Tromsø
The busiest aurora town in the Arctic, the least open sky in Norway, and the best machinery for escaping it
More aurora tours leave Tromsø on a January evening than leave any other town on earth. That is a mixed blessing. The competition has pushed a seat on a large coach below 100 EUR and produced a class of guide who reads three weather models before dinner and knows which valley clears first when the wind turns southwest. It has also produced pull-offs where six vehicles park together and forty people stand in each other's photographs.
And it sits on the least open sky in Norway. Eleven seasons of reanalysis give Tromsø a usable sky on 25.4% of season nights, against 32.9% at Bodø and 29.3% at Alta, both of which beat it in all seven months. This is the coast, the Gulf Stream keeps it warm and wet, and the cloud is the whole business.
Which is exactly why the tours here look the way they do. The 74 departures divide into four kinds of night, and the difference between them is not really the price. It is how far the vehicle can go and how quickly it can change its mind. Everything else, the thermal suit, the campfire, the reindeer sausage, the free portrait, is a variation on comfort while you wait.
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Northern Lights Experiences in Tromsø
Northern Lights Evening at the Husky Camp near Tromso
An evening at an aurora camp outside Tromsø, with professional guides and a clear view of the northern sky. The dog yard is part of the visit, puppies included.
Northern Lights Expedition from Tromso for Six with an Arctic Photo Guide
This one asks something of you: it suits people who are fit and comfortable walking on ice and snow, in a group of six.
Northern Lights Hunt in Tromso by Minibus with WiFi On Board
An aurora safari by Mercedes Sprinter minibus, leaving from Tromsø and driving out through snow covered mountains and fjords, which is where the good…
Northern Lights Minibus Chase from Tromso with Chasing Lights
The minibus version of the chase, with a smaller group and more room to change plan mid evening.
Northern Lights Minibus from Tromso with Photos, Dinner and Warm Suits
The guides on this one talk, and that is the point of it. They cover both the science of what makes the aurora and the folklore that grew up around it long…
Northern Lights Minivan Excursion from Tromso, 8 Guests per Van
Every evening the operator reads the latest weather update and picks the area around Tromsø with the best chance of clear sky.
Northern Lights Tour from Kvaloya with Steam Tours
Steam Tours keeps the groups small, so nobody spends the evening at the back of a crowd. There is no fixed route.
Northern Lights Tour from Tromso with Arctic Glow, Local Guides and Photos
Arctic Glow is a family run company, and the guides were born and raised in northern Norway.
Northern Lights Yacht Cruise with Hot Tub from Tromso, 12 Guests
A four hour evening cruise on Stella Oceana, a 33 metre sailing yacht that takes a maximum of 12 guests.
Private Northern Lights Chase from Tromso with Photography
The private version of the chase, with photography included and only your own group in the vehicle. That matters most at the stop.
Private Northern Lights Experience from Tromso in a Mercedes
A private aurora chase for your group alone. Green is the common colour, but strong displays add purple and pink as the activity reaches higher altitudes.
Private Northern Lights Tour from Tromso with Greenlander
A private aurora tour, shaped around whoever is in the vehicle. That works for a family, a group of friends or colleagues, someone arriving late and wanting…
Private Northern Lights Tour near Tromso in a VIP Mercedes
A private aurora tour for solo travellers, couples and families, with pickup and drop-off and an evening shaped around what you actually want from it.
Reindeer Feeding and Sami Culture with a Chance of Northern Lights
This one is about the animals, and there is no rush built into it. The reindeer are calm and curious, they come over to eat out of your hand, and you get time…
Sami Reindeer Camp Visit and Aurora Night from Tromso
Two halves to this one. First a traditional Sámi reindeer camp, where you meet the herd.
Sami Reindeer Sledding and Feeding with a Chance of Northern Lights
An evening with reindeer under a dark sky, with the aurora as the possible extra rather than the promise. The sled ride and the feeding come first, outdoors.
Small Group 4x4 Van Journey in Search of the Northern Lights
The guides read the weather predictions before every departure and stay in contact with a wider network of guides through the evening, which is how a single…
Small Group Northern Lights Chase from Downtown Tromso
An aurora chase for people who would rather not share the evening with a coachload.
Small Group Northern Lights Tour from Tromso with Photos, 7 Hours
A seven hour aurora hunt from Tromsø in a group capped at 16, heading well away from the roadside spots the coaches use.
Small Group Quest for the Northern Lights in Tromso by 4x4 Van
An aurora hunt through northern Norway in a 4x4 van, with a guide who is also a photographer and has years of reading this area's weather patterns.
Small Group Tromso Northern Lights Chase with Photos and Dinner
The operator reports that more than 10,000 visitors took this tour last season.
Small Northern Lights Tour, Max 8 Guests, with Pickup and RAW Photos
Eight guests, one seat each, no crowding at the window or at the viewpoint. The photography is the unusual part.
Tromso Aurora Cruise with a Three Course Dinner on Board
A northern lights cruise with dinner: three courses prepared by a local Tromsø restaurant, eaten on board while the boat looks for the aurora.
Tromso Aurora Hunt in a Small Group of Six with a Local Guide
A 5 to 6 hour hunt for clear sky around Tromsø, leaving at 19:00 and heading in whichever direction the night favours, away from the city lights.
Ratings collected by Viator and Tripadvisor