Tromsø: Reindeer Feeding & Chance of Northern Lights Viewing

The most memorable part of this Tromsø outing is the close contact with the reindeer. At Breivikeidet, you can hold feed in your hand while the animals crowd around, with the Lyngen Alps rising behind the fence. Later, you sit in a Sámi gamme, eat Bithos, and look up for the northern lights.

I like the mix of hands-on fun and real cultural context. You are not just taking pictures of reindeer, and you are not just sitting through a talk. You also get a warm meal, hot drinks, and the chance to see the aurora in a low-light setting. The main drawback is the price, $177 per person, and the possibility of a large group or cloudy skies.

Key points to know before you book

• Feed reindeer at close range: The animals are friendly and eager, though a few may push in to reach the food.
• Meet Sámi hosts: Hear about Arctic life, reindeer herding, traditional clothing, and practical customs from Sámi guides.
• Eat Bithos in a gamme: The meal is usually reindeer stew, with a vegetarian soup option, bread, cookies, coffee, and tea.
• Search for the aurora: Breivikeidet has little artificial light, but northern lights sightings are never guaranteed.
• Plan for cold and wet ground: Warm clothing is included, yet you should bring a hat, gloves, scarf, and waterproof layers.
• Expect a coach ride and group setting: The journey can take roughly 45 to 90 minutes, and larger departures may feel crowded at mealtime.

Why this Sámi camp experience feels different from a standard aurora tour

Many Tromsø evening tours put the northern lights first. This one gives you a full Arctic visit even if the sky stays cloudy. You spend time with reindeer, sit around fires or inside a traditional hut, eat a local dish, and hear directly about Sámi culture.

That makes the $177 price easier to judge. You are not paying only for a chance at a green streak in the sky. You are paying for transportation, reindeer feeding, a meal, cultural hosting, warm clothing, and several hours at a remote camp. Still, the cost is significant, especially for a family of four. If the aurora does not appear, the value depends on how much you care about the animals and the Sámi cultural program.

The activity is operated by Tromsø Lapland. English and Norwegian are the tour languages. Guides including Michael and Lisa have been praised for their warm presentations, clear explanations, and willingness to answer questions. The quality of the evening depends partly on which guide leads your group, but the central program remains the same.

Meeting the bus in central Tromsø

The meeting point is in front of the main entrance of the Radisson Blu hotel, on the side near Rorbua Pub and the Scandic Ishav Hotel. Look for guides wearing blue ponchos marked with the Tromsø Lapland logo. They meet you on the sidewalk near the revolving doors.

There is no hotel pickup or custom pickup point, so allow time to reach this location. The clear meeting arrangement is helpful in winter, when darkness, snow, and busy streets can make a city meeting point harder to spot.

Once aboard, you begin the ride toward Breivikeidet. The coach ride is part of the evening, not a quick transfer. Depending on the departure and road conditions, you might spend around 45 to 90 minutes on the bus. The coaches are generally comfortable, and some departures use newer buses with good lighting for the return through snowy conditions.

That journey can feel long if you expected a short trip from the center of Tromsø. I would treat it as the price of reaching a darker, more open setting. Bring your warm layers where you can reach them, rather than burying them in luggage.

Breivikeidet and the first sight of the Lyngen Alps

The camp sits in Breivikeidet, surrounded by mountains. The Lyngen Alps provide the first big visual reward, especially when snow covers the peaks and the camp lights glow below.

This setting matters for two reasons. First, it gives the visit a strong sense of place. You are outside Tromsø, in a broad Arctic valley rather than a city attraction. Second, the camp has little artificial light, making it a useful location for aurora watching.

Do not expect a polished theme park. The ground can be muddy, particularly after rain or thaw. One visitor needed boot covers during heavy rain, and other accounts describe wet or uneven ground around the reindeer area. Wear shoes you do not mind getting dirty, or use the supplied boot protection if offered.

