– Northern Lights Chase with Photo Package Included

The sky is the tour’s only real schedule. I like the way this Northern Lights chase keeps moving toward clearer conditions, and I especially like that guides help you set up your camera instead of simply pointing at the sky. The main catch is simple: you can spend seven hours on the road and still see nothing.

At $104.50 per person, the tour offers a fair amount for the money: transport, snacks, hot drinks, an English-speaking guide, reflective vests, and photos taken during the night. I would be cautious about the group size, though. A full bus can hold up to 40 people, and finding the right meeting point may take extra attention.

Key points to know before booking

• The route changes with the weather: Guides may drive around Kvaløya or as far as Finland to find clearer skies.
• You get practical photo help: Guides can assist with camera and phone settings, while the tour includes photos taken by the guide.
• The evening lasts 6 to 7 hours: This is a serious night outing, not a quick stop outside Tromsø.
• Hot drinks and snacks are included: Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and cookies help during long waits outdoors.
• The group can be large: Up to 40 people may share the bus, while smaller departures may use a minibus without a toilet.
• Aurora sightings are never guaranteed: Poor weather may lead to cancellation and a refund, but no refund applies simply because the lights remain hidden.

What the Tromsø aurora chase is really about

This is not a fixed sightseeing tour with a set list of stops. It is a moving search for a break in the clouds, a darker sky, or stronger aurora activity.

That distinction matters. Tromsø can have heavy cloud cover while clear skies sit farther inland or across the border in Finland. The crew’s stated aim is to go where conditions look best at that moment. Several successful outings involved changing position more than once, including drives around Kvaløya and long journeys toward Finland.

I like this flexible approach because the Northern Lights are not a scheduled performance. A bus that stays beside Tromsø all night may have no chance if the cloud settles in. The tradeoff is time spent driving. You may spend long stretches looking out at dark roads rather than standing under the aurora.

The tour begins at Tromsø Havn Prostneset, at Samuel Arnesens gate 5. This is a central meeting point near public transport, but it can be crowded with several tour companies. The operator’s sign may not be large enough to spot quickly, so arrive early and check the exact meeting details on your voucher.

A 6 to 7 hour night on the road

The outing usually takes about six to seven hours. Departure time changes at the beginning and end of the season because daylight lasts longer, so do not rely on a standard departure time from memory. Use the time printed on your booking confirmation.

Once the group is aboard, the guide explains the plan and begins checking conditions. The night may include several stops, but there is no fixed number or guaranteed sequence. Guides decide where to go based on cloud cover, forecasts, and what they can see developing overhead.

A strong night can bring two or three useful viewing areas. One outing reached three different locations, while another made it to two areas where the aurora appeared clearly. On less fortunate nights, the group may stop several times and see only a brief glow, or nothing at all.

This is where the guide team matters most. Names praised for their work include Kira, Bjørn, Elisabet, Alberto, Manuel, Pedro, Muhamad, Esmeralda, Brega, and Michael. The best reports describe guides who shared their reasoning, kept people informed, and continued searching when cloud cover spoiled the first location.

The driving can be tiring. If you have only one night in Tromsø, the tour gives you a serious chance to get beyond the city lights. If you dislike sitting on a bus for hours, a long chase may feel like too much effort, especially when the forecast is poor.

What happens at the viewing stops

At each stop, you leave the vehicle and wait in the cold and darkness. The crew uses reflective vests, which is a small but useful safety measure on icy or dimly lit roads. The ground can be slippery, so sturdy shoes are important.

The stops are chosen for darker skies and better visibility. Reports describe viewpoints around Kvaløya, open natural areas, and locations where the group could watch the sky without the city glow. Some tours have crossed into Finland when conditions there looked more promising.

Do not expect a polished visitor center or a heated building at each stop. You may be standing outdoors for a long time while the guides watch the sky. The included coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and snacks are welcome here, though they do not replace proper winter clothing.

A thermal suit is not included. You can rent one from the operator’s office at Storgata 77 in Tromsø, along with a tripod. You should also bring warm layers, gloves, a hat, and footwear with a good grip. The tour does not provide a tripod, so anyone serious about night photography should arrange one before departure.

The best stops offer more than a quick photograph. When the aurora appears, guides may give you time to watch it with your own eyes, then help organize photos. Some groups saw the lights at both main stops, while others had only a short viewing before clouds returned.

The photo package and camera help

The included photo package is one of the tour’s strongest features. Guides use professional cameras to photograph the night, and they may help you adjust your phone or digital camera for the aurora.

That assistance can make a real difference. Northern Lights photography is not simply a matter of pointing and pressing the shutter. The dark sky, moving light, and cold conditions can confuse automatic settings. Guides have helped visitors set up cameras and phones, and several people credited that support with better images.

You should understand how the photo system works before you go. Photos taken by the guide are uploaded to a third-party online platform. The operator holds full copyright to images taken by the guide during the tour.

There have been delays in uploading photographs, especially during the busy Christmas period. If your images do not appear after the tour, contact the company and ask them to check with the guide. Also, tell the guide at the start if you do not want your photo taken or published. Avoid standing in front of the guide when group photographs are being taken.

The photo package is useful, but do not treat it as a guaranteed personal portrait beneath a perfect aurora. Cloud, timing, group size, and your position at the stop all affect the result. If a personal aurora portrait is your top priority, ask the guide how photographs will be organized once you arrive.

Guides, stories, and the human side of the evening

The strongest part of this experience is often the crew. Good guides do more than drive. They explain what causes the aurora, describe local conditions, and keep the group occupied during long waits.

