Into the Arctic Circle

Located 350km north of the Arctic Circle in Norway, the city of Tromsø nestles itself nicely within a dramatic landscape of towering mountains and crystal-clear waterways. It’s here that myself and my boyfriend decided to kick off our 2018 travels, after almost a year of planning and careful research into the best places to visit to catch a glimpse of the elusive Northern Lights. I have always had an interest in the Northern Lights as a child but will always credit Joanna Lumley’s ‘Land of the Northern Lights’ series from a decade ago for really kickstarting a full blown obsession. Thankfully my boyfriend and I share a very similar travel Bucket List – I did not need to do that much convincing when it came to enticing him to come along!

Needless to say, the increased chance of seeing the Northern Lights was not the only thing that brought us this part of Norway. The great thing about Tromsø is that it offers endless activities to get involved in and sights to see regardless of what time of the year you choose to visit. The cold and snowy winters are perfect for winter sports lovers and nature enthusiast, while the summer offers the chance to enjoy the landscape in an entirely new way under the glow of the midnight sun. This small city’s unique combination of modern conveniences alongside extraordinary untouched wilderness made it an easy choice for us too.

Getting there

Super easy – London Heathrow to Oslo and then a quick change on to Tromsø! We flew with Scandinavian Airlines for the first time and had a great experience, irrespective of a delay on the way home which was dealt with smoothly. 

When to visit

If you are looking to chase the Northern Lights? The best time of year for sightings is between September to April. We chose to go in the middle of March as the majority of online resources suggest successful sightings during this time. While this increased the price of the trip a little, it was well worth it! 

Our hotel

While there are many great places to stay in Tromsø, we chose to make the Radisson Blu Hotel our base camp for the duration of our stay. The hotel is as central as you can get, being next to the Bay of Tromsø (hello stunning bedroom views!) and a 5 minute walk away from the high street. They also offer free breakfast which makes mornings stress-free, particularly if you are up early for an excursion. 

The biggest sell of this hotel for us was the fact that one of the most highly reputable tour operators in the area, TromsøSafari, had its own dedicated office in the hotel lobby. This means that you can easily organise your trips, ask questions and conveniently meet at the hotel entrance (where the tours depart). 

Top tip: Head up to the 10th floor for gorgeous views and Instagram worthy photo opportunities!

Excursions

Tromsø is a very accommodating place when it comes to getting around and seeing the city (and beyond!), however there were some things we wanted to do that were best left organised by pros! After doing lots of homework, we chose to organise our 3 excursions with Tromsø Safari, who were by far the most highly recommended tour operator in the city. 

Aurora Safari Base Stations

After coming all the way to Tromsø with the main intention to see the Northern Lights, there was no way that our first excursion would be anything other than this one! Going on the Aurora Safari Base Stations tour on our first night also ensured that we had the opportunity to try chasing the aurora again on another night should we need to. 

We were surprised to learn from our tour guide as we set off that we were actually travelling further down south as on that particular night there was too much cloud cover in the north (which is where you might typically expect stronger polar activity). We learnt that the location tour groups are taken to each night differs depending on the weather conditions on the day, which really highlights how incredibly knowledgeable the guides are. 

Once we arrived at our camp for the night we were greeted by a local host and his wife who welcomed us in to their cozy lavvu hut. We wasted no time arranging ourselves in front of the fire and putting on our bodysuits. Our guide then went on to help those who brought cameras to set them up ready to capture the Northern Lights – we found out just how important this is in capturing them accurately.

I would highly recommend reading this blog to get to grips with what to expect when it comes to Northern Lights photography before you travel. I think it’s also worthwhile noting that while iPhone cameras are pretty decent for day-to-day photo taking in Tromsø, there is little chance that they are powerful enough to take a photo of the Northern Lights without some help. I would recommend downloading the ‘Slow Shutter’ app (or something similar) and the use of a tripod too (you’ll need a steady platform!). 

The anticipation was the most gruelling part of this excursion! As a very impatient person I kept my eyes on the stars for hours, desperately looking for something! The majority of our group spent time inside the fire-heated huts and waited for the tour guide to announce when the Northern Lights were visible – there is no shaming in keeping your fingers and toes warm! Temperatures that night reached a numbing -35 degrees celsius…bitterly cold doesn’t even begin to describe it!

My top tips for dealing with the cold: 

• Thick, fur lined waterproof gloves
• As many layers of socks as you can manage
• Thermal everything! 
• A wool scarf/ balaclava that will cover your face – trust me on this!
• Heated hand/foot warmers to put inside your boots, gloves and everywhere else (I bought these on Amazon)

After several hours of waiting (the aurora certainly loves to make an entrance) came the moment we were all waiting for! The Northern Lights began to glow against the pitch black starry sky in a silvery powder-like formation. It was very subtle and faint to begin with but then grew and gently moved across the sky as time went on. I will have to let this photo do the talking! 

