The winter season in Tromsø runs from November to April, with the peak season during the Christmas holidays and in February and March. In our Facebook travel groups, “Lofoten & Tromsø: Travel Planning Community” and “Norway – Tips for Travelers,” we now see that many people have left activity bookings to the last minute and often wonder who still has availability for a particular day.
That’s why we created this page, which allows you to see the which tours in Tromso are available right now.
We hope it will save you some time and help you find the right match for you!
In 2005, five companies sold Northern Lights products in Tromsø. Nowadays, approximately 100 tour providers include Northern Lights tours in their portfolios, making it challenging to choose the best one.
However, Northern Lights tours from different providers have a few significant differences. For example, they all operate with the same weather and aurora forecast, and guides from different companies share information with each other. Therefore, the success rate between companies might be less variable than you think.
Since the aurora borealis generally extend from 80 kilometers (50 miles) to 640 kilometers (400 miles) above the Earth’s surface, you will not be chasing the northern lights but rather searching for a clear sky. So, if the weather around Tromsø doesn’t look very promising and only a few places might have a clearance in cloud coverage, you can bump into other tours that went for the same spot.
Read more about the northern lights and the companies in Tromso that we recommend.
Wandering Owl provides classic Northern Lights chases in a minibus, accommodating up to 15 people. What stands out about them is their commitment to sustainability and active participation in various Citizen Science projects. These efforts contribute significantly to the protection of the Arctic tundra and promote responsible tourism.
✅ Minibus Tour (up to 15px)
✅ Thermal suits, winter boots, hats, mittens
✅ Souvenir photos in web-sized resolution (sent via email after the tour)
❌ Children under 6 years
❌ People with mobility impairments
Nico, the founder of Arctic Photo Guide, offers what are likely the smallest Northern Lights tours in Tromso. His approach is quite unique; he takes you on tours using his 4WD vehicle and provides snowshoes or spikes. This allows you to truly explore off-the-beaten-path areas in nature, rather than just stopping at a roadside parking spot.
✅ Small Group (up to 6px)
✅ Thermal suits, snowshoes, crampons
✅ Photos included
❌ Children under 13 years
❌ People with mobility impairments
✅ Big Coach Bus (up to 40px)
✅ There is no refund if the northern lights do not appear, but you will be subject to a 50% discount on a new tour if you do not spot the lights on your first tour (upon availability)
❌ Thermal clothes
❌ Pictures taken by a professional photographer (available for purchase)
✅ Minibus Tour (up to 15px)
✅ Thermal suits, winter boots, hats, mittens
✅ Souvenir photos in web-sized resolution (sent via email after the tour)
❌ People with mobility impairments
✅ Minibus Tour (up to 15px)
✅ Thermal suits, winter boots, hats, mittens
✅ Professional pictures taken during the evening and sent to you 72 hours after the tour at the latest
❌ This tour requires a minimum of 6 guests to operate and may get cancelled if there are not enough bookings
❌ People with mobility impairments
✅ Minibus Tour (up to 15px)
✅ Thermal suits, winter boots, hats, mittens
✅ Digital photos sent 24 hours after by email
❌ There is a minimum of 4 people needed to run this tour
❌ People with mobility impairments
✅ Minibus Tour (up to 15px)
✅ Thermal suits
✅ High-resolution photos for free
❌ Children under 8 years
❌ People with mobility impairments
✅ Small Tour (up to 8px)
✅ Thermal suits
❌ Pictures in high resolutions are available for purchase after the tour on their website
❌ Children under 6 years
❌ People with mobility impairments
✅ Minibus Tour (up to 15px)
✅ Thermal suits
✅ Professional pictures
❌ Children under 10 years
❌ People with mobility impairments
✅ Small Group (up to 8px)
✅ Thermal suits
✅ Professional photos from the tour
❌ People under 4 ft 4 in (135 cm)
❌ People with mobility impairments
Whale watching allows you to see whales up close and observe their behavior in their natural environment. It is a unique opportunity to learn about these animals and appreciate their beauty and majesty.
During the winter months (November-January), herring migrate into the fjords around Tromsø to feed on plankton and to spawn. This migration attracts a variety of whale species, including humpback whales and killer whales, which follow the herring into the fjords to feed on them.
