Aurora Safari Chase by big bus, free Photos, toilet onboard

The best part of this Tromsø aurora tour is the flexible chase. Instead of staying at one fixed viewing point, the coach can move around Troms County toward clearer skies. At the base, you can warm up in a lavvo or beside a fire while guides explain the science and help you set up your camera.

I like the heated coach, onboard toilet, and the chance to use a private camp without arranging transport yourself. I also like the warm drinks, snacks, and several guides who are especially helpful with photography, including Paolo, Jeanne, William, and Alexandre.

The main drawback is simple: no tour can control the clouds. A large coach is cheaper than a private chase, but it cannot always move as freely, and some nights involve long hours on the road with little or no aurora.

Key points before you book

• The coach can change locations: The guide may move the group to another site when weather conditions call for it.
• You get a warm base: A lavvo, heated room, campfire, hot drinks, and snacks make the waiting more comfortable.
• Photography help is available: Guides may assist with camera settings, and tripods can be available to borrow.
• The tour lasts about five to eight hours: The 6:15 pm start can take you well into the night.
• A meal is optional: You can add fish soup, reindeer stew, or another hot dish, but the meal is not part of every booking.
• It is a big-group experience: The maximum listed group size is 50, so this suits value-minded visitors more than people seeking a private outing.

Leaving Tromsø at 6:15 pm

You meet at the Prostneset Bus, Boat and Hurtigruten Terminal on Samuel Arnesens gate 5, close to the center of Tromsø. The tour ends at the same place, which is handy if your hotel is within walking distance.

The evening starts with a short gathering at the terminal, followed by boarding a climate-controlled coach. You do not need to arrange a rental car, study road conditions, or guess which direction has the clearest sky. That convenience is a large part of what you are paying for.

The drive into the Tromsø area is part of the experience. A video about the science of the Northern Lights plays on the coach, giving you a useful introduction to solar activity and the aurora before you reach the viewing site. Guides also share information about Tromsø and the surrounding area.

The coach has a toilet onboard, a useful feature when you are far from town and the outing may last eight hours. Still, plan on wearing warm clothing from the start. The vehicle is heated, but you will spend time outside, often standing in snow or cold wind while looking at the sky.

Stop one: choosing a base in Troms County

The first real decision of the night is where to set up. The guide checks the weather and selects a base station thought to offer the best chance of clear skies. The exact destination can change, so you should not expect a fixed sightseeing route.

This flexibility is valuable in northern Norway, where cloud cover can differ sharply over a short distance. One evening may be cloudy in Tromsø but clearer near the coast or farther inland. The bus can respond to those conditions better than a group that stays beside the city.

There is a limit, though. A coach carrying up to 50 people cannot move as quickly or as freely as a small private vehicle. One account describes a comfortable ride of roughly 45 minutes to a base station, while other nights included much longer periods on the road. The published duration is approximately five to eight hours, so keep the rest of your evening open.

You may also hear the term Lapland used in marketing for northern experiences. This outing takes place in Norway, around Tromsø and Troms County. Tromsø is already well placed for aurora viewing, and the tour’s value comes from transport, weather-based site selection, guiding, and the camp setup.

Stop two: a warm camp beside the dark sky

At the selected base, you normally have a place to sit inside a heated lavvo or near a campfire. A lavvo is a traditional Sami tent with a conical shape. It gives you shelter while keeping you close to the open sky.

The setup makes a difference. Waiting for the aurora can mean standing outside for a long time with nothing happening. The fire, hot chocolate, coffee, and local snacks give you somewhere to warm your hands and settle in. You may also find a heated room and basic camp facilities at the selected site.

Do not treat the camp as the main attraction, though. It is a comfortable waiting area, not a guarantee of an aurora show. On a cloudy or snowy night, you could spend much of the evening inside or beside the fire with no clear view overhead.

