Five ways out to the Alta aurora, from snowmobile to sleigh
Five tours leave Alta on five different ways of reaching a dark sky, from a snowmobile you drive yourself to a horse sleigh with blankets. The big split runs between tours that ride one fixed area and tours that drive to wherever the cloud breaks. Below, each shape with the travelers it suits and its catch.
Two families of tour
The three activity tours give you something to do in the dark. Riding a snowmobile or a quad or sitting in a sleigh fills the night whether the aurora shows or not. Each one keeps to its own patch of land, though.
The two vehicle tours are about the sky alone. A minibus or a big bus can head inland or toward the coast on the night's forecast, which is the only answer to a stubborn bank of cloud.
Neither family can promise the lights. The choice is between a good night out with a chance of aurora, and a better chance of aurora with a plainer night around it.
Snowmobile, up to the plateau
Æventyr's snowmobile night from ~$284 is the only tour on our list that climbs onto Finnmarksvidda. You ride the old postal road to Beskardes, a mountain area on the plateau's edge, with about 2 hours of riding in a 4-hour night.
Two people share each machine and swap between driver and passenger, and by law the convoy follows the guide on a set track. The driver needs a car licence shown before the ride, and passengers start at 12.
It suits couples who want speed and open country and are happy to take turns at the handlebars. It needs snow and stays in one area, and our first-night snowmobile guide walks through it step by step.
Minibus, the one that chases
Alta Adventure's minibus from ~$257 carries up to 13 guests and goes wherever the weather and the Kp index point that night, sometimes far. On a long drive the guides set up camp with a fire, otherwise they serve hot chocolate at short stops.
The guides fill the drive with stories about the Stone Age and Sami reindeer herding. Wildlife and the war years come up too. Warm suits and boots are lent, and the tour runs in any weather unless conditions become dangerous.
It suits anyone who cares most about seeing the lights. The catch is the time spent in a seat, with a return normally just after midnight. Children under 12 cannot join.
Big bus, the long budget night
Karlsøy's big bus from ~$129 is the cheapest way out, with up to 45 guests and two guides on a bus that has a toilet on board. When bookings are low it switches to a smaller vehicle, and the night can run up to 6 hours to find a gap.
The stops come with a campfire and marshmallows, and a guide explains the science behind the lights. Free professional photos of each guest under the aurora are part of the fare.
It suits travelers on a budget and anyone who wants a portrait without carrying a tripod. Expect a big group and a long night, and bring your own warm clothes, since the listing does not mention any to borrow.
Horse sleigh, wrapped in blankets
Flatmoen's sleigh ride from ~$332 starts at 8 pm with free transport from Alta to a farm in the countryside nearby. A Norwegian Fjord horse pulls you through forest and along the Alta River, under blankets with sleigh bells ringing.
Dinner is three courses beside the fire, served in a wilderness shelter or, on rough nights, in the ranch's fire house. Without snow, a carriage replaces the sleigh, so autumn guests still get the ride.
Slow miles behind a Fjord horse
Flatmoen's 3.5-hour evening along the Alta River, with blankets on the sleigh and a three-course meal by the fire to finish. It scores 4.8 from 25+ reviews on GetYourGuide and 4.7 from 20+ on Viator.
It suits families and anyone who would rather not face the wind on a moving machine. The lights are a bonus here, since the sleigh keeps to one valley, and campfire smoke tends to follow you home in your clothes.
Quad, along the fjord coast
Finnmark Adventure's quad hunt from ~$241 picks you up in Alta and drives about 30 minutes to the village of Kviby. After a safety briefing you ride the coast in small groups behind an English-speaking guide, two people per quad.
The driver needs a car licence, and the minimum age is 9, lower than on the snowmobile. One Viator reviewer stopped by the fjord for coffee and cookies while photographing the lights.
It suits cruise guests, since a Back-to-Ship Guarantee covers the ride, and families with children from 9. The catch is the cold wind behind the handlebars and coastal weather, which can stay cloudier than inland.
Snow and cloud decide
Snow decides more than people expect. The snowmobile needs a proper cover, Flatmoen switches to a carriage when the ground is bare, and the vehicles run all through the dark months, as our month-by-month guide explains.
Cloud decides the rest. If your stay is short and the lights matter most, take a tour that can drive, and our guide to cloudy nights covers the backup plans.
Price follows the same split, with the vehicles cheaper per seat than the rides, as the price comparison shows. Dress for the shape you pick, since a snowmobile at speed is far colder than a bus, and our clothing guide covers the layers.
- Best odds of a sighting on a short stay, the minibus
- Tightest budget, Karlsøy's big bus
- Snowmobile and quad, for something to do even under cloud
- Children or a slow, warm evening, the sleigh
- Cruise passengers on a fixed schedule, the quad with its Back-to-Ship Guarantee