Alta: Small-Group Guided Northern Lights Tour

About This Experience

This is Alta Adventure’s evening aurora chase: a minibus, a driver, a guide and no more than 13 guests, out for about four hours. You are collected from your pickup point in Alta, and the guide decides where to go once the night’s cloud cover and aurora activity are clear. Some nights the lights are a short drive from town, other nights the search goes a long way inland or along the Altafjord. Groups are normally back in central Alta a little after midnight.

The shape of the stops depends on the distance. When the viewing spot is close, the crew sets up a camp with a fire; when the drive is long, you get hot chocolate and snacks, with cakes, sandwiches and a vegan alternative, at shorter stops along the way. In between, the guide talks about life in Finnmark: Stone Age settlement, Sami culture and reindeer herding, wildlife, the Second World War and the modern town. Warm suits and boots are there to borrow, which matters because most of the evening is spent standing outside in the cold.

It suits travelers who want a smaller group than the big buses and a guide with time for each guest. It is not open to children under 12, and the listing rules it out for pregnant travelers, wheelchair users and people with heart problems or mobility impairments. Cruise passengers can pick Alta Havn as their pickup point, where the guide waits with the minibus in front of the blue Alta Havn building; check your ship’s all-aboard time against the start time on the booking page first.

The aurora cannot be guaranteed, and the tour runs whatever the weather. It is cancelled, with a full refund, only when the weather or the roads are dangerous, so a cloudy night still goes ahead and is not refunded. Camera screens also tend to show the colors stronger than your eyes see them, so a pale band overhead can still be a real display.

Recent reviewers describe guides who drove to two or three separate spots in a night, pointed out the lights, helped with camera settings and took photos of guests under the aurora. Some saw the lights at every stop; others saw nothing after a day of cloud but still liked the stories and the small group, and one cruise passenger mentioned being returned to the ship in time. The recurring complaint is space: with everyone in winter layers the minibus is a tight fit, and a few people found it overheated. Lower-rated reviews mostly describe snow or cloud with no lights, and one reported a long wait at a vehicle check station that cut into the evening.

Highlights

• Chase the aurora with a guide who picks the spot on the night from the weather and the Kp forecast
• Travel in a small group of no more than 13 guests
• Try two or three viewing spots in one evening when the sky allows
• Hear about Stone Age Alta, Sami reindeer herding and the Second World War in Finnmark
• Warm up at a campfire camp when the lights are close to town
• Get help with camera settings and photos of yourself under the lights

What's Included

• ✓ Live guide in English, Norwegian or Spanish
• ✓ Pickup and drop-off in Alta
• ✓ Warm suits and boots to borrow
• ✓ Snacks, cakes and sandwiches, with a vegan alternative
• ✓ Hot chocolate at the stops
• ✓ About 4 hours out, normally back in central Alta just after midnight

Not Included

• Camera tripods
• Dinner (the operator recommends eating before the trip)

What to Bring

• Very warm layers, preferably wool
• Hat
• Scarf
• A camera or phone if you want your own photos (tripods are not supplied)

Good to Know & Caveats

• The northern lights are a natural phenomenon and the operator says it cannot guarantee you will see them; the guide drives to the most promising place for the weather and Kp value.
• The trip runs regardless of the weather. It is cancelled only for dangerous weather or driving conditions, and in that case you get a full refund.
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
• Start times vary by date, so check availability for your evening; your pickup point and time are confirmed on your voucher.
• Eat dinner before the tour; snacks are served, not a meal.
• Photos often show the aurora's colors stronger than the naked eye sees them.
• Not suitable for children under 12.

Meeting Point

Pickup and drop-off in Alta at the points shown when you check availability; cruise passengers choose Alta Havn, where the guide waits in front of the blue Alta Havn building.