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After a Mysterious 5-Year Hiatus, Pretty Lights Returns With 27-Date Tour & New Music

The beloved bass producer's tour will mark his first live appearances since performing at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in 2018.

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After nearly five years of silence, Pretty Lights has announced his return on Tuesday (April 4).

Pretty Lights Channels Funky ’70s Soul on ‘Rainbows & Waterfalls’

This morning, the elusive, New Orleans-based producer shared a two-minute video via social media announcing The Soundship Spacesystem Tour. The video also previews his first official new music since 2017’s “Rainbows & Waterfalls.” 

The Soundship Spacesystem Tour will hit nine stops: Denver, Lake Dillon, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Chicago, Pelham, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Besides the stop at The Caverns in Pelham, Tenn., Pretty Lights did not yet give any detail as to which venues he would be playing or specific dates. Each stop will feature Pretty Lights playing multiple nights, with 27 shows in the nine cities in total.

Trending on Billboard

Meanwhile the official Pretty Lights tour will include two new types of performances: Pretty Lights in Dub and The Fantastic Pretty Lights, the latter of which is expected to be a collaboration with longtime friend Michal Menert and The Pretty Fantastics. 

The Soundship Spacesystem Tour announcement video features Pretty Lights performing a new, currently unnamed song with lyrics that seem to reflect his return to the scene: “I’ll fly a starship across the universe tonight/ And when I reach the other side/ I’ll find a place to rest my spirit if I can/ Perhaps I may become a pretty light again/ Or I may simply be a single drop of rain/ But I will remain/ And I’ll be back again.” Hear this track below.

Pretty Lights’ absence from the industry over the past five years has been a mysterious one. The producer, born Derek Vincent Smith, had last live appearance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in 2018, where he headlined the venue with his live band over two sold-out nights. Following those shows, Pretty Lights wiped his social media and began an unannounced hiatus, leaving his cult following wondering when he would return. 

Several months later, Pretty Lights appeared virtually during a live performance from friends and collaborators Break Science. On a screen behind the band, he remotely jammed with them for two of his songs, “Shining Bright Despite The Plight” and “High School Art Class.” Two years later, this past February, Pretty Lights appeared in a promotional video for Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, a small Denver venue that was celebrating its 20th anniversary. 

See Pretty Lights’ announcement below.

🌀❤️🚀 pic.twitter.com/NKnoRNXt6x — PL (@PrettyLights) April 4, 2023

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Pretty Lights Flicker Back on After Nearly Five Years In the Dark With Tour Announcement

By Jon Blistein

Jon Blistein

EDM favorite Pretty Lights returned after nearly five years of almost total silence, announcing a North American tour and sharing some new music.

The DJ/producer — who was a festival regular in the 2010s with hits like “Finally Moving” and “Rainbows and Waterfalls” — hasn’t played live since 2018 and hasn’t released any music since 2017. On Tuesday, April 4, he returned to social media to announce the Soundship Spacesystem Tour and share a new message with fans.

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Pretty Lights returns for the Soundship Spacesystem Tour which will include 27 total dates in 9 cities plus 2 festival appearances in the Summer and Fall of 2023. Artist Pre-Sale Tickets will go on sale Wednesday April 5th at 10am local time. pic.twitter.com/UQdho1MSI3 — PL (@PrettyLights) April 4, 2023

The teaser video for the tour features what is ostensibly a bit of new music, with Pretty Lights singing in hypnotic, multi-layered auto-tune: “I’ll fly a starship across the universe tonight/ And when I reach the other side/ I’ll find a place to rest my spirit if I can/ Perhaps I may become a pretty light again/ Or I may simply be a single drop of rain/ But I will remain/ And I’ll be back again.”

Pretty Lights has been more or less absent from the public scene since his last live show, which was back on Aug. 11, 2018. Without any note or message, the artist wiped his social media accounts and effectively disappeared. He briefly emerged two years later to show his support for the protests following the police murder of George Floyd, while later that year, he appeared during a virtual Break Science concert . Most recently, in Feb. 2022, he popped up in a promotional video for a Denver venue celebrating its 20th anniversary. 

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Pretty Lights tour dates 2024

Pretty Lights is currently touring across 1 country and has 3 upcoming concerts.

Their next tour date is at Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, after that they'll be at Bonnaroo Farms in Manchester.

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Recent tour reviews

Pretty Lights at Red Rocks... need I say more?! It was an amazing show in an awe-inspiring venue. The show opened with Mux Mool who got the vibe going with a mostly live one-man set, then Michael Menert and the Pretty Fantastics came on and they really ramped up the goodness with an amazing live band and vocals (just wow), and then Pretty Lights and his live band (and killer light show of course) lit the place up and fed the funk fire for the next 3 hours! It was everything you'd expect from a live Pretty Lights performance and the crowd was lovin every minute. It was a fam night, no doubt. 10 years of some of the best music on the planet with a polished band who were feeling each other and the love of the crowd literally brought tears to my eyes more than once. It was a show and all the feelings that I will never forget! Much love to the PLF!!!

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It was an amazing show! The lights were so beautiful the whole place was moving, you could just feel the vibes! Wonderful! I would definitely see another Pretty Lights show again. Red Rocks was an awesome venue to have it at too!