Warm clothing is included, but that does not mean you should arrive lightly dressed. Bring a hat, gloves, scarf, and warm base layers. The supplied clothing is a useful backup, not a reason to ignore Tromsø winter conditions.

Feeding and petting the reindeer

After a short introduction, you go to the reindeer fence. You receive food and learn how to offer it safely. The animals are accustomed to people and often come very close, making this one of the most engaging parts of the evening.

Some reindeer are calm and gentle. Others are very keen on dinner. They may crowd toward the feed, and a few can jostle one another. Keep a firm grip on your container, especially if you are small or standing near several hungry animals. One useful practical point from the experience is that the reindeer may try to take the whole bucket if you are not careful.

The animals can be petted, but feeding is the main activity. You may get repeated close-up moments because there are many reindeer around and some are eager to eat. Children usually have an easy way into the experience, while adults often find the animals more powerful and lively than expected.

You should also remember that these are animals, not cuddly props. Keep your hands controlled and follow the guide’s instructions. One account advises clear eye protection around antlers, though the reindeer are generally described as friendly and not intimidating.

The time outside is long enough to make the activity feel worthwhile. You are not rushed through a quick photo stop. You can feed the reindeer, warm up by a fire, and return for another look.

Inside the gamme for Bithos and warm drinks

After the outdoor portion, you move into a gamme, a traditional Sámi-style shelter. The interior offers protection from the cold and a more intimate place for food and conversation.

The traditional meal is Bithos, commonly served here as a reindeer stew. It is a filling Arctic dish, and the warm bowl is welcome after time outside. Bread, butter, cookies, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are also provided.

Food preferences matter. A vegetarian soup is available, described as simple but suitable for people who do not eat reindeer. Gluten-free catering has also been provided, including separate bread, butter, and cookies, though you should state your needs when booking or before the meal.

The food is generally a strength of the evening, but taste is personal. The stew has been warmly received by many people, while some found it merely acceptable. If you are uneasy about eating reindeer, this is worth considering before you book. The meal is presented as a traditional dish for special occasions, which gives it cultural meaning beyond being a tourist dinner.

The gamme may feel crowded during dinner. Larger departures can make it difficult for everyone to fit comfortably, and one evening had a problem with the central fire running out of gas, leaving the tent cold while people ate. Fires are used around the camp, but indoor warmth may vary.

Sámi culture beyond the photo stop

The cultural presentation is a major reason to choose this tour over a simple animal visit. Sámi hosts explain daily life in the Arctic, reindeer herding, clothing, family traditions, and the practical ways people adapt to northern conditions.

You can see and touch traditional handcrafted clothing. That small detail helps make the talk more concrete. Instead of hearing general statements about cold-weather life, you get a look at the materials and garments used in Sámi settings.

The best presentations leave room for questions. Guides such as Michael and Lisa have been singled out for friendly, clear talks, and the hosts are happy to discuss their way of life. I would come ready with respectful questions about reindeer herding, seasonal work, food, clothing, and how Sámi traditions continue today.

This portion also keeps the tour from reducing Sámi culture to decoration. The gamme, clothing, meal, music, and reindeer all connect to a living culture. Pay attention to the explanations, not just the photos. That is where much of the tour’s lasting value lies.

Folk music adds another layer to the evening. The exact amount of music can vary, but it forms part of the cultural welcome along with the storytelling and meal.

Searching the sky for the northern lights

The camp is a good place to watch for the aurora because there is little artificial light. If the sky clears and auroral activity is strong, you may see green bands, shifting curtains, or even red tones. Some evenings have produced long displays, while others have shown only faint lights.

The important point is that this is a chance, not a promise. Clouds can block the sky completely. Several otherwise enjoyable evenings had no aurora, while other groups saw strong displays above the reindeer.

The guides keep watch while the group eats or listens to the talk. If the lights appear, you may be called outside. That arrangement is practical because you do not have to stand in the cold for the entire evening staring at an empty sky.

