The main points
- From Tromsø: Snowmobile Safari in the Lyngen Alps - 8:30 AM runs 8 hours with a live English-speaking guide, from US$317[1].
- Tromsø: Self-Drive Husky Dog Sledding Adventure runs 4 hours on Kvaløya, from US$351, and is rated 4.91 from 4,408 reviews[2].
- Tromsø: Reindeer Sledding & Feeding with a Sami Guide runs 4 hours, from US$200, rated 4.75 from 6,854 reviews[3].
- The Lyngen snowmobile safari takes 8 hours[1], while the self-drive husky tour takes 4 hours[2].
- The dog sledding season in Northern Norway typically runs from December to March, depending on snow conditions[4].
| Husky self-drive | Reindeer and Sami | Snowmobile safari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| From | from US$351[2] | from US$200[3] | from US$317[1] |
| Rated | 4.91 from 4,408 reviews[2] | 4.75 from 6,854 reviews[3] | 4.92 from 1,142 reviews[1] |
| Duration | 4 hours[2] | 4 hours[3] | 8 hours[1] |
| Guide | Instructor in English[2] | Live tour guide in English[3] | Live tour guide in English[1] |
| Cancellation | Cancel up to 24 hours before[2] | Cancel up to 24 hours before[3] | Cancel up to 24 hours before[1] |
The dog sledding season in Northern Norway typically runs from December to March, depending on snow conditions.
Our verdict: the Lyngen Alps snowmobile safari
Sizes and prices at a glance
Three ways to spend a Tromsø winter day
Tromsø is a small city spread over an island, ringed by fjords, mountains and a great deal of snow in winter, and almost every guided day out from the centre falls into one of three families. You can stand on the runners behind a dog team, sit in a sled pulled by a reindeer, or drive a snowmobile across a frozen valley. They cost different amounts, fill different numbers of hours and leave you with very different memories. This guide puts the three side by side so you can decide which one fits your trip, and which one to book first.
The short comparison. If you are weighing up husky or reindeer sledding in Tromsø against a motorised day out, the deciding factor is usually time and noise. Sled dogs run almost silently and you are part of the team; reindeer move at walking pace and the trip is as much about the camp and the people as the sled itself; snowmobiles cover real distance and show you the wider landscape. All three run with a guide, and all three look after you in the cold.
Snowmobile safari in the Lyngen Alps, 8:30 AM
From Tromsø: Snowmobile Safari in the Lyngen Alps - 8:30 AM runs 8 hours, from US$317, with a live English-speaking guide[1]. The route is listed as Bus/coach > Lyngen Alps > Bus/coach[1]. It is rated 4.92 from 1,142 reviews, with Guide at 5, Transportation at 4.9 and Value for money at 4.7[1]. You can reserve now and pay later, and cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund[1].
A snowmobile day like this is less about speed than about reach. The ride carries you out of the city and into the Lyngen Alps, where snow lies deep in the valleys and the fjord runs cold and grey below the ridgelines. You follow your guide in single file, and the further you go the quieter it gets. Steering a snowmobile in bulky clothing and deep snow is physical work, so expect to be tired and grinning by the time you get back. This is also the option that shows you the wider Arctic landscape rather than a short loop of prepared track.
Snowmobile tracks curving across a frozen Lyngen valley beneath the fjord cliffs.
Self-drive husky sledding on Kvaløya
Tromsø: Self-Drive Husky Dog Sledding Adventure runs 4 hours, from US$351, with an instructor who speaks English[2]. It is rated 4.91 from 4,408 reviews[2], and the stops are listed as Bus/coach > Kvaløya > Bus/coach[2]. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance applies, and you can reserve now and pay later[2]. Kvaløya begins where the Sandnessund Bridge ends, less than 5 km from central Tromsø[7].
Self-drive means you are the musher. You stand on the runners behind the team, one hand on the sled, one foot near the brake, and lean into the turns while the dogs pull you along the trail. Husky teams are loud and frantic at the start and almost silent once they settle into a rhythm. The cold bites hardest whenever you stop, so keep moving, keep your fingers covered, and let the dogs do the running.
The huskies you meet around Tromsø are working animals rather than pets. At Holmen Husky Lodge, the family has raised and raced Alaskan Huskies bred for endurance, resilience and heart for over three decades and two generations[8]. If you would rather sit back and be driven, Tromsø: Guided Husky Sledding with Traditional Lunch runs 4 hours from US$358[9].
Reindeer sledding and a Sámi camp visit
Tromsø: Reindeer Sledding & Feeding with a Sami Guide runs 4 hours and starts from US$200, with a live English-speaking guide[3]. It is rated 4.75 from 6,854 reviews, with Guide at 4.8, Transportation at 4.8 and Value for money at 4.5[3]. Reserve now and pay later, and cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund[3]. Near Tromsø, Sámi reindeer herding culture is represented by a family that has lived and worked with reindeer for many generations[10].