As a long time fan of Pretty Lights, I must say Saturday's show really hit a high!! Derek and his crew have put together some amazing music, lights, and energy for all of us to enjoy! I love the new twist from Pretty Lights, to Pretty Lights Live - the added feel of real instruments, and musicians makes the music feel so alive! Thank you to Derek, Chris, and all the boys on stage for us!!

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Pretty Lights is back! Announces 9-date comeback tour

We’ve heard rumblings. We’ve heard rumors. Today, Pretty Lights is officially back and has announced a 9-date comeback tour in Denver, Lake Dillon, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Chicago, The Caverns, San Francisco, and New Orleans.

It’s been nine years since the last Pretty Lights album, and six years since the last music he’s released at all. Fans have been clamoring for his return ever since, though still giving him the space to heal and come back in his own time.

Dates and venues have been revealed. Pre-sale begins tomorrow, April 5, at 10am local time. Watch the reveal below.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Pretty Lights (@prettylights)

General On-Sale will begin Friday April 7th at 10am local time. For specific ticketing and pre-sale sign-up information + VIP options visit https://t.co/aI7wD9OBsV . Tickets for the The Caverns in Pelham, TN will go on-sale at a later date, to be announced. — PL (@PrettyLights) April 4, 2023

Photo via Rukes.com

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Published: 2023/04/04

Pretty Lights Announces Return with New Vision, Music and Soundship Spacesystem Tour

After five years of relative silence, DJ and producer Pretty Lights, also known as Derek Vincent Smith, has announced his return. The “Finally Moving” creator hasn’t seen a stage since performing two-sold out shows on March 10 and 11 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo., and hasn’t released any new music since his self-produced single “Rainbows & Waterfalls” in 2017, that is, until today.

🌀❤️🚀 pic.twitter.com/NKnoRNXt6x — PL (@PrettyLights) April 4, 2023

In a teaser trailer revealing his return to live music, he shared a clip of new music in which he sings autotuned, drenched and direct lyrics addressing his absence and feelings since going radio silent: “I’ll fly a starship across the universe divide/ And when I reach other side/ I’ll find a place to rest my spirit if I can/ Perhaps may become a pretty light again/ Or I may be a simple drop of rain/ But I will remain, and I’ll be back again.” Following the lyrics, the trailer hammers out locations where he’ll be performing, including Denver, Lake Dillion, Colo., Atlanta, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, N.Y., Chicago, The Caverns in Pelham, Tenn., San Fransico and New Orleans.

The video also introduced new visions for his tour, including PL LIVE in Dub, which was accompanied in the video by dub-heavy sonic waves and The Fantastic Pretty Lights, which seems to be a collaborative effort. A poster later shared on Twitter outlined featured guests, including Michael Menert, Borahm Lee, Alvin Ford Jr., Chris Karns, Lazershark, Anti-Alias and Volt Peeking.

“Can’t wait to share everything that’s coming. And fam, seriously, thank you so much for your endless love and support,” Pretty Lights added on social media. “Thank you for all the positive energy while I took time to focus mine. It’s a new dawn and I can’t wait to see you all again shining bright. lfggggggg”.

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Pretty Lights Teases New Music, Live Visuals, Collaboration Methods In Pre-Tour Video Update [Watch]

Pretty Lights has shared a brief new video clip that begins to peel back some of the mysterious layers surrounding his upcoming Soundship Spacesystem Tour , his first major outing in five years, and the “Swirl Bridge” referenced in the tour’s initial announcement.

The Pretty Lights tour poster , designed by  Leif Podhajsky ,  Mike Tallman , and Michal Menert , bills the shows as “Live From The Swirl Bridge,” though the initial announcement did not go into further detail about what exactly that meant. The string of concerts—the first live Pretty Lights shows since a pair of  10th anniversary live-band performances in 2018—is due to include a pair of new live Pretty Lights formats, PL Live in DUB  and  The Fantastic Pretty Lights , featuring familiar musical collaborators  Michal Menert ,  Borahm Lee ,  Alvin Ford Jr. , and  Chris Karns . The announcement also promised “musical and visual special guests.”

In a new clip, fans of Pretty Lights get a peek not only at The Fantastic Pretty Lights in action, but also a snippet of new music and a few clues about the mysterious “Swirl Bridge,” which appears to be the producer’s new approach to performing and collaborating in a live setting. In the caption for the video on YouTube, Pretty Lights, real name  Derek Vincent Smith , provided an update on the project:

listen close and you’ll hear the vocal sample in the beginning of this video says::

“when they tell you your dream, is too extreme.. follow your dream, follow your dream!” “All things come and all things Go”

It especially resonates with me because prepping to launch this PL tour 🚀 has been just that, an extreme dream.. shared by a lot of people, that has required a massive amount of belief & hard work & creative energy from everyone involved to pull off. The whole squad has been in Denver for the last two months vibing, rehearsing, building, programming, producing & buttoning up the ‘soundship spacesystem’ for tour. Now it’s just 7 days away from launch!! So I wanted to share a little update in the form of a behind the scenes video edit from one of our swirl bridge sessions. 🎥 – Laine Kelly & Isaac Brandon Schultz

this video is of the PL band flipping a new track live that Michal Menert and I produced earlier this year. Borahm Lee, Chris Karns & Alvin Ford Jr. make these new tunes go so hard live and put them on another level.

Shout out to the peeps behind the scenes making it all happen..

