Murmansk Travel Guide: Northern Lights, Teriberka and How to Get There

Murmansk is the largest city in the world above the Arctic Circle and one of the easiest places for Indians to see the Northern Lights. With a Russian e-visa and a flight from Moscow, you can stand under the aurora within a day of leaving Delhi. Here is what you need to know.

The Northern Lights season runs from about late September to March. From early December to mid-January Murmansk has the polar night, when the sun does not rise and you see a soft blue twilight at midday. February and March are popular: the aurora is still active in the evening and the days are long enough for sightseeing. Winter temperatures are usually −5°C to −15°C.

There are no direct flights from India. Fly from Delhi to Moscow (about six and a half hours), then take a domestic flight to Murmansk (about two and a half hours). From St Petersburg the flight is about two hours. Overnight trains also run, but they take more than a day from Moscow, so most travellers fly.

• See the nuclear icebreaker Lenin, the world's first nuclear-powered surface ship, moored in the port
• Visit the Alyosha memorial and the Church of the Saviour-on-the-Waters overlooking the Kola Bay
• Go on a Northern Lights hunt with a guide, away from the city lights
• Meet reindeer and huskies in a Saami village and try reindeer sledding
• Try ice floating in a sealed thermal suit in an icy lake

Teriberka is a fishing village on the Barents Sea, about 120 km from Murmansk, reached by a two-and-a-half-hour drive across the tundra. It became famous through the film Leviathan and is known for its ship graveyard, the Dragon Eggs stone beach, the Batareysky waterfall and wide Arctic Ocean views. The road can close in heavy snow, so tours keep a flexible plan.

Thermal underwear, a down jacket, a warm cap, gloves, woollen socks and waterproof boots with good grip. A power bank helps, as phone batteries drain fast in the cold. Warm suits can be rented locally.