Reindeer Sledding Tromso NorwayNight Reindeer Sledding, Sami Dinner and Chance of Northern Lights
Night reindeer sledding in Tromsø packs the camp experience into one evening. This listing, the Night Reindeer Sledding, Sami Dinner and Chance of Northern Lights tour, costs $222 per person and runs for 4.5 hours. A bus picks you up in the evening from the Prostneset bus terminal and drives you to the same reindeer camp used by the long and short day trips. You feed a herd of around 300 wild reindeer, ride a sled for 15 to 20 minutes in the dark, then warm up over a three-course dinner with bidos, the reindeer stew the Sámi cook for weddings and special occasions. Stories and a joik in the lavvu round off the evening before you step outside to watch the sky. It suits families with children of all ages, couples who want dinner included and anyone short on daylight hours. One honest edge: the sled ride is shorter than on several day tours, so the meal and the aurora chance carry the evening. You can compare this trip side by side in all reindeer sledding in Tromsø.
Night Reindeer Sledding with Dinner at a Glance
$222 per person
4.5 hours
4.6 from 2,809 reviews
Large bus group
Bus terminal at Prostneset (Samuel Arnesens gate 5), at the entrance by the buses, guides wear blue jackets
15-20 minutes
Check Live Dates & Prices
Quick answer Price, sled length, meeting point and the one thing to know before booking
The deciding constraint is that the northern lights are a chance, never a guarantee, so book this for the sledding and the dinner first. The ticket costs $222 per person and lasts 4.5 hours. The sled ride itself is 15 to 20 minutes in the dark. You meet at the bus terminal at Prostneset, Samuel Arnesens gate 5, at the entrance by the buses, where guides in blue jackets wait. The exact evening departure time appears at checkout, and the bus returns you to Tromsø about 4.5 hours later.
Key takeaways
- The evening slot is the draw, since a 15-20 minute sled ride after dark costs $222 and ends with bidos dinner in a candlelit gamme.
- If a longer ride matters more than the hour of the day, the Long Reindeer Sledding and Sami Culture Tour from Tromsø gives you 30 minutes on the sled for $227.47.
- Travellers watching the budget can look at Reindeer Sledding or Feeding at a Sami Camp with Storytelling and Photos at $113, though sledding and feeding are separate options there.
What the $222 Ticket Covers
The price is $222 per person, and the listing carries a 4.6 rating from 2,809 reviews. That makes it one of the more heavily reviewed evening options in Tromsø, and the score sits in line with the day trips from the same camp. The ticket is a full package rather than a ride alone.
Included in the fare
- Return transportation by bus from central Tromsø
- Guiding in English
- Reindeer sledding, 15-20 minutes in the dark
- Feeding the herd of around 300 reindeer by hand
- Three-course dinner with bidos, plus vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options
- Coffee, tea, hot chocolate and snacks
- Storytelling about Sámi culture and a joik performed by the guide
What it does not cover
Baby seats are not provided on the bus. The listing notes that only a few booster seats are available, so if you travel with a small child you should bring your own baby seat or book a taxi with a proper seat instead. Warm clothing is also on you.
The listing does not mention lent clothing, so arrive with at least two warm layers, gloves, a hat and good winter boots, because part of the evening stands outside.
Booking terms
Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before the start, and you can reserve now and pay later. That gives you room to hold a place while you watch the weather forecast, which matters on an aurora night. The group is a large bus group, so this is not a small-group experience.
Difficulty is easy, there is no stated weight limit and children of all ages may join.
Illustrative image of a gamme, the turf hut where hot drinks are served.
Feeding and Sledding After Dark
The reindeer work starts as soon as the bus arrives. The camp keeps a herd of around 300 wild reindeer, and feeding is hands on in the literal sense. You hold out feed and the animals eat from your hands, which is the moment many families remember most.
The sled ride
The ride lasts 15 to 20 minutes, pulled by reindeer across the snow in darkness. That is shorter than the 30-minute ride on the long day trip from the same camp, and it is the main trade off of choosing the evening. In exchange you get the atmosphere of moving through a silent, dark landscape, and on clear nights the sky may already be doing something above you.
The ride is easy by nature, no skill needed.
Why the short ride can be the right call
If the sled time is the whole reason you book, compare with the long version first. If the evening hour, the dinner and the aurora chance matter more, this listing is built for exactly that. It also leaves the day free for other plans.
