This guide is built from our own winters in the Arctic and from the live Legendary Adventure tour pages in Tromsø — prices, pickup times and what is included come straight from the operator, never invented.

The Three Options in One Table

All of these details come from the operator’s listings. We keep them side by side because most people choose by price and age first and by style second.

The Small-Group Chase: The Classic

The Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is the one we would suggest to most couples and solo travellers. The operator describes a route prepared from the latest weather forecasts and the guides’ knowledge of the area, inland or along the coast, with stories along the way, including Sámi folklore about the lights. The vehicle is a premium Mercedes, the group is small, and the price includes a winter suit, a warm meal, snacks and hot drinks.

It is the most flexible way to look for clear sky, because you are in a vehicle that can move. It is also the longest evening, 5–8 hours, so expect a late return. You do not need any skill; you need warm clothes underneath the suit and patience.

The Private Chase: The Same Evening, Your Way

The Private Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 has the same inclusions and the same length, but the vehicle and the guide are yours alone, with 2–8 guests, and pickup is from the location you choose at checkout. The listing says all ages, which makes it the natural choice for families with children under 7, and for anyone who has trouble keeping to a shared schedule.

The price is NOK 15,000 per group, so the sum is simple: divide by the number of people. With six guests it is about NOK 2,500 each, with seven about NOK 2,143 and with eight NOK 1,875. At that point it is cheaper than the shared tour at NOK 2,300. For two people it is far more expensive, and we would not suggest it unless you want the privacy for a proposal, an anniversary or a similar occasion.

The Snowshoe Hike: Under the Sky on Foot

The Aurora Snowshoe Hike5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is a different kind of evening. You walk in snowshoes through the night landscape, with a guide, with the chance of northern lights. The operator describes the lights as green, purple and pink bands and the trails as transformed after dark. It lasts 4 hours with an 18:30 pickup, costs NOK 1,500 per person and includes snowshoe rental, snacks and a hot drink.

It is cheaper and shorter than the chase, and you are active, which is good in the cold. The honest difference is that you stay closer to one area rather than driving to find clear sky, so cloud matters more. If your trip is short and the forecast is poor, the chase is the better bet. If you want to move and have a flexible plan, the hike is a fine choice.

Which One for Which Group

• Couples: the shared chase is the best value. Add the hike on another evening if you have time.
• Families with children 7–9: the shared chase is listed for ages 7 and up, so it is possible, but the late return is long. The private tour gives you flexibility.
• Families with children under 7: only the private tour is listed for all ages.
• Teenagers 10 and up: the hike works well, and it is shorter than the chase.
• Groups of 6–8: do the private sum; it may be cheaper.
• Solo travellers: the shared chase or the hike, both of which put you in a small group.

For more things to book around the evening, see our Tromsø activities guide.

Questions We Would Ask Ourselves Before Choosing

Whenever friends ask us which one to book, we run through a few questions. How much will you mind a late night? The chase can return after midnight, so a sleep-in must follow. How cold do you cope with? The hike keeps you moving but outdoors for most of the evening, while the chase lets you warm up in the vehicle between stops. How many nights do you have? One night calls for the flexibility of a vehicle, and several nights leave room for both. And how many of you are there? Divide NOK 15,000 by your group size before you rule out the private tour.

None of the three is the wrong answer. The mistake is to choose on price alone, because the cheapest option is not always the best fit for a family or a tired traveller. Spend two minutes with the table at the top of this page and the choice is usually clear.

It is also worth remembering that nature sets the odds, not the product. Clear sky, aurora activity and the time of year matter more than the tour you pick, and no booking can change that. What you can control is how many evenings you give yourself.

What the Prices Mean per Evening

Price per head is only half the story, so here is what you get for each. On the shared chase you pay NOK 2,300 per person for 5–8 hours that include a meal, a suit and hot drinks, which works out at roughly NOK 290–460 per hour. The hike is NOK 1,500 per person for 4 hours, about NOK 375 per hour, and includes snowshoe rental, snacks and a hot drink. The private chase divides by your group, so the more people you bring, the lower the cost per hour becomes.

Hourly price is not a fair way to choose between experiences, but it shows why the long chase is better value than it first looks. You are not paying NOK 2,300 for a glimpse of the sky; you are paying for a long evening, a vehicle, a meal and a guide who spends the whole night reading the weather for your group. If the sky is clear for only a short window, you are still well looked after for the rest of it.

For a couple, the three evenings cost NOK 4,600, NOK 3,000 and NOK 30,000 respectively, using the shared prices for the first two and the group price for the private tour. That comparison makes it clear why the private tour is a decision about group size and not about couples.

Doing Two of Them

If you have three or more evenings, combine styles. A chase on the first free night and a hike on another gives you two different experiences and two chances at clear sky. If you can only afford one, put your money on the chase. If you want a low-cost second chance, the hike is the best value.

Do not book two evenings in a row if you will be tired. The chase can finish after midnight, and the hike starts at 18:30 the next day, which is fine, but the following day’s early tour may not be.

How to Book With Our 5% Discount

Choose a tour link on this page, pick your date and group size and continue to checkout on Legendary Adventure’s own booking page. Enter HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 in the promo-code field before paying. The code gives 5% off tours booked online there.

Hungrytravelfamily is a partner of Legendary Adventure and may earn a small commission on bookings made with the code. It never changes your price. On the shared tours, a full refund applies if you cancel more than 48 hours before departure.

FAQ

Our Honest Final Word

If you only remember one thing, remember this: choose by age and group size first, and by style second. The chase is the classic, the private tour is the family answer, and the hike is the budget second chance.

Book the Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5, the Private Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 or the Aurora Snowshoe Hike5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 with HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for 5% off.

5% off · code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5

Our northern lights picks

Tap a tour to see live dates and prices. Enter HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 in the promo-code field at checkout for 5% off.

Small group · 5-8 HoursNorthern Lights TourFrom NOK 2 300 per personBook with 5% off →Private · 5-8 HoursPrivate Northern Lights TourFrom NOK 15 000 per group (private)Book with 5% off →Small group · 4 HoursAurora Snowshoe HikeFrom NOK 1 500 per personBook with 5% off →Private · 4 HoursPrivate Aurora Snowshoe HikeFrom NOK 12 000 per group (private)Book with 5% off →

Code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 works on every Legendary Adventure tour booked online. We are Legendary Adventure’s partner and may earn a small commission — it never changes your price.