Best Arctic

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Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

General questions

Our hospitality desk (inside Radisson Blu Hotel, in Tromsø) is temporarily closed. Our booking point (Sjøgata 7) is open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday.

We accept payments by cash (NOK and EUR) and credit/debit cards (Visa or Mastercard) at our hospitality desk. For online bookings, you can pay by Visa or Mastercard.

For groups of up to 9 people, cancellations or changes made 48 hours or less prior to departure will be charged 100%. For groups with more than 10 people, cancellation more than 14 days prior to departure will incur in no fee. Cancellations must be sent in writing directly to Best Arctic (booking@bestarctic.com).

Changes to bookings must be sent in writing directly to Best Arctic (booking@bestarctic.com). Changes are subject to availability on tours.

Yes, we have student discounts on several tours. Please bring your Student ID card or other documentation that proves that you are a student.

Yes, we offer a 5% discount for guests who book 3 or more activities. However, we can only apply this discount at our hospitality desk.

Yes, December is a very popular month for tourism in Tromsø. We recommend booking tours in advance for December.

Yes, this is possible. However, it depends on which activities you are planning. It’s important to check the finishing time of the first activity and the check-in time of the second activity. For example, we don’t recommend combining a husky tour starting at 12 noon with a Northern Lights tour starting at 19:00 (7pm) because you may not be back in time for your evening activity.

We have created several combination packages (two activities on the same day: one during the day and another one during the evening or with accommodation), you can check them in here.

Yes, you can. However, please note that the price will be the same for the activities where transport is included.

There are various reasons why you may be unable to book an activity online. The activity may be sold out, or you may be experiencing a technical problem. If so, please try again using a different browser or from a computer instead of your mobile phone. We also recommend checking the basket on our website to see if your selected products are already there. If this does not answer your problem, please contact info@bestarctic.com

You can check days and timetables here and book it here: Airport Express. Please check if your date is a weekday or weekend.

Yes, we have children’s seats. Just please tell the bus driver you are traveling with a baby and he will help you out.

Yes, we have one wheelchair space in each of our airport buses, and all our airport bus drivers receive training in the use of lifts and how to secure wheelchairs.

STILL HAVE A QUESTION?

Don´t hesitate to contact us.

Our Northern Lights tours can sell out fast, so we recommend booking at least one week in advance to guarantee your spots.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Northern Lights tours

The minimum age on our Aurora Safari Minibus tour is 10 as this tour can be quite late and involve more time outside in cold conditions. The minimum age on our Aurora Safari Camp tour is 4. This tour ends earlier and is more comfortable and adapted for their needs (shelter and toilets, etc.). Another option is booking an Aurora Safari Private tour – no minimum age applies on these tours, which are far more flexible and can be adapted to meet your needs and wishes.

Our Aurora Safari Camp is a Northern Lights tour that takes you out of the city to a comfortable and private camp (where you have shelter, toilets and dinner options), perfectly located for you to observe the Northern Lights. We have eight different camps throughout the Tromsø region, and every afternoon we assess the weather conditions to select the most suitable camp for that evening. Our Aurora Safari Minibus tour is a more active tour where you will be outside for most of the evening (the only shelter you have is the minibus!) – on these tours, you travel to different places and follow the best weather conditions and chase the Northern Lights. If conditions and time permit, you will have a longer stop and your guide will light a bonfire to warm you up.

We recommend you check the weather forecast and book your Northern Lights tour on one of your first days in Tromsø. This way you maximize your chances of seeing the Northern Lights because, if you don’t see them the first time, you have time to go on another tour.

It depends on the period when you are travelling to Tromsø: December and February are usually our busiest months. Our Northern Lights tours can sell out fast, so we recommend booking at least one week in advance to guarantee your spots. Waiting until one week before allows you to check the weather forecast before you book. You may be able to change to another date owing to the weather (subject to availability).

We run our tours every evening during the season providing the conditions are safe. Remember, even if the weather forecast is bad in Tromsø, there may be good chances of seeing the Northern Lights further inland or on the outer coast. We check the weather forecasts regularly and drive towards locations with the best weather conditions (less cloudy and no rain or snow) to enhance your chances of seeing the Northern Lights. We only cancel tours if the weather makes it dangerous (e.g. avalanche risk, icy roads or storms, etc.).

We recommend checking under “What’s included?” on the page for your selected tour page on our website.

The photos will be available on our website (bestarctic.com) within 48 hours. Just visit the website and download the photos by clicking on “My photos” and selecting the date of the tour you went on.

If you still don’t see your photos after 48 hours, please send an email to info@bestarctic.com, so we can check with your guide.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Snowmobile tours

Yes, you need a valid driving licence to drive a snowmobile. Please note that the minimum age is 18. If you don’t have a valid driving licence, you have the option of going on this tour as a passenger.

Two people share each snowmobile (the driver and the passenger). Depending on the availability of snowmobiles, it may be possible to have a snowmobile to yourself – subject to availability – please note that a surcharge will apply. If you wish to do so, please send an email to info@bestarctic.com.

