Northbound AS — Local services in Tromsø

I had an absolutely epic time. Ryan and Oli are two amazing guys who have a real passion for what they do. It comes through in all parts of the experience.

The first night, Oli picked us up from the Music Pavillion, which was perfectly located, central but out of the busy areas. On the way to the location, Oli informed us about who he and Ryan are, a bit about how they formed Northbound, where we are going, why they picked that spot, and a brief history about their experiences with that location. I realised that A LOT of thought, planning and monitoring went into the evening already, and that Ryan was going ahead of us to set up. I also learnt that both Ryan and Oli are super passionate about the northern lights, and really know what they’re doing. They keep up to date with relevant apps, gurus and group chats from other people seeking the northern lights to ensure they are aware of sightings, space and earth weather, road closures, wildlife incidents etc - all this to do their utmost to give us the best experience.

When we arrived, Ryan was there to welcome us and had the campfire and seats all set up for us. Oli gave out our thermal suits.

We were incredibly fortunate. Despite the average space weather predictions, the lights started for us straight after we arrived. Ryan quickly got his camera in position, to take pictures of us! The small group size meant we all got a very tailored experience and took all the pictures we wanted to, without feeling rushed. Ryan was extremely accommodating to our endless requests.

Meanwhile Oli prepared hot chocolate for us and got the hot dogs ready. Oli had both meat and vegetarian sausages. I am on a halal diet & it was important for me that there was no cross contamination in the cooking. Oli reassured me that he is well aware of this, and has a system in place for it. I felt at ease.

Oli and Ryan worked so well together in everything that they did. They anticipated needs and were an incredibly well oiled machine! They also helped us set up our own cameras (both phone & DSLR) so we can feel confident in taking our own pics.

Oli explained to us what was happening in the sky as it was happening. It was super surreal being able to ask clarifying questions in real time.

We were incredibly fortunate in that we had a few ‘shows’. A few of us just laid on the ground to watch and were taken up by the moment.

I asked Oli if I could join them the next night if they had any last minute cancellations. Oli said they did, but not to rush to book. He said he’ll keep the spot for me and touch base with me during the day to let me know how the weather is looking.

I really appreciated his honesty.

True to his word, Oli touched base with me the next day. He was honest about the weather and predictions, and I hesitated, but landed on yes! Unbelievably the next night was even more incredible.

The weather was not the best, but Oli and Ryan knew where to seek clear skies. Space weather predictions were a bit uncertain. I was mentally prepared not to see anything. The vibes on the night were just so great and as I learnt more about Oli and Ryan, I realised they consider their clients individually and remember our pre-tour interactions. They don’t see us as just clients, but as roadtripping friends. I really felt this on both nights - that I wasn’t just a booking number to them!

As the night wore on, we saw some faint colours in the sky. They were vibrant on Ryan’s camera, but just barely could be seen by the eye. Patience truly is a virtue. We know a lot of tour guides had given up and headed back, through Ryan and Oli’s chat groups. But these guys stayed out for us and around 10:30pm we saw some more activity. As the night got on, we saw a burst of green, white, pink. It was so surreal. Still can’t believe I was blessed with this experience.

Ryan took incredible pictures of us. There was an older person with us, and Ryan was so great about making sure she felt safe walking around on the snowy/icy surface.

I could go on for ages, but best if you just experience...

My full review is on Tripadvisor, but here is a ChatGPT summary of the main points, as the original review is basically a PhD thesis. I echoed what other reviewers have written, while providing excruciating detail on what to expect.

The best tour guides I've ever had in my life.

Personalized Guide Experience: Northbound ensures you know exactly who your guides are, avoiding the disappointment of random assignments typical with larger companies.

Passionate and Knowledgeable Guides: Oli and Ryan are experts in aurora chasing, with deep knowledge of the science and years of personal experience as Tromso residents. On top of their, their enthusiasm is infectious!

Honesty and Integrity: They offer full refunds if weather conditions aren’t promising, prioritizing guest satisfaction over profit.

Successful Aurora Viewing: Despite tough conditions, Oli and Ryan’s expertise led us to see the aurora on our first night, something most groups missed due to their knowledge of local weather and landscapes.

Memorable Activities: Even with a moderate aurora display, the tour was filled with fun activities like an interesting education about aurora science, professional photography, light painting, and campfire meals.

Second Tour Spectacle: On our second tour, we experienced a stunning, rare aurora show at a secret location, with Oli’s deep scientific insights enhancing the experience.

Unmatched Scenic Locations: They use exclusive, secret spots away from tourist crowds, making the experience feel private and magical.

Safety and Comfort: Oli’s cautious driving, combined with Ryan’s assistance, ensured a smooth and safe journey, especially in challenging conditions.

High-Quality Photos: We received 2 GB of professionally edited, high-resolution, non-watermarked aurora photos that captured the beauty of the experience.

Pro Tips for Future Travelers: Stay for at least a week, book tours for multiple nights, and trust Oli and Ryan’s expertise over general weather forecasts or KP index...

"Northbound.No" is hands down one of the best northern light tours that you can book. Oli and Ryan both are extremely hospitable, warm and knowledgeable. They go out of their way to ensure that their guests have a great time and spot the aurora. Had a lovely time on our tour and eventhough the weather wasn't on our side, "northbound" delivered !!! We all saw the northern lights around the Finnish border eventhough it was extremely cloudy almost everywhere else. They are genuine and they called all of us 3 hours before our tour to inform us of the adverse weather and the cloudy forecast and that they can provide a full refund if we chose to cancel the tour but they said that there are 50% chances to spot the lights and if it were zero they'd themselves cancel the tour. I trusted their judgement and aint I glad! We also went by the beach to soot some more lights. We all were so glad when we got lovely photos. Oli took time lapse photos of all of us patiently and there was no limit to how many photos will be sent. We were sent a time lapse video and around 50 odd photos from the tour.. it was so good to receive so many photos. Some other northern lights tours that I took in finland had a cut off of 20 photos per tour, combined for everyone.. and that too was informed only when we asked for more photos! So that felt a bit of a buzzkill and I realized how sweet and cooperative northbound guides are! Hence my greater appreciation and gratitude to Oli and Ryan. We were given grilled hot dogs and hot beverages on a campfire on our tour! We were also provided with thermal suits and headtorches. There was 5-6 cms snow where we went even on sept 26th! We were entertained throughout our 7-8 hour tour. We were also provided with pit stops for restroom use. Highly recommend them for a northern lights chase. They don't have any limit to time, distance or photos unlike most other aurora chases. Book them in tromso for sure!!...