Photographing the Tromsø Snowshoe Hike: Phone Tips for Polar Twilight and Blue Hour
The light on a winter morning hike in Tromsø is unlike anywhere else we have been. Here is how to get good pictures with just a phone, what to protect from the cold and how to book the hike with 5% off.
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.
Photography on the Arctic Snowshoe Hike5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 works best with a phone, warm batteries and patience for the blue light. The hike is NOK 1,500 per person, 4 hours including transfer, ages 10+, pickup 10:00, with a guide, Mercedes minivan, snowshoes and poles included. For evening shots, look at the Aurora Snowshoe Hike5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5. Type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout for 5% off.
Our pick · 5% off with code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5
Arctic Snowshoe Hike
From NOK 1 500 per person · 4 Hours · Tromsø. Live dates and prices open right here — you book directly with Legendary Adventure in Tromsø.
Why the light here is special
In winter the sun stays very low in Tromsø, and in the darkest weeks it does not rise above the horizon at all. The result is long, soft twilight: the sky turns blue, pink and gold, and snow reflects the colour. Photographers call this blue hour, and in Tromsø it can last for hours around midday.
That is a gift for a 10:00 hike. You start in the twilight, walk into the landscape, and the light slowly changes. A phone camera, with its small sensor, can do a good job in this soft light, because there is little harsh contrast.
What the Arctic Snowshoe Hike gives you
The Arctic Snowshoe Hike5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is a 4-hour outing in a group of 2–8 guests. You meet outside Clarion Hotel The Edge at 10:00, ride in a Mercedes minivan with a local expert guide, and walk on snowshoes with poles provided. The price is NOK 1,500 per person.
It is a walk, not a photo workshop. The guide chooses the route and the pace, and you will have natural pauses where you can take pictures. Be considerate of the group and keep your photography at the group’s rhythm.
Phone settings that help in low light
Clean the lens, because condensation and fingerprints cause haze. Use the main camera, not digital zoom. Tap on the brightest part of the scene to set exposure, and then slide the exposure slider down slightly to keep colour in the sky. Use night mode only when light is low and you can hold still.
Turn on the grid lines to keep horizons level, and shoot in a higher quality format if your phone offers it. Take several shots of each scene, because the first one is often not the best.
Keeping your phone alive in the cold
Cold drains lithium batteries quickly. Keep your phone in an inside pocket close to your body and take it out only to shoot. Carry a small power bank and a short cable. A spare pair of thin liner gloves lets you use the screen without freezing your fingers.
If your phone shuts down, warm it inside your jacket for a few minutes, and it may come back. Do not charge a very cold phone right away; let it warm up first.
Book it · 5% off with HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5
Arctic Snowshoe Hike
From NOK 1 500 per person · 4 Hours · small groups of 2-8 guests (larger groups on request) Please note that the tour duration includes transfer time..
Get Tromsø's best tour offers in your inbox
Legendary Adventure's northern lights, fjord and snowshoe tours — new dates, seasonal picks and our 5% reader code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5, straight from Joona & Alla. One short email a week, unsubscribe any time.
By subscribing you agree to receive our partner-deal emails. No spam, unsubscribe in one click. We may earn a commission on bookings — your price never changes.Composing in snow
Snow fools exposure, making pictures look grey. Brighten them slightly, or lower exposure on the sky and raise it on the foreground. Look for leading lines: a trail, a fence, a ridge. Include a person for scale, especially in wide landscapes.
Take pictures of the group in snowshoes, the poles in the snow and your own shadow. The close-ups often tell the story better than the grand views.
If you want aurora photos: the evening hike
The Aurora Snowshoe Hike5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is an evening version: 4 hours, NOK 1,500 per person, ages 10+, pickup 18:30, with snowshoe rental, snacks and a hot drink. It gives you a chance to see the northern lights, but it is a hike, not a chase, so do not count on a sighting.
If seeing the aurora is your main goal, the Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is the dedicated chase at NOK 2,300 per person. For a mix of both, some visitors do a daytime hike and an evening chase on different days.
Etiquette and safety
Keep up with the group and listen to the guide, especially near edges, water or snow cover. Do not step away from the group to take a picture without telling the guide. Be gentle with the landscape.
Respect other people’s experience too. Take a few photographs, then put the phone away and enjoy the quiet.
How to book with 5% off
Open the booking page from the links on this page, pick your date and start time, and add your guests. Before paying, find the promo-code field and type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for 5% off. The discount works when you book on Legendary Adventure’s own online booking page, so use the tour links on this page rather than a marketplace.
We are Legendary Adventure’s partner and may earn a small commission; it never changes your price. For the wider picture of daytime and evening options, see our full guide to activities in Tromsø.
If a date you want shows as full, look at the day before or after, or switch to the private version of the same tour, which has its own availability. Booking a few weeks ahead is the easiest way to keep your options open, and the cancellation terms are clear: a full refund more than 48 hours before the tour, a full charge inside 48 hours.
FAQ
Can I take photos on the hike?
Yes. The group moves at a walking pace with pauses, and phone photos work well in the soft winter light.
How much does the hike cost?
NOK 1,500 per person. Use HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for 5% off when you book online.
Are snowshoes included?
Yes, the Arctic Snowshoe Hike includes snowshoes and poles, a guide and transport.
What age is it for?
Ages 10+ are recommended.
Will I see the northern lights?
Not on the daytime hike. The evening Aurora Snowshoe Hike gives a chance, but nothing is guaranteed.
Our Honest Final Word
You do not need fancy gear to bring home beautiful pictures from a Tromsø winter hike. Warm batteries, clean lenses and patience for the light do most of the work.
Book the Arctic Snowshoe Hike5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 and type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for 5% off.
Our snowshoe 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 · 4 HoursAurora Snowshoe HikeFrom NOK 1 500 per personBook with 5% off →
Private · 4 HoursPrivate Snowshoe HikeFrom NOK 12 000 per group (private)Book with 5% off →
Small group · 5-8 HoursNorthern Lights TourFrom NOK 2 300 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.
Get our best travel tips in your inbox
Monthly stories from Rovaniemi — Arctic tips, packing lists, and the places we keep coming back to.