Guide · Spots

Where you can see the northern lights in Tromsø, even without a tour

Want to experience the Northern Lights in Tromsø without a tour? These spots in town, on the mountain, and on Kvaløya are options, and here is how you plan your evening on your own.

Check availabilityfrom $61 · free cancellation

Editorial tromsonordlichter.deUpdated on October 2, 20266 min read11 sources

The Tour for This Guide Tromsø: Northern Lights safari with guides and photos 4.6 (8,349 reviews) 6 hoursGuide bookable in GermanProfessional photo includedUnlimited option from$61per person Check availabilityFree cancellation up to 24 hours in advance

In short

01In Town: Prestvannet and the bay Telegrafbukta are places where you might be able to see the Northern Lights.¹ ²
02With a View: The cable car Fjellheisen takes you up to Storsteinen at 421 m.³
03On Kvaløya: Grøtfjord is a great spot to search from late summer onward.⁴
04Time window: The lights are often most active between about 8:00 PM and 2:00 AM.⁵
05Basic rule: The farther you are from streetlights, the more of the faint lights you will see.

Northern Lights in Tromsø Without a Tour: Is That Possible?

Yes, it works, and sometimes it is closer to your hotel than you think. The city sits right below the aurora oval, which forms a ring around the geomagnetic North Pole.⁶ If the sky is clear and dark, the lights can even be seen above the city, especially from darker spots like the lake Prestvannet.¹ So you do not necessarily need a car, a guide, or a trip into the hinterland.

What you need is a bit of planning. Streetlights, lit windows, and headlights quickly wash out a faint arc in the sky. The farther you get from the bright center, the more contrast the Northern Lights have. Even a short walk to a lake, the coast, or a hillside can make the difference between a pale shimmer and dancing green bands.

Going without a tour, however, means you are responsible for the evening yourself. You decide when to go, how long to wait, and when it gets too cold for you. You also decide what happens when clouds hang over the city. This is exactly where a guided night differs: a tour can reroute, but on foot you stay where you are.

Your evening

A northern light evening without a tour

Afternoon

Check clouds and forecast

NOSWE offers one-hour and four-hour forecasts for Tromsø.⁷
For dinner

Eat something warm, prepare your clothes

Keep wool, sweater, jacket, hat and gloves within reach.⁸
From 20:00

Head out

The northern lights are often most active between roughly 20:00 and 02:00.⁵
At the spot

Let your eyes adjust to the darkness

Put your phone away and scan the sky over Prestvannet or Telegrafbukta.¹ ²
In Case of Clouds

Plan B

Some tours head inland or to Finland instead.⁹

Prestvannet: The Lake in the Middle of the Island

Prestvannet is a lake on top of the island Tromsøya, surrounded by residential areas and walking paths. Visit Tromsø lists it as one of the darker spots in town from which the Northern Lights can be seen on clear nights.¹ The advantage is obvious: you can reach it from the center without much effort and still stand a bit away from the brightest streets.

In winter the lake can be frozen and covered in snow. The bright surface then acts like a stage under the sky and gives you a wide view upward. Watch for icy paths and stay on the cleared trails. The ice itself is not a viewpoint, because you cannot judge how safe it is in the dark. From the shore you see just as much.

Prestvannet is great for a first attempt in the evening. Pull up the forecast, you are there quickly, and just as quickly back in the warmth. But expect that lights from surrounding houses brighten the edge of the sky. For faint Northern Lights a darker spot outside town has the edge, but for a strong arc the lake is more than enough.

Compare

Five spots for your northern light evening

Spot	Where	Special feature	No car?
Prestvannet	Center of Tromsøya	Darker spot in town¹	Yes
Telegrafbukta	South of Tromsøya	Coastal path, clear winter evening²	Yes
Storsteinen	Over Tromsdalen	Cable car up to 421 m³	Yes, by cable car
Grøtfjord	Island Kvaløya	Nice from late summer onwards⁴	Rather not
Towards Finland	Around 3.5 hours by bus to Kilpisjärvi¹⁰	Often clearer skies⁹	Only as a separate trip

Locations and details according to Visit Tromsø, the operator of the Fjellheisen cable car and the bus connections into arctic Europe.¹ ² ³ ⁴ ¹⁰ ⁹

Spots compared

Lake, bay, or mountain

Quick to reach

Prestvannet

Lake in the middle of the island

Location: Tromsøya, city area
Advantage: darker than the center
Good for: your first attempt

Tour as plan B

View across the water

Telegrafbukta

Bay on the south of the island

Location: South of Tromsøya
Advantage: unbroken horizon
Good for: Photos with foreground

Tour as plan B

Panorama

Storsteinen

With the Fjellheisen cable car

Height: 421 m above sea level
Getting there: Cable car from Tromsdalen
Good for: City and sky at once

Tour as plan B

Decision helper

Alone or with a tour?

