Tromsø, Norway is a tourist trap. 2024 Travel Vlog

Bergen, Norway was better.

[MridulBiswas]

Calling an entire city a tourist trap is that it shows a lack of research and knowledge.
Yes, social media paints an exaggerated picture of the Aurora. No, that's not Tromsø at fault.

In your shoes, I would've first researched what the lights look like without edits prior to visiting this town. Second, I would've booked 3-4 days depending on the weather forecast. Third, I would've booked a small group trip with a reputed operator that offers free retries if you don't see the lights.
For perspective, I've watched the lights on 3/7 chases after extensive research and 1 of them was absolutely spectacular with lots of activity upon clear skies.

About Norway being expensive...yes, yes it is. Unlike the aurora though, this is not a hidden fact. You may prefer getting more value, and that's okay. Simply pick a country or season that fits your budget.

Bottom-line: Never base your trip a single activity, especially one that's bound by nature's laws.

[Nabium]

As a Norwegian, this looks like hell on earth. Sardines in a barrel, we would call this.

The Northern lights is a natural phenomenon. Sometimes it can give amazing shows in many different vibrant colour all over the skies, and if so there's no need to book any tours, you'll see them from anywhere. Othertimes it's clouded over, or there's only weak green patches, or there's none whatsoever. That's just nature. These aurora borealis safari trips are just made for desperate touritsts who only have a couple of days and somehow _have_ to see a couple of weak green light patches on the skies just so they can tick it off their bucket list. So they go hunting for the best chances, but, if the Northern Lights are so weak you'll have to hunt them then they're really not worth seeing.

I think it's a good rule of thumb as a tourist anywhere on earth to never ever get on a tour buss. You'll just get cramped with other tourists and you'll have the least authenic experience ever. Chinese seems to love this form of travel, I only see Chinese tourists in big tour busses and it's so sad to see every time, the Japanese used to be like this too, but recently I'm seeing more and more Japanese tourists travelling outside of the tours and discovering the lands in a more authentic way so I'll give them cred for that. Tour busses must be avoided at all cost, no matter where on earth you are. It's about as authentic as going on a cruise.

For example, that guy who sang this magical Sami shamanistic song. I think any local would have started laughing when he started joiking Samiid Ednan. The thing is, joik is a spiritual exercise where you sing the feelings you experience in nature, it's supposed to have elements of _improvision, _ and it's never words or language. Just sounds in a distinct pattern which represent something meaningful in that moment. And what kind of spiritual/nature experience do you think that guide had in that moment? It's like asking a guy dressed in Donald Duck costume to have a spiritual experience in a Disney Park. Utter nonsense.

Just google Samiid Ednan, it's a 44 year old Eurovision song that's been used so much it's lost all significance. It's more like a caricature of Sami culture, than an actual experience.

[kmura]

Good video!

I've lived all of my 32 years on earth in Tromsø, and here are my thoughts:

I don't agree that Bergen is "better" than Tromsø. In fact I think they are incomparable. Consider that Norway is a long country. Tromsø to Bergen is more than a 1000 miles by car. Bergen is at around 60 degrees north, while Tromsø is at about 69.5 degrees north. The cities are different in so many ways.

With that being said, I do think that:

(1) The tour companies are essentially scamming tourists with their promises, as anyone can just look at the solar activity and forecast themselves and just get outside of the light pollution.

(2) Norway in general is extremely expensive, eating out is even more expensive, and the ridiculous tourist trap shops found in the city centre are reprehensible.

(3) When it comes to what experience Tromsø gives you, so much is up to chance. Both in terms of northern lights activity, but also weather. If you're lucky, you'll get low temperatures, clear skies and lots of northern lights. If you're unlucky, you'll get overcast, mild weather and wet boots.

For northern lights, going further east to Kirkenes might be a better idea, as the weather is more stable, as it is inland. The area in general is however less interesting than Tromsø. I personally think Tromsø is at its best during summer, and while I have seen some spectacular northern lights in my lifetime, around 95% of it is not so spectacular. Its way too much of a gamble going for a short stay and hoping to get an amazing northern lights experience, unfortunately.

