Norway or Iceland?

shakenbake

I'm planning to make a trip to either one of these places at the end of Feb, primarily to see the Northern Lights.

I had my heart set on renting a car and driving from Oslo to Tromso ... but not a friend has thrown Iceland into the equation and I'm not so sure!

What do people think?

rossie1977

its a 1,000 mile drive from oslo to tromso.....

having said that northern norway is probably the best place in europe to see the northern lights but february may not be the best month

Genny

One advantage of Iceland at the moment is the collapse of its currency making it a much cheaper option.

However personally Norway would appeal to me more (I've been to neither)

whiskeyman

If it's to see the Northern Lights, Iceland would prob be better.
Not as long to travel once you reach there, and if you don't get to see them, you've still plenty to do and see.

Tabnabs

Statistically the further north you are, the higher the chances of seeing the northern lights become. Norway stretches much further north than Iceland does, (Iceland is entirely below the Arctic Circle).

However, I would not recommend driving that distance in Norway in the winter. The winters are harsh in Norway, roads are shut by snow (some of their tunnels have barrage doors to keep the snow out when they shut the roads), they have convoy driving over the mountains when necessary and everyone drives on studded tyres. Unless you are highly competent at driving on ice and snow, I'd get a cheap flight with www.norwegian.no .

This guy does northern lights tours http://www.kskogli.no/aurora/

moe_sizlak

i know little about either but icelanders are supposed to be quite quirky where as norwegians are supposed to be quite borring , weather should be cold in both where as women should be hot

BullBauld

Myself and my girlfriend went to Iceland in late October(must write report). The Northern Lights were obviously one of the attractions that brought us there but unfortunately we didn't get so see them, conditions ect I think.

Norway is meant to be better for sightings but we always wanted to do Iceland. Maybe we were just unlucky, I dont know.

One thing is if you do go to Iceland then hire a car. The best advice I got off a poster here (thanks H2G2) was to hire a car. We would have been lost without it. It gives you so much freedom to see the country, we just drove and saw as much as we could every day. So worth it, ans such a beautiful country.

Enjoy wherever you go.

H2G2

Iceland over Norway any day... I am of course biased (I love Iceland). But having been to both, I think there is more to see and do in Iceland - if you like nature, walks, hikes, etc. Plus Iceland is much much cheaper than Norway at the moment. And as for nightlife, you cannot beat Reykjavík on a Saturday night anywhere... except possibly Pattaya

BullBauld wrote: »

One thing is if you do go to Iceland then hire a car. The best advice I got off a poster here (thanks H2G2) was to hire a car. We would have been lost without it.

Happy to be of service
Unlike Norway which has a decent public transport system, in Iceland a car is a must. I simply don't understand people who go to Iceland and have to spend huge amounts on organised tours, when the best places are not accessible by tour bus.

Lo23

Having only been to Norway I can only be of some help.
It is ridiciously expensive in Norway and not that great at all to be honest, boring people and no nightlife at all!
In relation to the drive, We drove from Oslo to Lilehammer in January-it was only a two hour drive and it was pretty icy so not sure easy how a long drive up north would be...

i71jskz5xu42pb

Much and all as I'd like to go to Iceland (any country that can produce a Bjork has to have something going for it) I'd have to say go to Norway and take the Iceland Whales Pledge

Yours,
Tree Hugging Hippy.