Tromsø is a colorful town in the north of Norway. It is a dream destination to find adventure, stunning views, majestic sky lights and extreme sports. We travelled there at the end of March when the winter season was finishing, but still we had a great chance to see the Aurora. We enjoyed amazing food and had lots of fun in the snow!
Keep reading to find out how to prepare for your perfect scape in Tromsø as well as valuable tips of accommodation, northern lights hunting, food and much more!
What you should know before flying to Tromsø
Weather in Trømso
The winter season starts in November and finishes in March time and temperatures can range from -5C to +4 c. It is important to check the Weather Forecast to choose the dates of your holiday as well as the Lights forecast. Tromso can be cloudy but has some amazing clear nights, the longer you stay the more chances you have to spot the Aurora.
Money
The official currency in Norway is the Norweigian Krone (NOK). This currency might vary depending of your currency. We always paid in Krones so that the difference wouldn’t be that high. In this time and age it is easy with the credit cards, places usually don’t take Dollars or Euros to pay.
Language
People in Tromsø speak Norwigian and English, there are lots of tourist from all over the world. We even found a very Friendly Spanish guy working in one of the museums. So you will find plenty of diversity there and people are always happy to help.
Clothing and gear
Bring with you underlayers, winter clothes, gloves, jacket, a comfy warm hat and winter boots. Also make sure you bring your camera ready if you want to take pictures of the northern lights.
How to get to Tromsø?
Tromsø has an international airport (Tromsø airport) that receives direct flights from a lot of main cities in Europe and The UK. We travelled from the UK to Oslo where we stopped for a few hours and then we took a domestic fly there. Please make sure you check your destinations carefully, especially because they might use characters from the Norwegian language that you do not understand. We made a mistake with the transfers and missed our flight in Oslo, we didn’t know there were three airports there which were about two hours apart from each other.
Best Accommodation in Tromsø
There are plenty of options to stay in Tromsø. From Hotels, Cabins and Apartments. Prices can vary according to the location, budget and type of accommodation.
Hotels in Tromsø
There are a few big hotels in the town like the Radisson Blu Hotel, which offer lots commodities and great prices. They are usually located closer to the City Center, which allows the tourist walk about and be much more relaxed with the transport. There are other beautiful Local hotel such as The Ami Hotel and the Scandic Grand Tromsø These hotels are usually the meeting points of different tour companies.
Apartments and Cabins
Although the hotels are a great option, we prefer to stay in apartments or cabins. We stayed in a small cabin that we found on Airbnb. The cabin was an independent cabin behind the main house and it was perfect for a couple. It had a little kitchenet a nice bathroom and a dining room. We were about 5 km north east to the City Centre but the public transport was very effective and we were able to travel from our accommodation to all the places we wanted to visit.
Northern Lights Tours and Aurora Forecast
There are different Tour Companies that can provide you with options to se the Aurora Borealis in Tromsø. Some companies offer a Dinner Experience in a Catamaran with has glass walls which allows you to relax whilst watching the night sky. This plan is much more relaxed for people with young children, and the elderly. However, we believe this is not the best option to spot the lights (unless you are really lucky” We took a cruise and enjoyed the nice meal, but saw no lights, unfortunately.
Image taken from aurorareach.com
Guide Tours to Chase the Lights
Local companies offer Small Group Tours by bus. The price of the tour in Tromsø ranges from 1200 NOK to 3000 NOK depending on the duration, type of vehicle and other commodities. The tour normally includes snacks, hot drinks, professional photography and various locations to find the perfect spot. The tours are usually for small groups (up to 6 people), which allows you to have a more personalized experience. Before you go please:
- Take your warm clothes. (Hat and gloves are a must)
- Be patient and prepared for the cold (you can be few degrees under 0)
- Bring additional water
- Comfortable warm boots
- Listen to the guides (sometimes the lights cannot be seen with the naked eye)
- Be prepared for the amazing pictures
- The tour is not ideal for children under 8 years old.
“Please be aware that some of the booking agencies work as third parties and there might be room for confusions if you are quoting different companies at the same time, communication is key to prevent misunderstandings”
Best times to see the Northern lights
The best time to see the Aurora Borealis is from September to March. But it will depend on the solar activity and the clarity of the sky. We recommend you to book at least a week in Tromsø to increase the chance to see them (if you can’t see them in the first attempt). There are different apps that might predict the probability to see the Northern Lights, however, so many people have reported that even when the app said there was less than 10% probability of spotting the lights, they still went to try their luck and managed to see them dancing in the sky.
What happens if you can’t see the Northern lights during the tour?