Dinner in the Gamme: Bidos by the Fire
After the sledding you are shown into a candlelit gamme, a traditional Sámi turf hut, for hot tea, coffee or hot chocolate while the fire does the cooking. The main event is bidos, a Sámi reindeer stew with potatoes and carrots that is traditionally served at weddings and other special occasions. It is cooked over the open fire.
The three courses
Dinner is three courses, with the bidos at the centre and snacks and coffee included. Dietary needs are covered: the listing states that vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options are available. Tell the operator about dietary needs at booking.
Stories and joik in the lavvu
Dinner flows into the cultural half of the evening. In the lavvu, the Sámi tent, your host talks about reindeer herding and what the life involves, then performs a joik, the traditional Sámi form of song that researchers count among the oldest continuous musical traditions in Europe. The Sámi are the Indigenous people of Sápmi, and in parts of the Nordic countries reindeer herding is legally reserved for them, so the stories come from the people who live the life.
The Trip on Video
Third-party footage, useful for judging the camp, the sled and the pace before you book. We did not film it and have no relationship with the creator.
The Trip, Stage by Stage
The listing gives no clock times for the evening departure, so the exact pickup hour appears at checkout. What follows is the shape of the 4.5 hours, stage by stage, based on what the operator describes.
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Meeting point
Prostneset bus terminal
Arrive at the bus terminal at Prostneset, Samuel Arnesens gate 5, at the entrance by the buses. Guides wear blue jackets and check you in. The exact departure time is shown at checkout.
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On the bus
Evening drive to the camp
The bus leaves central Tromsø in the evening and drives the short seaside route to the camp. The ride doubles as your first look at the coast after dark. Guiding is in English.
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At the camp
Feeding the herd and sledding
Around 300 wild reindeer eat from your hands, then comes the 15 to 20 minute sled ride through the dark. Dress in your warmest layers, since both parts happen outside.
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In the gamme
Hot drinks and three-course dinner
Warm up in the candlelit gamme with tea, coffee or hot chocolate. Dinner is three courses with bidos, the reindeer stew cooked over the open fire, and vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options are available.
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In the lavvu
Stories and joik
Your host talks about Sámi culture and reindeer herding, then performs a joik. This is the part of the evening where you learn what the life behind the animals actually involves.
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Return
Aurora watch and bus back
The group steps outside to look for the northern lights above the camp. Sightings depend on clear sky and solar activity and are never guaranteed. The bus returns you to the Tromsø meeting point about 4.5 hours after departure.
Illustrative image of bidos cooked over the fire.
Waiting for the Northern Lights
After the lavvu you step back outside and look up. Tromsø sits within the auroral zone, so the northern lights can appear here from late August to early April. Two things must line up, and neither is in anyone's control: clear sky and darkness.
The listing is honest about this. The lights are a chance, not a promise, and no operator can guarantee them.
Dress for standing still
The weather note on the listing is blunt: dress warm for standing outside after dinner. You will be stationary, not moving like you were on the sled, and stationary bodies cool fast. A scarf and an extra layer under your coat make the waiting comfortable instead of miserable.
When the odds are best
The aurora season runs from late August to early April, which overlaps almost fully with the sledding season. Late in the winter season it stays light until late in the evening, so the dark-sky window shrinks and with it the chances. If seeing the lights is your top priority, the darkest weeks from late November to mid January give the longest nights, and Tromsø is in polar night in that stretch, with the sun not rising from about 27 November to about 14 January.
For the aurora season and viewing tips, see the Visit Tromsø northern lights page.
Where the Bus Leaves
The bus leaves from the Prostneset terminal in central Tromsø. The terminal has two entrances, and the guides in blue jackets wait by the buses.
Who This Evening Fits
This listing earns its keep for three kinds of traveller. Families fit best, because children of all ages are welcome, the difficulty is easy and the evening combines animals, food and stories. Note the child seat rule again if you travel with a baby: bring your own seat or take a taxi.
