Northern Shots Tours AS — Local services in Tromsø

Do not eat food on the coach. My wife got injured. They did not care. Avoid this company.

The tour starts at 5pm and might last upto 8 hours. We were about to have dinner at 4pm when we saw a text from the tour operator, that we should go to the office at 4pm instead of 4.30pm because it was busy. We cancelled our dinner and headed to the meetup point. The guy on reception told us we can bring food with us. So we got some takeaway food, knowing we were about to spend maybe an hour on the coach. Once we got on the coach it was clearly announced, multiple times "We have a strict no-food policy on the coaches" and "can people who brought food on board please leave it behind."

Silence from the coach. I argued with the tour guides and they were confused why we would be given different advice by the guy on the desk, but they didn't change their minds. No food.

The "no food" policy isn't in the terms and conditions anyone had agreed to, and seems to have been invented to make it easier to keep the coaches clean. We weren't the only ones, but we also had a hungry child onboard, so we duly ignored the rules and fed our child. But we were made to feel like we were breaking the rules, and as a result we didn't feel happy about being on the tour. Like we were criminals.

We watched other people on the coach occasionally sneaking food from their bags. Clearly lots of people felt the rules were unfair.

After more than 2 hours of driving we pulled into a layby to look at the sky for an hour, and I stood outside the coach, in the snow, eating my cold burger. Didn't really care about the lack of northern lights at this point. (We never saw them throughout the trip.)

During the trip, the organisers also announced that the coach toilet was only usable when the coach was parked, so if anyone had an emergency then they should "shout or scream" and the coach would stop so they can relieve themselves. How embarrassing would that be? Of course nobody did. People would rather poo themselves than yell out on a coachload of 60 people "I really need a poo"... So much for discretion or consideration for those with social anxiety.

Later in the journey my wife fell down the last step of the coach and hurt her back, because the guides had failed to keep the steps clean of ice from everyone trudging in and out of the coach during the night. They quickly cleaned the step after she was walking around outside holding her back.

Nobody checked on her after the incident.

I remember the tour guides told us at one point during the drive " please do not walk on the roads, you might get hurt by a vehicle and we can't afford that". Obviously not even a joke at this point.

This is a tour operator of cowboys; they clearly only want to make money and don't care at all about their...

We didn't quite know what to make of this tour. One would expect that one can see the Northern Lights on any clear night. So during our first night in Tromsø (with a clear sky) we looked, but didn't see anything (we thought). The next day we went to the Northern Shots office and had an in-depth discussion with Sara about what the tour would entail and our chances of actually seeing the Northern Lights. Since the sky in Tromsø was overcast, the chances were relatively small, but we decided to book the tour anyway. Sara was very patient and made sure that we felt comfortable with our decision. She also explained the differences between the 7-day option (where you can go out on any or all of 7 consecutive days) and the repeat tour (adults get 50% off a repeat tour if the first tour wasn't satisfactory). Sara was also there in the evening as we boarded the bus for the tour. The bus was clean and had a restroom. We were lucky because there weren't too many participants. Our tour guides Sebastian & Ljerka made sure that we knew what to expect and what would happen during the tour. Ljerka also offered to help us keep our two boys occupied so we'd have some time to take pictures. Sebastian explained the Northern Light phenomenon. He also told us that when solar activity is not very strong, or atmospheric conditions are not optimal, the camera does better at picking up the green color of the Northern Lights than the naked eye. He then went through the bus to make sure everyone knew how to use their camera to take the best possible pictures. He even showed my wife an iPhone app that allows delaying the shutter on the iPhone camera. She was able to download the app through the WiFi that's provided on the bus. Christopher, our bus driver, was also very friendly. The bus was clean and comfortable (Christopher actually went cleaning while we were off the bus checking out the night sky!). When we came back from the photo shoots (with cold hands), Christopher offered to make hot drinks to go with the cookies that are offered. I am glad to say that we saw the Northern Lights. Most of it was through our camera, but we also had a glimmer with the naked eye. In my opinion people and product are what can make a company great. Northern Shots has great people and a great product. The guides enjoy working here and it shows in many ways. Christopher, Ljerka and Sebastian went above and beyond their duty to make sure everyone had a great time and cared for us in an extraordinary manner. I would heartily recommend Northern Shots Tours for anyone who is looking to see the Northern Lights. I think it was well...

We recently went on the Northern Lights tour with NorthernShots, hoping for an unforgettable experience under the Aurora Borealis. While the natural phenomenon itself was indeed breathtaking, the overall tour fell short of expectations due to several disappointing aspects.

Firstly, our tour guide, Andre, although knowledgeable about the Northern Lights, had a demotivating demeanor throughout the journey. His constant reminders of the possibility of not witnessing the lights dampened the excitement for many of us. While managing expectations is essential, Andre's approach felt overly negative, detracting from the anticipation of seeing the Aurora.

Moreover, Andre's attention seemed disproportionately focused on a particular group, neglecting the needs and inquiries of other tour participants. This was evident when I sought assistance with setting up my camera, receiving minimal help and attention compared to others. It was disheartening to feel overlooked and disregarded during such a significant experience.

On a positive note, the bus driver, Luis, deserves commendation for his excellent navigation skills, safely getting us to the viewing location. However, upon arrival, despite the absence of artificial lights, Andre's lack of engagement and assistance further diminished the overall experience.

In contrast, my subsequent tour with Arctic Explorers provided a stark contrast in quality. The guide was approachable, attentive, and actively assisted participants with camera setups, ensuring everyone had the opportunity to capture memorable moments. The inclusion of photographs in the tour package added significant value, enhancing the overall experience.

In conclusion, I cannot recommend NorthernShots for the Northern Lights tour based on my disappointing encounter. Opting for Arctic Explorers guarantees a superior experience, with attentive guides, inclusive services, and an overall...