Aurora hunt in Tromsø with Italian guide and professional photos

Chase the aurora across the Arctic night, not from a tour bus in town

A small-group Northern Lights hunt from Tromsø with an Italian-speaking guide who drives you to clear skies, sometimes crossing into Finland, and teaches you to photograph the aurora yourself while he shoots professional images for you. You'll wait by a bonfire with hot soup and warm drinks, dressed in thermal suits, for five to seven hours while the guide reads the weather and maximizes your odds of catching the display.

Step-by-step itinerary

Aurora Borealis hunting experience

• Leave Tromsø to avoid light pollution
• Travel to clear sky location, possibly Finland
• Choose intimate spot away from other tours
• Wait for Aurora appearance by fire
• Enjoy soup, cookies, and hot chocolate
• Receive thermal suits for cold weather
• Learn camera settings for Aurora photos
• Photographer takes professional pictures
• Use weather knowledge to maximize Aurora chances

The experience

The hunt starts by leaving Tromsø's light pollution behind. Where you go depends on the evening's weather: clouds can hide the aurora, so the guide checks conditions across the region and drives toward clear sky, even crossing the Finnish border if that's where the night is darkest. This is not a fixed route. It's a real search, and the guide uses local weather knowledge and forecasting tools to put you in the right place. Tromsø's own forecast means nothing. What matters is the sky where you actually wait.

Once you find the spot, the guide picks an intimate location away from other tour groups and artificial light. A bonfire burns while you settle in with homemade soup, bread, biscuits, and hot chocolate, coffee or tea (all vegan, gluten-free on request). The wait is part of the experience. The aurora can appear in minutes or take a couple of hours. While you wait, the guide explains the science and culture of the lights, and if you've brought a camera, he walks you through the settings to capture it yourself. He also shoots professional photographs so you leave with images that are his work, not just your phone's.

Thermal suits are provided for temperatures that can swing from +5°C to −30°C, though you should wear base layers underneath. The tour runs five to seven hours depending on how far the search takes you. Nature is unpredictable (some nights the sky stays clouded or solar activity is weak), but even a twenty-minute gap in the clouds can deliver the display. The guide cannot guarantee the aurora will appear, but his job is to maximize the odds you'll be standing in the right place if it does.

What’s included

• Photography workshop to set up your camera for the Northern Lights.
• professional photos taken by the guide.
• thermal suits for Arctic temperatures.
• hot homemade soup with bread, biscuits, and hot chocolate, coffee or tea (vegan, gluten-free on request).
• professional tripods for stable shots.
• a bonfire for warmth and atmosphere.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday, Wednesday and FridayDeparts at 18:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Youth (14 to 17 years) · Child (2 to 13 years) · Infant (under 2)

GroupUp to 8

Live guideItalian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Your Tromsø Guide

Is this one for you?You learn to photograph the aurora yourself while the guide shoots professional images for you, so you leave with both your own shots and his: a small group of up to eight means you're not competing for the guide's attention or standing elbow-to-elbow with strangers. The Italian-speaking guide suits anyone who prefers to understand the science and stories in their own language rather than through translation.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (14 to 17 years); Child (2 to 13 years); Infant (under 2).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I bring my own camera and learn to photograph the aurora myself?

Yes. The guide includes a photography workshop teaching you to set up your camera to capture the lights, and he'll adjust settings with you as the aurora appears. He also shoots professional photos separately so you have high-quality images whether or not your own shots work out.

What if the sky is cloudy in Tromsø on the night of my tour? Should I cancel?

No. Tromsø's weather does not determine the tour. The guide drives out to find clear sky, sometimes traveling far from the city or crossing into Finland. Cloud cover over the town is exactly why you leave it behind.

How cold does it get, and what should I wear?

Arctic winter temperatures range from +5°C to −30°C. Thermal suits are provided, but you must wear your own base layers (long underwear, warm socks) underneath. Bring a winter hat, gloves, scarf and insulated boots. The thermal suit covers the rest.

What happens if the aurora doesn't appear?

The guide cannot guarantee the aurora will show: nature is unpredictable, and some nights the sky stays clouded or solar activity is too weak. However, even a brief opening in the clouds can reveal the display, and the guide uses weather forecasting and local knowledge to maximize your chances of being in the right place. Nights without the aurora are rare.

Will we cross into Finland, and do I need my passport?

The guide may cross the Finnish border if that's where the clearest sky is. Bring your passport in case the border crossing is necessary.