Although these companies track the solar activity and the probability of sighting the Aurora, you should understand that it is a natural phenomenon and you might be lucky enough to see them. Some of these companies will send the lights forecast to the customer so that if the conditions are not the best to see the lights, you can decided weather you want to go ahead or reschedule. Some other companies will do a partial refund or reschedule the tour if you don’t spot them. Please read carefully the terms and conditions and what to do in case of poor visibility.
Also be very patient, keep a positive mindset and enjoy the experience.
What to do if there lights forecast isn’t good
Don’t worry. If you can’t see the lights whilst you are in Tromsø. you can reschedule or book another tour to travel to different sight locations. There are also plenty of more exciting activities to do in Tromsø during the day and night time.
We decided to do dogsledding because we love Huskies and we were amazed with how much we learned from them. The landscape was breathtaking and riding the sled was so much fun!
Dog sledding
Our first days in Tromsø were a bit different. It was too cloudy to see the Northern Lights so that we decided to make most of it and go dog sledding. However, It had been raining quite a lot and we got cancelled by three companies due to weather conditions. We were told the tours had to be cancelled because the lack of snow could affect the sleds and most importantly the dogs. on the third day we finally got some snow fall and we managed to go. The tour company took us a bit further so that they could guarantee ideal snow conditions.
They drove us for about one hour until we got to this amazing mountain. The company provided us with our winter gear including a pair of heavy snow boots. After a couple of pictures they took us to where the Huskies were and they explained how they use the harnesses and the sled. It was important to us finding a place where the Huskies were treated with respect, they have been trained for pulling and enjoy doing so.
The dog sledding experience was about 8 hours, we rode the sleds and the came back to have some snacks and hot drinks. the tour guide was super friendly but was also made sure we all followed the instructions to keep us safe. We took amazing videos of our rides and the guide took the time to take lots of pictures of all customers with their own phones.
Good fitness is advantageous because sometimes you’ll have to get of the sled and help the dogs pushing, especially up the hill and the gear is heavy. So if you want to burn some calories, get some adrenaline and enjoy the stunning sights, dog sledding is ideal for you.
The prices to do dogsledding can range from 2.400 to 3000 NOK and can be from 4 to 7 hours.
Reindeer sledding
The Reindeer Sledding is another popular activity in Tromso. This is usually guided by a member of the Sami community in Norway. They are protectors of the land and know how to handle the animals. They also have ancestor wisdom and knowledge. the Reindeers are usually pulling a long sled with about 5 to 6 people. You get to go to the Reindeer camp and feed the them. You will also get a traditional meal from the Sami community in their tent.
The price of this experience ranges in the 1.500 NOK.
Tour in the city and museums
Tromsø has amazing places to discover, and lots of history. We visited the Troll Museum in Tromsø. It is an interactive museum that shows the tales of the Trolls. There are multiple games that children and adult will enjoy alike. The location is in the Centre, and the staff is super friendly.
The ticket price is 180 NOK for an adult and 100NOK for a child (5-12 y/o), under 5 enter for free and they also have especial prices for families, groups and concessions.
There are other amazing museums like the Polar Museum and the Artic University Museum of Norway. They all have affordable prices and amazing staff.
Locals and nightlife and food
The food in Tromsø is based in seafood and meats like Reindeer or Elk. In Tromsø there are plenty of local pubs where you can have a great meal and an amazing environment. Be aware that the food can be a bit pricy but it is worth it, and the price of the beer can be higher than in many other places.
We went out a couple of nights but we ate mostly in our cabin. There are a few supermarkets and local shops where you can get great fruit and provisions. Fish is always a safe go, but we did not find much beef, or at least it was really expensive.
We did try lots of sweets and whale sausage and amazing hot chocolate, coffee and pastries. The people in the city were really friendly and happy to help. Even thought it was cold people in the pubs make it feel warmer.
Final Thoughts
Tromsø is an amazing destination, definitely one of the most enjoyable and magic destinations we have been to. Tromsø is well-known for its Northern Lights. There are different apps and was to monitor the probability of spotting them. However, this is a natural phenomenon so that it isn’t a 100% guaranteed that you will watch them. follow your intuition, be patient and stay warm. If you couldn’t see them this time, don’t worry! Maybe the lucky day will be tomorrow. Please do not leave Tromsø without exploring all their culture, food and activities.
I wish you luck in your Aurora hunting, I am sure it will be epic!
If your want to have a look at more adventures click on the following link https://gonomadvibes.com/margaret-river-camping-wine-and-wildlife/blog/