This is the slowest and gentlest kind of day out on offer. You ride in a sled pulled by reindeer, feed the herd from a bucket, and sit inside a camp where the guide talks about herding, the Sámi language and life this far north. It suits families, anyone who wants to be close to the animals without driving them, and photographers who like soft light on snow. The camp itself is a warm, quiet place to sit, and the difference between the inside and the outside air is sharp.
There are other reindeer trips around Tromsø as well. Tromsø: Reindeer Sledding, Feeding & Sami Culture Experience runs 2.5 to 3.5 hours from US$132[11]. Whichever you choose, ask how the day is split between sledding, feeding and time inside the camp, because that balance shapes the whole trip.
from US$317
From Tromsø: Snowmobile Safari in the Lyngen Alps - 8:30 AM runs 8 hours with a live English-speaking guide, from US$317[1].
What these Tromsø winter tours cost
The from-prices sit closer together than you might expect. Reindeer sledding and feeding with a Sami guide starts from US$200[3]. The Lyngen Alps snowmobile safari starts from US$317[1]. Self-drive husky sledding starts from US$351[2]. If you want a cheaper taste of driving dogs yourself, From Tromsø: Fun and Easy Dog Sledding Adventure runs 4.5 hours from US$305[12], and Tromsø: Husky Meet and Greet with Homemade Chocolate Cake runs 2 hours from US$105[13].
Time is the other dividing line. The self-drive husky tour takes 4 hours[2] and the reindeer sledding and feeding tour takes 4 hours[3], while the Lyngen snowmobile safari takes 8 hours[1]. On these listings you check availability to see your starting times when you book[1]. Add the transfer out of the city and the time spent getting into warm clothing, and the safari becomes a full day from breakfast to dinner.
Cancellation terms are the same across these listings: free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later[1][2][3]. That takes some of the risk out of committing early, and it means a change of plan in the days before you fly is not a disaster.
When to go, and how to dress for it
The dog sledding season in Northern Norway typically runs from December to March, depending on snow conditions[4]. Tromsø's Polar Night season begins on November 27th and lasts until January 15th each year[14], and the Northern Lights season in Tromsø runs from late August to early April[15]. At the other end of the winter, midnight sun in Tromsø usually lasts from around 20 May to 22 July[6]. The average winter temperature in Tromsø is around −4°C[5].
That average covers the city, not an open snowmobile at speed on a mountain plateau, so dress as though the day will be colder than the forecast suggests. Layers do the work: a thermal base layer, a fleece or wool mid layer, a windproof outer shell, thick mittens rather than gloves, and a hat that covers your ears. If you are given or can borrow a heavy snowsuit, wear it. Keep a dry spare pair of gloves in your bag, and remember that cameras and phones drain fast in the cold.
Plan around the light as well. In deep winter the sun stays low all day, and through the Polar Night weeks the sky hardly shifts from dusk, which turns a snow day into one long blue hour. Photographs taken in that light look soft and cool, and the aurora hours after your tour ends are worth staying up for.
How to book a Tromsø winter day out
Book the day you want as early as you can, then use the flexible terms to your advantage. From Tromsø: Snowmobile Safari in the Lyngen Alps - 8:30 AM can be reserved now and paid later, and cancelled up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund[1]. The self-drive husky sledding tour carries the same terms[2], as does the reindeer sledding and feeding tour[3].
The route line on each listing tells you how much of the day is travel rather than activity. The snowmobile safari shows Bus/coach > Lyngen Alps > Bus/coach[1] and the husky tour shows Bus/coach > Kvaløya > Bus/coach[2], both of which mean a transfer out of the city and back. If you have one free day, the long snowmobile safari will fill it, while a shorter husky or reindeer trip leaves your evening open for an aurora chase or a late dinner in town.
From-prices for three Tromsø winter tours
What the main Tromsø winter tours cost from
From-prices in US dollars for these tour listings:[1][2][3][12]. No separate child rate is listed, so childUsd repeats the adult from-price.
When to book your Tromsø winter day
Plan your Tromsø trip
Pick the activity
Husky sledding is you driving the team. Reindeer sledding is slower, with a Sami camp visit. A snowmobile safari is motorised and covers more ground.
Check the licence rule
In Norway, a Category S licence entitles you to drive an open snowmobile, but in some cases you can drive without one[16].
Match the day length
The Lyngen Alps snowmobile safari runs 8 hours[1]. The self-drive husky sledding adventure in Tromsø runs 4 hours[2].
Dress for deep cold
Tromsø's average winter temperature sits around −4°C[5]. Dress in layers, and keep mittens and a hat where you can reach them.
Book with a way out
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund applies here, and you can reserve now and pay later[1].
Snowmobile safari in the Lyngen Alps, 8:30 AM
from US$317
