The 15 Winter Experiences in Scandinavia That Earn Their Price

1.Tromso Aurora Hunt with Bonfire, Soup, Winter Gear & Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,290 reviews · 5 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $226Our pick

Meet near Tromsø’s Scandic Ishavhotel and set off in a small group with an English-speaking guide such as Magda, Bart, Anna, or Jordan. Your team follows the clearest skies, offers thermal suits, boots, soup, hot drinks, and bonfire warmth, then sends souvenir photos by email.

“Our Northern Lights tour was truly unforgettable and exceeded all our expectations. From start to finish, everything was extremely well organized, and the entire team made sure we had the best possible experience despite the challenging Arctic conditions. Our driver brought us safely to and from each location, making the journey comfortable and stress-free. The guide played a crucial role by constantly checking the weather, cloud coverage, and aurora activity, carefully selecting the best possible spots to maximize our chances of seeing the Northern Lights. It was clear that he had great knowledge and experience. Even though I don’t remember their names, both the driver and the guide were ou...”

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2.Guided Husky Snowshoe Hike and Husky Camp Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 555 reviews · from $175

Leave Tromsø for Kvaløya and a husky camp with about 200 dogs. Your English-speaking guide leads an easy-to-moderate snowshoe hike with one or two huskies, followed by dog-yard time, puppies, hot drinks, and homemade cake. Guides may include Lara, Max, Lea, Nina, or Clementine.

“Transport, snowshoe walk and meeting the dogs was very well organised. Our walking Guide was very informative about the scenery and the Alaskan husky dogs in general. In the break we got a nice warm Berry drink with homemade choco chip cookies. The visit and cuddles with the dogs were the highlight (for me). Afterwards there was coffee or tea, again accompanied by homemade chocolate cake, which was lunch in itself. I highly recommend this tour!!”

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3.Cross Country Guided Skiing Course

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 503 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $99

Meet at Charlottenlund Aktivitetspark for a beginner-friendly langrenn lesson with skis, boots, and poles included. Guides such as Sissel, Tuva, Elias, and Elen teach balance, gliding, hills, and turns before leading you toward Prestvannet Lake for photos, a warm drink, and Norwegian sweets.

“We had an amazing cross-country skiing lesson on a snowy day, and honestly, the weather made it even more special. Our guide was incredibly patient, professional, and encouraging throughout the entire session. I would absolutely recommend this tour!”

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4.Snowshoe Hike in the Arctic

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 467 reviews · 4 hours · from $157

Meet guides such as Adrian or Truls at Clarion Hotel The Edge, then ride 30 minutes to Ersfjordbotn for about three hours on snowshoes. Expect fjord views, steady uphill walking, wildlife tracks, a hot drink, snacks, and possibly a playful slide back down.

“Excellent time snowshoeing! Truls was a great guide - personable and knowledgeable. We would return!”

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5.Winter Sea Kayaking Tour with Wildlife Sightings

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 333 reviews · from $191

Join Sommarøy Adventure Tromsø for a five-hour winter sea-kayaking trip from the city. Guides such as Rune and Eamonn provide drysuits, boots, gloves, safety coaching, and a gentle pace for beginners. Paddle beneath snowy peaks, watch for seals and sea eagles, and finish with hot drinks by the fire.

“Rune the your guide and his girlfriend were amazing, the activity was amazing and really fun, the your guides were lovely and very friendly, definitely would recommend this activity.”

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6.Winter Fjord Road Trip with Wandering Owl

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 293 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $139

Ride from central Tromsø to Kvaløya with an English-speaking guide such as Evgeni, Bart, Max, or Ellie. Stop at Grotfjord and Ersfjordbotn for fjord views, wildlife sightings, photos, hot drinks, and a light homemade lunch.

“Our tour guide Max was great!! He also took amazing photos! I really enjoyed the beautiful scenery especially the fjords! It truly was an amazing experience!”

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7.Winter Fjord Cruise to Geirangerfjord

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 97 reviews · 9 hours · from $346

Travel nine hours from Ålesund to Geiranger on a modern catamaran with Fjord Rangers speaking English, German, and Norwegian. Enjoy local food, Veil Falls, Flydalsjuvet, the Norwegian Fjord Centre, and a 327-step waterfall walk. Guide Ionnes is among the team.

“good itinerary, well organised, great and fast ship, friendly crew, good guides, good food served as well”

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8.Wilderness Snowshoe Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 94 reviews · 2 hours · from $88Best value

Join an English-speaking guide for a two-hour snowshoe walk through Abisko’s birch forest and snowy backcountry. Guides such as Anne, Anna, Michelle, and Cecilia have led guests to wide lake views, moose tracks, fox prints, and, when conditions allow, moose sightings. Warm clothing and hot drinks are included.

