I already mentioned it briefly in my first post: on January 21, my bearded better half and I are flying back to our favorite country ever! Early in the morning we’ll fly from Amsterdam, here in the Netherlands where I live, to Tromsø for a real adventure week in the snow: our very own Tromsø winter expedition.
In the past we always planned our trips to and through Norway completely ourselves. From routes to hotels, sights and mountain hikes, we scoured the entire internet. This time we did things a little differently. The price difference was practically €0, and we didn’t really dare to take on the hassle of taxis, buses and snow. Besides, we want to get as much out of our days as possible, because during the time we’re there, Tromsø only gets 3 to 4 hours of daylight a day.
Through Askja Reizen we’ve now booked a pick-and-mix package trip we put together ourselves! 7 days on a winter expedition in Tromsø, the northernmost city in the world! We won’t just visit the city itself, but from there we’ll head out into the wilderness on all kinds of awesome expeditions and safaris. Below I’ll give you a bird’s-eye view of what our trip is going to look like.
Tromsø winter expedition
Reindeer safari
Just outside Tromsø, the Sami (reindeer herders) spend the winter with their herds of reindeer. Accompanied by a guide, we’re going to visit this tribe. On location we’ll go on a sleigh ride with the reindeer, learn to throw a lasso and eat a real Sami meal. Although there’s a pretty good chance I’ll spend the whole afternoon making snow angels between the reindeer. Does a baby reindeer fit in a backpack, by the way?
Wilderness camp Tamok
On the third day we’ll visit the Tamok wilderness camp. Here we won’t just go on a snowmobile ride in the dark (and hopefully under the northern lights), we’ll also spend the night. The camp has original heated lavvos (Sami tents) and Aurora log cabins with a northern-lights-proof skylight. Sleeping under a bearskin and staring at the northern lights.. How awesome and romantic is that?!
Husky safari
The next morning after breakfast, we’ll be picked up by a pack of wildly enthusiastic huskies for our next adventure on a sled. We’ll learn to drive the sleds ourselves and get one sled per couple. That means sledding together for 16 kilometers through a snow-covered valley! Including lunch in the middle of nowhere. Being a dog lover, this might be what I’m looking forward to most, apart from the reindeer. This is going to be magical!
A day in Tromsø
Of course we’ll also set aside a day to explore Tromsø itself. Among other things, the city has a Polar Museum and the Arctic Cathedral. Although there’s a good chance we’ll skip the first one, because it has an exhibition about fur trappers. That doesn’t sit well with my tender little soul. Near the cathedral you can take a cable car to the top of Mount Storsteinen. From up there you have a fantastic view over the city. That sounds like a better idea to me! Apparently Tromsø is also a fantastic place for shopping, eating and drinking. So a perfect day for hot chocolate by a crackling fire!
Northern lights safari
We have so many outdoor activities planned that we can hardly miss it, but of course we can’t go home before we’ve seen the natural wonder that is the Aurora Borealis (northern lights). On a good day it’s even visible from Tromsø, but the light pollution does make it harder. If we’re not lucky, we have a plan B: a real northern lights safari. The experts take you to a remote spot without light pollution and even give you a crash course in northern lights photography. If all else fails, we’ll spend our last day (or any random night when the northern lights alarm goes off) doing this.
Over the coming weeks I’m going to work really hard on my tolerance for snow and cold, hunt for the perfect snow boots and enjoy the anticipation to the fullest!
Tromsø, here we come!
