Northern Lights in Tromsø, Norway: Amazing When You See Them, But Weather Changes Everything

This post is the second in a series about our five-week adventure through Norway and the Netherlands. Seeing the Northern Lights had long been on Teresa's and my bucket list, and it was the main reason we decided to visit Norway.

At first, we considered a cruise with Hurtigruten, Norway's historic coastal cruise line. They offer several Northern Lights cruises, some of which even come with a guarantee: if you don't see the aurora, they'll give you a shorter follow-up cruise free of charge. It's an interesting concept, but we're not really cruise people, so I started researching other ways to experience the lights.

Tromsø is widely regarded as one of the best places in the world to see the aurora. Sitting directly beneath the auroral oval, it offers excellent viewing opportunities from August through April, with March considered one of the best months for both visibility and intensity.

Since our trip ran from March 17 to April 21, it made sense to begin in Tromsø. As the designated vacation planner in our family, I spent a lot of time researching the best strategy for maximizing our chances of success.

I quickly discovered there are three main approaches.

DIY Aurora Hunting

This option involves driving to one of the many viewing locations around Tromsø and hoping everything lines up. If you have a rental car, you can move between locations as conditions change.

The downside is that you're completely on your own. You need to choose the right location, monitor the weather, and hope your timing is good. The aurora may be active, but if clouds are covering your location, you won't see a thing. Meanwhile, a spot just a few kilometres away could have clear skies.

It's also impossible to predict exactly when the lights will appear. You might spend hours waiting without success, or leave a location just before the show begins. While this is certainly the most affordable option, it's also the least reliable.

Glass Hotels

Glass hotels are designed specifically for aurora viewing, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and, in some cases, glass ceilings. The idea is simple: stay warm and comfortable while keeping an eye on the sky.

The biggest advantage is that the hotel staff monitors conditions for you. Much like the cruise ships, they'll notify guests when the lights appear. That means you can relax, read, watch TV, or even sleep instead of spending the entire night staring out a window.

Of course, there's one factor nobody can control: weather. If heavy cloud cover settles over the hotel, you're out of luck.

Northern Lights Chasing Tours

These guided tours are designed to maximize your chances by taking you wherever conditions are best. Operators monitor weather patterns constantly and often communicate with one another throughout the evening to identify clear skies.

If necessary, they may drive several hours, sometimes even into Finland, to find better viewing conditions. Tours typically run until midnight or later and will often stay out longer if there's a reasonable chance the aurora will appear.

After weighing the options, I decided the best strategy was a combination of a glass hotel and two aurora-chasing tours. It wasn't cheap, but seeing the Northern Lights was one of the primary goals of the trip, so it seemed worth the investment.

So, did it work?

Read on.

Our Time in Tromsø

We arrived in Tromsø on March 19 and checked into Home Hotel Aurora. This wasn't a glass hotel but rather a comfortable hotel right in the city centre. We planned to use it as a base while exploring Tromsø and joining our first aurora-chasing tour. We had also booked a land-based fjord tour.

Before going any further, it's worth mentioning that Norway is expensive—really expensive. As a reference point, a small glass of beer, not even a full pint, can easily cost the equivalent of $25 Canadian. Tromsø, being one of Norway's most popular tourist destinations, can be even pricier.

One reason we liked Home Hotel Aurora was that breakfast, dinner, and fika (Norwegian afternoon coffee and cake) were included. While the hotel wasn't cheap, having meals covered made things much more convenient. We also took advantage of the sauna every day, which was a great way to warm up after being outside.

The next day, we explored the city on foot, did a self-guided walking tour, and stopped at Raketten Bar & Pølse for a reindeer hotdog, which was absolutely delicious.

Unfortunately, this was the first time the weather interfered with our plans. Heavy rain, strong winds, and thick cloud cover forced our aurora tour operator to cancel that evening's excursion. The chances of seeing anything were essentially zero.

We were disappointed, but we still had several days left and plenty of backup plans.

The following morning brought more clouds and another cancellation—this time our land-based fjord tour.

Fortunately, Teresa and I have become fairly good at adapting when travel plans change. Instead of dwelling on the cancellation, we stopped by Tromsø Outdoors and booked a guided snowshoe hike. It turned out to be fantastic. We even enjoyed a few breaks in the weather, which we hoped was a sign of better things to come.

That afternoon, we checked into Aera, our glass hotel located about 45 minutes outside the city.

Aera was outstanding.

The cabins were beautiful, the food excellent, and the staff incredibly welcoming. If you book directly through the hotel, the rate includes a rental car, breakfast delivered to your cabin, a private sauna booking, and complimentary use of snowshoes.

