TROMSO

Tromso, NORWAY — on a chase to see the Northern Lights, we trekked to the top of the Earth and into the Arctic Circle.

Our Stay

6 Days / 6 Nights

Norway has always been on my radar, mainly for it’s nature, animals and hiking. It wasn’t until I saw my friend dog sledding in Tromso over Christmas did I realize that I couldn’t wait for summer to visit. After working a week in sunny Barcelona, we headed north to experience a different type of adventure.

First things first. Much like the rest of Scandinavia, Norway is expensive. Most of your budget will be driven by daily activities/tours and food. As a comparison, 6 days in Tromso is equivalent to 4 weeks in Spain.

Feed the Reindeer – get to know the Sami culture, the indigenous people of Scandinavia, while hanging out with reindeer. There’s also an option to book reindeer sledding.

Dog Sledding – the highlight of the trip! Since I’m writing this blog in the off season, our tour link is unavailable, but I think all dog sledding tours are quite similar. There was a big snowstorm in Tromso when we visited so there was a ton of fresh powder while sledding. So much that sometimes the dogs needed an extra push from the driver. You get ample time to drive the sled, switching drivers half way through the adventure.

Snowmobile in Camp Troll – get out of Tromso for the day and head to the snowy wilderness of the Lyngen Alps. This guided snowmobile safari will take you through dense forests and across frozen lakes –all while taking in the beautiful landscapes. My second favorite excursion we did!

Chase the Northern Lights – before you book any tour, ensure they offer thermal suits and boots! Chances are you’ll head into an open field or frozen lake in Finland or Sweden if the visibility is low in Norway. Look for smaller group sizes of 7-15 people maximum and avoid big buses.

I can’t recommend Arctic Circle Tours Tromso enough. The guide is also a photographer, who sends you all the photos the next day, and she sets up a nice camp area with a bonfire to keep warm and cook reindeer sausages. Plus, they give all guests a next chance guarantee, which means that if you don’t see the northern lights on the first trip, you get another opportunity for a 50% discount – given there’s space and availability. We were determined to see the lights and booked multiple tours in advance with a flexible cancellation policy. Two nights prior we chased the Northern Lights into Finland with another tour operator, unsuccessfully.

Bonuses: They set up a heated tent with toilet, there’s live camera feed of the night sky so you can see the lights on the TV screen in the mini bus while driving, and they bring extra tripods for your cameras.

Fjord Tour – see Tromso from the water with panoramic views of the fjords and quintessential red Norway cabins. If you can time the season, you’ll even get a chance to see whales.

Fjellheisen – take the cable car up for the best views of Tromso. Buy your tickets online and head up an hour and a half before sunset so you can see the town both in the day and at night.