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 Two Tours in One Table

Both are run by Legendary Adventure in Tromsø, and both can be booked online with the 5% reader discount. The details come from the operator’s tour pages. The difference is in the pace of the day.

The Snowshoe Day: Active and Close to the Snow

On the Arctic Snowshoe Hike5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5, you spend most of the day on your feet. You wear wide snowshoes, carry poles, and walk through snow with a guide, stopping to rest and look around. It is a gentle activity that does not need previous experience, but it is real exercise. After four hours (including the transfer), you will feel that you have done something.

It is the better choice for people who like being outdoors, who get restless in vehicles, and who want an Arctic activity that feels hands-on. It suits teenagers, active couples and families with children aged 10 and up. For younger children, the age recommendation rules it out. For a more detailed look, see our beginner’s guide to snowshoeing.

The Fjord Day: Scenery Without the Effort

The Sommarøy & Kvaløya Scenic Fjord Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is a drive with stops. A local guide takes you west of Tromsø through the islands, with viewpoints, beaches and coastal scenery around Kvaløya and Sommarøy. A local lunch is included. The effort is low: you step out of the vehicle at stops, walk a short distance, take photos and get back in.

It is the better choice for people who want scenery over exercise, travellers with mixed fitness in the group, and families with children aged 7 to 9, who are too young for snowshoeing. It is also a good choice on cold days when you would rather be near a heated vehicle. We covered the season differences in our November versus March guide.

Who Should Choose Which

• Active couple, no children: snowshoe hike, then a northern lights tour in the evening.
• Couple who want a relaxed romantic day: fjord tour.
• Family with teenagers (10+): either. Snowshoes if they are sporty, the fjord tour if they are glued to their phones and need a scenic day.
• Family with children aged 7–9: fjord tour. Snowshoeing is recommended for ages 10+.
• Mixed-ability group or grandparents: fjord tour, or a private version of either.
• First-time visitors with one day: fjord tour for the broadest sense of the landscape.
• Repeat visitors: snowshoe hike for something different.

Price and Value

The snowshoe hike is NOK 600 cheaper per person at the listed price, and shorter. The fjord tour includes a local lunch and lasts one to two hours longer. For a couple, the difference is NOK 1,200 in total. If you value a meal on tour, the extra cost is easier to justify.

For groups, there are private versions of both. The Private Snowshoe Hike5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is NOK 12,000 per group, ages 10+. The Private Sommarøy & Kvaløya Scenic Fjord Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is NOK 15,000 per group, all ages. Both allow 2–8 guests and a pick-up location of your choice. For eight guests, the shared snowshoe hike costs NOK 12,000, the same as the private, and the shared fjord tour costs NOK 16,800, more than the private. That is a useful break-even to know.

What a Day Looks Like for Each

These are outlines based on the listed times, not official programmes:

Finishing times vary with conditions, so keep the late afternoon flexible, particularly if you have an evening tour to get ready for.

What to Pack for Either Day

The clothing is almost the same for both tours, with one difference. On the snowshoe hike, you generate heat, so you want layers you can remove. On the fjord tour, you spend more time standing at viewpoints, so you want a warmer outer layer and good boots for short stops.

• Thermal base layers, top and bottom.
• A fleece or wool mid layer.
• A windproof, warm outer jacket and trousers.
• Insulated, waterproof boots and warm socks.
• Hat, neck gaiter, liner gloves and mittens.
• Sunglasses, since snow glare can be strong on bright days.
• A small day bag with water and a snack.

Our what-to-wear guide explains each layer in detail.

Can You Do Both in One Trip?

Yes, and many travellers do. We would put them on different days, because they both start at 10:00 and both fill the morning and early afternoon. A good rhythm is a fjord day first, when you are fresh from travel, a northern lights tour in the evening, a free morning, and then a snowshoe hike on another day.

If you only have two daytime slots, ask yourself what you would most regret missing. For many people, the answer is the fjord scenery on a clear day, and the snowshoe hike on a day when they want activity.

Weather and Backup Plans

Arctic weather changes, and both tours operate in winter conditions. On a stormy day, expect the guides to adjust the plan, and expect to be dressed properly for wind and snow. We would suggest booking the daytime tour on a day when you have some flexibility, ideally early in your trip, so you can move things around if conditions are poor. Cancellation is free more than 48 hours before departure, and inside 48 hours it is a 100% charge, so check the weather outlook before the cut-off.

Our bad weather guide goes into the fjord tour in more detail.

What We'd Book and How to Get 5% Off

If we had one day, we would book the Sommarøy & Kvaløya Scenic Fjord Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5. If we had two, we would add the Arctic Snowshoe Hike5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5. For evenings, the Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5. See all our Tromsø activity picks for more.

Open the tour link, choose your date and enter HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 in the promo-code field at the FareHarbor checkout. The discount works on Legendary Adventure’s own booking page. We are Legendary Adventure’s partner and may earn a commission; it never changes your price.

FAQ

Our Honest Final Word

There is no wrong answer here, and that is a good problem to have. Choose the snowshoe hike for effort and snow under your boots, or the fjord tour for scenery and lunch, and add the other if you have a second day. Pair either with an evening northern lights tour and you have the heart of a Tromsø winter.

Book the Arctic Snowshoe Hike5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 or the Sommarøy & Kvaløya Scenic Fjord Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 and use HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for 5% off.

5% off · code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5

Our Tromsø daytime picks

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

Small group · 4 HoursArctic Snowshoe HikeFrom NOK 1 500 per personBook with 5% off →Small group · 5-6 HoursSommarøy & Kvaløya Scenic Fjord TourFrom NOK 2 100 per personBook with 5% off →Private · 4 HoursPrivate Snowshoe HikeFrom NOK 12 000 per group (private)Book with 5% off →Private · 5-6 HoursPrivate Sommarøy & Kvaløya Scenic Fjord TourFrom NOK 15 000 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.