[dpierce]

TLDR, guy looking for a bargain does the most “touristy” things Tromsø has to offer and calls it a tourist trap 😖

[CDarkorbit]

I have to tell you, the northern lights CAN look really amazing, you just happen to see the weaker ones. Tromso can be a tourist trap no doubt, but it depends entirely on the ones going there how trappy it'll be. for the northern lights you dont need fancy whatsoever satellite tracking etc, they probably just made it sound like they doing something really complicated. any aurora app and the paid version of windy and youre good. rent a car, chase cloud free zones, a bit of luck and done. we are going to tromso yearly 2-3 weeks and we usually see them on 2/3rd or more of the days, we just love them and it never gets boring, the fun heavily depends on where and what you're watching tho. a tour for 2 people probably costs as much as a rental car for a week, smartphones do take nice pictures but as you said you need light to do that. I have an old sony alpha 7 II and just love taking pictures of them, it can get so intense that you can see the whole area being lit up with your eyes, not to mention the spectacle in the sky. thats not every day for sure but also not like once a year, I'd say on a 2 weeks trip you can see really nice ones like 2-3 times if you put effort into it. no guides and tours needed, I could write what you need to do down in like 5 minutes, thers nothing special behind it.
I once stayed in the scandic grand too for a few days, its good but you really need something with a kitchen there, eating out is horrendous and imo the price/quality not worth it on most things, not all but a lot. get an airbnb, cook something nice and relax. the only activities I can recommend in the city is tromsobadet, nice outdoors pool and with 18€ I think for a day absolutely fine and the polaria but thats maybe just me cause I love seeing fish. It just really makes me sad, please dont think the northern lights cant be spectacular. whats true is it wont look like the edited pictures they advertise with here and there, ok, but seeing greens/purple and white actually happened to us several times and it was overwhelming, they really can be seen dancing above your head sometimes. if at any point you want to give it another chance, best of luck, dont let that one bad time hold you back.
sorry for wall of text, eating while writing

[crustykane]

If you drive you can explore more of Tromso….stay out of the city centre booked yourself at Airbnb you get to meet the locals & see the Northern lights for free just out of your windows & balcony….if the skies is clear…..Eating in a Restaurant in Norway is crazy….even the locals dont do that often……

[universal]

We saw some magical formations in Sweden on a frozen lake this time. Northern Lights are not exaggerated but yes one must plan well and be lucky to experience the magic. My 9 year old literally cried when we had to finally leave as our hands and legs were hurting from the cold and she did not want to. It can be spiritual, something I had not expected.
Also light pollution around can be a factor preventing a good view. Good luck next time

[loginjonel]

Next time learn a little bit about the place you're visiting before deciding to go there and vlog, because this video feels like you went there expecting cheap food and being able to see the Northern lights anytime you want 😂 use google, read reviews, etc this video was so negative and its because you were too lazy to do your research in advance

[fabiodarrell]

Or, put it in this perspective….
Maybe food is pricey because you’re in a different country that is more expensive? So, instead of saying that it’s pricey, just think that maybe is not for your pocket.
Also, Google is free, and before you go somewhere, you should inform yourself about it!
You got two very bad days to see the northern lights and therefore you got a bad experience! Northern lights is basically nature manifesting, so you never know what you’re gonna see! But to teach you a bit for free ( since you like cheap stuff), the northern lights can be strong or weak depending on the solar activity . You got it weak, and then you come on the internet saying that is overhyped 😂🤣😂🤣
Learn, educate yourself first.
Two days in tromsø and you couldn’t even learn how to protege name properly 😅

[nils]

Oh damn, I'm Sami (not reindeer herder though) and grew up in Tromsø. Fun to see what people unfamiliar with it think of it!

[saga]

It is always embarrassing to me to see and hear people looking for the most inane things on trips rather than exploring. Yes it is wonderful to catch the northern lights but don't you want to get to know a different country more in depth? When I travel I act like I don't speak English I refuse to have stupid conversations when travelling.

[shojol]

Lol bro just get a camera to take photo instead of using your cellphone camera.Taking photos with iPhone and complain about northern light is crazy.

[georger]

You really don't know how to pronounce Charles de Gaulle?? My God!