From the plane to the aurora pickup in Alta
Alta is easier to reach than its position near the top of Norway suggests. Most visitors fly in, some step off a cruise ship, and a few drive the long E6. Once you are in town, every tour on our list will collect you, though the details differ.
Flying into Alta
Alta has its own airport, a short drive from the town center, with flights from Oslo. Most visitors from abroad change planes there, and connections through other Norwegian cities are sometimes possible too.
Schedules and airlines change, so check the routes when you plan rather than relying on a past trip. The flight from Oslo crosses most of the country, and on a clear winter evening the window seat can show a first glimpse of the aurora.
A taxi or bus covers the short hop into town. If you land in the afternoon, you can usually join a tour the same evening, since the pickups happen in central Alta.
Arriving by cruise ship
Cruise ships call at Alta's harbor, which sits close to the town. Two of our tours spell out how they handle ship guests, which matters when your departure time is fixed and the night is long.
Alta Adventure lets cruise guests choose Alta Havn as the pickup point. The guide waits in front of the blue building signed Alta Havn, so you walk off the ship and straight to the meeting place.
Finnmark Adventure picks up from the harbor and offers a Back-to-Ship Guarantee for cruise guests. Read the terms on the listing, and compare its five-hour length with your all-aboard time before you book.
Driving the E6
The E6, Norway's main north-south road, runs straight through Alta. It links the town with the rest of Finnmark and, much further south, with the cities of central Norway.
Driving up from the south takes days rather than hours, and in winter the road crosses high, exposed stretches. Most people who come by road are already touring the north, or rent a car at Alta's airport for side trips.
You do not need a car for any aurora tour on our list. A rental makes sense only if you also want daytime trips, such as a day on the plateau or a visit to the Sami towns described in our guide to Sami reindeer country.
Where each tour collects you
All five tours start in or near Alta, and each one handles the first leg differently. The list below comes from the listings, so check the meeting details again when you pick a date.
- Æventyr: pickup and drop-off in Alta, with a meeting point at Markedsgata 6
- Alta Adventure: pickup and drop-off in Alta, with Alta Havn as the choice for cruise guests
- Karlsøy: pickup available, and you need a passport or ID card on the night
- Flatmoen: free transport from Alta out to the farm in the countryside nearby
- Finnmark Adventure: pickup at hotels and the harbor plus the tourist information, then about 30 minutes by road to Kviby
The start time for each tour shows when you choose a date, apart from Flatmoen's sleigh, which leaves at 8 pm according to its Viator listing. Our price guide sets these pickups beside what each night costs.
Karlsøy's long night and the ID rule
Karlsøy's big-bus tour, from ~$129, is the cheapest seat on our list and can run up to six hours. The route depends on the night, so the bus may head well out of Alta when the cloud demands it.
The listing asks you to bring a passport or ID card. It also asks you to tell the company in advance if you must be back by a set time, which matters for anyone with an early flight or a ship to catch.
A long night out, with the pickup sorted
A big bus with a toilet on board and two guides, plus a campfire stop with free photos of every guest under the lights. It holds 4.8 from 35+ reviews on GetYourGuide. Pack your ID, and mention any return deadline when you book.
Karlsøy lends no warm clothing, so dress for a long spell outdoors, with more layers than you think you need. Our guide to dressing for a plateau night covers the layers.
Where to stay
Central Alta keeps things simple. Every pickup on our list covers the town, and from a hotel near the center you can walk to Markedsgata or reach the harbor in minutes.
A cabin out in the valley can be lovely and darker at night, but check whether your tour collects from there before you book it. Some listings name hotels or the town as pickup areas, and a remote address may mean a taxi to the meeting point.
Stay at least two or three nights if you can. The lights are never guaranteed, and a spare evening gives you a second chance if the first one clouds over, as our page on clouded-out nights in Alta explains.
Chasing the lights by car
Some visitors rent a car and look for the aurora themselves. It can work on a clear night, but winter driving in Finnmark is a skill of its own, and the roads around Alta are dark and often icy.
Reindeer wander onto the roads, sometimes in groups. They show up late in headlights. Slow down when you see one, since others are usually close by.
Never stop on the road to look up. Pull fully into a proper parking area or lay-by first and switch off your lights before you step away from traffic. A guide who knows the safe stops is a large part of what a tour buys you.
Timing your arrival
Book your aurora tour for the first or second evening after you arrive. That leaves later nights free for a second attempt, and for daytime trips if the weather turns.
Remember the late finishes when you plan your departure. Alta Adventure is normally back just after midnight, and Karlsøy can run far longer, so an early morning flight after a tour makes for a short night.
Families can find age rules in our page on which aurora tours take children, and the dark months in Finnmark helps you pick dates with the longest nights.