We were extraordinarily lucky to see the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis dance across the skies above Tromso on multiple nights during our stay, between December 17th to December 24th.

Many people book Northern Lights Tours, were they go out with a guide for hours at night, traveling to remote areas beyond Tromso, away from the light pollution of the city. However, we didn’t not plan to book anything like this, mainly due to the high prices and also the fact that it’s not really idea for kids to be outdoors all night in below freezing temperatures. Plus many tours group do not cater to children under the age of 10. But Tromso is know as a place where it is common to see the Aurora Borealis from town and we definitely got lucky with great conditions.

The best vantage point for seeing the Northern Lights is from Storsteinen, which is 421 meters above sea level and is accessible by the Fjellheisen Cable Car in Sollivenien in Tromsdalen, across the bridge from the main island of Tromso. We went up to the top of the mountain around 5pm on a very clear night and miraculously timed it perfectly with a stunning Aurora Borealis display stretching across Tromso. An hour or so later, the Aurora had disappeared but no doubt it returned throughout the night. The girls loved sliding around in the snow, along with a number of other kids who didn’t really understand the magnitude of what they were witnessing in the skies above.

I would have loved to have gone up the cable cab during the daylight hours also, to capture the breathtaking view. But, the cable car is very expensive so we planned our trip to maximise viewing the Aurora Borealis. There is a walking track that leads up the mountain but it’s only recommended for experienced hikers during the winter months.

The view from the top of the Fjellheisen Cable Car

The photos below are from a different night where we could first see the Aurora from right outside our door, which why Braino thought it would be funny to go outside in his summer cloths for a photos, despite it being freezing!

Later that evening, I decided to venture off to the other side of town to Prestvannet in Tromso. Prestvannet is a small lake on the highest point of Tromso, which is easily accessible by bus 40 - just get off at Stalheim. The lake was completely frozen, covered in deep snow, with many other groups of people out photographing the Northern Lights too. A lovely couple took my photo in exchange for me taking a photo of them.

The view from our accomodation in Tromsdalen

The view from our accommodation in Tromsdalen

I was incredibly impressed by how well my iPhone 15 captured the Northern Lights, just shooting handheld. Braino much old iphone didn’t produce the same results. From the lake and the top of the cable car, we could see the vibrant green colours of the auroras with our naked eye, but it does look more vibrant through the lens of a camera. Around the town, with a bit more light pollution, the auroras can look a lot more pale in colour to the naked eye.

It’s made me appreciate how much effort and time it takes to capture professional footage of the Aurora Borealis. It’s so incredibly cold, my hands were freezing when I had them out of my ski glove to work the camera. Being outside all night, in remote landscapes, capturing timelapse photos, you’d really need the best quality clothing and camera gear.