Chasing the northern lights in Tromsø

The northern lights are curtains of green and violet light that move across the sky when particles from the solar wind meet the atmosphere. Tromsø lies right beneath the auroral oval, so the lights can appear above it from late August to early April whenever the sky is clear and dark.

The chase usually starts in the evening. Your guide studies the weather and solar forecasts, then drives towards the clearest sky, sometimes far along the fjords or even to the Finnish border. You wait in a dark spot by a fire with hot drinks, and the guide photographs you under the aurora.

We arrange a private chase for your family or a small group in a comfortable vehicle, with thermal suits and winter boots when needed. To improve your chances we suggest at least 3 nights in Tromsø: the aurora can never be guaranteed on a given night.

In deep winter, from late November to mid-January, the sun barely rises and the city lies in a soft blue light by day. February and March combine dark nights with longer days for daytime activities.