REVIEW · TROMSO
From Tromsø: Northern Lights Tour with Hot Drinks and Photos
Book on GetYourGuide →Operated by El Gigante Tour Aurora · Bookable on GetYourGuide
Watching the aurora hunt is pure Tromsø magic. This 7-hour tour from Central Tromsø is built for cold, dark nights, with warm suits and shoe spikes so you can actually enjoy the sky instead of racing your own fingers for warmth.
I also like that the experience includes free photos, turning whatever you see into a real set of keepsakes. One thing to keep in mind: the Northern Lights are never guaranteed, and the crew may change locations as weather shifts.
In This Review
- Key highlights you’ll care about
- Pickup and the “get ready fast” start in Tromsø
- Suiting up: warm suits, shoe spikes, and head lamps
- How the night unfolds: driving out, checking views, and waiting for the lights
- The guides and the aurora-hunting method
- Photography included: how to turn a flicker into a memory
- Viewing spots, warm breaks, and how long you’ll be outside
- Northern Lights odds: what the tour can control and what it can’t
- Price and value: is $157 worth it?
- What to bring (and what not to)
- Who should book this, and who should skip it
- Should you book El Gigante Tour Aurora?
- FAQ
- Where do I meet the tour in Tromsø?
- What’s the duration of the tour?
- Are Northern Lights sightings guaranteed?
- What languages are spoken on the tour?
- What should I bring for the cold?
- What’s included with the tour?
Key highlights you’ll care about
- Central pickup and a small group feel in a 15-seater minibus, with pickup from Tromsø City Library (look for the silver Mercedes Vito)
- Cold-weather gear that’s actually useful: warm suits, shoe spikes, and head lamps
- Wait comfortably with cookies and hot drinks like coffee, tea, and hot chocolate
- Professional aurora photography included so you don’t have to become an overnight astrophotographer
- Routes that adapt to cloud cover since the aim is clear skies, not a fixed checklist
- Multilingual guidance in Spanish, Norwegian, and English
Pickup and the “get ready fast” start in Tromsø
The tour begins with a simple plan: get you out of the city center and into the darker, clearer areas where the aurora has a better chance. You’ll meet at Tromsø City Library and look for the silver Mercedes Vito. Arrive 10 minutes early so you’re not scrambling to find the van while everyone else is already buckling up.
The vehicle is a comfortable 15-seater minibus, which matters more than it sounds. Small groups make it easier to move people quickly, check who needs help with gear, and get everyone positioned when the guide finds a promising patch of sky. You’re also not stuck in an endless shuttle situation where you spend the whole night waiting in transit.
Before you even think about the lights, you’ll be thinking about cold weather. That’s not a complaint. It’s the reality of Tromsø in winter, and this tour addresses it directly.
Other northern lights tours we've reviewed in Tromso
Suiting up: warm suits, shoe spikes, and head lamps
One of the best parts is how seriously they treat “you’re going outside in real winter.” You’re provided with a warm suit, plus shoe spikes and head lamps. Those details aren’t just extras. They change how the evening feels.
Shoe spikes are especially helpful because winter ground can turn slick fast, and you don’t want to spend precious minutes wobbling while everyone else is watching the sky. Head lamps keep navigation easier without blinding everyone else at the viewing spot. Warm suits help you stay outside longer without stripping layers every ten minutes.
In practical terms, this means you can concentrate on spotting the aurora instead of managing discomfort. When you’re chilled, your eyes and your body both stop cooperating. This tour tries to prevent that.
You should still bring your own base layers: two or more thermal layers, plus gloves, a hat, and warm winter boots. A suit helps, but you’ll get better results if your base clothing is already doing its job.
How the night unfolds: driving out, checking views, and waiting for the lights
The itinerary is built around one truth: Northern Lights chasing is weather-dependent. You’ll depart from Tromsø and ride out to a viewing area where conditions look promising. Then you pause. A lot.