Still, timing can be imperfect. If the aurora reaches its strongest point while the bus is moving, you may see it through the windows but have no chance to stop for photos. That happened on one evening, and it is a useful reminder that nature sets the schedule.

Bring a camera if you want pictures, but keep your expectations realistic. The dark camp and mountain setting can create striking images, yet clouds, snow, and phone limitations all affect the result. The experience itself is more important than getting a perfect photograph.

Group size, comfort, and practical limits

This is a group tour, and the atmosphere changes with the number of people on your departure. Two large buses can make the arrival feel more commercial than expected, even though the camp itself remains simple and natural.

A large group also affects the meal and the cultural talk. You may need to share space closely in the gamme, and not everyone will have the same view of the guide. On the other hand, larger groups can make the camp feel lively, especially during the reindeer feeding.

The tour is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments. The combination of coach travel, outdoor paths, muddy ground, a reindeer fence, and a traditional shelter creates real limits for anyone who needs step-free access or stable surfaces.

Pets are not allowed, and strong fragrances are discouraged. That makes sense around animals and in a compact indoor setting.

The tour lasts 270 minutes, or four and a half hours. That is long enough for transport, feeding, food, culture, and aurora watching without turning the experience into a rushed evening. It also means you should avoid placing another tightly timed activity immediately afterward.

Who will get the most from the $177 price

I would recommend this for someone who wants more than an aurora chase. You get a fuller evening with animals, food, culture, mountain scenery, and a realistic chance to see the sky light up.

Families often have plenty to keep them occupied. Children can focus on the reindeer, while adults can listen to the cultural presentation and enjoy the meal. Teenagers may especially appreciate the combination of hands-on activity and the possibility of a dramatic aurora display.

It also suits first-time visitors who want a clear introduction to Sámi culture without arranging several separate activities. The guides, meal, clothing, and transport are handled together.

You should think twice if your only goal is photographing the northern lights. A dedicated aurora chase may offer more flexibility in moving away from clouds, while this tour keeps you at one camp. You should also think twice if you dislike group outings, have mobility needs, or do not want to spend much of the evening on a coach.

For the price, the experience is strongest when you value the full program. If the aurora appears, the evening can feel extraordinary. If it does not, you still have a substantial cultural and animal visit, but the cost may feel high.

Should you book this Tromsø reindeer tour?

Book it if you want close contact with reindeer, a proper Sámi cultural introduction, and a warm traditional meal in a mountain setting. The aurora is an excellent bonus, not the product’s only reason to go.

Before booking, check the forecast, but do not treat a cloudy prediction as a guaranteed failure. The reindeer, guides, food, and setting still carry the evening. Pack serious winter clothing, expect a possibly muddy camp, and allow for a long coach ride and a group atmosphere.

I would choose this tour for a first Tromsø visit, especially if you have one evening available and want an activity that works for both adults and children. I would skip it only if you need wheelchair access, dislike shared tours, or want a flexible aurora hunt above all else.

FAQ

Where is the meeting point for the tour?

Meet in front of the main entrance of the Radisson Blu hotel in Tromsø, on the side near Rorbua Pub and Scandic Ishav Hotel. Guides wear blue ponchos with the Tromsø Lapland logo and wait near the revolving doors.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, and custom pickup or drop-off points are not available.

How long does the experience last?

The activity lasts 270 minutes, or four and a half hours. The coach journey to Breivikeidet can take roughly 45 to 90 minutes, depending on the departure and conditions.

Is seeing the northern lights guaranteed?

No. The camp has little artificial light and is chosen for aurora viewing, but clouds and changing conditions can prevent a sighting.

What food is served?

The traditional meal is Bithos, generally served as reindeer stew. A vegetarian soup option is available, along with bread, butter, cookies, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

What should I bring?

Bring warm clothing, a hat, gloves, and a scarf. Waterproof footwear or clothing is useful because the camp can be muddy, especially in wet weather.