Aurora Safari Chase by big bus, free Photos, toilet onboard

The best feature here is the flexible chase across Troms County. Instead of staying beside Tromsø and hoping the clouds part, you ride into darker country and may change sites when the forecast calls for it. I like the heated coach, onboard toilet, and the lavvo or campfire waiting at the base station. I also like that guides such as William, Paolo, Alexandre, and Ricardo have helped with camera settings as well as explaining the science behind the aurora.

The catch is simple: the Northern Lights remain weather-dependent. A long ride can end with nothing but cloud and snow, and a coach carrying up to 50 people is less nimble than a small van. The optional meal has also been uneven in value, so I would book this mainly for the organized aurora search, not for dinner.

Key points at a glance

• A moving search rather than one fixed viewpoint: The guide can select from several sites around Troms County and relocate if cloud blocks the sky.
• Comfort for a long Arctic night: The climate-controlled coach has a toilet onboard, and the base station offers a heated lavvo or indoor shelter.
• A strong guide element: Guides explain the science, local area, and camera settings. Several guides have been praised for helping guests capture the lights.
• Campfire atmosphere: Hot chocolate, coffee, snacks, fires, snowy mountains, and sometimes a Sami setting make the waiting time more pleasant.
• Photos are included, with an important caveat: Free downloads may be low resolution, while one report states that high-resolution images cost 300 NOK each.
• Good value for a shared tour: At $128.16 per person, it costs less than a private chase, but you give up some privacy and agility.

The Northern Lights chase begins in central Tromsø

You meet at Tromsø Havn Prostneset, at Samuel Arnesens gate 5, near the Bus, Boat and Hurtigruten Terminal. The listed departure is 6:15 pm, and the tour returns to this same central area, within a short walk of many hotels.

I like this meeting point because it is easy to reach without arranging a taxi to a remote pickup site. You should still arrive dressed for winter from the start. This is not a quick ride to a viewing platform. You may be outside for long stretches, and the tour operates in cold weather.

The first part of the ride takes you away from Tromsø’s city lights. On the coach, a video explains the science of the aurora, including the solar activity and atmosphere that create the shifting glow. That gives the evening some purpose even before the sky cooperates.

Guides have been a major strength of this outing. William, Paolo, Jeanne, Suzanna, Alexandre, and Ricardo are among the names associated with especially helpful guiding on different departures. You should not assume a particular guide will lead your trip, but the pattern is clear: the guide is not simply a driver pointing at the sky. The better guides explain what you are seeing, help with cameras, and keep the group moving when conditions change.

Troms County is the real viewing area

The route is not confined to one named village. Depending on cloud cover and the forecast, the coach moves around Troms County in search of a clear patch of sky. The drive to the first base station may take about 45 minutes on some departures, while the full outing can last five to eight hours.

This flexibility is the heart of the tour. Tromsø itself can be cloudy while a site along a fjord has clear skies. A guide may also decide to leave the first base station if the clouds thicken. That is useful because the aurora is not a scheduled stage show. A good forecast improves your odds, but no guide can promise a display.

The large coach creates a fair compromise. It is comfortable for a long winter ride and gives you room to warm up, use the toilet, and watch the aurora film. But a bus carrying up to 50 people cannot turn down every narrow road or make rapid changes as easily as a small private vehicle.

One departure involved two or three coaches at the same base station, which made the camp feel crowded. The stated maximum for this activity is 50 people, but you should understand that shared Arctic excursions can feel less intimate than their photos suggest. If a small group and quick route changes matter most to you, a private or small-van chase may be worth the extra cost.

Waiting at the heated base station

The base station is where the tour becomes more than a bus ride. You may sit beside a campfire, warm up inside a heated lavvo, or use another heated camp area selected for the evening. Some sites are associated with Sami culture or reindeer herding, giving you a chance to speak with a local host and learn a little about life in northern Norway.

The setting can be striking, with snowy mountains around the camp and a dark sky full of stars when the clouds stay away. The fire, benches, hot drinks, and simple shelter matter more than they might sound. Standing still for two hours in Arctic weather is hard, even when you are excited about the aurora.

Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and local snacks are included. Cookies, bread, and lefse have appeared on some departures. Clothing can pick up the smell of the fire, so do not wear your finest dinner outfit unless you want a smoky souvenir.

The base station is also a useful fallback when the lights are slow to appear. You can warm your hands, talk with the guide, and learn how to set up a camera. Several departures included practical help with tripods and camera settings. If you bring a camera, ask early. Do not wait until the aurora appears overhead and everyone is rushing outside.

What the meal upgrade is really worth

You can upgrade to a hot meal, with examples including reindeer stew and fish soup. Fish soup with bread, focaccia, or lefse has been served on some evenings, while reindeer soup or stew has appeared on others. Vegetarian and non-fish options are available if requested when booking.

The meal can be warm and tasty, especially after time outdoors. But I would keep your expectations modest. One portion was described as light, with little meat, and some people found the added cost poor value. Another meal was praised as delicious and satisfying. The difference may come from the base station and menu used that night.

There is also a timing issue. If the aurora suddenly becomes active, you may not want to sit inside eating soup. I would choose the meal if you value a hot Arctic dinner and a relaxed camp experience. If your only aim is to spend every possible minute under the sky, hot drinks and snacks may be enough.

You should also confirm at booking that your meal choice is recorded. One poorly organized departure failed to provide a booked meal, though that does not appear to be the normal arrangement. Vegetarian and non-fish requests belong in the special requirements field.