Jason Starkey Greg Ellis Anti-alias Eric Mintzer Umā Yeshe Dawa Borntown Nathan ‘Smokey’ Williams Dom Gambone Nik Swift Tomas Morgan Mammoth Music Group

PL also piqued fans’ excitement by confirming that there is, indeed, new music and a reinvigorated approach to live performance on the way. “We are super excited to debut tons of new music and next level new visual/lighting techniques.. and all in a way that stays alive and is real time and in the moment, That’s definitely one of the things that makes these shows unique,. the fact that the whole thing is designed to evolve and change with every night. more coming soon, love ya’ll !! ‘I’m a non-believer, but I believe I believe I believe’

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Pretty Lights (@prettylights)

Related: Pretty Lights Details Three-Day Music Festival At The Caverns

The Pretty Lights  Soundship Spacesystem Tour begins on August 4th at Denver, CO’s  Mission Ballroom . For a complete list of upcoming Pretty Lights tour dates, head here .

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8 most STUNNING night walks in Moscow (PHOTOS)

Zaryadye Park.

1. Park Sveta (Park of Lights)

The new park in the Bibirevo district, in the north-east, opened in 2019. It’s as if it was designed especially for night walks. After sunset, the park comes alive with an unusual fluid light display on swings, arches, walkways - basically everywhere, turning an ordinary park into an enchanted forest. Backlit sphere, star and cylinder-shaped benches can also be seen everywhere in the park.

2. Lianozovo Promenade

Another cozy park in one of Moscow’s northern ‘sleeping’ districts, which is fantastic to behold after sunset. It’s all about the humongous modern-style arched gates, which turn blinding white at night, illuminating the surrounding area. You definitely won’t get lost here!

3. Zaryadye Park

One of the most popular places in the capital, the Zaryadye Park, just in the shadow of the Kremlin, looks especially festive in the evening. The floating bridge lights and the roof of the amphitheater can be seen from hundreds of meters away. The elegant backlight also decorates the ponds and various pathways and lawns that dot the area. Taking a walk along the backlit Moscow River embankment with the Kotelnicheskaya Embankment ‘vysotka’ (aka one of the ‘Seven Sisters’) as a backdrop - what could be more romantic?

4. Moscow-City Park

The capital’s business district lights up like a Christmas tree at night and is a popular place to go on evening walks. The Presnenskaya Embankment has plenty of cafes and restaurants where you can stop for a drink or a bite and if you’re at the foot of the skyscraper area, you’ll find a new public space: a multilevel amphitheater and glowing musical fountain, which works all year round. 

5. Park Pobedy (Zelenograd)

Inhabitants of the greenest (and furthest most from Moscow’s downtown) district like to visit this park with its glowing cascading fountains, shooting bursts of water eight meters into the air. The pedestrian bridge over the water looks like a moon path.

6. The pedestrian area around the Samora Mashel street

There’s a pedestrian area in between a few residential blocks in south-east Moscow. There are children’s playgrounds and various colorfully-decorated footpaths. There’s also a moon swing!

7. Astronomers’ Garden in Sokolniki

To understand the inner workings of our solar system, one doesn’t necessarily need to go to the Planetarium. The Sokolniki Park, in Moscow’s northeast, boasts some very realistic replicas of planets, which dazzle evening visitors. All of the stars and orbits light up in different colors, forming illuminated footpaths.

And don’t skip the arch alley next to the main entrance - it’s the best selfie spot in the park!

8. Moscow’s central boulevards

Moscow’s ‘boulevard ring’, with its lit-up trees, carved cast iron lanterns and luminescent arches is a perfect fit for those seeking a lengthy walk around the capital’s center. The ‘ring’ comprises 19 boulevards measuring nine kilometers in length and all running through Moscow’s most scenic central areas. There are old Moscow buildings, where famous artists or writers might once have lived (which you can read about on designated plaques).

Going on an evening walking tour of Moscow’s downtown architecture is an indescribable feeling. There are markets and street fairs for every season of the year, as well. It gets especially pretty in winter, however, when the trees and pedestrian areas light up with millions of lights.

The article uses materials provided by the website of the ‘Moy Rayon’ (“My District”) program, run by the Moscow mayor and aimed at ensuring equal development standards for all Moscow districts.

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

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Best spots in Moscow for photo maniacs

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• Capturing the Kremlin and central Moscow: the higher, the better

Of course, pictures of the Kremlin shot from the Red Square are no doubt iconic and must-have, but they are taken by thousands of tourists every day and can hardly make a wow-effect on your friends on Instagram and other social networks.

Another problem with shooting from Red Square is that the photos do not fully represent the scale of the medieval fortress of Kremlin. So, you need to make some steps further and higher to catch the right shot. You’ll be surprised by the fact that the panoramic views of the Kremlin are pretty easy to get. We have four hints for you: Zaryadie, Ritz Carlton, Patriarch bridge, and Radisson riverboat.

If you want to not only make beautiful photos but also to learn something interesting about the history of Russia, we recommend an individual tour of the Kremlin. You can order it online here .

First, go to Zaryadye, which is located right next to the Red Square, behind the St Basil’s Cathedral, on the closest Moscow river bank. The most impressive views over the Kremlin are unfolded from the so-called Flying bridge of Zaryadye and Glass Dome building in the back part of the park.

