How to Snowshoe in Tromso: A Magical Winter Activity
If you’ve read more of my blog, you’ll know just how much I LOVE hiking and winter weather (I chase the winter around the world). Sadly, hiking and winter don’t always go hand in hand.
When planning my winter trip to Norway, searching for winter hikes in Tromso was at the top of my planning to-do list. However, with deep snow and potentially dangerous conditions for solo hikers, I realised it wasn’t going to be simple.
Thankfully, I soon found the perfect solution – a snowshoeing tour!
In this post, I’ve shared all you need to know about how to snowshoe in Tromso, including the best tours, what to wear and what to expect. I’ve also shared several reasons why you should consider adding snowshoeing to your Tromso winter itinerary.
Disclosure: This post is in collaboration with Wandering Owl. However, anything written here is entirely my own opinion based on my personal experience. From day one, I have wanted this blog to be authentic, and I will never recommend anything I wouldn’t use or do myself. If I ever receive something for free that I don’t enjoy or like, I won’t recommend it.
About snowshoeing in Norway
Before I get into the details, let’s answer an important question. What even are snowshoes? Well, these handy pieces of equipment attach to your boots allowing you to walk across snow. The large frames distribute your weight over a wider area, making you less likely to sink deep into the snow.
Snowshoeing is the perfect option for those keen to get out in nature and escape the city during the winter.
It’s one of the best things to do in Tromso during the winter and an excellent activity for your winter trip.
Reasons to go snowshoeing in Tromso
The scenery and views
It’s no secret that Norway is one of the most beautiful places on Earth, and the area surrounding Tromso is stunning.
One of the best ways to make the most of the incredible scenery is to go on a hike. Despite the deep snow in winter, snowshoeing allows you to walk almost like a regular hike.
The scenery on my hike was absolutely mesmerising. We had panoramic views of the fjords and surrounding mountains. The landscape was covered in fresh and pristine snow, all the lakes were frozen and the lighting was just right. It honestly doesn’t get much more perfect than this.
If you want to go hiking in Tromso in the winter, snowshoeing is an excellent option.
It’s a great way to explore Norway in the winter
For the most part, winter weather and deep snow mean limited outdoor activities. However, no one goes to northern Norway in the winter to stay inside.
Snowshoeing is a wonderful way to get outside in the winter and make the most of the snowy landscape.
The snowshoes allow you to explore on foot, even in deep snow.
It’s fun and relatively easy
Snowshoeing is a fun activity, and you don’t even need any previous snowshoeing experience (providing you join a tour).
I was expecting the snowshoeing to be much harder than it was. The snowshoes make walking across the snow so easy. I even forgot I was walking in snow at one point.
It really is a fun and unique activity.
You might see wild reindeer
If you’re lucky, there’s the chance to see wild reindeer on the hike. We saw several on our way to the summit (one even walked right past us).
There’s also the chance to see eagles and hares. Of course, wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed.
How to snowshoe in Tromso
The easiest (and safest) way to go snowshoeing in Tromso is to join a tour.
Of course, it’s possible to go alone. But you’ll need to have extensive experience, be comfortable in the mountains and understand avalanche risks.
For most people reading this article, I’m sure the best option would be to go on a tour, which I’ll focus on for the remainder of this post.
Tours generally include an experienced guide, transport to and from the starting location, and any necessary equipment. This means you can focus on enjoying the beautiful landscape and let your guide focus on all the logistics and safety.
The best snowshoeing tour in Tromso (Wandering Owl Review)
With tourism on the rise in Tromso, more and more tour operators are appearing every single year. And choosing which one to book with can be a difficult task. Not all tour agencies are created equally, and ensuring your money goes to the right people is more important than ever.
Wandering Owl are one of the best tour operators in the Tromsø region. Their Northern Lights Citizen Science tour is one of the most popular tours in all of Tromso, and with hundreds to choose from, that’s saying something.
So, if you’re looking to snowshoe in Tromso, look no further than their ‘Winter Walk on the Wild Side’.
This guided snowshoe hike takes you through the Arctic wilderness as part of a small group tour. You’ll be accompanied by fantastic guides, be given all of your equipment, and even be offered professional photos.
It’s a sensible idea to book your snowshoe tour in advance. It’s a popular activity, and it often sells out days or even weeks ahead of time.
It’s worth noting that the activity is based on several factors, such as snow conditions, general weather conditions and avalanche risks.
Being north of the Arctic Circle, the weather and mountains are no joke and safety is taken very seriously in Norway. There are times when the activity has to be cancelled, but this is always for your safety.
Reasons to choose Wandering Owl
I had an absolutely fantastic time on this tour. I’ve done countless small group tours around the world, so I think it’s fair to say I know when tour operators are genuinely good.
They’re one of the best tour companies in Tromso
You only need to look at the company’s reviews to see just how much customers have loved their experience.
They only offer a handful of tours, but each tour is run to the best standard of quality.
Their Northern Lights Citizen Science tour is one of the most popular in Tromso. I’m absolutely gutted I didn’t have the time to do this.
There is a focus on sustainable and responsible travel
Overtourism is becoming an issue in many countries, including Norway. As someone who travels regularly, sustainable travel is very important to me. This is especially true when it comes to protecting the environment and ensuring minimal disturbance to the local ecosystems.
The company aim to have minimal impact on the local environment without disrupting the quality of the service.
All of our lunches were served in reusable containers. Even the provided water bottles were given to us in a reusable bottle. Normally, you’re handed a plastic bottle.
They also encourage citizen science, something I’m a huge fan of.
The guides are amazing
Our guides, Javi and Gerard, were incredible. They were extremely passionate about the local environment and clearly well-versed in navigating the Arctic landscape.
