Northern Lights tour with Alta Adventure
Badge of Excellence
Alta, Norway
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
The rocky cliffs and ocean vistas of the Alta Fjord provide a dazzling backdrop for the night sky's greatest light show but spotting the aurora borealis can be tricky. This small-group tour enhances your chances of seeing the northern lights by taking you out of Alta and into the surrounding countryside, which is free from light pollution. While you wait for the lights to appear, enjoy included snacks and learn about life in northern Norway from your guide.
- Enjoy an up to a 90 percent chance of spotting the northern lights
- Warm up with hot tea, coffee, and snacks
- Hassle-free pickup and round-trip transport from your Alta hotel
- Intimate small-group experience with a maximum of 13 people
What's Included
- SnacksWe will offer a warm chocolate and light snacks/sandwich during the tour. Let us know if you have any allergy or any diet limitation (vegan/vegetarian)
- Local history, possibility to borrow warm suits/boots
- We have some tripods for rent (100 NOK extra)
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Operating hours.8:00 pm
Itinerary
Alta (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Minimum age of 12 years
- Choose Alta Havn (Alta Harbour) as your pick up place if you are coming to Alta by cruise ship. Our guide will be there looking for you at the parking place with a black minibus.
- If your ship has a different time schedule than our tour, please contact us and we try to adapt to you.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 13 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.5
based on 129 reviews
ChunHo_H, Apr 2026
We stuck in a classroom for more than 30mins to learn about the northern lights when there was only a short window of clear sky outside.
When we finally got out the sky is already cloudy and we missed the best of the northern lights.
Asked the guide to put light on our faces with a torch for photos but apparently the guide doesnt know about the trick which is surprising.
We want to go further south to chase the lights but they only stopped at a few pre-determined stops. It feels like they just want to finish early and go home.
It is a huge let down especially compared to what we managed to do in similar tour in Tromso which is much cheaper and the team was much more experienced.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your feedback. We understand the disappointment of a tour without seeing the lights and with no opening in the sky, especially after seeing the lights in Tromsø. However, we have a quite high success rate of finding the lights due to our experienced local guides and favorable geographical conditions. This is because Alta has an inland climate with less cloud coverage throughout the season. Based on our local knowledge and the weather forecast, we make a separate plan for each evening. The plan focuses on where to go to have the best chances of finding the lights.
We started our “northern-lights-hunting tours” in 2007 and mainly use local guides. Even if some of our guests sometimes propose going in another direction than our plan for the day, we normally stick to our plan. This is because using our local knowledge normally gives us a better chance of finding the lights. Most of our guests also appreciate the introduction and history behind the northern lights.
We are sorry that we did not fulfill your expectations of seeing the lights that evening.
Betty_N, Mar 2026
Our tour guide was excellent.He gave a short scientific lecture about the northern lights. Talked to us on the drive out to the best area for that nights sighting. He knew exactly where they could be best seen and he was spot on at our third stop. We saw and photographed the most spectacular auroras! The trip was so worth it and our guides were the best!!! Would highly recommend!!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for your amazing feedback, Betty! We’re thrilled you got to experience such spectacular Northern Lights and that our guide made the journey both informative and memorable. It’s great to hear his expertise led you to the perfect viewing spot. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another adventure!
All the best,
Alta Adventure team
William_W, Mar 2026
Our tour guide and driver were very knowledgeable, easy to understand, and really worked hard to get us the best views of the northern lights. The tour and the lights were much better than I expected.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very much, William. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the lights and appreciated the motivation and efforts of our guides to help you to hunt for this beautiful spectacle of nature.
Wishing you all the best,
Alta Adventure team
Kevin_M, Mar 2026
Book this trip, now! Great Northern Lights experience with a friendly and helpful guide. Pick-up location was extremely convenient for cruise ship travelers. Family owned small business.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very much, Kevin. You made us happy with your feedback and recommendation. We really appreciate that you took your time to write it and are glad that you could see the beutiful lights.
All the best,
Alta Adventure team
Tim_M, Mar 2026
Excellent northern lights experience. Our guide picked us up at the cruise ship meeting building (the blue building) - and when we started, it was cloudy and snowing in Alta. We drove around the harbor for a short while before heading away from town. Our guide was Birk (sp?) and the forecast was not favorable; however, ever the optimist - he drove about almost an hour away from town and found a break in the clouds and we spotted the northern lights. We stopped several times along the way and each time found the aurora visible. The air temperature was around 22 degrees (F) and the wind at times made it seem a bit colder, but eventually Birk stopped at one last place that seemed to be out of the wind for our best viewing yet. Birk provided a good commentary on the northern lights and on the Alta area. There were six or seven of us on the tour and everything was organized quite well. They did not have any tripods available, but otherwise, all was great and I would highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Tim, thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re so glad our guide's determination paid off and that you got to experience the northern lights despite the challenging weather. It’s great to hear you enjoyed the guiding and organization as well. We appreciate your note about tripods and will try to have some more available in the future. Anyway, we appreciate to get a message when clients need a tripod. Hope to welcome you again in our adventures in Alta!