Kira, for example, was praised for combining photo advice with stories from Norway and explanations of aurora legends from different countries. Bjørn was praised for driving the group onward when clouds arrived. Other guides, including Elisabet, Alberto, and Manuel, were noted for their photography help and judgment about changing locations.

That does not mean every departure feels the same. One group was switched from a planned Spanish-language outing to English, and the communication did not satisfy everyone. This tour is sold in English, so you should book it expecting English instruction. A language change may happen on another departure if a separate language group does not reach its minimum size.

The crew’s attitude can shape the night. A patient guide makes a cloudy evening feel like an Arctic outing rather than a failed excursion. A dismissive guide can make the same drive feel much longer. The praise for particular guides is encouraging, but no tour can promise a specific guide on your date.

Bus size, comfort, and the meeting point

Transport is included in either a large bus or a minibus. If fewer than 15 people book, the tour may operate with a minibus, but that vehicle may not have a toilet onboard. The maximum group size is 40 people.

A large bus keeps the price down and can feel comfortable during the drive. It also brings practical limits. A full vehicle takes longer to load and unload, and it may not reach every small roadside location that a minibus could use. One particularly useful piece of advice is to consider a minibus departure if you want a quieter outing and more flexibility.

The meeting arrangement needs care. The stated start point is Tromsø Havn Prostneset, but a few departures created confusion with two nearby meeting points. Several tour companies gather in the same area, and a small operator sign can be hard to spot.

I would arrive at least 15 minutes early, stand where the vehicle can see you, and have the voucher open on your phone. If you are bringing children, send their ages in advance so the company can try to provide the right child seat. The driver may refuse boarding if the children were not declared.

The activity ends back at the original meeting point. You are responsible for your own travel insurance, and the tour is not recommended for children under three or for people with reduced mobility.

How reliable is the Northern Lights promise?

The operator cannot control the aurora. Even a strong forecast does not guarantee a clear view from the road, and the KP index alone does not tell the full story. Cloud, local visibility, solar activity, and the precise timing of the display all matter.

That said, you should know the refund rule clearly. If the company cancels because weather is too poor, you can receive a different date or a full refund. If the tour runs but the aurora does not appear, there is no refund for the missed sighting. The company has stated that it may offer a 50 percent discount after a particularly unsuccessful night, but this is not the same as a guaranteed refund.

There was also an isolated but serious cancellation problem in which a booking was not properly visible in the company’s system. The customer waited at the meeting point and learned of the cancellation only after the scheduled departure time. The booking platform provided a refund, and the operator accepted responsibility for the technical error.

That incident is worth keeping in mind, not because it defines every departure, but because you should check your messages and voucher on the day of the tour. If the weather looks terrible, confirm that the tour is still operating before making a last-minute evening plan.

Is $104.50 a fair price?

At $104.50, this is not the cheapest way to step outside Tromsø, but it is a reasonable price for a six to seven hour chase with transport, drinks, snacks, guide service, reflective vests, and photographs.

The value depends on what you would otherwise pay for. A rental car gives you independence, but you would need to drive unfamiliar Arctic roads at night, understand the forecasts, find safe stopping places, and handle photography yourself. This tour bundles those tasks into one evening.

The price is less attractive if you mainly want a short aurora viewing session close to Tromsø, or if you strongly dislike a large group. It is also harder to justify if you have several nights available and can choose a departure based on the weather each day.

I see the photo package as a useful bonus rather than the main reason to book. The real purchase is the guide’s judgment about where to drive. When the crew finds a clear patch after clouds cover Tromsø, the money can feel well spent. When the entire night stays cloudy, the long bus ride makes the value feel thin.

Who will enjoy this tour most?

I would choose this outing if you have one or two nights in Tromsø and want the best practical chance of reaching clearer skies. It suits first-time aurora watchers, couples, families with older children, and anyone who wants help taking photographs.

It also suits you if you prefer not to rent a car. The guide handles the driving, road decisions, and viewing locations while you concentrate on the sky.

You may prefer another option if you want a private experience, a small group, or guaranteed quiet at each stop. A full bus can include up to 40 people, and other visitors may use phone flashes or torches at awkward moments. The guides may remind people to limit unnecessary light, but safety sometimes requires flashlights on slippery ground.

Book with realistic expectations. The goal is to improve your odds, not promise a natural event on demand.

My call: book it with the right expectations

I would book this Northern Lights chase if seeing the aurora is a major goal and I valued expert driving, flexible routing, and included photographs. The best departures combine determined guides, clear thinking about the weather, warm drinks, and two or more good viewing areas.

I would not book it expecting a guaranteed show or a small, quiet outing. Check your meeting point, confirm the departure time, bring serious winter clothing, and ask about the photo upload process if the images matter to you.

For $104.50, it is a sensible first choice for an independent visitor who wants help chasing the sky. Just remember that the most important part of the tour is also the part nobody can promise: a clear night with the aurora overhead.

FAQ

Where does the Northern Lights chase begin?

It begins at Tromsø Havn Prostneset, Samuel Arnesens gate 5, 9008 Tromsø, Norway.

Where does the tour finish?

The activity ends back at the original meeting point.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately six to seven hours.

Is transport included?

Yes. Transport is provided by either a large bus or a minibus.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes. An English-speaking guide is included.

Are food and drinks included?

Yes. Snacks and hot drinks are included, such as coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

Is a tripod included?

No. A tripod is not included, but tripods can be rented from the operator’s office at Storgata 77 in Tromsø.

What happens if the Northern Lights are not visible?

The aurora is a natural phenomenon and sightings are not guaranteed. If the company cancels because of poor weather, you can receive another date or a full refund. If the tour operates but the lights are not visible, no refund applies.