREE methods to see and photograph the northern lights and the absolute best chances of a successful aurora chase in Abisko National Park. We are proud of the fact that we are fully insured and have all the necessary permits to operate our tours in Abisko National Park, which many of our competitors have simply chosen not to do. All of our evening adventures have a maximum guest to guide ratio of 8:1. This makes the experience much more genuine, and helps us maintain proper social distancing at our locations. Since your adventure includes all transportation, there is not a set time that we have to return back to the hotel, which gives us more flexibility and the ability to stay out later than any other outfitter in Abisko.
Free cancellation

Morning hike in Abisko National Park

4.9 (254)

2 hours From £63.02

Would you like to enjoy a morning hike in the Arctic wilderness with one of the best outfitters in Abisko? Let one of Lights Over Lapland’s professional guides take you for a short, 4-5 km guided hike in Abisko National Park! During this spectacular adventure, your guide will lead you down one of the beautiful local trails. A good example is the trail which meanders along the scenic Abisko river canyon. You will wander through an ancient mountain birch forest, enjoy stunning open views of the Abisko river delta, marvel at soaring mountain peaks, take in all the beautiful scenery around the incredible Lake Torneträsk and much more. All of our guides are highly trained and will share their deep pool of knowledge about tracks left behind by our local wildlife, local indigenous people of the region and what it is like to live in the Arctic.
Free cancellation

Explore the Icehotel, Day Trip from Abisko

5.0 (6)

7 hours From £117.92

Your trip starts by meeting your guide and taking the journey through the mountains and into the forests of magical Swedish Lapland. On arrival at the ICEHOTEL you will receive your entrance ticket and be able to explore the worlds first hotel made completely from ice!
Free cancellation

Visit the Sami and Reindeer in a Day Trip from Abisko

4.7 (16)

7 hours From £117.92

This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity allows you to visit Kiruna’s finest open air museum which is dedicated to and run by Swedish Lapland’s local indigenous people – the Sami. This exciting day trip will give you firsthand access to Sami handicrafts and to top it all off – you will get to experience the amazing lifestyle of the Sámi people and to get up close and personal, inside an authentic corral with Lapland's most iconic creature – the reindeer.