It includes everything you need (including photos)
This small group tour includes all the necessary equipment, including snowshoes, hiking poles, lunch and a hot beverage to warm up.
Another draw for me was having digital tour photos included. At several points of the hike, our guides stopped to take photos of us and the surrounding scenery. These photos were sent to us a few days later to download and keep (for free!).
You don’t need any experience
You don’t need any previous experience to go snowshoeing with Wandering Owl. They just require you to be in relatively good physical condition.
The minimum age for the tour is six, so it’s a great activity for most of the family.
A recap of my snowshoeing tour
The drive and preparation
Thanks to the polar night (the sun not rising above the horizon), there’s not much daylight in Tromso during winter. This means making the most of whatever twilight or sunlight there is.
We were picked up from the meeting point in the Tromso city centre at 10am (just as there was a bit of daylight). The scenic drive to the hiking starting point took just under one hour. There were some beautiful views as the purple light was hitting the mountains.
Our guides explained that the day’s hiking location is chosen based on weather conditions. The winter weather conditions in Norway can be extreme, so they always select the safest and most accessible option for the day.
Our hike was on the island of Kvaloya—a stunning island surrounded by the Norwegian Fjords.
Once we arrived, we were given snowshoes and optional walking poles. There were also reusable water bottles and daypacks for those who hadn’t brought them.
Hiking to the summit
Once we were all kitted up, it was time to begin our hike. The guides explained the best way to use the snowshoes, and off we went.
I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to hike in the snowshoes. Wearing these nifty shoes makes walking on the snow almost as like a regular hike.
The hike takes about one hour, with regular stops to learn about the local fauna & flora and admire the great views.
After about fifteen minutes, we split into two groups: those who wanted to move a little faster and those who wanted to take their time. It doesn’t make much difference as you meet again at the summit and stay together from there.
The hike was absolutely magnificent. We walked through the snowy terrain, passing frozen lakes and wild reindeer. There’s not much daylight in the winter, but we were lucky enough to have an almost cloudless sky, giving us a beautiful light effect.
Depending on the conditions, there are a couple of options for where you’ll hike. However, hikes are always across relatively easy terrain and suitable for anyone in good physical condition.
Our hike was a lot easier than I was expecting. It was never too steep, and we were still rewarded with breathtaking views.
The summit and return to Tromso
After one hour of hiking, we finally reached the summit. The views from the top were breathtaking. We had a fantastic view of the surrounding mountains and fjords.
Snowshoeing with Wandering Owl includes a sandwich, cookies and a hot drink (tea, coffee and hot chocolate). We enjoyed these at the summit, and our guides took photos of us all with the fjords behind us.
It gets very cold once you stop moving, so we didn’t spend too long at the top. Our guides were also keen to return while there was still some daylight.
After around 30 minutes, we reached the van and returned to Tromso.
What to wear & pack
What to wear
It’s no secret that northern Norway in the winter is COLD, so it’s essential to wrap up warm. Having said that, you’ll also be hiking up some inclines, so it’s easy to get too hot.
So, how do you dress for a winter hike? The answer is always: layers, layers and more layers. Layering your warm clothes lets you easily remove or add clothes without being too bulky. Wearing a huge, thick winter coat might sound sensible, but you’ll quickly get too hot.
Here is everything I wore on my hike:
- Thermal leggings: I wore fleece-lined leggings to keep my legs nice and warm.
- Waterproof trousers: These are not essential, but waterproof pants are a sensible idea when hiking through the snow. They’ll help to keep you dry, especially if it rains or snows. Once you get wet, you’re going to get cold.
- Thermal top: My base layer was a sports thermal long-sleeved top. This kept me nice and warm and allowed my body to regulate its heat so I didn’t get too warm.
- Fleeces: I wore two fleeces on my hike (one of them was thermal). This will vary depending on how warm you get when you hike and how cold the temperature is outside.
- Down coat: A down jacket is one of my favourite items when hiking in cold weather! They pack up nice and small, aren’t too bulky, but still keep you nice and warm.
- Hat, gloves and neck buff: Don’t forget these! A hat helps to keep your whole body warm, and you don’t want cold hands.
- Hiking or snow boots: As with any hike, you want to wear sensible shoes. I opted for hiking boots as I didn’t have any snow boots. If you have snow boots or proper winter boots, I would choose these. My feet got very cold and wet (despite the boots being waterproof). I would avoid regular trainers on this hike. Your feet will get very wet and cold, and I’m not convinced the snow shoes will work with normal trainers.
What to pack
The weather in this part of Norway can be very unpredictable. I recommend packing some extra winter clothes just in case the weather takes a turn.
I packed an extra fleece and windproof clothes such as my waterproof (and windproof) jacket.
Wandering Owl provide everything you need, including snacks, a small lunch and water. However, I’d suggest taking a few extra bits just in case you need something specific.
I also took:
- One litre of water
- Extra snacks
- A camera
- Hand cream (random, but the cold air can dry your hands out)
- Tissues (if you know, you know)
- Spare socks (your socks might get a bit wet hiking, so have some dry ones to change into on the bus)
Summary: Is snowshoeing in Tromso worth it?
My snowshoeing tour was one of my favourite activities during my winter trip to Tromso!
In all honesty, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was worried it might be too difficult and limiting in the snow, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
One of the best parts about the activity is being out in the mountains and away from the crowds. There are some fantastic winter activities in the area, but many involve large coach tours or crowded attractions.
Snowshoeing in Tromso allows you to get away from big groups, and explore the true winter beauty of the surrounding area. It’s the perfect activity for your Arctic adventure.
You can book your snowshoe tour with Wandering Owl here.
Thanks for reading.
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