- Families with children of any age who want one easy evening that covers sledding, dinner and culture
- Travellers with a free evening and a booked-up day, since the trip starts in the evening and runs 4.5 hours
- Anyone who wants dinner included, with dietary options from vegan to dairy-free
- Aurora hopefuls who accept the chance and want to be out at a camp, not in a city street
Who should look elsewhere
If you want the longest possible sled ride, choose a day trip with 30 minutes on the sled instead. If you want the smallest group and the most personal contact with a host family, the small-group camp in Nordkjosbotn fits better than a large bus group. If your budget is tight, the cheapest sled-or-feed listing at $113 covers the basics.
Practicalities in one line
Meeting point is the Prostneset terminal at Samuel Arnesens gate 5, at the entrance by the buses, guides in blue jackets. Departure is in the evening, with the exact time shown at checkout. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before start.
For the months with the darkest skies and the best snow, see the best time for reindeer sledding in Tromsø, and for standing outside after dinner, what to wear for reindeer sledding.
Illustrative image of an aurora over a reindeer camp. Sightings are never guaranteed.
How It Compares
Evening sledding with dinner is one of several ways to meet reindeer from Tromsø, and the catalog lists day trips, small-group camps and longer combinations alongside it. The table below puts the main alternatives side by side so you can see where the $222 evening sits. The clearest trade is sled time against the hour of day, since the long day trip from the same camp rides for 30 minutes and costs about the same.
Figures current for Q4 2026.
| Tour | From | Sled ride | Length | The difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Night Reindeer Sledding, Sami Dinner and Chance of Northern Lights | $222 | 15-20 minutes | 4.5 hours | This page: evening ride in the dark, three-course bidos dinner, aurora chance |
| Long Reindeer Sledding and Sami Culture Tour from Tromsø | $227.47 | 30 minutes | 4 hours | Longer ride and a warm lunch, daytime only, same camp |
| Reindeer Sledding with a Chance of Northern Lights and Bidos Dinner | $233 | Up to 30 minutes | 4.5 hours | The closest evening rival, longer sled but a 100 kg (220 lb) weight limit |
| Reindeer Sledding or Feeding at a Sami Camp with Storytelling and Photos | $113 | Forest-trail sledding if you pick that option | 3.5 hours | Cheapest listing, sled and feeding are separate choices, photos included |
| Sami Reindeer Sledding, Lasso and Lavvu Meal in Nordkjosbotn | $254 | 10-15 minutes | 5.5 hours | Small group with a Sámi family and a lasso try, but a shorter ride and no aurora slot |
Two more options round out the picture for different priorities. Reindeer Sledding and Feeding with a Sami Guide from Tromsø is the most reviewed trip from the same camp at $201 with a short 10-15 minute ride and a warm lunch. For a full day out, Reindeer Sledding at Camp Tamok in the Tamokdalen Valley runs 7 hours with gear provided, though three of those hours are on the bus.
Questions About the Night Reindeer Sledding with Dinner
Can you see Polar Night in Tromsø?
Yes. The sun does not rise over Tromsø from about 27 November to about 14 January. The days are blue twilight around midday rather than total darkness, and these weeks give the longest nights. This evening tour runs inside that dark season, so a winter booking often falls within polar night.
What time does the night reindeer sledding tour leave?
The departure is in the evening, and the exact time is shown at checkout. You meet at the bus terminal at Prostneset, Samuel Arnesens gate 5, at the entrance by the buses, where guides in blue jackets wait. The whole trip lasts 4.5 hours and returns you to the same meeting point.
Is the northern lights sighting guaranteed on the night reindeer tour?
No. The listing is explicit that the lights are a chance, not a promise. Aurora sightings need clear sky and darkness, and late in the season it stays light until late evening, which shrinks the dark window. Book the trip for the sledding and dinner, and treat any aurora as a bonus.
What is served for dinner at the reindeer camp?
A three-course dinner with bidos, the traditional Sámi reindeer stew served at weddings and special occasions, cooked over the open fire in a candlelit gamme. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate and snacks are included. The evening also brings storytelling and a joik in the lavvu.
Are there vegetarian options on the night reindeer tour?
Yes. The listing states that vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options are all available. Mention your needs when you book so the camp can prepare for them.
Recent Traveller Reviews
A truly wonderful outing with plenty of time to enjoy it! Great experience with the reindeer and the Sami!
Great experience, we had so much fun. Saw the lights too. It was a trip well worth it.
Reindeer feeding and sleigh ride, dinner with the ultimate northern lights showing up! The lights hadn't been seen for a couple of weeks!
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