Alta: Reindeer - A carrier of Sámi Culture

About This Experience

This is a one-hour visit to Sami Siida in Alta, built around the reindeer. A guide explains what reindeer have meant to the Sámi, both as a culture and for their survival as an indigenous people, and how reindeer husbandry works in Norway. Then you go out to feed the animals and take photos. The herd is there all year round, some arriving in autumn and others born on site in spring, so young animals are often around.

It is one of the least expensive winter experiences listed for Alta: $85 per person on 8 November 2026, the date we checked. It suits families (children from age 2), travellers with only a few hours to spare, and anyone who wants to see reindeer without a long excursion. The listing describes it as wheelchair accessible. Transport is not included, so you make your own way to the site.

Cruise passengers should read the lower-rated reviews. Several booked it as a shore excursion, could not get ashore when weather stopped the ship’s tenders, and received no refund because the cancellation fell inside the 24-hour window. Others found the site hard to locate from the port or paid about $50 each way by taxi. A few felt that an hour of feeding pellets to a handful of fenced reindeer was thin for the price, and one found the animals scruffier than in the photos.

Most of the 312 reviews, averaging 4.8, are warm. Reviewers describe knowledgeable, funny guides who answer every question, the chance to get close to very young reindeer, and a visit that works well with children. Expect a short guided farm visit, not an expedition.

Highlights

• Hand-feed reindeer at a Sámi reindeer site
• Learn how reindeer shaped Sámi life and survival
• A herd that lives at the site year round, often with young animals
• A close look at reindeer care, which the Sámi treat as their highest priority
• A one-hour visit that fits easily into a short stay in Alta

What's Included

• ✓ Guided tour with experienced guides
• ✓ Opportunity to feed and take pictures with reindeer
• ✓ Insight into Sámi culture and reindeer husbandry
• ✓ Live guide in English or Norwegian
• ✓ About 1 hour at Sami Siida
• ✓ Wheelchair-accessible visit

Not Included

• Transport to and from Sami Siida
• Food and drinks (none are listed)

What to Bring

• Comfortable shoes
• Warm clothing
• Camera

Good to Know & Caveats

• Transport is not included. Check the address and how you will get there before booking; some reviewers found it hard to locate.
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Cruise passengers report that when weather kept them on board inside that window, no refund was given.
• Start times vary by date: check availability to see starting times.
• Not suitable for children under 2 or people with animal allergies.
• Reviewers note that the reindeer are kept in a fenced enclosure.
• Smoking is not allowed.

Meeting Point

The visit takes place at Sami Siida in Alta, and no pickup is listed, so you make your own way there.