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.

Why This Week Is Special, and Why to Book Early

In mid-December, Tromsø is in the polar night: the sun does not climb above the horizon, and the days are a soft blue twilight around midday. The town is decorated for Christmas, the snow is usually well established, and the nights are dark from the early afternoon. For aurora-watching, it is a good time of year.

It is also a week when families, couples and groups want to travel, and flights and hotels fill early. Tours are limited in number and sell out on popular dates. We would look at the live calendar six weeks ahead rather than leaving it to the last days, and we would book the northern-lights tour first, then fit the rest around it.

Two Chases Beat One

No operator can promise the aurora; the sky decides. If you have a week in Tromsø, the single most useful thing you can do is to book two tours on different nights. The first gives you a chance; the second gives you a second chance, and the guide can chase gaps in the cloud on each. The Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is a small-group trip of 2 to 8 guests, with a route chosen from the forecast, heading inland or along the coast.

If you can only afford one, place it early in the week, so that you have time to rebook if the weather is poor. Changes inside 48 hours are charged in full, so decide your date carefully.

A Sample Week: 14 to 21 December

It leaves a spare evening in case of cloud and avoids stacking a morning pickup after a late night.

Daytime Options Between the Chases

With very short daylight, the best daytime activities are the ones that make use of the blue-hour light. The Sommarøy & Kvaløya Scenic Fjord Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 (NOK 2,100 per person, 5 to 6 hours, local lunch) is the most popular, and the Arctic Snowshoe Hike5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 (NOK 1,500, 4 hours including transfer, ages 10+) gets you into the mountains. For a calm morning, a Sámi culture experience is a gentle option. Our full list is on our Tromsø activities hub.

Travelling With Kids in Christmas Week

Children love Tromsø at Christmas, but the late evenings are tiring. The shared tour recommends ages 7 and up. For younger children, the private northern lights tour in Tromsø is listed for all ages, costs NOK 15,000 per group, and lets you choose the pickup location during checkout. Give children a nap, an early dinner and warm layers, and keep the next morning free.

Flights, Weather and Practicalities

Winter flights can be delayed by weather, so do not schedule a tour on your arrival evening if a late flight would make you miss the pickup. Likewise, avoid an early-morning departure the morning after a late tour. Keep a spare buffer day if you have a connection to catch.

Pack warm base layers, wool socks, a hat and gloves. The tour provides a winter suit, but your own layers underneath make all the difference. Charge your phone and carry a power bank.

How the Light Changes Through the Day

Mid-December light is unlike anything at home. Mornings are dark; from late morning a deep blue glow builds in the south, around midday the horizon turns peach and pink, and by early afternoon the blue fades again. Because the sun never rises, there is no harsh midday light, and snow photographs beautifully. That is the reason we like to place outdoor activities in the middle of the day, when you can actually see the mountains.

Evenings are completely dark by late afternoon, which means that tour pickups at 18:30 are well into the night. Nights are long, and the guide may drive for a while before stopping, so the 5 to 8 hours of the tour are a real evening out, not a short outing.

If you suffer from low mood in dark months, do not underestimate how tiring the polar night can feel. Take daylight seriously: get outdoors around midday, keep meals regular, and build rest into the plan.

Group Tour or Private for Christmas Week?

The shared tour is the best-value way to try for the aurora, and with 2 to 8 guests it feels personal. It suits couples, friends and families whose youngest members are 7 or older. The private tour makes sense when you travel as a larger family or a group of friends, when you have younger children, or when you want to choose your pickup. Priced at NOK 15,000 per group of up to 8, it becomes cheaper per person than the shared tour at seven or eight guests: NOK 2,143 or NOK 1,875 each against NOK 2,300.

If you are celebrating something, a proposal, an anniversary or a big birthday, the private option adds privacy and control. For ordinary couples on a modest budget, the shared tour is perfect.

Gift and Surprise Ideas

If you are planning a Christmas trip as a gift, the tour is easy to build into a surprise. Book the date in advance with the live calendar, keep the confirmation email, and tell your partner to pack warm layers without explaining why. We would not assume vouchers exist unless the operator says so; if you want that, ask them directly. For a family, a printed itinerary with the tour dates makes a memorable present.

Remember the cancellation rules: a full refund more than 48 hours before departure, and 100% charged inside 48 hours. If your travel dates may change, wait until flights are confirmed before you lock in a date.

Finally, think about the whole week. A northern-lights tour is the headline, but the rest of the trip is what you will talk about at dinner for years: the markets, the cafes, the quiet walks in blue light, and the friendly guide who told you a story you had never heard.

How to Book With the Hungrytravelfamily Discount

Booking is direct with Legendary Adventure (Legendary Group AS, Tromsø) through their FareHarbor calendar, so your payment and your booking terms are with the operator, not with us. Open Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5, pick a date and the number of guests, and on the checkout page type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 into the promo-code field. The 5% comes off before you pay. The same code works on Private Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 and on every other Legendary Adventure tour booked online.

Cancellation is the same across these tours: a full refund if you cancel more than 48 hours before departure, and 100% charged inside 48 hours. Full transparency: we are Legendary Adventure’s partner and may earn a small commission on bookings made with our code. It never changes your price.

FAQ

Our Honest Final Word

The week before Christmas is a beautiful time to be in Tromsø, and it rewards those who plan early. Book two northern-lights attempts, place a daytime activity between them, and keep a spare evening. Book the Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 online with HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for 5% off.

5% off · code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5

Our Tromsø December 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 · 5-6 HoursSommarøy & Kvaløya Scenic Fjord TourFrom NOK 2 100 per personBook with 5% off →Small group · 4 HoursArctic Snowshoe HikeFrom NOK 1 500 per personBook 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.