Seeing the aurora depends on clouds, not promises

This is the part to approach with clear eyes. The tour can improve your odds by leaving Tromsø, using several sites, and watching weather conditions. It cannot control cloud cover, solar activity, or the timing of the lights.

On strong nights, the result can be spectacular. The aurora has appeared soon after arrival and continued for hours. Some departures caught bright green bands that filled the sky. On weaker nights, you may see only brief flashes or pale movement that looks like a greenish cloud, often more impressive in a long-exposure photograph than to the naked eye.

A completely overcast night is different. You might spend the evening waiting beside the campfire or inside the lavvo with no visible aurora at all. In bad conditions, a long coach ride can feel like a poor use of time, especially if the group stays in one snowy field while the cloud thickens.

The company policy recognizes this risk. If poor weather forces cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. That is useful, but it does not compensate for a night when the trip operates and the sky simply refuses to cooperate. I recommend scheduling the chase early in your Tromsø stay if possible, leaving room for another attempt.

Free photographs, camera help, and realistic expectations

The tour includes photographs, which can be a big help if you do not have the equipment or experience to photograph the aurora yourself. Guides have taken portraits with the lights behind you and helped people set cameras on tripods. Tripods may also be available for use if you do not bring one.

There is a detail worth checking before you book: one departure offered free low-resolution downloads at about 300K, while high-resolution images cost 300 NOK per photograph. The main attraction remains the free photo access, but do not assume every file is suitable for a large print.

A mobile phone may record a bright green glow, but it often cannot capture the full range visible to a good camera. If photographs matter to you, bring a camera that allows manual settings and a tripod if you have one. If you are unsure how to use it, ask for a camera clinic or setup help at the base station.

The photography service works best as a bonus. The guide may be busy helping many people, and assistance is not guaranteed at every moment. You will get more from it if you have your camera ready before the lights appear.

The return ride fills out the evening

After the meal or snack break, the group continues looking for the aurora. The coach may stop for photographs or pull over when the lights appear during the return journey. One group saw the aurora only on the way back, and the driver stopped at a suitable layby as soon as possible.

This second part is important. You are not simply taken to camp, left there, and driven home at a fixed hour. The chase can continue after the base station, depending on the weather and activity in the sky. The route back to Tromsø takes about an hour on the listed schedule, though the full evening varies.

The return to Prostneset is practical. You finish close to the city center rather than at an isolated roadside location. Expect the whole experience to occupy most of the evening, usually around five to eight hours, with the listed itinerary allowing roughly seven hours and 15 minutes from departure through return.

Price, group size, and who gets good value

At $128.16 per person, this is a sensible middle-ground option. You pay more than you would for simply walking outside Tromsø, but you get transport into darker country, an English-speaking guide, hot drinks, shelter, a toilet onboard, and the possibility of changing sites.

The price looks strongest when the aurora appears and the guide helps you photograph it. It still has value on a cloudy night because the coach and base camp make the wait more comfortable, but no shared chase can make an invisible sky feel satisfying.

I would choose this tour if you want:

• A straightforward first aurora outing from Tromsø
• A heated coach instead of a smaller, less comfortable vehicle
• A guide who can explain the science and help with basic photography
• Campfire or lavvo time alongside the aurora search
• A lower price than a private chase
• An onboard toilet for a long winter evening

I would think twice if you want a quiet, private experience or a highly nimble route. A bus group can be less personal, and a large vehicle has limits when the best clear sky lies down a narrow road. The chance of crowds also rises when more than one coach uses the same base station.

The activity is not suitable for children aged four and under. Most older participants can take part, but you need to manage cold weather and long periods outside. Students pay the same price as youth, and the tour is offered in English with a mobile ticket.

Should you book the Aurora Safari Chase?

I would book it as a practical first attempt, especially if you are staying in Tromsø for several nights and want transport, shelter, a toilet, hot drinks, and a guide in one package. The flexible base stations give you a better plan than waiting beside the city harbor, and the strongest departures combine bright aurora with excellent camera help and a warm camp setting.

I would not book it expecting a guaranteed show or a memorable dinner. Cloud can defeat the chase, and the optional meal may not justify its extra charge. Bring serious winter clothing, treat the photographs as a useful extra, and schedule the outing early enough to try again if nature says no.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at Tromsø Havn Prostneset, Samuel Arnesens gate 5, 9008 Tromsø, Norway, beside the Bus, Boat and Hurtigruten Terminal.

What time does the tour start?

The listed start time is 6:15 pm.

Where does the tour finish?

The activity ends back at the Prostneset meeting point in central Tromsø.

How long does the Northern Lights tour last?

The tour lasts approximately five to eight hours. The listed itinerary includes travel back to Tromsø after the viewing stops.

Is the tour conducted in English?

Yes. The experience is offered in English.

Is there a toilet on the coach?

Yes. The tour includes a toilet onboard the coach.

Is food included?

Hot drinks and local snacks are provided. A hot meal, such as reindeer stew or fish soup, is available as an upgrade. Vegetarian and non-fish options can be requested when booking.

Are photographs included?

Photographs are included for free, but one reported arrangement provided low-resolution downloads free of charge and charged 300 NOK per high-resolution image.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

If poor weather causes the activity to be canceled, you are offered another date or a full refund. If you cancel yourself, you must do so at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund.