Northern Lights Tours
Solar Cycle 25 reached its maximum in 2024 to 2025. NOAA and NASA announced the maximum period in October 2024, and activity stays high through the 2026/27 season. Tromsø is your base.
Recommended operators
Affiliate disclosure: NorgeTravel earns a commission on the links that show one. The others pay us nothing; they are here because their reviews are strong. Your price is the same either way.
GetYourGuide: Northern Lights Chase, Tromsø
Small-group minibus chase
4.9 of 5 from 1,886 reviews on GetYourGuide, October 2026
From 1,290 NOK
Snow-travels drives until the group finds clear sky, and the guide takes the photos. Some operators rebook or refund when a chase is cancelled for weather; check the tour terms.
Commission: 7%
See tours and pricesViator: Northern Lights Minibus Chase, Tromsø
Small-group minibus chase
1,451 reviews on Viator, October 2026
Price on Viator
Small-group chase with photos and warm suits included. Mobile tickets and 24/7 support.
Commission: None. No partner link yet
See tours and pricesPolar Adventures, Tromsø
Local operator, small groups
TripAdvisor 4.6 (1,427 reviews), Google 4.5 (545 reviews), October 2026
Price on the operator site
Tromsø-based operator running small-group Northern Lights chases, with more than a thousand TripAdvisor reviews behind it.
Commission: None. Chosen for its reviews
See tours and pricesHow to maximise your chances
Book late September to late March
The season runs from late September to late March. Tromsø’s polar night, 27 November to 15 January, still gives twilight at midday. In September and March the sky is dark from about 21:00.
Check Kp index daily
NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center posts 3-day forecasts. Tromsø sits under the auroral oval, so Kp 2 to 3 is enough for an overhead display. At Kp 5 and above the oval moves south and the lights can be seen from southern Norway.
Private tour vs group
A private guide can drive up to 200 km in a night and picks the spot from the live forecast. Group tours follow a fixed route, which is fine when skies are clear.
Hurtigruten Northern Lights Promise
The Northern Lights Promise applies to the 12-day Classic Round Voyage, Bergen to Kirkenes and back, on voyages of 11 days or more sailing between 20 September and 31 March. If the ship’s officers record no Northern Lights, you get a 6- or 7-day Classic Voyage free, cruise only, flights not included. Valid for sailings until 31 March 2028.
Questions travellers ask
Which months can you see the Northern Lights in Tromsø?
The season runs from late September to late March. During the polar night, 27 November to 15 January, Tromsø still gets twilight at midday, and in September and March the sky is dark from about 21:00. Solar Cycle 25 reached its maximum in 2024 to 2025, and activity stays high through the 2026/27 season.
Which city in Norway is best for seeing the Northern Lights?
Tromsø. It sits at 69°N under the auroral oval, so Kp 2 to 3 is enough for an overhead display, and it is a working city of about 80,000 with a 2-hour direct flight from Oslo, not a tourist outpost. Only at Kp 5 and above does the oval move far enough south for the lights to be seen from southern Norway. If you are still choosing a region, read our Northern Norway and Svalbard guides first.
How much does a Northern Lights tour in Tromsø cost, and do you need one?
Small-group chases start at 1,290 NOK per person on GetYourGuide and Viator. A private guide can drive up to 200 km in a night to wherever the forecast is clear. Private prices are set by each operator. You do not need a tour if you have a rental car: Kvaløya, 25 minutes west of the city centre, has no light pollution. Group tours are fixed-route, which is fine when the sky is clear.
When is the polar night in Tromsø, and is it dark all day?
The polar night (mørketid) runs from 27 November to 15 January, 50 days when the sun does not rise above the horizon. It is not pitch black all day: Tromsø still gets twilight around midday, and the dark hours are when the lights appear. In November the sky is dark by mid-afternoon and the weather is often wet, so chases are hit-or-miss.
What weather and Kp index do you need to see the Northern Lights?
A clear sky. Tromsø sits under the auroral oval, so Kp 2 to 3 is enough for an overhead display; at Kp 5 and above the oval moves south and the lights can be seen from southern Norway. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center posts 3-day forecasts, so check the Kp daily and let the cloud forecast decide where you drive. Cloud cover is the one variable you cannot control, which is why four nights is the minimum.
How does the Hurtigruten Northern Lights Promise work?
It applies to the 12-day Classic Round Voyage, Bergen to Kirkenes and back, on voyages of 11 days or more sailing between 20 September and 31 March. If the ship’s officers record no Northern Lights during your voyage, you get a 6- or 7-day Classic Voyage free, cruise only, flights not included. The promise is valid for sailings until 31 March 2028.
Start with the destination guide
Not sure which region to base yourself in? Read our Northern Norway and Svalbard guides first.