Northern Lights Chase in Finland: Local Guide & Campfire

Follow the forecast to the clearest sky, then watch from a private spot away from the crowds.

A Northern Lights chase from Tromsø guided by a local Sámi expert who adjusts the route each evening based on weather and aurora forecasts, sometimes crossing into Finland for better conditions. The tour includes a private viewing location, campfire with warm drinks and a meal made from local ingredients, and professional photography help. Five to seven hours; children from age 10 welcome; bring your passport in case the route crosses the border.

Step-by-step itinerary

Northern Lights chase and campfire meal

• Meet guide at Kirkegata 2
• Travel to valleys and fjords near Tromsø
• Listen to Sámi stories and Arctic life
• Drive to best clear sky location
• Set up camp away from crowds
• Light bonfire and serve warm drinks
• Enjoy traditional snacks and warm meal
• Watch sky and wait for Northern Lights
• Guide assists with photography
• Return to Tromsø and hotel drop-off

The Experience

Your guide meets you at Kirkegata 2 in Tromsø and drives into the quiet valleys and fjords surrounding the city, leaving the light pollution behind. The route is not fixed. It depends on that evening's cloud cover and aurora forecast. If conditions are better near the Finnish border or across it, you travel there instead. This flexibility is what gives you the best chance of clear skies, and your guide's local knowledge of which valleys stay cloudless and which spots the tour groups miss is what makes the difference between a night spent waiting and a night spent watching.

When you reach the right location, a small campfire is lit at a private viewing spot reserved for your group. While the sky is watched, you sit by the warmth with hot chocolate, herbal tea, traditional snacks and a meal prepared from local ingredients. Your guide shares stories about Sámi traditions and Arctic life as you wait. If the aurora appears, your guide helps with camera settings and takes photos for you throughout the night, so you have images beyond what your own phone captures.

The return to Tromsø and drop-off at your hotel happens when the experience ends, which can be late: the tour runs five to seven hours depending on how far the drive goes and how long conditions hold. Bring thermal layers, a hat, gloves, warm shoes and your passport. If you have your own camera and tripod, bring those too so your guide can help you frame the shots you want.

What’s included

• Professional photos taken by your guide.
• snacks and a warm meal made from local ingredients.
• hot chocolate, herbal tea and coffee.
• thermal suit.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Tromsø.

Days and timesDaily · 18:00

AgesAges 17+ · 10 to 16 years · Under 10 — No ticket type: can't be added to a booking

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup2 pickup points to choose from.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h 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 yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for back problems

Operated by Arctic Aurora Tours AS

Is this one for you?This is a shared tour with a guide who reads the conditions and drives the route each night, so it suits travelers who want expert local knowledge and the flexibility to chase clear skies rather than a fixed itinerary. If you prefer to stay in one spot and wait, or if you need to be back by a set time, a different tour may fit better.

Traveler reviews

4.89★★★★★★★★★★

95 verified traveler reviews

5 ★90

4 ★1

3 ★3

2 ★1

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Norwegian.

Can children come?

10 to 16 years. Under 10: no ticket type, they can't be added to a booking.

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 24h before the start.

How does the guide decide where to drive on the night of the tour?

The guide checks the latest weather, cloud cover and aurora forecasts before you leave and adjusts the route that evening to chase the clearest skies, sometimes traveling all the way to Finland if conditions are better there.

What happens if the Northern Lights don't appear?

You still spend the evening in the quiet valleys outside Tromsø with the campfire, warm meal and your guide's stories about Sámi traditions and Arctic life. The tour runs its full length regardless of whether the aurora shows.

Can I bring my own camera and take pictures myself?

Yes, bring your own camera and a tripod if you want to take pictures, and your guide will help you with settings and composition throughout the night. The tour also includes professional photos your guide captures for you.

What's included in the meal at the campfire?

The tour includes a warm meal made from local ingredients, hot chocolate, herbal tea and traditional snacks served while you wait by the fire.