5 Tromsø Northern Lights Tours Worth Your Money (in 2025)

I have been lucky to see the northern lights in Tromsø several times and while I have seen them plenty of times on tours, I have also been pretty successful at finding them on my own.

However, if you’re new to the Arctic and this is your first trip there, I highly recommend booking a Tromsø northern lights tour!

In this guide, I will give you all the top tips for seeing the northern lights in Tromsø, including my favorite aurora tours (and even one that offers a discount on a second tour if you are unlucky on your first) and more.

Throughout my Tromsø aurora guide, you can expect an overview to help you compare and find the best tour for you and your travel group and a broken-down itinerary for my top 5 tours.

At the end, there is a small section advising what to wear and how to photograph the northern lights. As someone who lives in the Arctic and has seen them hundreds of times, I really have my fingers crossed for you and want to maximize your chances of seeing them on your Tromsø adventure!

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out and ask. I am happy to help and make ticking off this bucket list item one of your best memories!

Please note that northern lights tours in Tromsø do book up quickly and the demand often exceeds the supply so be sure to reserve your spot on one asap!

Why I Recommend Booking a Tromsø Northern Lights Tour

You can definitely see the northern lights on your own, but, if you’re a beginner aurora hunter, you really need to learn the ropes from an expert. And, one with a vehicle!

While the northern lights are visible from the city center in Tromsø, their visibility depends on two things: light pollution and weather.

Weather is variable but the light pollution is not. That is why it is best to escape the city on a tour! This will also allow you to hunt for clear skies between patches of clouds if the weather does not play in your favor.

The northern lights can also be tricky to spot on your own if you don’t know what you are looking for. They don’t always appear very bright to the naked eye, especially if the solar winds are weak. A guide will show you how to spot them (and how to take a photo of them).

Choosing the Right Northern Lights Tour in Tromsø

Before I get into what each of these tours entails, let me do a quick overview so you can see which tour is right for you!

Dedicated vs. Combo Northern Lights Tour

In this guide, you will often see me refer to something as a ‘dedicated’ northern lights tour or a ‘combo’ northern lights tour. These are names I made up to describe the types of northern lights tours that are offered.

Here is a bit more of an explanation:

Dedicated Northern Lights Tour

A dedicated northern lights tour is one whose mission is to ONLY see the northern lights. You may also get a fire and hot drinks, but there is no other activity included in the tour.

These tours tend to be small groups (occasionally there can be a large bus depending on your tour provider) and you will drive to a few locations outside of the city with an expert guide.

Combo Northern Lights Tour

A combo northern lights tour takes place at night and includes an activity that MAY also have the possibility of seeing the northern lights. If the aurora conditions are right, you usually get to see the aurora while on your tour.

Some examples of these tours are evening boat tours, husky farms, and reindeer farms (Sami cultural experiences) that take place at night. The reason I love these combo tour options is that if you don’t get clear skies and a chance to view the aurora, you still leave feeling like your money was well spent.

I hope this makes sense. I recommend taking one dedicated northern lights tour (your first night) and a combo tour your second night (usually a Sami reindeer experience).

Best Tromsø Northern Lights Tours

Below is a breakdown of the Tromsø aurora tours in this guide. I also give you the information on how to book!

1. Best Tromsø Northern Lights Tour (My Top Pick; Offers Guarantee)

Duration: 7 hours
Languages: English
Meeting Point: Polar Adventures office at Tromsø Harbor
Wheelchair-accessible: No
➡️ CHECK PRICES HERE

On this tour, you will head out into the Arctic wilderness to capture the elusive aurora! You may need to travel as far east as the Swedish and Finnish borders, but the tour will make a dedicated effort hoping that you can find some clear skies. This is a 7-hour aurora tour that will take your group around in a minibus.

During the tour, you will head to a few different spots and also have a chance to pose for photos that you will receive once the tour is complete.