Yes, children can go on our snowmobile tours as passengers. Please note that the minimum age is 6.

Yes, thermal suits and warm boots are available. We recommend checking under “What‘s included?” on the page for your selected tour page on our website. It’s important to wear several layers of clothes. We recommend wearing woollen undergarments and avoiding jeans, as the temperature can be very cold.

This tour is not aimed at adrenaline seekers expecting  “full throttle” as we drive at around 20 to 25 km/ h – this ensures everyone is comfortable and safe. It also means that you can appreciate the scenery rather than it passing in a blur. The Snowmobiles are a “tool” for getting out into the wild and experiencing nature in all its spectacular glory. It focus on sightseeing, whilst absorbing the natural surroundings of mountains, frozen lakes, forests and fjords.

Please find more detailed information in our terms and conditions (check the Snowmobile section).

Please note that the minimum age for driving the snowmobile is 18.

The exact date of the whale watching season changes from year to year. It depends on when the herring arrive, closely followed by the whales.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Whale watching tours

No, winter thermal suits are not available on this tour, but the boat has warm indoor lounges.

The exact date of the whale watching season changes from year to year. It depends on when the herring arrive, closely followed by the whales. This is generally from some time in November until late January. We will provide updated information on our whale watching page. We recommend booking your tour in advance because this is one of our best sellers.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Husky Safari/ Dog Sledding

Yes, but if you want the vegetarian option, remind our guide before you start your tour.

Yes, thermal suits and warm boots are available. We recommend checking under “What’s included?” on the page for your selected tour page on our website. It’s important to wear several layers of clothes. We recommend wearing woollen undergarments and avoiding jeans, as the temperature can be very cold.

The trails used for dog sledding are adventurous, so you need a reasonable level of fitness and balance because it’s a self-drive tour that requires reasonable stability and strength.


We do not recommend this activity if you are pregnant, since the tracks can be uneven. Suitable for guests between 12 to 70 years old or fit people above 70 years old. Weigh restrictions of 110 kilos per person.

The trails used for dog sledding are adventurous, so you need a reasonable level of fitness and balance because it’s a self-drive tour that requires reasonable stability and strength.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

The Arctic Route - Summer routes

This route was designed for travelers who wish 100% freedom to explore and plan as it goes, without limitations or restrictions.

To change from West to East (route Lofoten (Å) – Narvik) to North – South (route Tromsø – Lofoten (Kabelvåg), an overnight in Svolvær is needed.

The Arctic Route Travel pass is a virtual card that allows you to use the Arctic Route summer buses and connected ferries within a specific period: 4, 7, or 10 days.

With the multi-day travel pass, you can save money as you can use the Arctic Route as many times as you want along all possible routes, navigating you around Northern Norway during the Arctic summer.

The Travel Pass is valid on the Tromsø – Lofoten – Tromsø and Narvik – Lofoten – Narvik routes. The following ferries are within your travel pass for pedestrian access: Brensholmen – Botnhamn / Grylllefjord – Andenes / Melbu – Fiskebol. Be creative!

Read information on how to use your travel pass here.

The Arctic Route Travel pass is only available online at Best Arctic/Arctic Route. Choose your first day of traveling in the calendar during your purchase. Book your travel pass here. Easy and quick.

The purchase of the travel pass gives you a unique and personal code, valid for a specific period on our two Arctic Route summer routes and connected ferries. This code will deduct any future purchase price to zero. Pay once, and travel a lot!

Within 24 hours after your purchase, you will receive your personal and unique code via your email address.

The Travel Pass is activated from 00:01 on the activation date until 23:59 on the expiration date.

Reserve a spot on the bus, whenever you have made your holiday plan and schedule. Even just before departure. Though remember to reserve your spot online before hopping on the bus by ‘buying’ the actual route you will travel via our booking widget, so we keep a great seat for you on our bus.

During the purchase of the chosen route(s), fill in the unique and personal travel pass code, which will deduct the full price of the chosen route to NOK 0. Find the full instructions on your ticket ‘View ticket’.

When hopping on the bus, keep your travel pass purchase document, your route purchase confirmation document, and your ID-card ready for the driver to validate.

That is possible. During your purchase, fill in the names of all your co-travelers. When reserving the actual tickets, use the same names during the purchase of the route ticket. Easy as that!

During your purchase, fill in the date of your first travel journey with Arctic Route. This will be the start date of your travel period. Though, you can change that date, before the activation, by contacting Best Arctic. Keep your full flexibility.

Each passenger may bring one item of easy-to-manage hand baggage, which must fit under the seat or in the overhead rack, as well as an item no larger than height + length + width = 200 cm/23 kg. We want to support you in getting your sports gear with you, such as a surfboard, or bicycle, so you can maximize your holiday. To ensure the bus caters to enough storage space, contact us for your request via info@bestarctic.com.

To change from West to East (route Lofoten (Å) - Narvik) to North - South (route Tromsø - Lofoten (Kabelvåg), an overnight in Svolvær is needed.