You can expect a chunk of time spent waiting, watching the sky, and following the guide’s cues. This is where the small comforts matter. Snacks (cookies) and hot drinks like coffee, tea, and hot chocolate keep you functional while you stand still in the cold.
Some nights run smoothly. Other nights take more searching. The tour notes that the location may change depending on weather, and the overall time is typically 6–8 hours even though the booking duration is listed as 7 hours. That flexibility is part of the value: the crew isn’t pretending the first stop will always work.
A couple of details from real experiences stand out. Guides often take time to set up a proper viewing moment, and you may find that the stop includes extra warmth beyond the drinks—like a small campfire or grilled hot food—depending on conditions and the group. If that happens, it adds a fun, “we’re in this together” feeling. If it doesn’t, you still get the core warmth: suits, drinks, and snacks.
The guides and the aurora-hunting method
The big question is always the same: how do you improve your odds when the aurora is unpredictable?
You rely on the guide’s decision-making. The tour includes a knowledgeable guide and certified driver, and reviews highlight that some guides treat this like a real craft. Names that come up often include Nelson and Roberto, with guides and team members like Karel and Sergey also mentioned in feedback. You’re not buying a generic bus ride—you’re buying a night where someone actively tries to find the best sky.
In terms of what that looks like, you’ll usually see a pattern:
- The guide monitors conditions and adjusts the plan
- You get taken to viewing spots with a clearer view of the sky
- You change locations if the first area isn’t paying off
Reviews also mention long drives in challenging weather, including cases where a guide pushed farther than expected to chase better conditions. That’s not something you can assume every night, but it does explain why this tour scores so well: when conditions are tough, staying put is the easy option. Chasing a better pocket of sky is the harder one, and it’s usually what you’re paying for.
Photography included: how to turn a flicker into a memory
Most Northern Lights tours promise photos. This one takes it further by including professional photography as part of the experience, and the “free photos” detail is specifically listed.
What that means for you: you don’t have to guess settings, fight with blur, or worry that your camera skills will decide whether the night was worth it. Instead, you get guidance when it’s time to shoot, and the guide can capture the moment in a way that’s hard to do while also trying to enjoy the view.
In real feedback, people describe receiving large sets of images after the tour, with guides taking hundreds of pictures and sharing them afterward. Even if your night is shorter, you’re still likely to come home with usable photos—often more than you’d manage on your own during a cold, fast-moving hunt.
My practical advice: treat the guide’s photo work as the main event, but keep your own phone or camera ready for quick looks. When the lights arrive, you’ll want both: one set for sharing, and one set for your personal “I was there” moments.
Other photography tours in Tromso
Viewing spots, warm breaks, and how long you’ll be outside
This is one of those tours where your comfort schedule matters as much as the sky schedule. You’ll be dressed for winter, but you’re still standing outside at night. That’s why the warm breaks (drinks, cookies) are not a throwaway feature.
Waiting can be the longest part of the evening. The good news is that this tour fills the lull with small rituals: warm drinks to keep your hands working, cookies to prevent the shakes, and guidance that helps you know when to look up.
Also, the tour is realistic about timing. The aurora tour notes that duration is typically 6–8 hours, and the exact location may change. Reviews include examples of nights that felt brief when the aurora happened early. Other nights stretched as the crew kept moving to improve the odds.
So, set your expectations accordingly. Don’t plan something tight right after you get back. Build a little buffer into your Tromsø plans, even if you’re hoping for an early return.
Northern Lights odds: what the tour can control and what it can’t
Here’s the honest bottom line: Northern Lights sightings are not guaranteed. Even the best chase crew can’t force the aurora to appear.
What they can do is stack the deck:
- Find darker areas away from the strongest city light
- Adjust locations when weather changes
- Time the viewing based on local conditions and sky behavior
- Get you in the right spot when the sky turns alive
One more reality check: the best chance often depends on clarity. Cloud cover can ruin even a strong forecast. That’s why the “location may change” line is important. It signals that you’re paying for movement and problem-solving, not just a ticket for one viewing point.