The setting can be lovely even when the lights are faint. Snowy mountains, a dark sky, and the glow of a fire create a distinctly northern evening. But the quality of that setting changes from one base to another, since the location is selected according to conditions.

Stop three: waiting for the green glow

The Northern Lights may appear as a pale green band, a faint moving cloud, or a bright ribbon that stretches across the sky. Color and strength depend on solar activity, darkness, cloud cover, and your own eyes and camera.

This is where patience matters. Some nights bring several hours of strong aurora. Other nights offer only short flashes, or a faint glow that shows more clearly in photographs than in person. There can also be no visible aurora at all.

The guides can help you understand what you are seeing. Paolo and Jeanne have been praised for explaining both Tromsø and the science behind the lights. William has been singled out for his help at a quieter base, while Alexandre has helped visitors with camera settings. Ricardo and Suzanna have also been noted for clear explanations and friendly assistance.

That personal help is one of the strongest reasons to choose a guided outing instead of simply driving away from Tromsø yourself. You may learn how the aurora forms, why the guide is watching the clouds, and how to position your camera for a long exposure.

Still, the experience depends heavily on the night. On one reported outing, heavy snow continued for hours and even the moon was hidden. The coach reached another cloudy area, and the group waited without a clear sky. The guide can improve your odds, but cannot manufacture good weather.

Stop four: food, fire, and the optional meal

Hot drinks and snacks are included in the camp experience. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and cookies are especially welcome after time outdoors. The campfire also gives you a place to gather while the guides watch the sky.

A hot meal is an upgrade, not something you should assume comes with the basic booking. Options described for the tour include reindeer stew and fish soup. A vegetarian or non-fish option can be requested when booking, so state that need in advance.

The meal receives mixed impressions because expectations vary. Fish soup with homemade focaccia or lefse has been described as delicious and satisfying. Another account found the soup tasty but too small for the extra cost, while a different night produced food that was considered disappointing.

I would choose the meal for warmth and convenience, not as a reason to book the tour. If the aurora is active, you may find yourself reluctant to sit inside and eat because you do not want to miss a sudden burst of light. If the sky is quiet, a hot bowl can make the wait much more pleasant.

Some base stations may also offer beer and wine for purchase, but this is not described as a standard feature at every location. The exact food and drink setup can vary with the selected camp.

Stop five: chasing the lights on the way back

After time at the base, the coach may continue looking for clearer conditions. The itinerary allows for another move if the weather changes, followed by stops for photographs or aurora sightings.

This can produce the most memorable moment of the night. One account describes seeing the lights only during the return journey, when the driver pulled into a safe layby as soon as possible. That kind of last-minute sighting is a good reminder to keep watching the windows and to stay ready with your coat and camera.

It can also produce a less satisfying evening. If the sky remains covered, the return drive may feel like a long wait in a bus. One account described spending roughly six hours on the coach with little to see. That is not a failure of the guide alone, but it is a real risk with a weather-dependent activity.

The coach returns to Prostneset in central Tromsø. The total outing normally takes five to eight hours, so a 6:15 pm departure may bring you back around midnight or later.

Taking photos of the aurora

The tour is well suited to people who want help photographing the lights. Guides may take pictures of you with the aurora behind you and can offer advice on camera settings. Tripods have also been available to borrow, which is useful because aurora photography usually needs a steady camera and a longer exposure.

Do not depend on a phone to capture what your eyes see. One account found that a professional camera showed the colors and movement better than a mobile phone. If you have a proper camera, bring it with a charged battery and enough storage.

The photo policy deserves a close look before you book. The experience is advertised with free photos, and low-resolution images have been described as available for free download. One account says high-resolution images cost 300 NOK per picture. Ask your guide exactly what is included that evening, especially if you care about printing the photographs.

A group photo would be a nice addition, but it should not be assumed. The strongest value comes from the guide’s help with your own camera and from the chance to photograph the sky away from city lights.

Is the $128.16 price good value?