All the best,
Alta Adventure team
Ruth_O, Mar 2026
The operator was fun very helpful. We drove outside the city to see the lights. It was overcast so stopped in several remote places to see if it would clear. Finally found a place where the clouds cleared and got to see the lights. They were not very strong but we got a pretty show. They provided us with hot cocoa which was very good. Overall, a good tour.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very much, Ruth. So nice that our guide was able to make you have a nice time. Great that you could see the lights in a pretty show.
Wishing you all the best,
Alta Adventure team
Kathryn_B, Mar 2026
Be patient, we were lucky the lights appeared towards end of trip and it was fantastic. Be prepared to get in and out of vehicle regularly.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Katryn,
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re glad your patience paid off and that the Northern Lights made a fantastic appearance toward the end of the trip. Nature keeps us on its own schedule, so sometimes a little waiting is part of the adventure.
You’re also absolutely right that being ready to hop in and out of the vehicle helps us adjust quickly to changing sky conditions and find the best viewing spots. Thanks for mentioning this for future guests.
We appreciate you joining us and hope to welcome you again for another Arctic adventure!
All the best,
Alta Adventure team
Lety_S, Mar 2026
It was a great experience, the best guide, the best driver, they were all so good and happy and wanted to make sure that we got to see the Northern Lights.
I will definitely recommend.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Muchas gracias, Lety! We are all very happy to read your feedback. We got a challenging night to help you to hunt for the lights but it made us very happy to be able to show you this fantastic spectacle of nature up here. All the best, Alta Adventure team
Paul_M, Mar 2026
It was cloudy night, but Roger, using his apps, found an opening in the skys and we went there. Sure enough, we saw some awesome Northern Lights.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Super! Thank you very much for your feedback, Paul. We are happy to hear that our guide managed to show you the lights in a challenging weather night.
All the best,
Alta Adventure team
David_H, Feb 2026
We learned this is a couples operation. There were so many signed up we were put in a smaller van driven by a friend who apparently had no experience as a guide - no stories or color commentary. Though this was almost a four hour event in the cold, there were no bathroom breaks. While they advertise a high success rate of finding the Northern Lights, the night we were with them was not one of them. It proved to be a waste of our time and money.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi David, We are a small local company using local guides. Our guides are Norwegian and have a special licence for driving tourists, and we only uses licenced minibusses. The guides are given internal training, but still we accept them to guide in their personal way and their personal experiences.
We vary our tours due to where there is the best chance of finding the lights. As you say there are no restrooms available under the tour. We reccomend our guests to make a visit to the restrooms before leaving Alta.
We did not find the lights that evening. Luckily that is not too often.
Gonzalo_P, Feb 2026
The guides were great, but I expected the tour to be canceled due to the bad weather. It went ahead anyway, knowing we wouldn't see anything. The rating isn't good because of this. The tour isn't cheap, and to go ahead knowing it's very difficult to see the Northern Lights is unacceptable.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Gonzalo, If the guests have not cancelled the tour (until 24 hours before start) we will make a plan, based on local knowledge where there are the best chances of finding clear skies and northern lights. Quite often we find the lights, even on cloudy days.
BONBONBJS, Feb 2026
We took this tour when our cruise ship was docked in Alta for the night. Dia was our guide and she was great. The route that they plotted for us turned out great. We were lucky and saw lights at every stop. Our driver Monica was great as well. Both driver and guide were friendly and knowledgeable. I highly recommend his tour
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you very much for your positive feedback. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the lights and the company of our guide and driver.
You are very welcome to join our adventures in the future!
All the best,
Alta Adventure team
Anonymous, Feb 2026
Our guide was very professional and knew exactly where to go to see the lights. We saw quite a few during our tour. There is a lot of driving but it is necessary to get to where you can see the lights.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thanks for your feedback. It was a challenging day yesterday but we were happy to be able to help you to see the lights.