Zaryadye is the new place of attraction in Moscow. It’s a landscape park, opened in September 2017 by the Moscow government on the hill where the giant soviet hotel ‘Rossiya’ located before its demolition in the early 2000-s. As a bonus, you’ll get an incredible view over one of Stalin’s skyscrapers, located on the opposite bank of Moscow river — the so-called Vysotka at Kotelnicheskaya, used as a residence of many Russian famous people and officials.

• The roof of the Ritz Carlton Hotel

This option is ok only in case if you’re ready to pay the average bar bill of over 2500 rubles (about $40). Visit the O2 Lounge Bar on the roof of the Ritz Carlton Hotel, where all the global celebrities take their Moscow pictures, from Angelina Jolie to Robert Downey Jr.

But such photo investments seem to pay off immediately. The deck of the bar makes an excellent panorama point for the Kremlin walls and towers, the Historical Museum, the Great Kremlin Palace, and the Kremlin cathedrals. All these landmarks are not too far away, which makes them perfectly recognizable, even in the background.

• The Radisson riverboat

This hint will be useful in case you’re traveling to Moscow in the cold season. River transportation in Moscow doesn't stop in winter. Many enclosed and heated tourist yachts with panoramic windows and ice-breaking equipment can be found in the Moscow River. For instance, one of the most recognizable is the flotilla Radisson.

Their route goes past all the main sights of pre-revolutionary and Soviet Moscow – from Stalin's skyscrapers (Ukraina hotel and Vysotka at Kotelnicheskaya) to the Kremlin and the Novodevichy Convent. It is possible to go out to the open deck and take photos of you and your family or friends against a backdrop of the city’s lights and their reflection in the river. The cruise lasts 2.5 hours. You can book a tour with a car roundtrip transfer from your hotel to the pier and back: book online here

• Patriarch bridge

The bridge is located further from the Kremlin, than Zaryadye or Ritz Carlton, so the Kremlin walls on your photos will look smaller. The brighter side of walking through the bridge is that you can do more fabulous pics of the Moscow river and city center landscapes. The Moscow river and the pretty recognizable giant statue of Peter the Great are ideally viewed from the bridge. Be prepared that it’s a famous and popular pedestrian area for tourists all over the world so the bridge may be crowded.

Also, the bridge is a part of a long promenade which leads from the Christ the Saviour Cathedral through the Balchug island to the opposite bank of the Moscow River, where another pedestrian area — Museon embankment — is ready to joy you with its cafes, cozy lawns and impressive views over the river flow, ducks and boats.

• Moscow City

The best spot to shoot the famous Moscow business downtown is located on the Taras Shevchenko embankment. To get there you need to come to the metro stations Vystavochnaya or Delovoi Tsentr, then go to the Bagration bridge (use the metro navigation, the path is tricky), cross the bridge — and voilà! You’ve reached the best spot for shooting, posing, sending selfies, and Instagramming.

• Ponds and orangeries

There are two ponds in Moscow, that deserve your attention in summer: the Chistye ponds (actually there is only one pond, but it’s worth it) and the pond in Gorky Park, which is full of small boats and catamarans. Both lakes are lost between the green alleys and are drowning in all the shades of green. Those are the perfect spots to catch the moment of peace amid the madness of big city life.

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Northern Lights in Russia - The Travel Guide

Home / Russia Travel Experiences / Northern Lights in Russia – The Travel Guide

This guide was created to help travellers who are considering experiencing the Northern Lights in Russia. We look into some essential considerations that will help you plan for the best possible Northern lights experience and help you decide where how and to take it all in.

Table of Contents

What is the Aurora Borealis?

Standing beneath the ethereal glow of the Northern Lights as they perform their dazzling, shape-shifting solar dance is one of earth’s most spectacular atmospheric phenomena and a must experience on just about everyone’s bucket list.

The Northern Lights – origin myths and legends

Humans have been enthralled by the mysterious beauty of the Northern Lights for millennia. In northern Europe, the Aurora Borealis was believed to be light emanating from the celestial bodies of the gods as they guided the recently deceased into to the next world. Some Inuit tribes gazed up at the Northern Lights and imagined spirits playing an inter-stellar ball game with the skull of a walrus.

For many of us today, escaping the modern world to witness the awe-inspiring spectacle of the Northern Lights is a tremendously powerful and uplifting experience. While these days we have the science to explain exactly what causes Auroras to develop in the earth’s atmosphere, we’ll no doubt continue to look up at the Northern Lights with the same sense of inexplicable wonder held by our ancestors long ago.

How the Aurora Borealis is formed

Essentially, the Northern Lights are created when gaseous particles from the sun interact with the earth’s atmosphere and magnetic poles. This is why the Northern Lights are almost exclusively seen in the skies in areas close to earth’s north pole.

The colour of the Northern Lights depends on the particular atmospheric gas that combines with the rays emanating from the sun. If the reacting atmospheric gas is oxygen, the output colour is a pale yellowish-green. If the reacting gas is nitrogen, the Northern Lights appears blue or purplish-red. More rarely, the Northern Lights appear as a series of pulsating scarlet streaks. The red northern lights occur when the reacting gas is high altitude oxygen, usually around 200 miles above the earth’s surface.

At the opposite time of year, in the southern hemisphere’s winter, an almost mirror-like reflection of the Aurora Borealis, called Aurora Australis, regularly appears in the skies above the remote territories near the South Pole.

