Northern lights packages combine accommodations, evening aurora excursions, and often train or flight connections into one booking. Unlike cruises that move you along the coast nightly, packages base you in specific locations – typically Tromsø, Alta, or Kirkenes – with flexibility in how you spend your days.

These are self-guided tours. We arrange your hotels, book evening northern lights excursions with local operators, organize connecting flights or trains, and provide detailed itineraries. But you travel independently, exploring cities during the day and joining scheduled aurora viewings each evening.

Location-based vs multi-destination packages

Single-location packages keep you in one Arctic city for the duration. You fly to Tromsø or Alta, check into your hotel, and use it as a base for 3-5 days. Evening excursions depart from the city to darker locations for viewing. Days are yours to explore the city, add optional activities like dog sledding or whale watching, or simply rest between aurora hunting nights.

The 5-day Tromsø winter tour works this way – evening northern lights excursions are included, days stay flexible for you to book activities that interest you or just explore at your own pace.

The Northern Lights adventure in Alta offers similar structure at 70°N with even higher viewing statistics due to Alta's more northern location and drier climate.

Multi-destination packages combine northern lights viewing with other Norwegian experiences. You might start in Oslo, travel north via scenic railway, spend nights in Arctic regions for aurora hunting, then return through different routes or regions.

Our Deep Fjords and the High North package takes you to Kirkenes for northern lights and snow hotel experience, then south to Bergen via the Flåm Railway and UNESCO fjords. You see both Arctic winter and western Norway's dramatic landscapes in one trip.

What's typically included

Most packages include flights (if traveling from Oslo or Bergen to Arctic regions), accommodations throughout, and a set number of northern lights excursions. Some include excursions every evening, others include 2-3 with options to book more.

Daytime activities are usually optional add-ons. Packages cover your base costs (transport, hotels, essential aurora viewing), then you choose which additional experiences to book – dog sledding, snowmobile trips, whale watching, Sami cultural visits. This keeps base prices reasonable while letting you customize based on interests and budget.

Meals vary by package. Some include breakfast only, a few include more. Check specific package details for what's covered versus what you pay separately.

Duration and how it affects your experience

3-4 days work for focused northern lights trips when time is limited. You maximize time in Arctic locations without travel days eating into viewing nights. Three nights gives you reasonable odds of clear skies at least once, assuming normal weather patterns.

The challenge with very short trips: if weather doesn't cooperate your first two nights, you've used most of your viewing window. Four nights provide slightly better buffer.

5-7 days add either more viewing attempts in one location or the possibility of combining regions. Five nights based in Tromsø means five evenings for aurora excursions, improving your statistical chances of catching clear skies. Or you split time between two Arctic locations, experiencing different landscapes and viewing conditions.

Longer packages (8+ days) typically combine northern lights with broader Norway exploration. You're not spending the entire trip in Arctic darkness – you experience southern cities, scenic train journeys, fjord regions, then dedicate several days to focused aurora viewing.

Ice hotel and unique Arctic experiences

Some packages add distinctive elements beyond standard northern lights viewing. Spending a night in an ice hotel near Kirkenes creates a memorable Arctic experience alongside aurora hunting. The structures are rebuilt each winter from ice and snow, featuring ice sculptures, ice bars, and sleeping rooms kept at -4 to -7°C (sleeping bags rated for these temperatures are provided).

King crab fishing, Sami reindeer visits, dog sledding under northern lights – packages sometimes bundle these, other times leave them as optional additions. Check whether specific experiences you want are included or need separate booking.

Choosing between packages

Start with location preference. Tromsø offers the most infrastructure – restaurants, museums, activities – making it easier to fill days. Alta provides slightly better viewing statistics with less light pollution. Kirkenes adds frontier atmosphere and ice hotel options.

Consider duration based on your schedule and weather risk tolerance. More nights equal better odds against weather variability. Three nights is minimum viable, five feels comfortable, seven or more adds either buffer nights or multi-region exploration.

For cruise-based northern lights tours that move you along the coast instead of basing in cities, see northern lights cruises. For comprehensive aurora information including when to visit and what to expect, visit our northern lights guide.

Northern lights packages with Hurtigruten or Havila Voyages

Northern lights packages in Tromsø and Kirkenes