All the best,
Alta Adventure team
Robert_R, Feb 2026
You pay $200+ pp to see the northern lights. It is cloudy and you see nothing. There are no guarantees and you have spent 4 hours traversing snow and ice covered roads at significant speeds with a strange driver. Now, if this were a fair business transaction, you should be entitled to some refund. But no, this decked is stacked against the buyer because the driver is paid fully while you lose all. In good conscience I can't recommend Alta Adventures unless you are a blind person and then it obviously makes n o difference. If you are fully- sighed consider walking away.
Bob
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Dear Bob,
Of course we can understand your disappointment because we did not find the lights for you that evening.
Due to the the weather forecast we sometimes have to drive quite far to obtain the best chance of finding clear sky.
Other times we can find it close to Alta. In our description we say: "Each tour is different, as we focus on finding the optimal place with the greatest chance of seeing the lights”.
Yesterday the best chance to find clear sky was quite far towards the inland. However, the sky did not open even there and therefore there was no possibilities of seeing the lights.
For guests that is not willing to take risk involved in finding clear sky, we reccomend to use the possibility of cancel the tour 24 hour before, with full refund. But remember that the weather forecast is not precise.
Often it changes, sometimes to the better and sometimes to the worse. This is nature.
All the best !
Diamela and Stig
Nancy_Z, Feb 2026
Everyone was very nice but the clouds never parted for us so we didn’t see any Northern Lights. Disappointing but the ride into the countryside was beautiful!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Nancy, thank you very much for your feedback. It was nice to hear that you enjoyed the ride and were satisfied with the job of our team even if we were not able to see the Northern Lights.
All the best,
Alta Adventure team
William_M, Feb 2026
While we knew that there was a low chance of seeing the Northern Lights we were disappointed in the way the trip occurred. The advertisement for the excursion showed people in an open field with a fire. What we received were stops at cutoff along the road to look for the Lights. Certainly not what we expected.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Dear William,
We can understand that you are disappointed because you did not see the lights.
In our description we say: "Each tour is different, as we focus on finding the optimal place with the greatest chance of seeing the lights”.
Based on the weather forecast we sometimes drive quite far to get the best chance of finding the lights, other times we can find it close to Alta.
Necessary driving distance will decide in rigging a camp or not. In some of our tours we serve hot chocolate & snacks on our way to find the lights.
Yesterday the best chance to find clear sky was in the inland, and we gave priority to go there instead of sitting around the fire closer to Alta.
However, the sky did not open and we can agree with you that the evening was not optimal.
We reccoment that guests that is not willing to take the chance of finding clear sky uses the possibility of cancelling 24 hour before the tour with full refund. This is nature that we can not control, and the weather forecast is not that precise. Sometimes to the better, sometimes to the worse and sometimes to the better.
All the best,
Alta Adventure team
Libby_M, Jan 2026
It was snowing so we didn’t see the aurora. But our guide took us all over looking for a break in the clouds. We stopped at a an old church which was beautiful in the night light. Our guide was the owner and knowledgeable about Alta. And very hospitable! We enjoyed the tour very much even though we didn’t see the lights.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you very much, Libby. We are super happy to hear that even if it was not possible to see the Northern Light this day due to bad weather conditions you were satisfied with the activity and the job that our team did. We really appreciate it.
Wishing you all the best,
Alta Adventure team
kathryngeddie, Jan 2026
My suggestion is check the weather and an aurora app several days ahead & use the option to cancel 24hrs ahead if weather is not promising. The vendor will go no matter what and you’ll have a drive through the countryside & a stop at his house for a quick snack around the fire. I get it - their philosophy is looking for chance. The guides/ owner are pleasant but that’s not the experience you’re buying and heavy clouds and snow don’t allow seeing the lights that of course may or may not appear. It’s on you to mitigate the odds.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your feedback. And yes, we can understand your disappointment because you did not see the lights.
Our tour is based on local knowledge about the weather in the area, and therefore we must go to places that give us the best chance of finding clear sky.
We only go to our camp when this can be practically put into the plan for the rest of the evening and based on the possibilities to see the lights at the same time as enjoying a break with a hot drink and some pastries. If you read other of our feedback, you will be surprised of many times the tour started with very low expectations, but later in the evening we managed to find the lights.
As you mention, our clients should make a decision if they would like to cancel the tour with full refund 24 hours before, or if they would like to join the tour, even if we can’t guarantee to see the lights. This is nature.
All the best,
Diamela and Stig
Taruno_S, Jan 2026
I just had my first night out of a 3-day Northern Lights safari in Alta and all I can say is wow. On the first night alone, the Aurora Borealis gave us one of the most spectacular light shows I’ve ever seen — ribbons of green, pink, and purple dancing across the sky. It was absolutely unforgettable.