If you’re going into this hoping for a guaranteed show, you’ll be disappointed. If you’re going in understanding it’s a hunt, the evening feels more like an adventure than a gamble—and guides generally handle the night that way.
Price and value: is $157 worth it?
At $157 per person for a roughly 7-hour tour, it’s not the cheapest way to chase the aurora. But the value isn’t just the bus ride.
Here’s what you’re getting that can cost extra if you do it on your own:
- Roundtrip transportation from central Tromsø
- A multi-lingual guide and driver
- Provided warm suits
- Shoe spikes and head lamps
- Snacks and hot drinks
- Free professional photos
When you add up gear rental or cold-weather clothing purchases, plus the time and stress of self-driving at night, the price starts to look more reasonable. You’re also buying the guide’s effort—hours of searching logic and on-the-ground decisions that most people can’t replicate without experience.
In other words, the cost is paying for comfort, safety gear, and someone actively working the problem of weather and timing. That’s the core value.
What to bring (and what not to)
Your packing list is short but strict. Bring:
- Passport
- Warm clothing (at least two layers)
- Gloves
- Warm shoes
- Thermal clothing
- Hat (strongly recommended based on the tour’s warm-clothing guidance)
There are also clear rules in the vehicle. Food isn’t allowed in the vehicle, and alcohol and drugs aren’t allowed. Intoxication is not permitted, and alcoholic drinks in the vehicle are not allowed.
This might seem fussy, but it actually helps the tour run better. You’re in a small minibus in winter conditions. Cleaner, calm behavior makes it easier to keep everyone warm, attentive, and ready when the guide calls for a stop.
Who should book this, and who should skip it
This tour is a good match if:
- You’re visiting Tromsø for the first time
- You want help finding the best viewing conditions without planning all the logistics
- You care about going home with photos (not just memories)
- You’d rather ride in a small group than manage your own winter driving
But it’s not for everyone. It’s marked as not suitable for:
- Children under 10
- Wheelchair users
- People with vertigo
- People who are visually impaired
- People with pre-existing medical conditions
- People with recent surgeries
- People with motion sickness
If any of those apply to you, it’s worth choosing a different option that fits your needs better. Cold-weather walking, nighttime movement, and waiting in a dark setting can be challenging even with gear.
Should you book El Gigante Tour Aurora?
If you want a Northern Lights night in Tromsø that’s built around comfort, safety gear, and photos, this is an easy yes. The warm suits and shoe spikes are the kind of details that make the tour feel practical, not just promotional. The included photography is a major bonus, especially if you’re not planning to spend the entire trip learning camera settings.
Book it if you can handle the one big reality check: the aurora isn’t guaranteed, and the crew may adjust plans with weather. If that thought doesn’t bother you, you’ll likely enjoy the hunt.
Skip it if you’re trying to avoid cold-weather time outside, if you need accessibility features beyond what’s listed as suitable, or if you’re the type who wants a totally fixed schedule. This tour works best as a flexible night-out with a team doing the chasing for you.
FAQ
Where do I meet the tour in Tromsø?
You’ll be picked up from Tromsø City Library. Look for the silver Mercedes Vito and arrive about 10 minutes before departure.
What’s the duration of the tour?
The experience is listed as 7 hours, and the tour notes that it can be 6–8 hours depending on conditions and where you end up going.
Are Northern Lights sightings guaranteed?
No. The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, so sightings are not guaranteed.
What languages are spoken on the tour?
The live tour guide supports Spanish, Norwegian, and English.
What should I bring for the cold?
Bring your passport and dress in warm winter layers, including thermal clothing, gloves, a hat, and warm shoes.
What’s included with the tour?
Included items are transportation, a driver and multi-lingual guide, warm suits, shoe spikes, head lamps, snacks, hot drinks (coffee, tea, hot chocolate), and free photos with professional photography.
