Aurora Hunt with Citizen Science

Come with us for your Aurora hunt for an amazing and ethical experience underneath the polar night sky. Tromsø is the best place to see the Northern Lights. Leave the light pollution in Tromsø behind and travel into the Arctic wilderness. During this activity, our small team of Aurora guides check the forecasts and uses local knowledge to decide on the best place to chase the Northern Lights, sometimes driving all the way to the Finnish border. When we find the best spot, we will dress in warm thermal suits and boots, make a cosy campfire, and enjoy a homemade meal. During your Aurora Hunt activity, you'll be shown how to use your camera, photograph the Aurora, and our guides will take photos of you, which are provided for free in web-sized resolution after the tour.

By joining us, you’re not only experiencing the magic of the Northern Lights but also helping protect the local environment!  We’re committed to conservation, regenerative travel, and protecting the Arctic nature. During our time together in the wilderness, we’ll follow a scientific method to collect valuable data for one of our citizen science projects. After gathering data, it’s uploaded to our research partners’ database, where it’s used in environmental studies and to guide our Responsible Tourism Project, where we work with other local tourism professionals.

Relax by the campfire with hot chocolate before being returned to Tromsø island to your selected drop-off location. Though there is never a guarantee of seeing this phenomenon, our experienced team of Aurora Hunters will do their best every night of the season. Increase your chances of seeing the Northern Lights by joining on multiple evenings. 

Season: 15th September - 15th April 
Duration: 5 - 8 hours 
Group size: 4 - 15 pax (Minimum of 4 adults to confirm the tour)
Minimum age: 6 years old (please assess your child's comfort & safety for this activity)
Meeting time: 17:50 in front of the Scandic Ishavhotel Fredrik Langes gate 2, 9008 Tromsø | 18:50 from March 26 - April 15
Departure: 18:00 | 19:00 March 26 - April 15
Return: Drop off at set locations in Tromsø: Scandic Ishavshotell, Smarthotel,
AMI Hotel, Vervet, Wandering Owl office, Airport, Moxy Hotel, Arctic Cathedral, Tromsø
Camping bus stop, Breivika kai
Carbon emission: 8.3kg; offset by Chooose. Wandering Owl is eco-certified by Travelife.
About the meal: The meal provided is a homemade soup in a 400ml portion. We provide bread to go with the soup. Wandering Owl has partnered up with local farms to ensure as many ingredients are locally sourced as possible (depending on the season). All ingredients have been evaluated for their ecological and social footprint. Please let us know in the booking if you have any allergies. All our soups are gluten-free, and all our food and drinks are vegan (vegan cookies upon request)..
Inclusions: Thermal suits & boots (limited child sizes, please contact us for more information), warm homemade soup Ⓥ, biscuits & hot chocolate, tripods, photos of the tour in web-sized resolution (original resolution available for purchase after the tour - see pricelist), citizen science participation (if the conditions are suitable for data collection).

Safety considerations: The tour involves some walking (at least 200m); the conditions may be icy, slippery, uneven, muddy, snowy, or otherwise. The temperatures may be extremely cold (sometimes below -30). Please ensure you are wearing appropriate clothing underneath your thermal suit.

Important information

- After booking with us you'll receive a confirmation email. Please read through the email carefully and ensure all details are correct. If you don't receive a confirmation email from us, please get in contact with our friendly team.
- Our terms and conditions and our generous 24hr cancellation policy can be found here.
- Always travel with travel insurance.

- Bring a valid ID (for non-EU citizens passports are needed) in case we drive to the Finnish border

- Learn more about our ethical and responsible tourism initiatives, including about our meals, and research partnerships here.
- All participants need to complete the eWaiver before the tour/activity start time. Here is the link to our waiver. It's one eWaiver per booking, no matter how many Wandering Owl activities you join. If you have been on tour with us in the last 12 months, you do not need to complete another waiver.
- It's a great idea to dress in layers, so as you warm up or cool down, you can add and remove layers. We suggest: woollen base layer, woollen sweater, down mid layer and a shell or windproof jacket as the final layer. Jeans, especially skinny jeans, aren't windproof, nor do they have any thermal qualities. High heels and fashion shoes are unsuitable.
- We suggest downloading WhatsApp before travelling to Norway. We prefer to use WhatsApp or email when communicating with our guests. Remember to keep your phone handy on the day of the tour in case we need to make last-minute changes or communicate with you.
- We never cancel simply because the forecast says it might be cloudy. You can learn more about this by reading our Northern Light blog category here.
- The activity varies every night of the season. Here is a link to our album to show you how different it can look depending on the environmental conditions at the time. 

Looking for a restaurant recommendation, fun nightlife or cafe lifestyle in Tromsø? Here's our top picks! Here's an article about sustainable souvenir practices that all travellers should be informed about.

Don't forget to like, follow & tag @wanderingowl in owl your adventures with us.

Special Winter Day Deal: Add Winter Arctic Landscapes to your shopping cart & automatically get 10% off the day tour.