Our guide was outstanding: knowledgeable, passionate, and patient. He knew exactly where to go for the best viewing conditions and shared fascinating insights about the science and history of the aurora. I also appreciated the warm gear, hot drinks, and his support in helping us capture amazing photos — I now have images that I’ll keep for the rest of my life.
If you’re coming to Northern Norway and want a real Northern Lights experience, I highly recommend this tour. It surpassed all expectations.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you very much, Taruno. We are super happy to read your feedback and to know that you had a great experience with our guide.
We also appreciate the detailed information you give of our tour and guide for other persons interested in booking our tour.
Thank you very much and good luck in the rest of your hunting days in Alta :-)
All the best,
Alta Adventure team
GREG_B, Mar 2025
Just got back to the ship feeling ripped off. In the lead up to our tour Alta experienced overcast conditions with some snow; conditions we were told not favourable to viewing the northern lights. To our surprise following a couple of hours driving around and stopping at locations with stars in the sky and receiving confidence building comments from our tour guide (oh and a waste of time photo stop at the Alta cathedral) no lights were seen. It was also announced by the driver (not the tour guide) that “this will be our last stop, we’ll be heading back to the ship as the driver had to start work at 05.00 and was heard stating this to the tour guide. A very disappointing experience which left us feeling that we had been conned.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
We understand your disappointment if you did not see the lights. In our description we explain that we are hunting for the lights and therefore we have to drive to the places where our local knowledge appoints to have the better chances. If you read other of our feedbacks you will be surprised about many times starting the tour without a hope and we have managed to find the lights. Anyway, it is written that you can cancel the tour with full refund 24 hours before, but you did not. Also, our tour is not private and therefore we try to fulfill the needs of the majority of the group, and photographing the Cathedral was one of them. That is why we took a 5 min stop.
All the best,
Diamela and Stig
Alodia_F, Mar 2025
Our guide, Sebastian went above and beyond in terms of chasing the northern lights. Although the weather was quite a bit challenging (cloudy everywhere) but we managed to have a sneak peek of this green lady. We really appreciate our guide’s effort in finding clear sky amidst cloudy forecast everywhere
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Thank you very much, Alodia. We are all super happy to read your feedback, because this was a really challenging night to find the lights and our guide managed. Nature is really difficult to predict but the local knowledge helps and as we always says, we hunt for the lights where the best chances can be.
You are very welcome to join us in future adventures.
Best regards,
Diamela and Stig
Alta Adventure AS
Richard_B, Mar 2025
An excellent search for the Northern Lights in a minibus led by Steve. He was on time for the pick up, and friendly and engaging throughout. He knew exactly where to go for the dark sky searching for gaps in the clouds. Not only did we see them, we had hot chocolate and pastries as well!!
Thanks Steve.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Thank you so much for your feedback, Richard. We are all very happy to hear that you had a nice time with our guide and also that you could enjoy the lights.
Wishing you all the best,
Diamela and Stig
Alta Adventure AS
Stephanie, Mar 2025
The tour was in Search of northern Lights. Before we left it was snowing and total cloud cover. It never really got better. Yet the tour operator took us out probably knowing full well we would see no lights. This should have been cancelled and our money returned.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Hello Stephanie. We can understand your disappointment about seeing no Northern Lights due to clouds coverage. As customer, you can base yourself on the weather forecast and cancel your tour 24 hours before the start time of the tour with full refund. After that we confirm the job to our guide, order the bus and start planning the best strategy for finding the lights and how to make a best possible evening for all our guests. Our tour cannot be cancelled at starting-time, as long as the weather is not so bad that it represent danger.
Best regards,
Diamela and Stig
Alta Adventure AS
Anna_d, Feb 2025
We had a really fun and personal experience going on the tour with Steve. Even though the weather was challenging, he had a good plan and we were able to find the lights and learn about the area!
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Thank you very much, Anna. So nice to hear that you enjoyed our tour and had a nice time with our guide Steven. And really nice that you could see the lights even in challenging weather day. Great!
Wishing you all the best,
Diamela and Stig
Alta Adventure AS
Rachel_G, Feb 2025
Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate on the night of our tour so we didn’t see any northern lights. Steven was very kind and positive throughout the evening though.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Thanks for your feedback, Rachel. Very sad that we could not enjoy the lights, but as you say, the weather was very challenging last night. Good to hear that you anyway had a nice time with our guide Steven.
You are very welcome to hunt for the lights with us again if you ever come back to Alta. It will makes us happy to help you to enjoy this beautiful spectacle of nature up here.
