THE VERY BEST TROMSO NORTHERN LIGHTS TOURS: A COMPLETE GUIDE!
DREAMING OF A MOMENT LIKE THIS IN TROMSO? 👇🏼
Photograph taken by Jordie.
Well, if you’re visiting between September to March, you’re in luck! Tromsø, snuggled way above the Arctic Circle in northern Norway, is one of THE best places in the world to see the swirling northern lights.
Though FYI, it’s quite rare (though not impossible!!) to see them above Tromsø city centre because of strong light pollution. In accommodation outside the city, there’s a slightly higher chance, but it’s totally dependant on luck and happenstance.
OUR RECOMMENDATION?
BOOK AT LEAST ONE GUIDED TOUR!
Joining a guided Tromsø northern lights tour will seriously maximise your chances of spotting the Aurora, which is exactly what we did on our 5 days in Tromsø itinerary.
We’re not going to waste your time listing dozens of semi-similar tours for no reason (cause let’s face it, analysis paralysis is just stressful and unnecessary).
The best of the best Tromso northern lights tour is this 5* Northern Lights Adventure with Greenlander (from Tromsø) tour, available from early September to end of March.
It’s run by premium tour company Greenlander – true northern lights EXPERTS with 11 years, 1000+ tours and a 97% success rate under their belt!
WHY IT’S THE VERY BEST: SMALL GROUP, EXPERIENCE & PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS
Like “sugar, spice and everything nice”, this Northern Lights Adventure with Greenlander (from Tromsø) tour has the ideal mix to make an ideal Tromsø northern lights tour, which is—
→ ✅ Smallest group size. Much more personal and intimate (no more than 8 people)
→ ✅ Experience. Greenlander is a tour operator who lives, breathes and dreams northern lights, being so attuned to to-the-minute forecasts that they can pinpoint them even when conditions aren’t looking too favourable.
→ ✅ Professional photos included. No scrambling around in cold trying to focus your iPhone if you don’t want to. Let the professionals capture your once in a lifetime photos, letting you be in the moment and to watch them with your EYES, not through a screen.
Amassing 1300+ 5* raving reviews, the Northern Lights Adventure with Greenlander (from Tromsø) tour doesn’t mess around.
Every night their core mission is to chase northern lights, wherever they are, even as far as the Finnish border!!
You’ll be part of Tromsø’s smallest group tour, with maximum 8 people, travelling in ultimate style and comfort on their 4×4 modified Mercedes Benz minivan. Get ready for the most intimate, special and personalised experience.
They do indeed eat, sleep, and breathe the northern lights, constantly monitoring to-the-minute weather systems to track the best locations for solar activity.
💡 QUICK PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS— LONG EXPOSURE, WARM PHONE, STURDY TRIPOD & BACK-UP BATTERY
On the tour, Greenlander will take lots of professional photos and give access to them online afterwards. But of course you’ll probably want a stab at taking your own too, right?
If you’re like us and rely on your mobile phones, here’s a few top tips to get the best possible shots—
- Ideal camera settings: Flash off, “Night Mode” enabled with the exposure set between 10-15 seconds. Strong Aurora needs less exposure time, while weak Aurora may even need up to 30 seconds if it’s slow moving.
- Bring a retractable tripod with a Bluetooth remote control (this is the one we have and love). This’ll hold your phone perfectly still for those long exposure shots, plus the Bluetooth remote means you can easily get your own epic selfies!
- A phone battery completely drops from 100% to 10% in minutes if exposed to extreme cold. Keep your phone warm in inner pockets (against your body warmth) in between taking photos to prevent this from happening.
- JUST IN CASE the battery does drop, absolutely bring a portable power bank with you for back-up.
AN ALTERNATIVE UNIQUE TOUR TO SEE NORTHERN LIGHTS
Thinking about the most unique Tromso northern lights tour, it’s fair to say this Luxury Northern Lights Yacht Cruise with Hot Tub & Dinner tour has got to take 1st prize!! 🥇👇🏼
Get ready for an evening of class, luxury and upmost comfort as World Sea Explorers takes you and a maximum of just 11 other lucky guests to Tromsø’s glistening waters to chase northern lights!