Experience Northern Lights in Russia or other countries?

Perhaps the biggest consideration when planning a trip to see the Northern Lights is which destination you’ll base yourself. So where should you think of heading?

Head for the Arctic Circle

Only eight countries in the world claim territory above the Arctic Circle, making them the only destinations to offer high chances of seeing the Northern Lights in season. Although the Aurora has been spotted at latitudes typical below the “Aurora Zone” (in Northern Scotland for example, such sightings are relatively rare.

The eight best countries for hunting the Northern Lights

The Northern Lights can be observed in the northernmost regions of Canada, large parts of Alaska and the northern regions of Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden, as well as southern Greenland. There are also several Aurora hotspots within the Arctic territories of Russia. Which destination you choose will, of course, depend on time and budget constraints and what sort of Northern Lights experience is best suited to your travel tastes.

Creature comfort touring vs true adventure travel

Northern Lights tourism is highly established in Scandinavia, and with the exception of some of the more isolated encampments in the region, is far more commercialised than other destinations in the Arctic, with better tourism infrastructure, more creature comforts, a wide variety of tour operators to choose from and plenty of accommodation all the way up to five-star luxury. Travellers may see the popularity of the Scandinavian destinations as something of a drawback. For one, you can expect bigger crowds and premium prices in a region with an already pricey reputation.

Go and see the Northern Lights just north of Reykjavik in Iceland for example, and you’ll usually find yourself sharing this long-awaited spiritual experience with dozens of other tourists, cars and coaches. 

If your dream Northern Lights expedition means getting away from it all, communing with nature and absorbing a true sense of of the wild, lonely majesty of the Arctic, you might want to skip the more predictable places and consider some of the Arctic’s lesser-known hotspots and give a Northern Lights in Russia trip a go!

Why consider experiencing the Northern Lights in Russia?

The Scandinavian nations remain the “default destination” for many visitors embarking on annual Northern Lights expeditions. But did you know your chances of witnessing the glowing, ghostly spectre of the Aurora Borealis are equally as good in Russia? In fact, when it comes to far north excursions to see the Aurora Borealis in full flight, Russia might be the world’s best-kept secret.

Perfect conditions without the crowds

As Northern Lights tours have grown in popularity in recent years, the Russian Arctic has remained relatively under the radar, and this in itself offers a wonderful advantage. Peak season tourist crowds are virtually absent from even the best-known Aurora hotspots in Russia.

Tour groups are invariably small, and travel times are less taxing than you might expect. One doesn’t have to travel far from a major city, such as Murmansk (capital of the Kola Peninsula) to find themselves surrounded by endless expanses of pristine polar landscapes.

Imagine glittering white snow mounds in the tundra, jagged mountain peaks and the skeletal trees of the taiga, illuminated bright as day by the psychedelic hues of the Aurora. That, and almost complete solitude, is what a Russian Northern Lights expedition has to offer.

Not just uncrowded – cheap too!

Russia, of course, isn’t the only country that can provide an authentic, off the beaten track Arctic adventure. Remote parts Alaska, Canada and Greenland certainly fit the bill, but reaching these sparsely populated, infrastructure poor wilderness areas comes at a significant cost. Similarly, even the most bare-bones Northern Lights tours in Finland, Norway and Iceland couldn’t exactly be considered cheap. It’s a common belief among travellers that all Northern Lights tours are expensive. Yet it is possible to embark on an Aurora hunting adventure on a budget. Simply set your stargazing sights on Russia.

The best places to see the Northern Lights in Russia

Northern Lights tourism in Russia is becoming more and more popular over the past 5-10 years. there are few places in the Russian Arctic to have established a dedicated industry around the bucket list topping phenomenon.

Murmansk, Kola Peninsula

For the moment, Murmansk , the largest settlement in the Kola Peninsula, is Russia’s unofficial Northern Lights capital, and quite likely the world’s most affordable place to observe the phantom glow of the Aurora in Russia.

Located in Russia’s Kola Peninsula, the city lies 2° north of the Arctic Circle. With a population of over 300,000, it’s the largest city in the world above the Arctic Circle. It’s also most probably to be the cheapest place in the world to come and experience the Northern Lights either independently or on tour.

While it’s a surprisingly lively city, what makes Murmansk really unique it that it’s perhaps the only city where the Northern Lights forms its mesmerizing light show directly above the cranes, smokes stacks, factories and low-rise residential blocks of the town. Just beyond Murmansk lies a vast expanse of empty, mountainous tundra. Several vantage points just outside of town provide a panoramic view of the city as it becomes immersed in the alien green glow of the Aurora.

Russia, overall is a reasonably affordable country, particularly when compared to its neighbours in the Arctic Circle region. Domestic flights and overland travel (trains, buses etc.) are generally inexpensive, even though you’ll find yourself regularly having to cover massive distances. In winter, the 2.5 hour flight from Moscow to Murmansk might set you back around 8,000 RUB or $130 USD*.

As tourism is still in its infancy in the Arctic port city, Northern Lights tours in the Murmansk region are extremely modestly priced (relatively speaking), even covering snowmobile trips into the tundra in search of the lights, and extra activities such as dog-sledding and rural village visits.  

