A day in the Arctic North

In February 2011, Will from Sunvil Discovery travelled to Tromsø in Northern Norway. At a latitude of 70 degrees north this University City, with its mountainous back drop and vast archipelago, is a wonderful winter playground. This blog details the activities enjoyed by Will on one day of his stay.

In the morning we travelled west from Tromsø city centre, crossing to Kvaløya (whale island) before arriving at the Tromsø Villmarkssenter, we were greeted by the sound of over 240 Alaskan huskies raring to get underway.

After changing into our winter suits we met our sled drivers for a brief introduction and then we where on our way. Within a few minutes we were gliding peacefully through the open countryside, enjoying the stunning fjord views with their dramatic mountain backdrops.

At the end of our 2 hour circular trip, we enjoyed a hot reindeer stew whilst relaxing in a traditional Sami lavvo (tent).

In the afternoon we returned to Tromsø to visit the Tromsø University Museum. This has a number of permanent displays about the indigenous Sami people and the history of Northern Norway. We were given a presentation about the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) before watching a short film in order to whet our appetite for what we might expect to see that evening.

After enjoying an excellent seafood meal at the Fiskekompaniet (The Fish Company) restaurant, we were picked up by Ivar (our guide for the evening) and drove out of the city (with its light pollution) in search of the Northern Lights. Our excursion provider Natur i Nord uses a number of preferred locations where they drive their guests in the hope of seeing the elusive Aurora Borealis.

Fortunately we were in luck this evening and after an hour of searching we were rewarded with an hour and half display. Despite all the images I had previously seen, I wasn’t quite prepared for the real thing. One minute we were presented with a broad band of green stretching across the sky and the next we witnessed a shimmering green light, like the sun shining through the clouds. A truly amazing experience!