This Flight Is The Best Way To See The Aurora Australis

You’ve likely seen a photo, video or witnessed the magic of the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), but that’s old news, right? Did you know the Southern Hemisphere has its own version, the Southern Lights – or Aurora Australis? You did? Okay, but did you know there are spectacular flights Aussies can take for the best view of this phenomenon? For many years, travellers have spent a small fortune venturing to the Arctic Circle to see the Northern Lights. But while international borders were closed during the pandemic, Chimu Adventures chartered private Qantas Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to take guests up, up and above any cloud cover, heading 62 degrees south where this natural phenomenon is brightest, away from the mainland’s light pollution. Now that travel is back up and running – Chimu has continued the flights, and there are selected departure dates from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. I was lucky enough to take the flight, and here is what to expect and what it was like.

This was the first flight I had taken in over two years, so I was incredibly excited as it was such a unique flight. I arrived at the domestic airport (yep, it’s technically a domestic flight) in the evening. You don’t have to check in at the usual desk – just go straight through security and to the gate advised on the board. Once you arrive at the gate, you’ll be checked in, your ID checked, and you can choose to get a decorative stamp. The flight is essentially a full-service Qantas flight, so it has all the usual features; we were served dinner and breakfast with the added bonus of entertainment outside the plane as well as in. We were told that the KP Index (the measure used to predict auroral activity) was showing high numbers, so we were likely to be in for a treat of a light show. After travelling about four hours towards Antarctica with fascinating commentary from the onboard astronomer, we started being able to see the faint green sheets of the lights. The naked eye cannot process the Aurora as well as a camera lens can, so usually, the lights will look ghostly white, but we could easily see green and some purple. Halfway through the flight, it is time to swap seats to ensure all guests get the chance to have the best view possible of the lights. The flight weaves around in the lights for about four hours, then turns and heads home. You can sit and watch the lights for as long as you like, try to get photos (it is difficult to photograph them, but there are experts on board to help), and when you’re ready, there are movies to watch, or you can nap.

No, you can actually catch this phenomenon in a few places across Tasmania, like Cockle Creek or Mount Nelson in Hobart – however, because of the many large mountain ranges, forests and city (and light) pollution, it can be challenging to see. This is why the Chimu Adventures flights are proving to be incredibly popular and are quickly booking out, so be sure to check it out soon.