What fits your evening?

Clear sky over the city You want to see the city from above Car and winter experience Clouds over Tromsø Several nights, little planning

Prestvannet or Telegrafbukta

From both places you can see the northern lights on clear nights.¹ ²

Storsteinen

The Fjellheisen cable car takes you up to 421 m.³

Grøtfjord

On Kvaløya from late summer onward, a great place to search.⁴

Tour with a backup route

Some tours head inland or to Finland.⁹

Safari with unlimited option

You will be taken out again during your stay until you have seen the lights.

On clear nights the northern lights can be visible from the city of Tromsø, even from darker spots like Prestvannet.

Visit Tromsø Region ASTranslated from English · Source 1

Telegrafbukta: The Bay on the South Side of the Island

Telegrafbukta is a bay on the south side of Tromsøya with paths along the coast. In winter these paths invite a walk by the water, and on a clear evening you might be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights there.² The view goes far beyond the water. A horizon this open is not something the narrower streets of the city center can offer you.

The water gives you an extra stage. In calm weather, a strong Northern Light sometimes reflects in the bay, and the mountains on the other side add depth to the scene. For photos this is a bonus: A foreground of shoreline, rocks, or snow turns a sky full of green into a picture that shows where you were.

Plan a bit more time for Telegrafbukta than for Prestvannet. The path leads you through residential areas toward the south of the island, and at the coast the wind can be sharper than between houses. Bring a headlamp with red light. This way you move safely without ruining the night vision your eyes have only just adjusted to.

Map

Where you see the northern lights

In the city there are darker spots; when it is cloudy, the search goes out into the countryside.

Map of Tromsø with three northern lights spots — In Tromsø

Map of the Tromsø region to the Finnish border — Around Tromsø

1
Telegrafbukta
Located in the south of the island Tromsøya; on a clear winter evening a place for northern lights.²
2
Prestvannet
A lake in the middle of the island and one of the darker spots in the city from which northern lights can be visible.¹
3
Fjellheisen, Storsteinen
The cable car takes you up in four minutes to 421 m above sea level; the operator advertises the view of the city and the northern lights.³
4
Grøtfjord on Kvaløya
As the evenings get dark from late summer onward, a good place to look out for northern lights.⁴
5
Kilpisjärvi, Finland
When clouds roll in, some tours head inland or to Finland, where the sky is often clearer.⁹ By bus it is about 3.5 hours.¹⁰

Checklist

For your evening without a tour

Equipment

Headlamp with red light
Thermos flask with a warm drink
Seating pad against the cold from below
Camera or phone with night mode

Clothing

Wool directly on the skin
Warm, dry sweaters and jacket
Warm shoes with good tread
Gloves, scarf, and beanie

Safety

Stick to cleared paths only
Check the last cable car descent
Tell someone where you are

Plan B

How much does a tour as a backup plan cost?

Choose a tour and the number of people.

Northern lights safarithis tourfrom $61 Bus expeditionwith professional photosfrom $66 Beyond bordersHunt up to Finlandfrom $309

people 2

Total from$122

from per person $61

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Departure prices according to GetYourGuide, converted at the ECB reference rate. The exact price is shown when you book.

Video

Dream destination Tromsø: the guide for your Arctic trip

The video only loads when you tap Play.

Fjellheisen and Storsteinen: Northern Lights from Above

If you want to see the northern lights from the cable car and see the city from above, take the Fjellheisen. It takes you from Tromsdalen up to Storsteinen at 421 m above sea level.³ The operator promotes the spot as the best place in Tromsø to see the northern lights, with the city lights below you and the sky above.³ This panoramic view is not what the spots down by the water offer.

The altitude has pros and cons. Up there you sit above part of the city lights, and on clear evenings the view stretches in every direction. At the same time it is often windier and colder up there than down by the water. Dress as if you planned to stay out for a long time, even if you only want to look for a short while. You cannot book a Northern Lights show, and waiting on the mountain eats into your warmth.

