About PolarTourist

Independent, ad-free, data-driven polar travel guides — built for aurora chasers and arctic adventurers.

✦ Our Mission

PolarTourist exists to help travellers find the best polar destinations using real data, not sponsored rankings or paid placements. Every aurora score, cost estimate, and seasonal recommendation is derived from verifiable sources.

We believe travel decisions should be informed by facts — geomagnetic latitude, historical cloud cover, actual accommodation costs — not marketing budgets.

✦ Our Methodology

🌌 Aurora Scores

Each destination's aurora score (1–10) is calculated from its geomagnetic latitude (proximity to the auroral oval) combined with historical clear-sky data during peak aurora season. Higher geomagnetic latitude + clearer skies = higher score.

💰 Cost Estimates

Daily budget estimates come from local accommodation, dining, and activity pricing sourced from Google Places data, tourism board publications, and verified travel cost databases. Prices are updated regularly for accuracy.

🌡️ Weather Data

Monthly temperature, precipitation, and daylight hours are sourced from historical weather APIs with multi-year averages to give you an accurate picture of what to expect each month.

📊 Comparisons

Our destination comparisons are generated from the same underlying data — aurora scores, costs, weather, and activities — ensuring consistent, unbiased side-by-side analysis across all pairs.

✦ Data Sources

  • →NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center — geomagnetic data, Kp index forecasts, auroral oval models
  • →Google Places API — local accommodation, restaurants, and attraction data
  • →Weather APIs — historical temperature, precipitation, cloud cover, and daylight data
  • →Tourism boards & local sources — activity pricing, transport info, and seasonal availability

✦ Editorial Independence

PolarTourist is produced by the PolarTourist Editorial team. We do not accept sponsored content, paid placements, or affiliate commissions that influence our rankings or recommendations.

Every destination score, comparison verdict, and travel recommendation is based solely on data. Our goal is to be the most trustworthy polar travel resource on the internet.

✦ Get in Touch

Have a question, correction, or suggestion? We'd love to hear from you.

Subscribe to our newsletter for aurora forecasts, new destination guides, and polar travel tips delivered to your inbox.