How Much Do Northern Lights Tours in Alta Cost?

Every evening aurora tour in Alta, with prices

Sorted from cheapest to most expensive. Price per person on the first bookable date, checked 3 November 2026.

Four of these are new listings with no reviews yet. The Reindeer Ride does not include transport to the meeting point; the others collect you in Alta or run transport from the centre.

What the extra money buys

Group size is the biggest difference between the cheapest and the mid-priced tours. The bus chases carry the most people: Luuso Travel takes up to 25 on its photo tour, and one reviewer of the fire-and-photos tour counted about 60 people around two small fires on a busy night. The small-group tours cap at 8 or 13, which means more room around the guide and fewer people in your photographs. The trade-off on a minibus is space: reviewers of the small-group tour mention a tight fit with everyone in winter clothes.

Photos are not a premium extra in Alta. Two of the cheaper bus tours include them: the fire-and-photos tour gives every guest professional photos, and Luuso’s tour includes photography of your evening. Finnmark Adventure’s animals tour offers help getting your own shot. The Northern Lights Bus lists photography assistance as excluded, and the small-group tour does not list photos, although reviewers say guides take pictures on request.

Warm clothing. Alta Adventure lends warm suits and boots on the small-group tour, Luuso provides thermal clothing, and the snowmobile and ATV tours include overalls, helmets and gloves. The Reindeer Ride can lend a winter overall. On the other tours, check the listing and dress for lows around -10 °C (14 °F), the January and February average at Alta Airport.

Food. Most tours serve hot drinks and a snack: the small-group tour includes snacks, cakes and a sandwich, and the fire-and-photos tour roasts marshmallows by the campfire. The sleigh ride includes dinner, the horse-riding evening a 3-course meal, and the husky evening a traditional Arctic stew in a Sámi-style turf hut. Those three are based at a farm or lodge, so you watch from one place and the guide does not chase clear sky.

The activity itself. At the top of the range you are paying for the snowmobile, the horses or the reindeer as much as for the aurora. The snowmobile night includes about two hours of riding, and drivers need a valid car driving licence (B class); passengers must be at least 12. If the lights don’t appear, you still had the ride. On a straight chase, a cloudy night leaves you with a drive and a hot drink.

What a night costs your group

Tour prices are per person, and so is everything in the table above. Some worked examples (our arithmetic, at the prices above):

Two nights matter more than they might seem: each night is a separate chance of clear sky, and a second evening on a cheaper bus can cost less than one evening on a premium tour. Our best time guide explains why three nights in Alta give you better odds than one.

Children. Age rules vary. The small-group tour is not suitable for children under 12, the Northern Lights Bus and Icecube of Aurora’s tour start at 10, and the snowmobile allows passengers from 12. Luuso Travel’s description lists a child price of 750 NOK, about $80, against 1,791 NOK for adults; check the child rate on the booking calendar for any tour you are considering.

Cancellation and no-show lights

Every tour on this page has free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start, for a full refund. That lets you book early and cancel if the forecast for your night looks hopeless.

None of them refunds you because the aurora did not appear. The operators all say the lights cannot be guaranteed. A few spell out when they will cancel themselves:

• Alta Adventure runs the small-group tour “regardless of the weather” and cancels only “due to dangerous weather and/or driving conditions”, with a full refund in that case.
• Icecube of Aurora may postpone or cancel if the local weather turns, and refunds in full if it cancels.
• Æventyr may cancel the snowshoe hike if conditions are unsuitable and there is no chance of seeing the lights, with a full refund.

Alta Adventure’s own description mentions an “80–90% chance” of seeing the lights, while the same listing says the lights cannot be guaranteed. We found no independent statistic behind any percentage, so treat it as marketing.

Which price level makes sense?

If you have three or more nights, a cheaper bus chase on the first night and a second tour or a night out on your own later gives you more chances for the money. If you have one night and want the best shot at a good stop, the small-group tours at $258 to $268 are where I would spend. If the aurora is a bonus and the evening itself is the point, the sleigh, horse and snowmobile tours at $333 to $346 give you something to remember on a cloudy night too.

Our tour guide compares the evenings in more detail, and our review of the fire-and-photos tour → covers what the cheapest one is like. If you would rather not pay for a tour at all, see seeing the lights without a tour.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a northern lights tour in Alta?

Evening aurora tours ran from $129 to $346 per person on the dates we checked in early November 2026. Bus chases cost $129 to $193, small groups $258 to $268, and snowmobile, sleigh and horse evenings $333 to $346.

What is the cheapest northern lights tour in Alta?

The Northern Lights Adventure Tour with Fire & Free Photos, at $129 per person on 13 November 2026. It is a large-bus chase of up to 6 hours with a campfire and free professional photos.

Do you get a refund if you don’t see the northern lights?

No. None of the Alta tours refunds you if the lights don’t appear. You can cancel for free up to 24 hours before, and some operators refund you if they cancel for dangerous weather.

Are northern lights tour prices per person?

Yes. Every evening tour on this page is priced per person, so a couple pays double. Check the child rate on the booking calendar.