At $128.16 per person, this is much cheaper than a private aurora chase. You are paying for transport from Tromsø, a heated coach, an onboard toilet, weather-based site selection, a guide, access to a camp, hot drinks and snacks, and the possibility of photo help.

That is a fair package if you do not have a car or do not want to drive on snowy roads at night. The value improves when the sky clears and the bus reaches a good base with a small crowd. A strong aurora show can turn the whole night into a highlight.

The value is weaker if you mainly want a quiet, personal experience. A maximum group of 50 is not intimate, and more than one coach may sometimes be operating at a base. At a busy camp, seating around the fire or inside the lavvo may be limited.

The optional meal also affects the final price. Since the portion and menu may vary, I would treat it as a practical hot dinner rather than a special food experience. If you have dietary needs, request a vegetarian or non-fish meal when booking.

The overall rating of 4.2 from 92 reviews suggests a generally good experience with some serious weather-related disappointments. The wide range of ratings is exactly what you would expect from an aurora tour. The quality of the night depends on conditions as much as on the company.

Who should choose this Tromsø aurora tour?

I would recommend it to you if this is your first Northern Lights outing and you want transport, a guide, shelter, and a basic camp in one booking. It also suits couples and families with children older than four who prefer a straightforward evening rather than a self-drive adventure.

It is a good match for photographers who want help with settings and a chance to borrow a tripod. Bring your own camera if possible, since a phone may not capture the aurora well.

You should think twice if you dislike long bus rides, large groups, or uncertainty. You could spend much of the night moving between cloudy areas, waiting beside a fire, or sitting on the coach without seeing the lights.

The experience operates in cold weather, and you need proper winter clothing. The heated bus and lavvo help, but they do not replace insulated shoes, warm layers, gloves, and a hat. The tour is not suitable for children aged four and under.

Booking, cancellation, and practical details

You receive confirmation when booking, and the activity is offered in English. It operates near public transportation, with the start and finish at Prostneset.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the 6:15 pm start time. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before departure are not accepted for a refund. If poor weather or too few bookings force cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund.

This is a weather-dependent outing, so I would avoid scheduling it on the final night of your trip if seeing the aurora is a top priority. Booking earlier gives you room to try again if the first night is cloudy.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a reasonably priced, well-supported way to search for the Northern Lights from Tromsø. The flexible base locations, heated transport, onboard toilet, campfire, hot drinks, and photography help give it more practical value than simply standing outside town and hoping.

Do not book it expecting a guaranteed show or a private experience. The coach is large, the meal is optional and variable, and a bad weather night can mean hours of waiting with no aurora. For most first-time visitors who accept that risk, this is a sensible choice. Bring warm clothes, a proper camera if you have one, and enough patience for the Arctic sky.

FAQ

Where does the Northern Lights tour start?

It starts at Tromsø Havn Prostneset, at Samuel Arnesens gate 5 in Tromsø.

What time does the tour start?

The stated start time is 6:15 pm.

Where does the tour finish?

It returns to the Prostneset meeting point in central Tromsø.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately five to eight hours.

Is transportation included?

Yes. You travel by a comfortable, climate-controlled coach from Tromsø to the selected viewing areas and back.

Does the coach have a toilet?

Yes. The tour information states that the coach has a toilet onboard.

Is a meal included?

Hot drinks and snacks are provided at the camp. A hot meal, such as reindeer stew or fish soup, is available as an upgrade.

Can I request vegetarian or non-fish food?

Yes. A vegetarian or non-fish option is available if you request it when booking.

Are photos included?

Free photos are offered, but the exact resolution and download terms should be checked with the guide. One stated arrangement provides free low-resolution images, with high-resolution images costing 300 NOK per picture.

Can the tour change locations?

Yes. The guide may move around Troms County or continue chasing the aurora if weather conditions suggest another location offers a better chance.

Is the tour suitable for young children?

It is not suitable for children aged four and under.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Poor weather or failure to reach the minimum number of bookings may result in a different date or a full refund.