Best of all, the staff actively monitor for Northern Lights activity and send guests a WhatsApp message whenever conditions are favourable.

The Waiting Game

March 22 was our second-to-last day in Tromsø, and we still hadn't seen the Northern Lights.

Both of our original aurora tours had been cancelled, and the weather remained stubbornly overcast.

This is something many travel articles don't emphasize enough. Tromsø may be one of the best places on Earth to see the aurora, but if the weather doesn't cooperate, you won't see anything.

After speaking with locals and other travellers, I became convinced that five to seven days in Tromsø is almost essential if seeing the Northern Lights is a major goal. With a shorter stay, a few days of poor weather can completely derail your plans.

You might get lucky, of course, but luck isn't something I'd build an itinerary around.

If there's one piece of advice I'd offer, it's this: give yourself enough time. The weather can be just as important as solar activity.

Despite the clouds, we spent the day hiking and snowshoeing around the area. Norway is so spectacular that even less-than-perfect weather rarely takes away from the experience.

That evening, we attended a king crab dinner hosted by the hotel. To once again illustrate the cost of travelling in Norway, dinner was roughly $350 Canadian per person.

Was it worth it? Probably.

The crab was delicious, and we're glad we did it, although it certainly wasn't a fancy multi-course dining experience, and drinks were extra.

As we chatted with the other guests, a common theme emerged: nobody had seen the Northern Lights.

With only two nights remaining, we were beginning to wonder if we would leave Tromsø empty-handed.

Then, around 9:00 p.m., a WhatsApp message arrived from reception.

A small aurora was visible near the main building.

We quickly bundled up and headed outside.

At first, the display was modest but beautiful. Then we turned toward our cabin and saw something neither of us will ever forget.

The sky erupted with Northern Lights stretching from horizon to horizon.

Waves of green danced overhead, filling the night sky with colour and movement. Despite the cold, we stood outside for as long as we could, completely mesmerized.

Later that evening, another message from reception brought us back outside for an encore performance.

We felt incredibly fortunate. One of the main goals of our trip had finally become reality.

One More Night

The next day brought slightly better weather.

Not perfect, but definitely an improvement.

Our tour company, Arctic World Tromsø, contacted us to let us know our rescheduled land-based fjord tour was going ahead.

I had read a lot about these tours and was intrigued by the idea of seeing the fjords from a different perspective. Unfortunately, this ended up being one of the few disappointments of the trip.

Perhaps it was the particular tour we chose, but it felt like a lot of driving with relatively little fjord viewing. Compared with the fjord cruises we would later take elsewhere in Norway, it simply paled in comparison.

That said, travel is rarely perfect. Not every hotel, restaurant, or excursion turns out to be a winner. That's part of the experience.

If I were planning the trip again, however, I would skip this tour.

That evening, we joined our final Northern Lights chasing tour.

We briefly considered cancelling. After all, the previous night's display had been spectacular. How could anything top that?

In the end, we decided to go—and we're glad we did.

While the aurora wasn't as dramatic as the night before, it was still impressive. One interesting thing about the Northern Lights is that cameras often see more than your eyes do. Displays that appear faint to the naked eye can look vibrant and dramatic through a camera lens.

The first night's aurora had been bright green and impossible to miss. The second night's display was more subtle but revealed beautiful shades of purple and mauve through our cameras.

Experiencing two completely different versions of the aurora made us appreciate both nights even more.

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Final Thoughts

In the end, we accomplished what we came to Tromsø to do. We saw the Northern Lights, and along the way we discovered a beautiful city, incredible winter landscapes, and some memorable adventures.

If you're planning a trip to Tromsø, here are my recommendations:

• Stay at least five days, and ideally seven, if seeing the Northern Lights is a priority.

• Combine a glass hotel with an aurora-chasing tour to maximize your chances.

• Consider skipping the land-based fjord tour and spending that time hiking or snowshoeing instead.

• Budget carefully. Norway is expensive, and Tromsø can be even more so.

• Plan daytime activities. You'll have many hours between breakfast and darkness, and the scenery is spectacular regardless of whether the aurora appears.

Hopefully, this helps if you're considering a trip to Tromsø.

You can read my other posts about Norway and the Netherlands here:

• 5 Weeks in Norway and the Netherlands: Northern Lights, Fjords, Tulips & More

• Three Weeks in Norway: Fjords, Mountains, Musk Oxen, and Unforgettable Hikes

• Three Weeks in Norway: Honest Reviews of Hotels, Restaurants, Tours & Unforgettable Experiences

As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out at thethirdperiod.ca@gmail.com.