Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park has been revealed as one of the cheapest spots in the world for watching the Northern Lights.

Stargazers across the UK have been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, on numerous occasions in 2024.

If you are hoping to see what is described as "one of the most spectacular displays in the night sky" but don't want to pay an arm and a leg on a trip to the likes of Iceland or Norway, don't worry.

Analysing average hotel costs in locations known for their dark skies and heightened opportunity to see the northern lights, travel insurance specialists InsureandGo have come up with a list of the cheapest places in the world to see the Northern Lights.

Letitia Smith, Head of Communications at InsureandGo, said: “Seeing the northern lights has featured on travel bucket lists for decades and there’s currently a great opportunity to experience them at their best, that many people won’t want to miss out on.

“With this in mind, we would urge travellers to book up their accommodation as soon as possible, as the added interest in seeing the auroras will result in stays getting booked up quickly.

“The great thing is that this increased solar activity means there are more locations to see the auroras from, meaning more options for varying budgets."

Luckily for those in Powys and Wales, the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park featured on the list, named the fourth cheapest location in the world to see the Northern Lights.

Cheapest places in the world to see the Northern Lights

The cheapest places in the world to see the Northern Lights, according to InsureandGo, are:

  1. Isle of Harris (Scotland) - £41.00 (average hotel price per night)
  2. Cairngorms National Park (Scotland) - £54.00 
  3. Gjogv (Faroe Islands) - £58.00 
  4. Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park (Wales) - £72.00
  5. Rovaniemi (Finland) - £80.00 
  6. Fort McMurray (Canada) - £80.00
  7. Exmoor National Park (England) - £85.00
  8. Whitehorse (Canada) - £86.00
  9. Northumberland National Park (England) - £93.00
  10. Levi (Finland) - £94.00

Best spots in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park to see the Northern Lights

“Access to dark sky is really important" for viewing the Northern Lights, according to astronomy professor James LaBelle.

With this in mind we have rounded up the best stargazing spots in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park from Go Stargazing, that offer the best access to dark skies:

  • Usk Reservoir (near Trecastle)
  • Crai Village, Libanus
  • Crai Reservoir, Cnewr
  • Craig Y Nos Castle
  • Red Lion Pub, Church Road, Penderyn
  • Libanus Mountain Centre
  • Plas Dolygaer, Pontsticill, Merthyr Tydfil
  • Llangors Lake
  • Hay Bluff
  • Llanthony Priory
  • Sugar Loaf Mountain

Best time to see the Northern Lights

The Northern Lights can be active at any time of the day, according to Professor LaBelle.

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"Even in the daytime, but we can’t see it,” he added.  

While it might come as no surprise that seeing the Northern Lights is limited to nighttime, there is actually a certain time where your chances increase, the astronomy professor explains. 

Professor LaBelle said: "Around midnight is typically when the aurora makes its most southerly extent, and when it is most active."