While Murmansk makes a comfortable introduction to the Kola Peninsula, the best Northern Lights hunting happens within a good few hours drive from the artificial lights of the city. There are few settlements of any appreciable size in the Kola Peninsula. It’s a land dominated by a wild tangle of taiga forest and polar tundra with crystal clear lakes, grassland and rugged coastline in between.

It’s out here in the unspoiled polar landscapes of the peninsula that the auspicious appearance of the Aurora can light up the land and sky in a full blaze of glory.  The Kola Peninsula also has a rich and ancient cultural heritage to explore. The reindeer-herding Saami people, who are also indigenous to parts of Northern Scandinavia, still live in scattered settlements across the peninsula and have retained large parts of their traditional lifestyle.

With a name that translates to “the edge of the world” in the native tongue, Yamal is the last refuge of the world’s nomadic reindeer herders, the Nenets.

Tours to the Yamal Peninsula generally have a strong focus on cultural immersion, involving homestays with Nenets families in their nomad camps and even participating in their grueling annual reindeer migrations. You can read more about the nomadic culture of Siberia’s Nenets here .

Over half of Yamal’s territory sits above the Arctic Circle. Outside of the twin towns of Salekhard (population 45,000) and Labytangi (population 25,000), the Yamal Peninsula consists of only a few isolated permanent settlements.

Around 50% of Yamal’s Nenets still engage in a nomadic way of life, following ancient north to south migratory routes twice a year, covering up to 1,000km each way.  Hundreds of miles from civilization, the winter nomad camps of Yamal are among the most isolated, unspoiled destinations anywhere on earth to see the Aurora Borealis in all its celestial glory, shimmering above the starkly beautiful, star-strewn Arctic taiga.

On the odd occasion, the Northern Lights have been sighted far south as St Petersburg! This, however, is an extremely rare occurrence and the light pollution emanating from the city causes Aurora’s lights to appear dull and obscured. The further you are from the artificial glare of the cities, the more spectacular your sightings of the Borealis will be.

When to see the Northern Lights in Russia?

Which months of the year are best.

The appearance of the Northern Lights isn’t actually restricted to a particular season. The chemical reactions that form the Northern Lights are a constant occurrence, meaning the Aurora Borealis is actually hanging about in the sky all year round. But because the Borealis is only observed at high latitudes (between 65° and 72° North), it’s all but invisible from April through to August, when the aurora zone experiences extremely long periods of daylight. During this time, the sky never darkens enough to make the lights visible to the naked eye.

It takes the long hours of darkness and its pitch-black night skies to really showcase the Borealis’ blaze of electric glory at its best.  The ideal time to see the Northern Lights varies somewhat depending on location, but as a general rule, the Aurora season starts at the end of August and finishes around mid-April.  Peak season is usually considered to be between late September and March when temperatures are at their coolest and the Arctic regions experience very few hours of daylight. However, at slightly lower latitudes, it’s sometimes possible to catch superb views of the Northern Lights in considerably more comfortable August temperatures.

Polar Night

Polar nights are a natural phenomenon that occurs at latitudes to the north of the polar circle. In northwestern Russia, the circle passes through the southern part of the Kola Peninsula and part of  Karelia . At Murmansk’s latitude, polar nights last about 40 days, while the phenomenon lasts half a year at the North Pole . The opposite phenomenon, polar days, occur during the summer when the sun does not set for the same period of time.

Even though the sun remains below the horizon, the Russian Arctic is not blacked out completely. On clear days, we can see beautiful sunset colours in the south while the sky to the north is a deep midnight blue.

Remember – the Aurora Borealis is unpredictable

What’s most important to keep in mind is that the Northern Lights, like any natural phenomenon, are unpredictable.

To get a picture-perfect view of the Lights requires pitch dark, crystal clear skies, free of any cloud cover. There also need to be solar flares and solar wind activity taking place in order to trigger the Aurora’s appearance. When the lights do appear, your time in their presence may be relatively fleeting (they can sometimes appear suddenly, only to vanish a few minutes later). On other nights, you could be treated to a 20 to 30-minute performance.

Thanks to technology, we now have Aurora forecasts online to predict the Aurora activity level in different regions. If you have your heart set on seeing the Northern Lights, you’ll want to maximise your chances by devoting several days at least to making dedicated Northern Lights expeditions far from the interference of light pollution from the cities. 

Tips for a successful Northern Lights in Russia experience

Peak viewing season is best – just be prepared for the cold.

The truth is, you can get insanely lucky and see the Northern Lights outside the unofficial “Aurora Season”, but if you really have your heart set on seeing the lights at their best, we strongly advise visiting during Borealis prime time – winter!

If you do decide to visit in mid-winter, keep in mind that above the Arctic Circle, particularly in January and February, temperatures can drop to around -20°C. Because you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors, it’s essential you pack or purchase appropriate clothing and prepare yourself adequately to face sub-freezing temperatures).

