Outdoors · Tromsø · Norway
8 best outdoor things to do in Tromsø
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Kjetil r assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 2.5
Quick answer
Start with Northern lights tours, Dog sledding and Sherpa steps. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 25–37 hours across 6 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 25–37 hours
- Areas
- Tromsø region, Kvaløya and Tamokdalen and Tromsdalen
Outdoors in Tromsø
Experience · Tromsø region
1.Northern lights tours
Book on your first night, so a cloudy night leaves room to try again, and choose an operator that offers a retry if you see nothing.
- Time needed
- 6–9 hours, evening into the night
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- After dark
- Couples
- Nature
- Photo spot
Experience · Kvaløya and Tamokdalen
2.Dog sledding
Wear the thermal suits and boots the operator provides; you sit still for long periods and the wind chill on the sled is intense.
- Time needed
- 4–6 hours including transfers
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Kids
- Active
- Outdoors
- Nature
Nature · Tromsdalen
3.Sherpa steps
Climb up and take the cable car down to spare your knees, and do not attempt it when the steps are icy.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
Aquarium · Sentrum
4.Polaria
Time your visit for a seal feeding session, which children love.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
- Architecture
Experience · Tromsø region
5.Reindeer and Sami culture visits
Choose a camp run by Sami herders, where you hear about reindeer husbandry directly from the families involved.
- Time needed
- 3–5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- History
- Outdoors
- Nature
Experience · Fjords north of Tromsø
6.Whale-watching trips
Choose an operator that explains where the whales are this season, and dress for hours on a cold deck.
- Time needed
- 6–9 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Nature
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Experience · Tromsø region
7.Midnight sun
Take the cable car or climb the Sherpa steps around midnight for the sun circling low over the islands.
- Time needed
- An evening
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Nature · Tromsøya
8.Prestvannet
Walk the loop on a summer evening, or bring snowshoes or skis in winter.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Tromsø region | Northern lights tours, Reindeer and Sami culture visits and Midnight sun | 6–9 hours, evening into the night + 3–5 hours + An evening |
| Kvaløya and Tamokdalen | Dog sledding | 4–6 hours including transfers |
| Tromsdalen | Sherpa steps | 1–1.5 hours |
| Sentrum | Polaria | 1.5–2 hours |
| Fjords north of Tromsø | Whale-watching trips | 6–9 hours |
| Tromsøya | Prestvannet | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 3 free, 1 mid-priced, 4 expensive. Book ahead for Northern lights tours, Dog sledding and Whale-watching trips. The longest visit is Northern lights tours; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Northern lights tours: Popular small-group tours fill up in the peak months of December to March; book a few days ahead.
- Dog sledding: Book well ahead for December to March, when trips sell out.
- Whale-watching trips: Book early for December; the season is short and boats fill.
How to fit them into 7 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Tromsø region): Northern lights tours, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Tromsø region): Reindeer and Sami culture visits, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Tromsø region): Midnight sun, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Kvaløya and Tamokdalen): Dog sledding, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Tromsdalen and Sentrum): Sherpa steps → Polaria, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 6 (Fjords north of Tromsø): Whale-watching trips, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 7 (Tromsøya): Prestvannet, at least 1 hour.
The best months to be outside
- July: highs of 15°C (59°F), about 12 rainy days, busy crowds. Warmest month, with midnight sun until about 22 July; ideal for hiking, kayaking and island trips.
- June: highs of 12°C (54°F), about 11 rainy days, busy crowds. Twenty-four-hour daylight, fresh green hills and snow on the peaks; hiking season begins.
- August: highs of 14°C (57°F), about 13 rainy days, moderate crowds. Nights darken again and cloudberries ripen; mild hiking weather continues.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Sentrum — Wooden houses, Storgata's bars and the harbour where tours depart
- Tromsdalen — The mainland side across the bridge, with the Arctic Cathedral and cable car
- Southern Tromsøya and Telegrafbukta — Residential streets running down to a small beach and coastal park
- Breivika — University district on northern Tromsøya with the botanic garden
More of Tromsø
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Tromsø?
Northern lights tours. From about September to early April, dozens of operators run evening tours that drive away from city lights and coastal cloud, sometimes inland towards the Finnish border, to find clear skies for the aurora.
+Which of these are free in Tromsø?
Sherpa steps, Midnight sun and Prestvannet.