At your stops, you will have a chance to meet other travelers, toast marshmallows over a fire, and warm up with a hot drink. There are thermal suits on the minibus that you can throw on if the temperatures get the best of you (a few people on my tour put them on).

The reason that this is my favorite Tromsø northern lights excursion is because it offers a discount for a follow-up tour if you don’t get lucky enough to spot the northern lights. This is a HUGE deal.

I always recommend booking your tour for the beginning of your trip just in case you are not successful and need to book a second one (it happens – nature can be so unpredictable).

2. Aurora Borealis Tour from Tromsø (Another Small-Group Option)

Duration: 6 hours
Languages: English
Meeting Point: Scandic Ishavshotel in Tromsø
Wheelchair-accessible: No
➡️ CHECK PRICES HERE

This tour is operated by a company called Arctic Breeze and it is one of the most popular experiences in the city. The ratings are incredible and it is a minibus tour that goes for 6 hours.

You will meet your English-speaking guides who will take you by bus outside of Tromsø to search for the aurora and discover places where you can relax and photograph it when (and if) it comes out.

The bus is comfortable and the guide(s) will help you set up your tripod and camera with the right settings so you can take your own photos of your night. Thermal suits are available if you get cold. Hot drinks are also included.

3. Reindeer Ranch and Northern Lights in Tromsø (Best Combo Tour)

Duration: 4.5 hours
Languages: English
Meeting Point: Beside Radisson Blu in Tromsø (closer to the Rorbua Pub)
Wheelchair-accessible: Yes (let them know beforehand just for the heads up)
➡️ CHECK PRICES HERE

Put on your warm clothes and venture out of Tromsø to a reindeer camp where you will have dinner, listen to Sami stories, meet and feed reindeer, and hopefully see the northern lights!

This is a 5-hour-long activity and it is my favorite combo tour. Throughout the evening, you will get to learn a lot about Sami culture and why reindeer have played a huge part historically and presently.

On my tour, we were bussed to Tromsø Arctic Reindeer and then we had a chance to feed the reindeer and come back inside for dinner and hot drinks. The reindeer feeding took quite some time and the northern lights were overhead throughout the whole thing!

While I am not a fan of reindeer sledding myself, if this is something that is on your bucket list (or your kids’ bucket list), you can also take an evening tour that includes it. Fingers crossed for the aurora!

4. Tromsø Northern Lights Chase by Electric Catamaran

Duration: 3.5 hours
Languages: English
Meeting Point: Brim Explorer (Kaigata 6)
Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
➡️ CHECK PRICES HERE

Brim Explorer offers some of my favorite boat tours in Tromsø on their electric catamarans and their northern lights tour is an amazing way for you to get to enjoy hanging out on the water, eat dinner, and look out the northern lights.

While I haven’t taken this northern lights tour yet (I usually do the Sami reindeer ranch combo tours so I can feed the reindeer), I have been on Brim Explorer’s catamarans in both Tromsø and the Lofoten Islands. I just tend to go on day tours on the boats.

On this northern lights boat tour in Tromsø, you will have a chance to see some famous landmarks around the island before you are served a dinner of Arctic tapas and drinks. You will need to notify them beforehand if you are a vegetarian. Alcoholic drinks are available for purchase.

The boat is beautiful and modern! It is also pretty spacious and is wheelchair-accessible. Let them know before so they can get you set up on the first floor (there is also an accessible restroom down there).

5. Tromsø Aurora Tour and Husky Visit (with Dinner)

Duration: 4 hours
Languages: English
Meeting Point: Radisson Blu
Wheelchair-accessible: No
➡️ CHECK PRICES HERE

This is a unique combo tour in that you get to hang out with dogs while seeing the northern lights over Tromsø. Please note that this tour is merely a husky farm visit… you will not be dog-sledding.

Once you meet your group at the Radisson Blu, you will head out to Tromsø Villmarkssenter where an English-speaking guide will introduce you to the dogs and you can see if the northern lights have shown up yet.

The evening will have a campfire where you can roast marshmallows and enjoy a delicious bacalao dinner made with Norwegian stockfish. It is a night to remember and a great combo tour option for families visiting Tromsø.

What to Wear on a Northern Lights Tour

Here are some things I recommend bringing (and packing) for your northern lights tour in Tromsø:

• Winter parka
• Wool sweater
• Mittens/gloves: I like mittens as they keep you warmer, but can make photography challenging – so go with what feels best for you. I have a pair of photography gloves from Vallerret, a Norwegian brand specializing in cold-weather photography accessories.
• Wool hat: I wear ones from Haddock, a Lofoten brand that you can also purchase at Intersport in Tromsø… but any will do.
• Thick socks with snow/winter boots: I wear Fubuki boots – can see one of my pairs below!
• Base layers: Kari Traa (women) and Devold are great brands to check out.
• Hand Warmers: Some people may argue the need for these – but if your hands are cold, your hands are cold! You can bring along one-time-use ones (can find them all over Tromsø center) or rechargeable ones. The rechargeable ones must be packed in your carry-on luggage.

Tips for Photographing the Northern Lights

I will create a more detailed guide one of these days, but here is a quick overview to help you learn how to photograph the northern lights on a camera.

You will need three essential things to photograph the northern lights if you do not want to use your phone:

• Camera that you can switch to manual and adjust the settings on (you can see my exact camera below)
• Wide-angle or prime lens (I use a 20mm)
• Tripod

Once you have the camera in front of you, you will need to adjust a few of its settings. These settings will be dependent on the aurora activity and intensity, but here is a good overview of where to start:

• ISO: The higher the ISO, the more light will be let in and the grainier the photo will be – start at 2000 and try to decrease.
• Shutter speed: The longer the shutter speed, the more light that will be let in. Start at 3 seconds.
• F-stop: How wide the lens is open – go as low as you can with the number as this means more light is allowed in. Keep it on that number and don’t move it around.
• Manual focus: On the side of the lens you should see a small toggle between AF and MF. Move it to MF. Just remember to toggle back after your aurora tour.

Just remember that the higher the ISO that you have, the more ‘noise’ you will have in your photo. Noise = graininess. Try to keep the number low, but still have enough light to capture the aurora.

The trickiest part about photographing the northern lights is focusing with the manual focus, from my experience. You will need to make sure it is set to manual focus (the photo below shows you what I mean) and then focus to infinity.

However, infinity is not clear on most cameras so work your way back a bit and see where your camera focuses best.

The best way to do this is to pick an object in your scene and use it as your guinea pig. You can use a tree (make it as crisp and detailed as possible) or the stars (make sure they are as small as they go).

My Camera Gear

• Here is the Sony camera that I used for the northern lights (this is not a beginner’s camera) – an iPhone (or other newer phone) also does pretty good these days!
• Here is the wide-angle lens I use. It is a 20mm, F1.8 and I have been using this for over 3 years for northern lights photos.
• Don’t forget a tripod! This is my tripod. You can find cheaper versions like this one from K&F (that will work just fine if you’re a beginner).
• Also, bring a camera remote or intervalometer. You can use your camera’s timer if you forget.
• Bring a headlamp or flashlight if you want a photo of yourself in front of the lights (I sometimes use the flashlight on my phone which can also work well).
• Spare batteries are lifesavers in the cold, Arctic weather. If you’re using your phone for photography, bring a power bank!

I think that these Tromsø northern lights tours give you the best chance of seeing the aurora while you’re on your trip to the Arctic.

I hope this guide helps you see the northern lights in Tromsø – let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!

More Tromsø Activity Guides

• How to see the northern lights in Tromsø
• Whale watching tours in Tromsø
• Tromsø whale watching tips
• Dog sledding in Tromsø
• Sami cultural experiences in Tromsø
• Best snowmobiling tours in Tromsø

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