Northern Lights tour from Tromsø: Chase the Aurora Borealis

Chase the Aurora across Tromsø's Arctic wilderness with a guide who knows where to look

A seven-hour Northern Lights tour from Tromsø that departs the city center and moves through surrounding mountains, fjords and valleys in search of clear skies for the Aurora Borealis. Your expert local guide drives a heated coach equipped with toilets, stops at multiple viewing points to scan for activity, and photographs you with the lights. You receive the images free after the tour. Thermal suits, a warm meal, hot drinks, Norwegian snacks and a bonfire keep you comfortable through the night hunt.

Step-by-step itinerary

Northern Lights chase around Tromsø

• Meet guide in Tromsø city center
• Travel into mountains, fjords, valleys
• Stop for photos of scenery
• Check for northern lights sightings
• Stay warm with thermal suit and bonfire
• Enjoy warm meal, hot drinks, snacks
• Relax and watch northern lights show
• Receive free professional photos
• Return to hotel drop-off

The experience

The tour starts in Tromsø city center and moves into the Arctic wilderness surrounding the region. Your guide, fluent in English and trained in aurora behavior, drives the coach deeper into the mountains, fjords and valleys, stopping at multiple locations to check for clear skies and signs of the Northern Lights. Each stop gives you a chance to step out, scan the horizon and photograph the scenery while the guide assesses conditions. The coach itself has toilets and heating, so you're not exposed to the cold between stops.

Staying warm is built into the day: you wear a thermal suit provided by the tour, and the bonfire at one of the stops radiates heat while you wait and watch. A warm meal, hot drinks and typical Norwegian snacks and biscuits come with the tour, so you're fed and hydrated through the seven hours. The guide carries tripods and headlights, and takes professional photographs of you against the Aurora when it appears. Those images are yours to keep, sent to you after the tour ends.

The chase itself is the point: your guide's knowledge of local weather patterns, geography and aurora forecasts shapes where the coach goes each night. You're not watching from a fixed location or a crowded viewing platform. You're moving with someone who hunts the lights for a living. Hotel drop-off is included at the end of the night, though you'll need to arrange your own transport to the meeting point in the city center.

What’s included

• Expert local guide fluent in English.
• transportation in a heated coach with toilets.
• thermal suits.
• a warm meal and hot drinks.
• typical Norwegian snacks and biscuits.
• a bonfire at one stop.
• professional photographs of you with the Northern Lights, taken by the guide and provided free after the tour.
• tripods and headlights.
• hotel drop-off at the end of the night.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 17:20

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (4 and older) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish

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 or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancy

Operated by Snow-Travels

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want an active hunt for the Aurora rather than a stationary viewing experience: the guide's knowledge of local conditions and willingness to chase clear skies across the landscape is what gives you the best chance to see the lights. Not recommended for children under four or pregnant travelers.

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Top questions

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.

What should I wear on a Northern Lights tour from Tromsø?

Thermal suits are provided by the tour, so you don't need to bring your own. Wear warm layers underneath, a hat, gloves and insulated shoes. The Arctic night is cold even with the thermal suit, and you'll be stepping outside at multiple stops to watch and photograph. The coach is heated between locations.

How does the guide find the Northern Lights if they're not visible from the city?

Your guide drives the coach into the surrounding mountains, fjords and valleys, stopping at multiple locations to look for clear skies away from light pollution. The guide reads weather forecasts and aurora activity reports before each tour and chooses the route based on where conditions are clearest that night. You move with the guide as they hunt, rather than waiting in one spot.

Do I get to keep the photos the guide takes?

Yes, the guide photographs you and the Northern Lights using tripods and professional equipment, and you receive the images free of charge after the tour ends. The photos are part of the tour price.

How long is the Northern Lights tour and what time does it start?

The tour runs for seven hours. You meet your guide in Tromsø city center. The exact departure time varies depending on darkness and aurora forecasts, which change with the season.

Is the coach comfortable for a seven-hour tour?

The coach is heated and equipped with toilets, so you have basic comfort during the long night. You'll step outside at multiple stops to view and photograph, but you're not exposed to the cold for the entire duration. A bonfire at one location provides additional warmth while you wait and watch.