Snowshoeing in Tromsø

Visit Tromsø puts it simply: snowshoes make it easier to explore snowy terrain where walking without them can be difficult. Around Tromsø that terrain starts close to town. One guided trip stays on Tromsøya, the island the city is built on, while others drive out to Kvaløya and climb into the hills, and one goes out after dark to Ersfjordbotn. You do not need any experience, and every tour in our list lends you snowshoes and poles. The things to decide are when to go, how much daylight you will have, how hard a walk you want and what to wear.

When the season runs

Each operator sets its own dates. Wandering Owl runs its wilderness hike from 1 October to 15 April, the longest season we found. Tromsø Outdoor runs its trip on Tromsøya from 1 December to 31 March, and its hill hike from 1 November to 31 March, with April on request.

The early weeks depend on the weather. In winter 2025/26 the first snow fell in town on 20 October, melted again, and a lasting snow cover only arrived on 9 November. It then stayed until 18 April. Wandering Owl says that if there is no snow, or not much, the group hikes instead of snowshoeing. So if you travel in October or early November, expect a walk in boots on some days. From December to March you can count on snow far more safely.

Daylight, twilight and the evening hike

Most day tours leave in the morning. Wandering Owl, Tromsø Outdoor and Legendary Adventure's day hike all depart at 10:00, and the reindeer tour at 10:00 or 13:00. During the polar night, from about 27 November to 15 January, the sun does not rise at all. On 15 December civil twilight lasts from 09:25 to 13:54. Add an hour's drive out to Kvaløya, and a three-hour hike runs from about 11:00 to 14:00, so the last part takes place as the light fades.

After mid-January the days grow long quickly. On 1 February the sun is up for about five hours, on 1 March for over nine and a half. Snow and sun together are bright: Tromsø Outdoor asks guests to bring sunglasses and sunblock from mid-February.

Legendary Adventure also runs an evening hike. It leaves at 18:30 from the Clarion Hotel The Edge, drives about 30 minutes to Ersfjordbotn at the head of the Ersfjord on Kvaløya, and spends around three hours on snowshoes in a group of up to 8. If the sky is clear and there is aurora activity, you may see the northern lights from the trail. The operator calls it an opportunity, not a promise.

Picking the kind of tour

The tours fall into a few groups, and the differences are bigger than the word “snowshoeing” suggests.

• A short walk on Tromsøya. Tromsø Outdoor's trip lasts 2.5 hours and goes through the forest on the city's own island. It is rated easy and open from age 8. You are back in town by early afternoon.
• A half day on Kvaløya. Wandering Owl drives about an hour to Kvaløya and spends about three hours walking, with a picnic on the way and photos taken by the guide. Groups have up to 15 people, and above 8 a second guide comes along. Legendary Adventure's day hike has two drives of about 30 minutes, around three hours of walking and no more than 8 guests.
• With huskies. At Tromsø Villmarkssenter one or two huskies join the snowshoe hike, and afterwards you visit the dog yard. The dogs walk with you on the leash; there is no sled on this tour. Our page on husky sledding covers the tours where you do.
• With reindeer. Tromsø Arctic Reindeer starts with feeding the herd, then a guided snowshoe walk that the operator puts at 1–1.5 hours through the snowy hills, and ends with a warm meal in a Sámi hut. More on reindeer herding under Sámi culture.

How hard it is

A snowshoe hike is a walk, but in deep snow and often uphill. The trip on Tromsøya is the gentle end of the scale. The reindeer tour asks for some physical fitness and no previous experience. Tromsø Villmarkssenter describes its husky hike as one that needs active participation and a good level of fitness.

Hill hikes are a step up. Tromsø Outdoor's hill hike climbs up to 400 metres in snowy terrain, is rated medium to hard and starts at 12 years, and Visit Tromsø says participants should be comfortable walking uphill. If you are unsure, start with the short trip and keep a longer hike for later in your stay.

Some tours list who should not join. The picnic hike is not suitable for children under 6, people with mobility impairments or visually impaired guests. The husky hike is not for pregnant women or people with limited mobility, and the reindeer tour is not for anyone allergic to animals.

What to wear and what you get

Snowshoes and poles come with every tour on this page. Clothing is where they differ. Tromsø Villmarkssenter lends winter overalls and boots. At Tromsø Outdoor you can rent boots and winter clothing at the centre where the tour starts. Wandering Owl can provide a thermal suit and boots on request while stocks last, and its Visit Tromsø listing asks you to bring a warm layer, a windproof and waterproof jacket, hiking trousers and waterproof boots. Legendary Adventure and Tromsø Arctic Reindeer ask you to come dressed for the cold; the reindeer operator asks for at least two warm layers, a hat, mittens and winter shoes.

You will warm up on the way uphill and cool down quickly at a stop, so layers matter more than one thick coat. Visit Tromsø recommends wool next to the skin, then warm, dry jumpers and a jacket, and shoes large enough for an extra pair of wool socks. Hand warmers in gloves and boots help on cold days. On trips out of town, it advises being ready for anything from −25 °C to 5 °C. Our page on what to wear in Tromsø goes through it layer by layer.

Snowshoeing on your own

You can also rent snowshoes and poles from Tromsø Outdoor and set off without a guide. Norway's right to roam allows this. According to Miljødirektoratet, the environment agency, you may walk on uncultivated land all year round. Fields and other cultivated land are open on foot only while the ground is frozen or covered in snow, and not between 30 April and 14 October. Farmyards and the land around houses are always off limits.

The easy choice is the path around Prestvannet, a small lake and nature reserve in the middle of Tromsøya. Stay off the ice unless local information says it is safe; Visit Tromsø's advice is never to assume that it is. Fjellheisen, the cable car, runs its own three-hour guided tour with about an hour on snowshoes along the trails at the top station. The cable car can close at short notice in strong wind.

Anything steeper is mountain terrain. The weather around Tromsø can change considerably within a few hours, and snow and ice make routes that are easy in summer much harder. Before you head up, check the forecast and the avalanche bulletin on Varsom, which is published every day from 1 December to 31 May.

Fitting it into your trip

A 10:00 start on Tromsøya gets you back in town after lunch, with the afternoon free for the cable car or a museum. A half-day hike on Kvaløya uses most of the light in December, so plan the city for another day. Long trips do not combine well with it: whale watching from Tromsø usually takes a whole day.

The evenings are free for the aurora. Visit Tromsø notes that in Tromsø you often get the polar night and the northern lights on the same day, so a morning on snowshoes and an evening northern lights tour fit together. If you have only one night, the evening hike to Ersfjordbotn puts both into the same outing, with walking as the part that happens regardless of the sky. The husky and reindeer tours do something similar in daylight, two activities in a single half day.

Each snowshoe tour, with its operator, route and walking time, is described in detail on tromsosnowshoe.com.