Day trips from Tromsø in winter

Tromsø lies on the island of Tromsøya, and most of the landscape people come for lies beyond it. The big island of Kvaløya starts across the bridge from the airport. Further out are Sommarøy, the island of Senja, the Lyngen Alps and the whale fjords around Skjervøy. All of them work as day trips, but in winter the distance is only half the story. Light, ferries and road conditions decide how much of the day you actually see.

Before you set off

From about 27 November to 15 January the sun does not rise in Tromsø. There are a few hours of blue twilight around midday, so on a long trip in December you may spend the drive out and the drive back in darkness. From February the days lengthen quickly.

Visit Tromsø is clear about winter driving. It recommends public transport or organised tours with transport included rather than driving yourself, because icy roads carry a high risk. If you rent a car anyway, Statens vegvesen (the Norwegian roads authority) says summer tyres may not be used on winter roads. Check the weather and road reports before setting off, and carry extra clothing, food and drink.

Distances and transport at a glance

Kvaløya, the island next door

Kvaløya is the closest escape from town. Two fjords, Kaldfjord from the north and Ersfjord from the west, almost cut the island into three parts. Ersfjordbotn lies at the head of the Ersfjord. Bus 425 runs there from the city centre, or you can take bus 42 from Bankgata to Eidkjosen and change to the 425.

Grøtfjord is a beach on the outer coast, about 36 km from the centre and around 45 minutes by car. Visit Tromsø calls it a good place to look for the northern lights once the evenings get dark, and adds that the lights cannot be guaranteed. A parking fee applies at the beach and is paid by Vipps to the local community association. Kvaløya is also where several husky camps are based.

For dog sledding on Kvaløya and further out, compare the tours on husky-tromso.com.

Sommarøy

Sommarøy is a fishing village about an hour's drive from Tromsø. You cross the bridge to Kvaløya and follow road 862 all the way. The name means "summer island": according to Store norske leksikon the island was first settled only in summer. Today it has a large local fishing fleet and a fish processing industry, and visitors come mainly for activities at sea. Without a car, bus 420 runs from Tromsø via Hella and Brensholmen to Sommarøy.

Several places on Sommarøy, Kvaløya and Vengsøya rent out saunas and hot tubs with a view. Our page on saunas in Tromsø has more on that.

Senja

Senja is the second largest island in Norway, and Visit Tromsø calls it "Norway in miniature". By car it takes 2–4 hours, depending on which part you want to visit. The inland route follows Fv862 and the E8 and crosses to the island on the Gisundbrua bridge.

The other route for drivers uses the ferry from Brensholmen on Kvaløya to Botnhamn on Senja. It runs all year, and the crossing takes about 35–45 minutes. The drive from Tromsø to Brensholmen takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes. You cannot reserve a place or buy a ticket in advance, and the ferry is small, so not every vehicle fits on the first departure. From Botnhamn the National Tourist Route Senja continues to Gryllefjord. The ferry from Gryllefjord to Andenes only runs in summer.

Without a car, take the express boat from Tromsø to Finnsnes, which takes 1 hour and 20 minutes. There are two to four departures a day. It does not carry cars, and you need a ticket for a specific departure and should be at the quay at least 20 minutes early.

The Lyngen Alps

The Lyngen Alps stretch across four municipalities, and their highest point is 1834 m above sea level. From Tromsø you drive the E8 to Fagernes (20 km), then the Rv 91 to the quay at Breivikeidet. The ferry to Svensby takes about 20 minutes, and from Svensby it is about 30 minutes to Lyngseidet, the small administrative centre with just under 800 inhabitants. The Lyngen ferries run all year, and places cannot be reserved. There is also a route without a ferry, via Oteren and the FV868.

Without a car, the Arctic Route bus runs daily from Tromsø to Breivikeidet from early December to late March, timed with the ferry to Svensby. Visit Tromsø lists ski touring on snow-covered mountainsides, ice climbing and walks on the Steindalsbreen glacier among the activities in the Lyngenfjord area. In winter, mountain routes can lead into avalanche terrain. Check the forecast on Varsom.no before you go, or see the area on a guided day trip with transport.

Skjervøy and the whales

Since 2017 orcas and humpback whales have gathered to feed on herring in the Kvænangen area, including the fjords around Skjervøy. The season usually runs from the beginning of November to the end of January, and the exact timing varies from year to year.

Skjervøy is a long way for a day trip. The shorter road route is about 160 km and takes around four hours, with two ferries (Breivikeidet–Svensby and Lyngseidet–Olderdalen). By public bus it takes four to five hours with a change. A seasonal direct bus runs from late October or early November through January, timed to connect with activities in Skjervøy. Svipper's express boat Line 3 goes directly from Tromsø to Skjervøy in about 2–3 hours, with one departure a day except Saturdays. A whale tour with transport included saves you from planning these connections yourself.

Boat types, departure points and season details are compared on tromso-whalewatching.com.

Tamokdalen

Tamokdalen is an inland valley on the mainland. County road 87 runs through it from the E6 at Øvergård, as an inland alternative to the E6. Camp Tamok lies about 95 km from Tromsø, around 1.5 hours by road, and offers dog sledding, snowmobiling, reindeer sledding and evenings looking for the northern lights.

The Tromsø Ice Domes, the ice and snow sculpture domes at the camp, will not be available for booking in the 2026/27 winter season, according to the operator.

Snowmobile trips into the valley are listed on tromsosnowmobiles.com.

Picking one trip

With one free day in the polar night, Kvaløya or Sommarøy make the most sense: short drives, so more of the twilight is spent outside the vehicle. Senja and Lyngen need a long day and pay off most from February, when there is daylight to see the mountains. Skjervøy is a whale trip rather than a sightseeing trip, and usually only from November to January. See getting around Tromsø for buses and the Svipper app.