Is seeing the Northern Lights on your bucket list? Perhaps you’ve dreamed of racing across the snow with a team of huskies?
Both these experiences were high on my list and I was lucky enough to have my dreams come true last year. The Northern Lights were a real treat, something I’ll never forget but it was the husky ride that really blew me away. Rushing along thru the snowy landscape with the eager huskies in the lead was one of those ‘so glad to be alive’ moments. Pure magic.
Now’s your chance, if you’re a blogger, for your dreams to come true too
This fabulous prize of a short break for two in Lapland is courtesy of Transun, a company who has over thirty years experience of making it possible for people to see some of the world’s most spectacular sights. All you have to do is write a blog post about your top 3 travel bucket list destinations.
Now that I’ve been lucky enough to tick off seeing the Northern Lights and riding with the huskies, here are my top 3.
My Bucket list Top Three
1. Plitvice, the waterfalls of Croatia
It was a few years ago that I first saw a collection of photographs of these magical waterfalls and lakes in the heart of this UNESCO World Heritage national park in Croatia. To meander along the trails and have the chance to photograph these beautiful wonders of nature must be priceless. The colour palette of the landscape changes with the seasons remaining dramatic and so very beautiful throughout. I’d happily visit anytime of year.
Photo credits, top: 29cm, Creative Commons Some rights reserved, middle: Malcolm Carlaw, Creative Commons Some rights reserved, bottom: Liga Eglite, Creative Commons Some rights reserved
2. Anywhere in India
It might be a tad unusual to find a place that someone has already visited on their bucket list but even though I’ve been to India twice before it is still high on my wish list. It is without doubt the most exciting country I have yet to visit. Sometimes hectic, other times peaceful, always colourful and beguiling. I last went there over 10 years ago, long before I started writing and it is sad just how much I’ve forgotten. I dearly wish I had been blogging then.
I met some wonderful people in Kerala, had exciting wildlife encounters in Rajasthan, explored fabulous temples in Tamil Nadu and stayed in some superb and memorable hotels, including one made out of camel dung. I’d happily do it all again but I’d also love to visit some other states of this huge and fascinating country too.
3. The island of Madagascar
Think epic landscapes, baobabs, lemurs, glorious beaches, rainforests and deserts. Madagascar is like nowhere else on earth. Remote and not that easy to get around. It’s a place for off-road adventures, explorations of colourful coral reefs and discovering a melting pot of cultures that have created fascinating traditions and beliefs. What’s more 5% of all known plant and animal species can be found here and nowhere else. It may be a long time since I studied botany and zoology but witnessing Madagascar’s flora and fauna would be a long-held dream come true.
Photo credit: Madagascan Green Gecko by Tambako The Jaguar, Creative Commons Some rights reserved.
The Prize
Back to your bucket list, the prize for Transun competition is a Northern Lights short break for two people in Lapland, including:
- Your accommodation on full-board for 2 nights
-
Return flights from the UK*
- Airport transfers
- Northern Lights Snowmobile safari (2hrs)
- Husky safari (1hr)
- Reindeer camp (2.5hrs)
Full details can be found on Transun’s website.
*Departure date and airport subject to availability, valid for two passengers.
How to enter
To enter, all you have to do is write a blog post about your top three travel bucket list destinations and what makes them so bucket list worthy to you. Then tweet it to @Transun using the hashtag #TransunLights.
To enter, remember to:
1. Write a blog post about your top three travel bucket list destinations and why you want to go there
2. Tweet your blog post to @Transun using the hashtag #TransunLights
The competition will close on Thursday, 30th of April at 23:59 GMT so make sure to get your entries in before then.
Good luck!
For terms and conditions please visit Transun’s website.
Northern Lights photography courtesy of Transun who kindly invited me to host this competition.
Join my 'Behind the Scenes' newsletter
Delivered monthly to your inbox with all my behind the scenes news, latest posts and giveaways exclusive to my subscribers.
Travel Planning Resources
Please note that most of the following links are affiliate links which means that if you click on the link, I may be paid a small commission. You can find out more about affiliate links in my Disclaimer..
Travel Insurance
I never travel without insurance. If something unexpected goes wrong the costs implications are just too high to take the risk. World Nomads provides travel insurance to travellers from over 130 countries. They're the perfect choice for long term travellers or single trip insurance.
Travel clothes for women
Check out my guide to all my favourite travel clothes for women.
Book your hotel or package holiday
TripAdvisor is my preferred hotel search engine. They compare all the top sites to find you the best deal. I also use Airbnb ($31 discount) for booking rooms/apartments.
Rent a car
Discover Car Hire is a great site for comparing car prices to find the best deal. They search both local and international rental companies.
Book an experience
When I’m travelling, especially to a new city, I use Viator and Get Your Guide to book tours and excursions, in particular, food walking tours or to visit somewhere tricky to get to by public transport.