All the best,
Diamela and Stig
Alta Adventure AS
peter_m, Feb 2025
Steven was our host for the evening and was very knowledgeable and entertaining!He does his job very well and knows a thing or two about the Northern Lights. He had some great spots to bring us to .Even on quite an overcast night with a bright moon he still managed to get a photo of us with the Aurora. (Yes)Very happy. Also he provided us with hot chocolate and snacks.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Thaks for your feedback, Peter. We are happy to hear that you had a nice tour with our guide Steven and that you could see the lights even in a quite cloudy night. Nature can surprise us sometimes.
Wishing you and your wife all the best,
Diamela and Stig
Alta Adventure AS
itamar_r, Dec 2024
No Experience, they just "Forget" to pick us from the point that was mentioned.
Listen,I have made a lot, really a lot of Travels with Viator, since I really experienced, I always double check before. And in the same day at noon i wrote them via viator chat , just to verifyone one more time( the pick-up should be at 8pm at Alta Havn for cruise ship- it all written in my previous talk to them)
but no answer to my massage. ( they did answer me in the past) We'll i went to the pick up point anyway ,at time ,we were waiting for 1 hour! During this hour, i masseged them few times, called via WhatsApp to their number, That was given in company details.
text to their company whatapp-and nothing! No response
So i use the chat with the viator support team ,the viator man checked all the previous writing with them , he tried to call them too and no answer for him too- So he immediately start to process of a full refund.
And was very sorry for that.
But it's not about the money, you are not visiting in winter so north "often" ,so if they don't come, you have no other option do to at 21pm- so it's destroy your evening.
It's been 3 days since that happen, still not even one response from them !! ( and we did chat on viator support few time before the trip- so it really easy to reach me, i have internet all the time and can see and massage that come via viator )
well, maybe the tour is great, maybe it's not , it's also a matter of luck with Aurura. But there few companies that do that tour so Try to choose one you can trust on it. Not this one!
I wonder if they finally will reply here,to my review, and see how to you, they will try to explain. But I did everything right. ( so I hope so will not try to say I wasn't in the pick-up area- or something like that)
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you for your feedback, even if your experience was very bad with no pick-up.
We have evaluated how this could happen. When we picked up the other guests from the cruise ship at 20.00, the guide could not find you, and tried to call you, but he did not get any answer. Due to the other guests he had to start the tour.
When we check the communication on Viator, we can see that you sent your first message at 20.13:” We are waiting in Alta Havn Building…”. You also tried to call our telephone on Whatsapp. Since our office is not open at 20.00, and by using Whatsapp, that requires mobile data, we could not be reached at that moment.
We therefore recommend our guests call us directly on our telephone-number.
We are very sorry that this happened, and will see to it that it never happen again.
Best regards,
Dia & Stig
Siobhan_T, Oct 2024
A fantastic experience from start to finish! We were met by Stig next to the cruise terminal who took us back to the base to wrap up in warm clothing. Dia and Max met us there and were our guides for the evening. Dia was incredibly knowledgeable about the local area and explained lots of different sites as we drove past. We were very fortunate to spot the Northern lights early in our trip and they took us to a secluded spot to get some great photos. Being a small group we had the opportunity to visit a couple more locations that a coach wouldn’t have been able to see. It was an amazing experience and Max and Dia couldn’t have been more helpful with spotting the lights and helping with photos. We also enjoyed a hot chocolate around a campfire with some delicious pastries which just added to the experience. This was far better value than excursions booked through the cruise and a far more personal experience, we’d highly recommend!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you very much for taking your time to write a long and great description of our tour. That is exactly what we want to make you feel: to be part of a small group and not only enjoy the beautiful Aurora but also learn a little bit about Alta and Arctic living.
You are very welcome to join us in future adventures in Alta!
All the best,
Diamela and Stig
Amanda_M, Oct 2024
What an experience. Alta Adventure knew the best spots to see the lights and get some amazing pictures. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you very much, Amanda!
We really appreciate your feedback and want to thank you for choosing Alta Adventure for your Northern Lights tour in Alta.
You are very welcome to join our adventures in the future.
All the best,
Diamela and Stig
Julie_b, Mar 2024
We did not find Northern Lights! Long trip into the mountains of Norway in the dark. Staff of two were very kind - sorry that they could not find the northern lights .
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Hi Julie, thanks for your feedback. For our guides it was very sad to do not be able to show you the lights in such a difficult weather night conditions. The driving around the dark mountains was part of the hunt for the lights far of city light pollution, but it was not possible to find clear skies that day. We hope you enjoy the lights in another oportunity and will be happy to welcome you to another of our adventures in the Arctic.
All the best,
Diamela and Stig
Alta Adventure AS
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