Tromsø Northern Lights Holidays: Frequently Asked Questions

Most northern lights tours from Tromsø run in any safe weather and do not refund you for a cloudy night; a few have terms that do. Nordscape’s retry option re-runs you free on later nights, AGM Norway refunds you if its camera catches no aurora, and Rødne’s fjord cruise gives a second trip. On a holiday of several nights, those terms are worth more than a lower price. We would book Nordscape’s chase with the retry option first, from $81 a person in current promotion (usually $108), rated 4.8 from 459 reviews (checked October 2026).

What if you see nothing?

On a phone, swipe the table sideways.

Terms from the GetYourGuide listings, read on 29 October 2026. Read the option you book: the cheapest option on a listing may not carry the guarantee.

Every tour here can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before, and an operator that cancels for weather refunds you. What is not refunded on most tours is a night that ran and found only cloud.

How do I get from the airport to the city?

By the Airport Express bus, about 20 minutes to the centre, NOK 125 one way or NOK 200 return for an adult and NOK 80 or 130 for a child aged 4 to 15, paid by card only (Best Arctic, which runs it; winter timetable from 26 October 2026 to 31 March 2027). The airport is about 5 km from the centre, and a taxi takes around ten minutes (Visit Tromsø).

How cold does it get?

Less than people expect at 69 degrees north. The average temperature in Tromsø is -1.7 °C in December, -3.0 °C in January, -3.3 °C in February and -1.9 °C in March (yr.no). The chases spend hours standing outside and often drive inland, where it is colder, which is why most lend a thermal suit.

What should I wear?

Warm base layers, wool if you have it, a fleece or down layer, a hat, gloves or mittens and warm boots with grip; the thermal suit goes over the top. Northern Lights Safari Tromsø lists winter boots, gloves, hats and scarves as not included, and Nordscape includes suits only on the minibus option. Phone batteries drain fast in the cold: keep the phone inside your clothes.

Check dates for the retry-option chase →

Can children come?

On some tours. Tromsø Villmarkssenter’s husky camp evening suits all ages, and the reindeer evening has a few booster seats on its buses. The chases set limits: from 5 on the northern lights safari, 8 on Snow-travels’ long chase, 10 on Arctic Breeze’s minibus chase; Nordscape’s tour is not suitable for anyone under 135 cm, and Northern Horizon’s is for adults only. The lavvo night takes children from 6.

Will I get photos?

Yes, on almost every chase: the guides carry cameras and tripods, and most listings include professional photos of your group under the lights. AGM Norway’s guide is also the photographer, and Snow-travels' long chase and Arctic Breeze's minibus chase add portraits. Bring your own camera if you like; a tripod helps, and some chases lend one.

Can you see the lights from Tromsø itself?

Sometimes, on a strong night, but the street lights wash out a weak display, which is why the tours drive out. On a clear evening, try the shore of the island away from the centre, or the Fjellheisen cable car to Storsteinen above the city.

When do the tours leave and come back?

In the evening, from central Tromsø, back late at night: about six hours on most chases, five to eight or more on the long ones. AGM Norway confirms its pickup time on the day, between 5 and 9 pm, depending on the forecast. Eat before you go: most chases serve hot drinks and snacks, not a meal. For which nights to put them on, see how many nights in Tromsø.

Guarantee terms, ages, inclusions, lengths and pickup times from the GetYourGuide listings, read on 29 October 2026; airport bus from Best Arctic; taxi time and airport distance from Visit Tromsø; temperatures from yr.no.