I can honestly say that the very best of the Northern Lights activity that night was left until last, as by about 1 am the colour of the aurora became strongest and lasted throughout our coach journey back into the city. The driver kindly pulled over on several occasions and which allowed us to go back outside to admire the lights from different locations. We arrived back at our hotel on a high but also feeling very much broken by the cold – never have I ever been so grateful for a heated hotel room. Brownie points go to the toasty heated bathroom floor! 

Sami Reindeer Experience

My own personal pick when it came to choosing things to do in Tromsø HAD to include meeting some reindeer! This family friendly experience involved being driven approximately 30 minutes outside of the city to a Sami reindeer camp where we were able to have a hands-on experience looking after the reindeer whilst learning about the animals themselves – and about the importance of tourism when it came to the preservation of the Sami culture.

The Sami family who owned the 200 + strong herd were incredibly warm and welcoming. We were taught about Sami culture, their nomadic way of life and how instrumental the support of tourists was when it comes to the conservation of future Sami generations. Our guide explained that industry was slowly taking over the land that the Sami people once used to look after their reindeer (there was evidence of this behind the camp in the form of a giant metal structure dominating the otherwise natural landscape). He went on to say that the increased interest in Sami culture and growth of tourism has meant that the government is far more willing to listen to their needs, which means there is a greater chance that their nomadic way of life will be preserved. Never has a TripAdvisor review felt more pressing!

The tour also involved feeding the reindeer (you will never feel so popular!), eating a traditional reindeer stew and being taken on a sled ride. I dare anyone to not fall in love with such peaceful and gentle animals after this trip!

Husky Safari

Last but not least, the husky safari! Anyone who knows me knows how much I adore dogs which is what made this such an easy choice when it came to selecting our final excursion of the trip. After driving for about an hour outside of Tromsø we arrived at a beautiful (and massive!) Husky Farm, surrounded by the towering Lyngen Alps. After a brief introduction and run-through of how to use the sled, safety details and about the route we would be taking, it was time to meet our dogs!

We were split into groups of 2 which means my boyfriend and I had a team of 6 dogs all to ourselves. There were over 100 dogs on the farm which meant things got LOUD as soon as we approached our dogs and the noise escalated as our group set off the team next to us and so on!

The route was very varied (uphill and downhill) and each individual was able to take turns being the driver (or musher) while the other sat in the sled holding on to the emergency stop anchor. 

The dogs were so incredibly hard-working and FAST. Do not underestimate their svelte physique! It was really easy to see that they loved what they did and responded really well to instructions. It has to be said that there is a skill to driving the sled, particularly when it comes to doing uphill, downhill and turning corners (you learn best as you go!). 

In between the adrenalin rush and periods of intense concentration you couldn’t help but be in complete awe of your surroundings. The hills and valleys made for a truly picturesque backdrop. After what felt like hours we reluctantly came to the end of our route and bid farewell to our little team of pups… after taking some selfies of course…

Tromsø Sightseeing Stops

Tromsø Cathedral

Situated on Tromsø’s main street, Tromsø Cathedral is impossible to miss and proudly stands out of the crowd. It is notably the northernmost Protestant cathedral in the whole world and is unusually the only Norwegian Cathedral to be made entirely out of wood. 

The Arctic Cathedral / Tromsdalen Church

Whether you make your way over the Tromsø bridge to the Tromsdalen valley by foot or by bus, stopping off to check out the iconic Arctic Cathedral is a must. One of the locals did mention to us that there is a fee to go and view the inside of the building and suggested that it’s not worth the spend – he said you should just peek through the glass instead! 

Fjellheisen 

Unquestionably the best place to see a 360 degree view of Tromsø and beyond. While this is dubbed as being the ultimate hiker’s paradise, when its cold and icy, I think it makes the most sense to just take the cable car to the top of Fløyfjellet Mountain. Whether you venture in the day or the night, I can guarantee you will be wowed.

Tromsø Harbour

Lined with restaurants and littered with a myriad of boats, the harbour (in particular the area between the Scandic Ishavshotel and Peppes Pizza restaurant) is the perfect place to wander through and watch the world go by.

This little spot in town is one I will hold dear to my heart for another reason too. On our second night in Tromsø (after the Northern Lights tour) and after being turned away from several restaurants for not booking, we ended up at an amazing sushi place recommended to us by one of the local students. Had we not spent an age walking around the city looking for a place to eat and then choosing to walk through the harbour on the way back to the hotel we probably would not have seen the most incredible Northern Lights display imaginable. I am forever thankful for this beautiful and serene part of the city. You can’t beat the views on a crisp winter’s morning either.

I will only ever look back at our time in this part of the world with fondness and the best kind of nostalgia. What really tied together all of our once-in-a-lifetime experiences and ticks to our bucket list was the friendliness and openness of the people who have to put up with us tourists all year round! We have decided that our next trip here in the future would be during the summer months.

I am desperate to see how different an experience in Tromsø would be during the spring/summer midnight sun period, where the sun doesn’t set. And from taking a trip out to Svalbard (any other Phillip Pullman fans out there?!) to whale watching and fjord cruising it is safe to say that I am not done with the Arctic just yet…

Until next time,

Lica xoxo