If you’re looking for a once in a lifetime adventure packed trip, then Tromso, in Norway, Northern Lapland could just be a perfect destination.
In this post, I’ll offer some insights into the region and 5 top tips for anyone looking for their first Winter adventure to Tromso. At 69° 38′ 56.04″ N latitude, Tromso sits north of the Norwegian Arctic circle.
Using Tromso as a base, we discovered that it’s possible to tick off top bucket list wishes in a flurry of micro-adventures. Originally we looked into travelling to Greenland or even the Antarctic to experience nature at its rawest and coldest, unaware that Lapland, only 3.5 hours from London, offered spectacular scenery and experiences to rival anywhere in the world.
For our first adventure to Tromso we made a decision to fly direct, with the goal of embracing everything the region has to offer. We made the city our hub after flying with Wizz Air direct from London Luton last December. It’s worth knowing that the luggage allowance when flying priority with Wizz Air is fairly generous, which was positive given the amount of cold weather and camera gear we took. And at the time of writing, Wizz Air was the only direct UK flight we could find.
At 69.38°N, Tromso is the world’s most northern city with a thriving university and tourism scene which feels so unexpected in such a remote region. The city is incredibly international with workers, students and visitors from all over the world. The one major difference Tromso in winter has over other European cities is the polar night.
From the 27th November – 15th January the sun never rises. It skims just below the horizon during the middle of the day and offers about 4 hours of light, which reflecting against the snow can be pretty bright on clear days. The low sun means that the light can be stunning, with early afternoon skies glowing orange and purple, but the other 20 hours of daily darkness does feel a little strange at times!
Tromso city is actually on an island which has its own small airport. Taxi transfers into the centre were around £25/€30. Our accommodation was the “Enter City Apartment hotel”, which turned out to be a great option as it provided a self contained small apartment including a kitchen. There are plenty of supermarkets, shops, bars and restaurants nearby, so loads to explore when not making lifetime memories on adventures into Lapland’s chilly wilderness.
So here are my top 5 tips to make the most of a trip into Northern Norway*:
1. Pack the right clothing and good boots: It goes without saying that the Arctic in winter will freeze the bits off a brass monkey, so wearing the right kit to remain safe and comfortable is essential. Tromso city has a micro-climate due to its proximity to the gulf stream “warmed” ocean so, although it rarely gets above freezing in winter months. It can still be 10°c warmer than further inland which can hit -40°c and lower! Layers are the key to warmth with good thermal base layers, merino wool socks and heavy duty waterproof boots, the latter helping with grip on the icy streets. If you don’t own any serious winter kit, there are hire centres such as “Tromso Outdoor” in the city that hire out everything you’ll need like boots, jackets, skis etc.
2. Ride the Fjellheisen cable car: For any visit to Tromso taking a trip on the cable car is a must. It’s a 40 min walk from the centre or a 10 min taxi ride to the cable car station. The journey to the mountain ledge at 421m above sea level takes 4 minutes and costs about £30/€35 for an adult return. The journey and destination are stunning! A top tip would be to take the cable car on a cloud free day, starting around mid-day so you’re able to witness the fjords, city and mountains whilst light. Then as the day passes, the skies put on a sunset show and the lights of Tromso flicker on as the darkness returns. It is breathtaking.
3. Chase the Northern lights: This is another must do while visiting Lapland. Northern Norway is one of the world’s leading locations to witness the Aurora Borealis aka the Northern Lights. I’m sure that the opportunity to view the lights in full effect is on many people’s bucket lists: it was definitely on mine. So if you have the chance, grab it! However, seeing the lights is never guaranteed and there are a number of factors which affect the probabilities. If you’re lucky, you’ll be around on a day of high activity which is rated by a KP number of 1-10. I used an app called “My Aurora Forecast” which will give a great indication of activity, cloud cover percentages, best locations etc.
