Reindeer Sledding with Dinner and Northern Lights Tromso

Tromso, the gateway to the Arctic

Tromso lies on the island of Tromsoya at almost 70 degrees north, about 350 kilometres inside the Arctic Circle. For more than a century it was the starting point for polar expeditions, which earned it the nickname Gateway to the Arctic. Today it is the largest city in northern Norway, with a lively harbour, the striking white Arctic Cathedral across the bridge and snowy mountains on every side.

From late November to mid-January the sun does not rise above the horizon during the polar night, and the city glows under soft blue light for a few hours around midday. That long darkness is exactly what makes Tromso one of the best places on earth to see the aurora. Your evening begins at the bus terminal in the city centre, where your guide welcomes you before the drive out of town.

The reindeer camp and the Sami herders

The bus takes you out of the city to a reindeer camp where Sami herders keep a herd for part of the year. The Sami are the Indigenous people of northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula, and reindeer herding has been central to their culture for centuries. Herds still move between inland winter pastures and coastal summer grazing, following routes passed down through generations.

At the camp you can feed the reindeer by hand, a calm and joyful moment for adults and children alike. Your hosts explain how the animals survive the Arctic winter by digging through the snow for lichen, why both males and females grow antlers, and how herding families live today. A reindeer sledding experience in Tromso like this one is one of the best ways to learn about Sami life firsthand.

The evening reindeer sled ride

After feeding, it is time for the sled ride. You sit on a traditional sled pulled by a reindeer and led by a herder, gliding at a gentle pace through the snowy landscape under the night sky. It is quiet and peaceful, with only the sound of hooves on snow and bells on the harness, and the stars or the moon lighting the white hills.

The ride is relaxed rather than fast, which makes it suitable for children and for travellers who prefer a calm activity to husky racing or snowmobiling. Warm clothing is essential, as temperatures in the evening are often well below zero. If you are wondering whether reindeer sledding in Tromso is worth it, many visitors say this ride under the Arctic sky is the moment they remember most from their trip.

Dinner, Sami stories and joik songs

Back at the camp you warm up with a three-course dinner, followed by coffee and snacks. The meal is served in a cosy setting where the cold is quickly forgotten, and it is the perfect moment to ask your hosts questions about reindeer, seasons and their way of life. Please tell us any dietary requirements when you book so we can pass them to the camp.

During the evening the herders share Sami stories and perform joik, one of the oldest living song traditions in Europe. A joik is not a song about a person or place but a way of evoking them through voice and rhythm, and each joik can belong to a particular person, animal or landscape. Hearing it sung in the Arctic darkness is a moving and memorable experience.

Watching the sky for the northern lights

The camp lies away from the light pollution of Tromso, with open views of the sky, so on a clear night you can step outside and watch for the northern lights while you are there. Tromso sits right under the auroral oval, the ring around the magnetic pole where the lights are most frequent, and the season runs from about September to early April.

When the aurora appears, it can range from a pale green arc to dancing curtains of green, pink and violet. Your guide will help you spot it and give tips on photographing it with a phone or camera. Sightings depend on clear skies and solar activity and can never be guaranteed, but an evening outside the city gives you a real chance. The bus then returns you to central Tromso about 4.5 hours after departure.