Don’t forget your travel adaptor
Worldwide travel adaptors are perfect no matter where you are travelling from or to. Buy this one from the US or this one from the UK
This is EPIC! Amazing contest Kat! 🙂
Hi Kat
Plitvice looks incredible and I’d never heard of it before. Also I definitely agree about Madagascar, that would be an amazing experience. I’ve just entered the comp as I would love to see the northern lights, esp after one failed attempt. I read their t&cs and I’m hoping that taking a photo of the front of a Florence travel book doesn’t contravene them?! Anyway fingers crossed x
Good luck with the competition Sarah. Love your choices too and i really hope you get to do all of them one day.
Great competition – thanks for bringing it to my attention. I’ll have a go, but narrowing it down to just three will be hard! I missed the lights when I was in Iceland, so seeing them would be cool.
I fancy Plitvice too, and it’s probably quite easy and cheap to get to from the UK. When you get there, try to combine it with a trip to Lake Bled in Slovenia which isn’t too far away and is my favourite place in the world.
Hopefully I’ll get to Plitivice and Lake Bled one day but who knows when. Good luck in the competition.
This summer I am planning on visiting Plitvice, the waterfalls of Croatia. They look absolutely breath-taking! Wish me good luck <3!
Oh I do, Agness and I can’t wait to read all about it on your blog. Have a really fabulous time.
Cool contest and a great prize. Northern Lights are one of my biggest travel related dreams.
What a great prize travelled to Iceland last year in search of the lights and it was a great experience. I love your bucket list as well. India is still a place I am desperate to visit but still have not made it. I have had a fascination with the country since I was about 15 and I know that until I visit I will just not be satisfied – I hoping I will get there in the next year or so.
Hope you make it there soon and that you get to spend sometime there. It’s such a huge country and each state I’ve been to is so different from the others.
I didn’t see the Northern lights when I was in Iceland last year – too cloudy – so it’s still high on my wish-list. Combined with husky safari, snow-mobiles and reindeer camp in Lapland this sounds amazing! I’d also love to spend a night in a ice hotel – have you ever done this?
I always wanted to stay in an ice hotel, that is until I visited one. Then I rather had second thoughts! I’d rather my room was warm and toasty thank you 🙂
Madagascar and Croatia are on my list too! Apparently Croatia is quite cheap and oh so beautiful…hope we both get a chance to go!
Likewise – it really would be a dream come true!
Great list and interesting opportunity! I saw it on twitter earlier today and thought it is for Uk bloggers only. Plitvice lake and waterfalls is a dream for me too 😉
-Sianna
Glad you spotted it. Anyone can enter but the flights are from the UK. Good luck if you enter.
This is an awesome contest! I can’t really find the contest page on their website though… but is this open to Europeans (just flight tickets from anywhere in Europe to Finland?)
Anyhow, awesome top 3! I would personally want to see them too!
The contest is open to any blogger from anywhere but the prize only includes flights from the UK to Lapland. There’s a link to the competition page in my post under the section on ‘The Prize’ and another to the T&Cs under ‘How to Enter’.
I can see why India is on your bucket list Kat. It’s one that will always be on mine, even though I’ve been there 5 times! So much to see and I get so invigorated every time I visit. The Croatian waterfalls would be amazing to spend time photographing-and my how they change with the seasons. I thought the middle photo was of New England!
What fabulous photos (as usual) and two of your three have been on my bucket list for a long time too! I had never even heard of Plitvice but I’ve added that too!
Good luck in the competition xxx
Doesn’t Plitvice look amazing. So stunning. Hope we both get to go there one day. Sadly as I’m one of the hosts for this competition I can’t enter but thank you just the same. Kat x
I want this! But, I have a feeling that this is only for UK #bloggers, though I can’t see exactly where it says this. I want to go on the dog sleds! As Australia is sort of part of the UK, then I should be eligible :))
The competition is open to all bloggers, not just UK bloggers, but the flights are from the UK and you’d have to make your own arrangements to get here.
Loved the time I saw the Northern Lights in Greenland – such an amazing display we were treated to.
Second your suggestion of Madagascar… it’s somewhere that’s intrigued me for many years, ever since I did a study of lemurs a long, long time ago now… but somewhere I’ve still yet to get to. One day, hopefully! 🙂
I would LOVE to go to Madagascar one day! I hear it’s an absolute nature-lover’s paradise! And I had totally missed that you’ve seen the Northern Lights-how spectacular! I don’t know how people brave the cold but I know I need to try and do so one day if I’m ever going to catch a glimpse myself 🙂
Looks like a fun trip especially on Huskies, sounds like it needs to be on my bucket list of experiences to discover some day!
Indeed it is Noel. And i bet oyu’d come bac with some cracking photos.
I’m not going to lie…freezing my backside off in cold locations doesn’t seem to exciting, but witnessing the Northern Lights? That’s tremendous! Also, the three places on your bucket list are great…I definitely want to see Madagascar (the island, not the movie).
Wear the right gear and you’ll remain warm and toasty (mostly!).