The Last Sense of Adventure: Solo Arctic Travel in Tromso, Norway

Three days of Arctic Adventures

It's not often that I feel a sense of adventure with my travel resume. But to my delight, I found it in the small arctic town of Tromso, Norway. In a quest to see the northern lights, I traveled up there alone at the end of November for three days of snowy exploits.

Growing up in Southern California, snow is something you only see if you drive to the mountains. So I booked the most cliche excursions I could, dogsledding and a northern lights excursion. I would have three days in Tromso and was ready to see what life in the Arctic was like.

As I flew from Stockholm, I watched the ground grow heavier with snow the further north we went. Then, before landing, I saw the fairytale landscape that looked otherworldly. The moon seemed closer than usual, and the sky was the most peculiar yet stunning color. That was when I knew this was going to be an adventure.

Where Did The Sun Go?

As we landed in Tromso, I was in awe of the landscape. The snowy mountains and fjords among the sunset…wait, what time is it? It's just past noon. Why is the sun setting already?

I pulled up my weather app and saw I was in for about three hours of daylight. I was woefully unprepared for how little sun there would be.

The sun had gone down when I arrived at the Radisson Blu Hotel. It was three in the afternoon. I suddenly wanted to cry and panicked slightly. More sun, I need more sun than that. I checked into my room and sat in front of my travel therapy light, which is supposed to mimic sunlight.

Throughout my short trip, I got used to the very short days. It helped when I found the rest of the lights in my hotel room and brightened it during the "day" time.

A Cute, Little Frozen Town

The first night/day I was there, I decided to explore the town instead of sitting in my hotel room mourning the sun. When I left the hotel, I looked at the thick layer of ice on the sidewalk. How was I supposed to walk on this? My technical snow boots were made for slick surfaces but not solid ice.

I explored very slowly. I kept my cold hands out of my pockets as I needed my arms to counterbalance. Certain areas had gravel thrown down, which provided some traction. I would later learn that they don't use chemicals there to melt the ice and believe the gravel works fine and is much more environmentally friendly.

Sliding across town, I came to my destination, a little market. Happy to be on solid ground inside, I heard metal stepping nearby. I followed the sound down the aisles to a girl wearing crampons. Why did I not think to bring some? Oh yeah, cause I don't live in the Arctic Tundra. Some stores had signs on the front door that asked people to remove their spikes before entering.

You know it's an adventure when walking around town is hazardous enough that your shoes need spikes.

On my last day, I slid over to the Polar Museum. I spent a while wandering around inside, seeing what life was like in earlier times here. It was fascinating to think about the primitive warm-weather clothes they had to keep warm. I was freezing in REI's finest. They also had to contend with the polar bears in the winter isolation. There was no help to call. Living in the Arctic must have been an adventure.

Dogsledding

Anytime I get to hang out with dogs, I'm in. Going dogsledding was a natural choice, and I booked an excursion. The bus pick-up was conveniently at my hotel.

We were split into two groups: those who would be driven and those who would drive the dogsleds themselves. I felt no need to try and control a team of dogs. I can barely control the two I have at home. I did want to cuddle up in a sled and let the dogs take me for a ride.

As a solo traveler, I was partnered with another female solo traveler from Brazil. We became dogsled besties and took off in the front sled.

Was it a unique experience? Yes. Was it a thrill a minute? No.

The speeds were not that fast to be considered a thrilling ride, and I found myself more concerned for the dogs, although they were very well cared for.

Learning about the dynamic of dogsledding was very interesting. An older female dog is usually chosen to lead the team, and watching the lead dog and driver communicate with each other was terrific. The driver would yell out left or right, and the dog would guide the team in that direction.

Searching For The Northern Lights

My primary purpose for this trip was to see the northern lights, so I hoped I'd get lucky on my excursion. I was tired when I boarded my bus because it had been dark for hours already, so I indulged in a cup of coffee, knowing I would be up late.

You have to be serious about seeing the northern lights. You can only see them late at night and in the Arctic during the wintertime. That means you're going to be cold and tired.

I wore three layers—a base layer, a fleece layer, and my windproof pants and down jacket. My boots were rated for frigid temperatures, so I turned down their offer to wear the boots they had. My toes quickly went numb, but I stubbornly stayed quiet in my boots.

We drove for hours as the tour guide communicated with other guides, sharing locations of northern light sightings. Finding the northern lights was a collaboration among companies as they can be elusive. We landed on the side of the road and looked at the glowing green sky. The stars shimmered behind them like green gauze over diamonds.

The tour guide made a fire and helped us take pictures. I was surprised at how much brighter the lights were on the camera than they were in person. Then, the lights faded away.

We boarded the bus and went searching for more of them. Hours went by, and we drove into Finland in search. But the night wouldn't give up any more wonders that night despite staying out until two in the morning. We were told that we saw an average night for the lights. It was not the glowing night sky I had in mind, but it was still impressive.

Exotic Cuisine

I am not a foodie, but I remember the food in Tromso mostly because it was some of the last meat I ever had. I became a vegetarian shortly after my trip, and I can't help but wonder if trying Reindeer had something to do with it. Reindeer is available for those who want it, and I tried it in a stew. I remember it being gamey and mostly being horrified that I ate Rudolph.

It was offered throughout the town in various styles, including a cute, tiny hut that sold Reindeer hot dogs.

The Most Expensive Souvenir

Having fallen in love with Tromso and living the frozen life, I went shopping for a Fair Isle-style sweater. I discovered a store with stacks of unique Dale of Norway sweaters. I was surprised how cheap they were and such good quality. I bought two for me and one for my mother.

When I received my credit card statement, I was shocked that I had spent over five hundred dollars on three sweaters. It must be fraud! They overcharged me! Taking advantage of tourists like that! I contacted the store, and they provided proof I was not overcharged. I still was not convinced.

After a long and embarrassing fight with the store, I realized they don't use commas to separate numbers. They use spaces, and my mental conversions only looked at part of the price. But I am now the owner of two very fine, expensive sweaters, and my mother was pleased with hers even though it rarely gets cold enough to wear them in Southern California.

Tromso was an adorable little town. I couldn't recommend it enough if you are looking for snowy adventures. I even considered living there if there was more daylight. After my sense of adventure was renewed, I began thinking I needed to go further north, like Svalbard. Maybe for my next trip.