This 4-hour evening cruise includes a private 45 minute slot in the outdoor hot tub, delicious reindeer soup, plenty of space around a luxury yacht, a warm interior to go inside and relax with books, games, pillows and unlimited hot drinks and snacks.
No standing around shivering in the cold for hours here!!
Available from start of October – end of March.
SEPTEMBER AND MARCH ARE THE BEST MONTHS FOR TROMSØ’S NORTHERN LIGHTS
Yes, you read that right! While September TO March is the official northern lights period in Tromsø, our northern lights tour guide told us when we were there that the individual months September AND March are best to see the Aurora in Tromsø because of the Spring / Autumn Equinoxes.
The Equinoxes basically mean more solar wind, which creates beautifully bright and strong displays, especially with different ruska colours like pink and oranges!!
Plus the fact, these months tend to have less snowfall. Less snowfall = less cloud cover, allowing for more nights with clear skies ideal for optimal northern lights viewing (if solar activity is also good).
Of course, prolonged dark Winter nights from September all the way through to March bring possible Aurora sightings. Colder temperatures bring more snow, aka more cloud cover, too – so we strongly suggest booking a guided tour. Particularly the “northern lights chase” kind.
BONUS SECTION—
YOU CAN SEE NORTHERN LIGHTS FROM BED!
Guess what? It’s possible to watch northern lights WHILST snuggling in a comfy bed – cocooned by a warm, crunchy duvet. Even cradle a warm cup of tea while you’re at it!
This is how:
As we mentioned earlier, while it’s still not guaranteed, there’s a better chance of seeing northern lights on your own if you stay outside of Tromsø city.
Maximise that chance even more by staying in a glass accommodation around Tromsø. It’s a bucket-list accommodation type with a transparent “glass roof” to experience the night sky from bed – from stars, the milky way or northern lights.
Our top suggestion (30 minute drive from Tromsø, with airport pick-up available) → ÆRA Panorama Glass Lodge
Photograph kindly gifted for use by Æra Panorama Glass Lodge®.
OTHER TROMSØ HOTELS FOR NORTHERN LIGHTS VIEWS
If you don’t fancy staying in a glass igloo, here’s a few more incredible Tromsø hotels ideal for spotting northern lights (if they appear!!), still conveniently close to Tromsø city—
Steam Pier
(15 minutes from airport, 42 Bus connects you to Tromsø city every 15 minutes daily).
WRAP UP WARM! TROMSØ AT NIGHT IS (BELOW) FREEZING IN WINTER
Brace yourself. Deep in the thick of Winter, Tromsø’s night temperatures can drop to as low as -15°c/-20°c – especially inland 🥶
Almost every northern lights tour does provide complimentary thermal overalls, boots, accessories etc making you fully equipped for those kind of temperatures – but help yourself out and layer up in breathable layers too!
FINAL WORDS— TROMSO NORTHERN LIGHTS
Wrapping up, Tromsø truly is Norway’s hotspot for the spiralling northern lights magic – as long as you know where to look! You may get lucky and see them yourself (if you stay out of the city), but definitely book at least one dedicated Tromso northern lights tour to head out and “chase” them!
Not just any tour either. As a reminder, the ideal Tromso northern lights tour is small group, unlimited mileage / time policy, experience and professional photos.
Just like our top pick, this 5* Northern Lights Adventure with Greenlander tour, who will search every inch of the sky possible that evening to search for the Northern Lights for you.
For a more unique and luxurious chase experience activity, we reckon you’ll really enjoy this unique Luxury Northern Lights Yacht Cruise with Hot Tub & Dinner tour. If you’re lucky, you could even see the Aurora from the bubbling warmth of the yachts outdoor hot tub!
We hope this blog has been helpful, and really hope you enjoy your trip to Tromsø! 🤩
This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!
Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com
A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.
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