✅ Provided by Brim Explorer
✅ Provided by Norwegian Travel
✅ Provided by Green Gold of Norway
Dog sledding is a fun activity suitable for anybody since you can choose between a self-driving tour and a tour where an experienced guide drives the sled.
On guided husky sledding, the driving is done by a professional guide, and you sit in the sled, take pictures, and enjoy the ride. This type of dog sledding is perfect for families with young children, people with medical conditions or physical restrictions, and those who want to chill and take it all in.
On a self-drive dog sled safari, you get to be a musher (the sled driver) for the day. Don’t worry if this is your first time trying it. Driving a sled is pretty straightforward, and the dogs know what to do. You steer, break, and now and then, you might need to jump out of the runners and help the dogs.
It can be a physically demanding activity, but it is also a great way to get some exercise and experience the thrill of traveling through the snowy landscape.
The sleds require one person sitting in the sled and one person driving it. You will change positions halfway. If you are a solo traveler, you will get paired up with somebody.
🐾 Self-Drive Husky Sledding
📌 Kvaløya
🐾 Self-Drive Husky Sledding
📌 Kvaløya
🐾 Self-Drive Husky Sledding
📌 Camp Tamok
🐾 Self-Drive Husky Sledding
📌 Breivikeidet
🐾 Shorter and Easier Sledding Tour
🐾 Self-Drive Husky Sledding
📌 Breivikeidet
🐾 Longer Sledding Tour
🐾 Guided Husky Sledding
📌 Kvaløya
Reindeer and Sami people have a connection that is thousands of years old. In fact, according to Norwegian law, only Sámi people who have or had reindeer herding as their primary occupation can conduct reindeer husbandry in the Sámi herding area.
While you can stumble upon reindeer herds while exploring the surroundings of Tromsø, at a reindeer farm, you can get up close and personal with these magnificent animals without disturbing their natural habitat.
You can partake in feeding the reindeer, reindeer sledding, and sharing a traditional meal while listening to the fascinating history of the Sámi people and stories about their culture.
Visiting the reindeer camp is one of my favorite activities in Tromsø. Here, you can read more about our experience visiting Tromsø Arctic Reindeer.
✅ Feeding Reindeer and Sami Culture
❌ No sledding
✅ Feeding Reindeer and Sami Culture
✅ Possiblity to choose short sledding (10min) or long sledding (25-30min)
✅ Evening Tour
✅ Feeding Reindeer and Sami Culture
❌ No sledding
✅ Evening Tour
✅ Feeding Reindeer and Sami Culture
✅ Possibility to choose short sledding (10min) or long sledding (25-30min)
✅ Provided by Tromso Lapland
✅ Feeding Reindeer and Sami Culture
📅 November 1st to Match 31st
✅ Provided by Tromso Lapland
✅ Feeding Reindeer and Sami Culture
✅ Includes Reindeer Sledding
📅 November 1st to Match 31st
✅ Provided by Tromso Lapland
✅ Feeding Reindeer and Sami Culture
❌ No sledding
📅 November 1st to Match 31st
✅ Provided by Tromso Lapland
✅ Feeding Reindeer and Sami Culture
✅ Includes Reindeer Sledding
📅 November 1st to Match 31st
✅ Provided by Norwegian Travel
✅ Feeding Reindeer and Sami Culture
✅ Includes Reindeer Sledding
✅ Smaller herd of reindeer (20-30px)
✅ Provided by Norwegian Travel
✅ Feeding Reindeer and Sami Culture
✅ Includes Reindeer Sledding
✅ Smaller herd of reindeer (20-30px)
✅ Provided by Wondering Reindeer
✅ Small Group Tour (max 16px)
✅ Feeding Reindeer and Sami Culture
✅ Sightseeing trip to Kvaløya and Sommarøy
Disclosure: There are more companies offering dog sledding, northern lights chasing, or reindeer sledding tours in Tromso than those mentioned in this article. The companies selected on this page have their tours listed on GetYourGuide, enabling us to use their availability calendar. If none of the tours mentioned above are available on your selected dates, you can still try your luck by searching online.
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