We recommend:

• Several underlayers – long-sleeve shirts and leggings (preferably made from a quick-drying material like polyester, nylon or merino
•   A parka or insulated jacket to go over the top of your base layers. Jackets with a layer of duck down or synthetic insulation are especially good at holding in heat
• Snow and wind protection jacket – a quality ski jacket or windbreaker is a must when heading out into the tundra. A good jacket places a shield between you and the bone-chilling winds that often sweep across the Arctic 
• Warm boots – unless your feet are warm and snug, the rest of your body is going to be cold! Ideally, you’ll want at least one pair of sturdy winter hiking shoes or snow boots, ideally with a waterproof or fleece lining. It’s also a good idea to buy one size up when it comes to winter boots, so you’ve got plenty of room to squeeze a pair of thick woollen socks inside.
• Gloves, winter hat or balaclava/face mask, hat and sunglasses – Believe us, you don’t want exposed fingers in -15°C weather. Particularly for photographers, ski gloves with removable layers are great for when you need a bit of extra dexterity. You’ll want a warm beanie as a bare minimum for keeping your head warm. An insulated winter hat with ear flaps is even better, and many have detachable full-face masks to prevent windchill drying the skin around your lips and nose.

Glare from the sun reflecting off the snow is less of an issue in winter, but it can still catch you off guard – it’s annoying and best and damaging to your eyes at worst, so bring a pair of polarised sunglasses along.

Spend as many days hunt as you can hunting for Northern lights in Russia

Like any natural phenomenon, the Northern Lights are subject to the unpredictable whims of nature. Sometimes you can show up on clearest, coldest night imaginable, but without sufficient solar flare activity, the Aurora will refuse to perform. To boost your chances of catching the elusive Aurora, you’ll want to devote at least several days to tracking flares of flashing light across the tundra. We recommend staying on the tour for 4-5 days to maximise your chances.

The Northern Lights most commonly appear between 5pm and 2am. On a Northern Lights tour, it’s usually only in the evening that the group will head out to hunt for the Borealis. During the day, you’ll be kept entertained with other snow activities while you wait for the darkest part of the night to fall, such as:

• dog-sledding
• snowmobiling
• ice fishing
• road trips to the remote areas
• skiing and more

Check the Aurora Forecast online

Or don’t. For some, experiencing the Aurora without the foresight of forecasts and predictions adds to its mythical, untamed appeal. Using current solar wind conditions, the US-based Space Weather Prediction Centre has created and mapped out an Aurora forecasting model online that predicts the location and intensity of the Northern and Southern Auroras.

At the moment, the forecasts are only accurate to within about 30 minutes, however, they can hint at what the Aurora activity might be like a day or two either end. In fact, the SWPC has just developed a three-day Aurora forecasting system, which is available on their website as a trial. 

Tips for photographers

In order to get stunning pictures of northern lights, you will need a tripod, a wide-angle lens, high ISO, manual focus (extreme values), a long shutter speed, a charged camera battery, patience and warm clothes. You must have a camera that can shoot at long exposures and that has an automatic shutter release function with the ability to set the time of the self-timer. The camera must be kept in a heat-insulated camera bag or under clothing. You will also need a tripod – it will be difficult to achieve the desired result without it, because the movement of the camera during shooting will cause the photographs to be blurred. Finally, be sure to take the following with you: a thermos, boots and a great desire, because not everyone will agree to freeze in the cold night, and the night sky and frost do not care that you came to see a true masterpiece.

When you arrive at the photo shooting location, look around, adjust the tripod, and try to set the optical exposure in advance, especially if, by chance, the city lights are going to get in the way. The shutter should be rather long, because the Northern lights are not very bright, but do not forget that the night-time should be seen in the photo. If possible, increase the sensitivity, but be careful – you don’t want the noises to mess up your efforts. Do not forget to set the time of the shutter button, for example, every 2 seconds.

As soon as you notice the flaming aurora, take your camera out, set it on a tripod, point it at an infinite distance, remove the lens cap (if any), then direct it towards the aurora and shoot with the adjusted settings. By the way, you should change the latter during shooting, because the aurora will probably make you adjust the exposure setting (close the aperture by a half or whole level, lower the sensitivity matrix or reduce exposure). Make sure that your hands are nowhere near the object-lens, otherwise they will fog up and the photo session will end because the moisture condensation will freeze immediately and you won’t be able to get rid of it until the object lenses become room temperature.

Ditch the camera once in a while and remember to take it all in  

Everyone wants to come home with hundreds of mind-blowing photos and it’s hard to get any more show-off worthy than a perfectly timed image of the Northern Lights illuminating the glinting ice of the tundra. Whether you’re a total novice or a long-time pro, chances are when the lights do appear, they’ll be accompanied by the sound of camera shutters clicking every few seconds.

The first people in the Arctic looked up at the Northern Lights with extreme reverence, associating its mystical glow with gods, ghosts and spiritual realms beyond our own. Photographing the Lights is enjoyable, yet extremely demanding of one’s attention. It’s important to put the camera down once in a while and just enjoy the show. Your time is limited, so rather than endlessly fussing over camera settings, give yourself the chance to stop, take it all in experience the same sense of spiritual awe that has captivated humankind for countless generations.

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Moscow by Night

One of the most popular tours of my guests is a walk through Moscow at night. This tour helps tourists to see Moscow not as a bustling hive, but as a majestic Empress full of ceremonial glory. Moscow night tour lasts nearly for three hours, but at the end of the walk it seems to be gone only an hour. During the excursion around Moscow at night, guests can enjoy not only the beauty of illumination, but also to learn more about the history of the city and its architecture, see  legendary cathedrals, buildings and squares of Moscow, famous over the world, and to make great shots of attractions.

