Tromso: Northern Lights Hunt & Portrait with Professional Photographer

Hunt the Aurora with a Photographer Who Knows Where to Find It

You spend the evening searching for Aurora Borealis in the valleys around Tromso with a professional photographer and local guide who knows the sky. You wear provided winter gear, drink hot soup, and get tips on camera settings if you brought one, or just watch while Vidar shoots and emails you the photos. He takes your portrait against the lights and sends it to you after. The tour runs as long as the sky stays clear, and you return when the aurora fades or the moment feels complete.

Step-by-step itinerary

Aurora Borealis photo tour

• Meet guide and photographers
• Receive winter suits and boots
• Learn about local legends and myths
• Search for Aurora Borealis outdoors
• Get photography tips from guide
• Guide takes your portrait photo
• Receive portrait photo via email

The experience

"The lights don't come on a schedule," Vidar says, pulling the truck onto a quiet road outside Tromso, "but they come to people who stay patient and keep looking." He's been chasing the Northern Lights for years: first as a local, then as a photographer, now as a guide who carries both a camera and the kind of calm that makes waiting in the Arctic feel like the point, not the problem. You're here to search for Aurora Borealis, and he's the one who knows the valleys and ridges around Tromso where the sky clears first.

The night unfolds in layers. You start bundled in a winter suit and dry boots that actually fit. The tour provides everything, which means you're not renting gear that smells like a hundred other people's feet or shivering because you guessed wrong on the thickness. Vidar shares stories about trolls and local legends while you wait, and the conversation keeps the cold from feeling like the enemy. If you brought a camera, he'll walk you through the settings and positioning. If you didn't, he'll shoot the aurora himself and send you the photos by email anyway, so you're not standing there wishing you'd brought something to hold. Around midnight, or whenever the moment feels right, he'll take your portrait against the lights and email that to you too.

The tour includes hot vegetable soup and biscuits, coffee or tea: small things that matter when you're outside for hours in the dark. Vidar speaks English, French, Spanish and Norwegian, so the stories land without translation lag. The group stays small enough that he can actually help each person, not just point and move on. If the dates in the calendar don't match your trip, you can message and ask. They'll try to arrange something. One thing to know: you'll need your passport, because the search sometimes takes you across the border into Finland, and Tromso sits close enough that it's easier to follow the lights than to stay put.

Book this if you want someone who actually lives here and shoots professionally to be the one deciding where to go and when to stop. The waiting is real, and the lights aren't guaranteed, but the difference between a random night outside and a night with Vidar is the difference between hoping and knowing where to look.

What’s included

Your evening includes professional winter suit and dry boots fitted to your size, a tripod, hot vegetable soup with biscuits, coffee and tea, guidance from a professional photographer and local guide who speaks English, French, Spanish or Norwegian, and a portrait photograph taken against the aurora and emailed to you after the tour. The guide will also help with camera settings and positioning if you've brought your own camera, or shoot the aurora for you if you haven't.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 10 Feb 2027

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (15 to 17 years) · Child (1 to 14 years)

GroupUp to 7

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

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 28 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Creative Vacations

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a guide who actually lives in Tromso and shoots professionally to decide where to search for the lights, rather than joining a larger group that moves on a fixed schedule. The small group size and provided gear mean you can focus on the sky instead of managing logistics or staying warm.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (15 to 17 years); Child (1 to 14 years).

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.

Do I need a camera to book this tour?

No. The guide will photograph the aurora and send you the images by email. You're welcome to bring your own camera and get tips on settings, but it's not required.

What's included in the tour?

Winter suit, dry boots, tripod, professional guide, hot vegetable soup, biscuits, coffee or tea, and a portrait emailed to you after the tour.

How long does the tour last?

The tour runs as long as conditions allow and the aurora is visible. Plan for several hours of searching under the open sky.

Why do I need a passport?

The search for Northern Lights sometimes crosses the border into Finland, so a passport is mandatory.

What if the aurora doesn't appear?

The tour still runs and you'll spend the evening searching the sky around Tromso. The lights are not guaranteed, but the guide knows the best viewing locations.

Can I book a different date if my preferred time isn't available?

Yes. If your dates aren't in the calendar, you can message the tour operator and they'll try to arrange a custom departure.

Do I need to be very fit for this tour?

A moderate level of physical fitness is recommended, as you'll be spending several hours outside in cold conditions.