“Anne was so sweet - thank you for a beautiful tour😊”

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9.2-Hour Winter Kayaking Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 80 reviews · 2 hours · from $135

Meet your Norwegian or English-speaking guide at Svolvær harbor 30 minutes early, suit up in a dry suit, and paddle calm Arctic waters in a stable double kayak. You need no prior experience, but good fitness is important. Guides such as Roger, Toby, and Johnathan have been praised for patient instruction and local stories.

“Absolutely enjoyed the tour. Reuben, the guide whom I shared my Kayak with, as I was by myself, helped me not to tip our Kayak over ;) He gave me some invaluable tips on how best to Kayak so my arms wouldn't fall of at the end of the trip. He has a good sense of humour, which made sharing a kayak fun plus he provided some interesting & fun facts about the surrounding areas we passed. Only down side, the sun could have been more out but still a 10/10. Cheers Jess”

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10.North Cape Winter Excursion with Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 63 reviews · 3 hours · from $219

Ride from Honningsvåg to the North Cape in winter with a local English-speaking driver, a North Cape Hall ticket, panoramic film, exhibitions, and time for the cliff viewpoint. The three-hour outing is scenic and safe, but road conditions can shorten your visit.

“Tudo ocorreu perfeitamente. A guia foi muito efciente e cordial. Recomendo !”

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11.Half Day Snowshoe Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 16 reviews · 4 hours · from $103

Join Northern Explorer AS for a four-hour snowshoe hike near Eggum, with English or Spanish guidance, mountain and coastal views, wildlife tracking, hot drinks, and local stories. Guides such as German and Lucio bring a friendly, safety-minded touch. No previous snowshoe experience is required.

“È stato un tour molto suggestivo, con un meteo molto variabile che ci ha permesso di ciaspolare in tutte le condizioni possibili! Sole, vento, nuvoloso e tempesta di neve! La nostra guida German è molto competente e davvero amichevole, ci siamo trovati molto bene! Molto apprezzata la pausa nel rifugio per scaldarci e socializzare”

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12.Aurora Snowshoe Hike

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · 4 hours · from $183

Meet your guide at Clarion Hotel The Edge, ride 30 minutes to Ersfjordbotn, then snowshoe for about three hours under the Arctic night sky. Guides may include Truls, Eirik, or Fabian. Snowshoes, poles, snacks, and a hot drink are included.

“Fantastic snowshoeing tour near Tromsø! Our guide Truls was super friendly, energetic and very professional. The equipment was excellent and the views were absolutely breathtaking. We were incredibly lucky to see the northern lights throughout the whole hike - a truly magical experience. Highly recommended!”

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13.Lysefjorden cruise & Preikestolen guided hike – winter

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · 9 hours · from $269

Spend nine hours pairing a Lysefjorden cruise with a guided winter hike to Preikestolen. Guides such as Alan and Erlend provide seasonal gear, pacing, stories, and photo help, with small groups limited to eight and a lunchpack included.

“We loved every moment. Erlend was the best guide we could ask for. He got in touch with us the day before the tour so that everything was covered from our gear to our dietary preferences. The first part of the trip - the cruise - was great. There were plenty of seats, great commentaries and the food too was satisfactory. Then Erlend was kind enough to pick up our lunch and druve us to the basecamp. Erlend had all the gears needed - poles, head lamps, backup hiking shoes, hot tea and so much more. He made sure no one was left behind and stayed calm with us. As…”

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14.Luleå: Nordic Touring Skiing Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $151

Join Henrik for a four-hour Nordic touring ski trip from Luleå’s smallboat harbour. You’ll learn the basics, ski across mainland forest and the frozen Bay of Bothnia, then warm up with Swedish fika beside an open fire. The small group is limited to six people.

“Really interesting activity! Henrik is a passionate guide and not only we had a lot of fun trying to handle the Nordic skis, we also went through beautiful landscapes: frozen fjord and forest. We learned a lot of things about the Sami people, the local flora and fauna and Northern Sweden in general. A great mix of sport and culture. Thank you again Henrik and all the best personally and with your business!”

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15.Cross-Country Skiing Tour with a Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $176

Join Annette, Levi, or another local guide for three hours of cross-country skiing near Kiruna. You’ll receive ski equipment, technique help, and a trail suited to your ability, with pickup from Camp Ripan or Kiruna Tourist Center. Covering clothes are available on request.

“Annette var super sød og meget hjælpsom, da vi alle var nybegyndere på langrendsski. God oplevelse for familien.”

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