Check before you set out whether the cable car runs in the evening and when the last descent is. These times can change depending on the season, and you do not want to walk down the slope in the dark. Ideally, combine the trip with a look at the short-term forecast: if activity rises, the ride up is especially worth it; if it stays quiet, you at least enjoy the view.

Grøtfjord on Kvaløya: Dark and Remote

For a truly dark sky you have to leave the city. On the neighboring island Kvaløya lies Grøtfjord, which Visit Tromsø calls a great place to scout for the Northern Lights once the evenings grow dark from late summer onward.⁴ Away from town the artificial light fades, and mountains and fjord frame the sky.

Without your own car the trip in the evening is, however, complicated. A rental car is one option, but in winter it assumes experience with icy, dark roads. If you drive yourself, take your time, stop only at safe parking spots, and do not let the engine idle for hours. And remember that after a long, cold night the drive back still lies ahead of you.

Here the advantage of a guided tour becomes clearest: you sit in the passenger seat instead of behind the wheel, and someone else knows the roads. If you still want to try it alone, you should check the weather situation for Kvaløya beforehand. A clear sky over the city does not automatically mean clear visibility at the fjord, and on the flip side it can clear up outside while Tromsø stays under clouds.

When Clouds Hang Over the City

Without a tour, you are tied to your location. If clouds hang over Tromsø, you can either wait to see if they clear or call the evening a wash. Some tours then head inland, if necessary all the way to Finland, because the sky beyond the mountains is often clearer in the dry climate.⁹ That option is simply not available to you on foot.

Finland, though, is no short hop: by bus it is about 3.5 hours from Tromsø to Kilpisjärvi.¹⁰ For a spontaneous Northern Lights evening that is barely doable, but for a longer trip with an overnight stay it already works. If you only have a few nights in Tromsø, such a trip costs you much time you could otherwise spend in town and by the water.

You stay flexible when you combine both: on clear evenings, try the city spots; when clouds roll in, join a tour. For 6 hours, you are out on the northern lights safari on this page, with spots available from $61. If you book the Unlimited option, you can rejoin on any night of your stay until the lights put on a show. There is no refund if the lights fail to appear.

How You Plan Your Evening on Your Own

Start in the afternoon. Check the cloud cover and aurora forecast: NOSWE looks one hour and four hours ahead for Tromsø.⁷ Then decide which spot fits your evening: Prestvannet for a quick try, Telegrafbukta for a view over the water, Storsteinen for the panorama above the city.

Then comes the time window. The most active time in Tromsø is often between about 8:00 PM and 2:00 AM.⁵ Head out early rather than late and stay longer, instead of setting out late and driving back disappointed after half an hour. Give your eyes a few minutes to adjust to the darkness, and avoid looking at your phone's bright display during that time.

Clothing determines how long you can go. Start with wool against the skin and layer warm, dry pieces on top; shoes, gloves, scarf, and hat should also be warm, as Visit Tromsø recommends.⁸ In winter, expect average temperatures of around -4 °C.¹¹ With a thermos, a seat pad, and a bit of patience, waiting becomes part of the experience.

Book safari

Tonight the sky could turn green.

Reserve now, pay later, and cancel free up to 24 hours before.

Check datesfrom $61 · free cancellation 4.6 · 8,349 verified reviews

You ask,we answer.

Can I see the northern lights in Tromsø without a tour?

Yes, on a clear, dark night. Visit Tromsø lists darker spots in town such as Prestvannet, from where the lights can be visible on clear nights.¹

Where to See Northern Lights in Tromsø?

Roughly at Prestvannet or Telegrafbukta. Both spots are named by Visit Tromsø.¹ ² From above, you look out from Storsteinen, which you can reach via the Fjellheisen cable car.³

How high is Storsteinen?

At 421 m above sea level. The Fjellheisen cable car takes you up from Tromsdalen, and the operator promotes the view over the town and the northern lights.³

Do I need a car?

Not for the town, rather yes for Kvaløya. Grøtfjord on Kvaløya is a nice spot for the hunt from late summer on, though it lies outside the city.⁴

What time should I head out?

Best before 20:00. The northern lights can appear all night, but they are often most active between roughly 20:00 and 02:00.⁵

What if it's cloudy over town?

Wait or switch to a tour. Some tours head inland or to Finland, where the sky is often clearer.⁹

How cold will it be while you wait?

On average -4 °C in winter. That's the average winter temperature given by Visit Tromsø.¹¹ Dress in layers of wool.⁸

Sources