Night Moscow is full of magic. It is fascinating and enigmatic. If you decided to visit Russia in winter season, you will feel the fairytale atmoshere of the capital decorated with festive New Year and Christmas decorations. Walking through Moscow's streets at night you would never believe that just a few hours before you wandered through the same ones, only in the light of day. It is amazing how the city can change in the glow of night illumination. The incredible beauty of the city at night fascinates.

Excellent illumination turns the capital to the city of a fairy tale, dream-city of the children's book.

A wonderful excursion begins with perhaps the most famous places in the whole Moscow - Red Square , located at the north-eastern wall of the Kremlin. History of Russia's main square has its roots in the end of 15th century.

Nowadays, parades and celebrations of important events in the life of the Russian Federation are held at this famous square. At night Red Square stuns with its magnificent illuminations. Solemn and austere in daylight, it looks elegant and festive in the glow of night lights.

Patriarchy Bridge

Our path lies to the Patriarchy Bridge than. There is a beautiful view of the night Red Square, The Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the monument to Peter the Great at this point.

Built in Russian-Byzantine style in honor of the victory of the Russian people over Napoleon's troops the magnificent Cathedral of Christ the Savior seems to be a magical castle from a fairy tale, full of mysterious charm. Its white silhouette stands out brightly against the night sky. It seems that the walls of the Cathedral lit from within by the divine light. It is really a stunning effect.

Sparrow Hills

Next place that deserves special attention are the Sparrow Hills . There is a unique view on Moscow at night with bird's-eye view from this place - at least 85 meters over of the Moscow-River. Looking at the capital full of illumination, lit by millions of lights, stretching out at the feet, you feel on top of the world. It seems that you are a magician, surveying your luxurious land. You will have the opportunity to see a spectacular view of the Luzhniki stadium - the largest one in Russia and one of the largest stadiums in the world. This stadium was built in 1955-1956 years. It was here the Olympic Games took place and a lot of sport competitions and concerts of well-known artists and bands were conducted.

At night the stadium is light up along the whole circular length at night. It seems that the stadium is a great shining pearl in the illumination of thousands of lights. From this point of Moscow you can see the erecting buildings of Financial Center Moscow-City by projects of English architect Norman Foster. Some buildings are ready; some are in the process of erection. Completion is planned for 2015. We all look forward to completion to enjoy the magnificent view of monumental modern buildings at night in the rays of illumination.

All of Stalin's skyscrapers , erected in the mid 50-ies by the orders of Stalin are visible from the top of Sparrow Hills, including Moscow State University , known for its night laser lights. Each skyscraper has a unique lighting. Panorama from Sparrow Hills is sure to impress guests: dazzling shining of metropolis with millions of lights makes the capital an unforgettable and beautiful. Magic night in Moscow fascinates.

Novodevichy Convent

My guests are particularly impressed by the panorama of Novodevichy Convent .

This magnificent example of the Orthodox women's monastery was founded in 1524 by Prince Vasily III. There are a lot of stories and legends of Moscow connected with the monastery. It played a prominent role in the cultural life of Russia. Today Novodevichy Convent is both working monastery and a branch of the State Historical Museum. Night walk along the pond will fully appreciate the beauty of the Novodevichy convent at night. Rising above the dark surface of the water, it seems to be full of shining, light and peace. The lights of the five-headed Smolensky Cathedral and the monumental bell tower of the monastery illuminate the dark sky solemnly, cutting through the darkness and giving hope.

Victory Park

Three hours driving and walking tour ends in Victory Park on Kutuzov Avenue with a stop near the Arch of Triumph.

Victory Park was opened in Moscow in 1995 and is coincided to 50 years of victory over the fascist invaders. The original nighttime illumination of Victory Monument will not leave any spectator indifferent.

Excellent coverage of the Arch of Triumph on Kutuzov Avenue, built in honor of the victory over Napoleon in 1812, will complement this impression.

The tour will introduce you to such streets and squares as Tverskaya and New Arbat streets, Pushkinskaya Square, Gagarin’s Square, Lubyanka Square, and October Square. Also you will see such famous buildings in the night illumination, as White House, Former KGB, Stalin’s Skyscrapers, Old building of French Embassy, Bolshoy Theater and many others.

Moscow at night is a truly fascinating spectacle. City Lights beckon and create a holiday atmosphere. If you have seen Moscow at night - you looked into her very heart, saw her real - a beautiful, bright, exotic queen.

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Moscow in one day, best highlights of moscow.

• Ice Rink at Cathedral of Christ the Savior On the first days of 2008 the temperature of air in Moscow lowered down to -16..-18 C (+3…0 F), but was not snow on the grounds yet. This picture of Cathedral of Christ the Savior with view of frozen Moscow River (Moskva-Reka) that looks as like ice rink I took very early morning after seeing off my current client from USA to airport.
• Moscow Evening Photoshoot Celebrating 2nd Wedding Anniversary Moscow evening (twilight) photo session on July 1st, 2019 during night tour with my Dear clients from Iran, Mozhgan and Siamak, celebrating their 2nd wedding anniversary in Russia.

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About Me in Short

My name's Arthur Lookyanov, I'm a private tour guide, personal driver and photographer in Moscow, Russia. I work in my business and run my website Moscow-Driver.com from 2002. Read more about me and my services , check out testimonials of my former business and travel clients from all over the World, hit me up on Twitter or other social websites. I hope that you will like my photos as well.

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