Chasing the Northern Lights can be done independently but my tip would be go with a qualified company and guide, at least the first time. The guides track the activity and share information on best locations each night so there’s a much better chance of catching whatever is happening in the skies above. Another tip would be to use a company that takes only smaller groups as they are much more agile in being able to respond and stop at a moment’s notice if the aurora is spotted. They can also turn off all lights and operate in a darker environment which is essential for photography. The bigger tours on coaches need to accommodate large groups and they can leave their lights on and they seem to hunt in packs!
So we used a company called Northern Soul Adventures who operate a 4×4 VW transporter, and our group was only 7 people. Northern Soul provided winter boots and suits, along with a camp fire, hot drinks, cookies and a freeze dried ready meal. A couple of things to be aware of: it is a long night (we set off at 5.30pm and returned at 3am), and it can be very cold (it was -13°c on our trip). But it’s an incredible experience if you get lucky and witness the aurora.
4. Take a sauna and dip in a fjord!: It’s no secret that Scandinavians are partial to a sauna. The practice is deeply rooted in tradition, and culturally is seen as a haven of stillness, reflection and renewal. Norwegians have a love of outdoor living so the location of some saunas are designed to embrace the natural environment: the floating sauna in Tromso harbour is a perfect example.
Although the floating Pust sauna is located in an urban environment, it’s constructed from wood with large glass front windows making the most of the views over the fjord and mountains beyond. The sauna is used by locals and tourist alike, who can book a 1 hour session for around £23/€26 per person. In that time the idea is to sweat it out in the 12 person room for 10-15 minutes, and then take a dip in the salt water fjord, rinse and repeat. To note, changing is a little cramped and swimwear is worn in the shared space.
I have to admit facing a plunge into the 5ºc water of a Norwegian winter fjord did make me a little apprehensive; however, the experience was incredibly rejuvenating and one of the many trip highlights.
5. Take a whale watching tour: Around 150km from Tromso is the Kvaenangen Fjord near Skejervoy. Between November and January it becomes one of the world’s most reliable places to experience whale watching, including the elusive Orca. Herring arrive in vast numbers from the open ocean into the fjord and the whales migrate to fatten up on the ‘all you can eat’ fish buffet. December is peak viewing season when Fin, Orca and Humpback sightings are almost guaranteed.
There are multiple whale watching operators to chose from (I’d recommend booking ahead), ranging from private RIBs to large group catamarans. Given the distance from Tromso, it’s a full 7-8 hour + day trip, as boats either sail from Tromso harbour or you can take a road trip to launch from RIBs nearer the fjord. We chose a mid-sized boat trip from Tromso with a company called Polar Adventures, so we could experience sailing through the fjords on the way.
The boat was a bit cramped but the international crew were friendly and knowledgeable. The day started at 7.40am to board and set sail at 8am north towards Skejervoy. The boat did roll a bit as we met open ocean swells en-route, so those prone to seasickness may need to take precautions! However if you wanted to brave Arctic winds, the deck was accessible during the journey where witnessing a pastel coloured daybreak surrounded by mountains and deep black waters will be a lasting memory.
On arrival at the calmer waters of the fjord, we were issued with essential thermal all-in-one polar suits and, once kitted up, almost immediately spotted whales. The numerous whale watching boats in the area have to follow strict rules and don’t chase down the whales, rather they slow cruise or idle once close so as not to disturb their natural feeding habits. Our presence didn’t feel obtrusive which was reassuring given our experiences with other whale watching trips elsewhere in the world.
Given my love of photography, it was also an amazing opportunity to capture some wildlife shots. As we were on a slightly larger boat we couldn’t get as close as the small RIB vessels so I took a 100-400mm lens for my Sony A7iv. Settings were a fairly high shutter speed to freeze the movement of the whales and counter the rock of the boat. However, combined with the low light and the F5.6 aperture the ISO needed to be bumped right up. Whatever camera you use, you’ll need a zoom from the larger boats.
So these are my top tips to guarantee an adventure packed time in Tromso. Set in truly one of the most stunning natural landscapes in the world, it’ll be a highlight for any traveller. So what are you waiting for? Get packing your thermals 🙂
* FYI given the location, weather and types of trips available up in Lapland, there will be age and accessibility limitations so I’d recommend checking before booking anything. Happy travels!
All images copyright @degrees.of.latitude
