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 the January and February long weekends work

MLK Day and Presidents’ Day both give American travellers a Monday off, which turns a normal weekend into three days and makes a four- or five-night trip feasible with a couple of days of leave. Both fall in the dark season, when Tromsø’s long nights give a northern lights chase plenty of hours to work with.

The catch is travel time. Most itineraries from the US connect through a European hub, and Tromsø is six hours ahead of US Eastern time in winter. We do not know your routing, so check your flights and plan around your arrival. For the wider list of things to do in Tromsø, we keep our Tromsø activities guide.

How many nights do you need?

Four nights is the practical minimum for a trip with a long-haul flight, and five is more comfortable. With four nights you can place one rest evening, two chase attempts and one daytime tour. With five you add a second daytime outing or a spare night in case of cloud.

The reasoning is simple. The first day is lost to travel and jet lag. The second and third nights are the best times for a first chase, because you are rested. The last night should be free if your flight is early, since a chase returns late.

Book the chase for night two, not night one

This is the rule we repeat most often to friends travelling from far away. If you land on a Friday, do not book your first chase for that evening unless you slept on the plane. A 5–8 hour evening after a long journey is a hard start. Book the Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for the second evening, and a second chase for the fourth, which leaves a rest night between them.

The tour picks up at 18:30 outside Clarion Hotel The Edge (19:00 before 25 October), costs NOK 2,300 per person and includes a winter suit, a warm meal, snacks and hot drinks, in a premium Mercedes-Benz vehicle with 2–8 guests. Families can look at the private northern lights tour in Tromsø (Private Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5, NOK 15,000 per group, all ages).

A four-night plan for the long weekend

Adjust the order to your flights. The principle is two chases separated by a rest evening, with the longest tours placed on days that have recovery time around them.

Daytime tours that fit a short trip

The Sommarøy & Kvaløya Scenic Fjord Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is 5–6 hours, NOK 2,100 per person, ages 7+, with lunch included and a 10:00 pickup. It is the fullest day, with fjords, beaches, wildlife spotting and coastal stories. The Arctic Snowshoe Hike5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is 4 hours, NOK 1,500 per person, ages 10+, with snowshoes and poles included, and it is the quieter, more active option. If you have only half a day, the Ersfjord & Grøtfjord Scenic Fjord Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is 3–4 hours for NOK 1,500.

By late January and February the sun is back, so the daytime tours are brighter and the days longer than in December. That makes the long weekends a good time for families with children.

Cost for two, in plain numbers

For a couple, the shared tours add up like this: two northern lights chases are NOK 9,200 for two (2 × 2 × 2,300), the fjord tour is NOK 4,200 and the snowshoe hike NOK 3,000. These are the operator’s prices, in Norwegian kroner, and we do not convert them because exchange rates move. Flights and hotels are separate. The 5% reader discount applies to tours booked online.

For a family of four, the shared chase would be NOK 9,200 per night, so the private tour at NOK 15,000 per group begins to look sensible when you have teenagers and grandparents, or when you want your own pace.

How to book with the Hungrytravelfamily discount

Booking is done online, directly with Legendary Adventure, and that is where our reader discount works. Here is the short version:

1. Open the booking link of the tour you want (every tour name in this guide is one).
2. Pick your date in the live calendar and the number of guests.
3. At checkout, type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 in the promo-code field and apply it: that is 5% off every tour booked online.
4. Choose your pickup details where asked and pay.

Our picks for this plan:

• Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for the two chase nights
• Private Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for families and groups
• Arctic Snowshoe Hike5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 or Sommarøy & Kvaløya Scenic Fjord Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for the daytime

Transparency: we are Legendary Adventure’s partner and may earn a small commission when you book with our code. It never changes your price, and every fact in this guide comes from the operator’s own tour pages.

Booking early for a holiday weekend

Holiday weekends concentrate demand, and the booking calendar is live, so the earlier you book, the more nights you can choose from. The cancellation policy is a full refund when you cancel more than 48 hours before the tour and a 100% charge inside 48 hours, so if your flights are firm, you can book now and relax. If they are not, wait until they are.

Book your evening chases first and your daytime tours second, because you can improvise a daytime walk but not a seat on a chase.

Packing for an American winter traveller

The chase includes a winter suit, so your packing is about what goes underneath: thermal base layers, a fleece, wool socks, a hat, gloves and a neck warmer. Bring waterproof boots with grip. A power bank is essential, because cold drains phone batteries, and a travel adapter is needed for Norwegian sockets. Dress in layers for the airport and carry your warmest items in your cabin bag, in case luggage is delayed.

Keep a small supply of snacks and any medications you need in your carry-on. If you take children, bring things that keep them entertained during the drives.

FAQ

Our Honest Final Word

A long weekend can carry a Tromsø trip if you plan around travel time and give yourself two attempts at the aurora. Book the Northern Lights Tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for your second and fourth nights, add one daytime tour, and keep the last evening free.

Book online and enter HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for 5% off.

5% off · code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5

Our Tromsø picks for a long weekend

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.