Last Updated on by vincent
Seeing reindeer is one of the most popular activities during a trip to Tromsø. And honestly one of the nicest, it has to be said. Because reindeer are really likeable little critters, clumsy, typical of the Arctic regions. So it’s a question that comes up often: where can you see reindeer in the wild?
What’s funny about free-roaming reindeer is that they look really awkward. The wild ones aren’t too comfortable around humans, but they won’t run away, or rarely. Instead, they’ll stop moving. Not a single twitch. Like “oh if I don’t move he won’t see me!”. So you can get a little closer and see in their eyes that famous “he can’t see me, I’m invisible”. On the other hand, when they’re in the Sami camps, they’re more docile, they stop playing invisible reindeer and you can even pet them.
In this article, I’m going to point you to some spots where I’ve seen them, but you should know it’s not an exact science. Driving around the roads near Tromsø, especially on Kvaløya, you’ve still got a pretty good chance of coming across them. Keep your eyes peeled!!
But since you might want a closer encounter with them, I’m going to suggest a few activities in the Sami (Lapp) camps. I’ve done them, and they’re really lovely.
Reindeer and the Sami
You should know that in Lapland (Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish), only the Sami (Lapp) people are allowed to herd reindeer. There are no truly wild reindeer left; all the herds belong to a family, to a farm, but they can stay outdoors part of the year and wander around for a while. They’ve been herding reindeer for 1,000 years, it’s genuinely part of their history. And the great thing about reindeer is that, over all that time, they’ve learned to recycle everything, nothing goes to waste. It’s used for clothing, for leather, for food (the stew, an absolute killer)… but now it also serves tourism. The farms are open to the public so you can spend time with the reindeer and get to know Sami culture. This way the reindeer are more used to human presence and might come give you a little nudge in the backside with their antlers to ask “hey psst, you got something to eat please?”.
Seeing reindeer at a farm in Tromsø
Being pragmatic, the Sami families have also opened their reindeer farms to the public. So you have the chance to go meet them, to go see the reindeer through several activities. It costs on average €150 for the half-day, depending on the option you choose:
- feeding the reindeer
- taking a daytime sleigh ride
- having dinner with the Sami and seeing the northern lights
- and even spending a night on site in a Lavvo (well, given the price, I don’t necessarily recommend it)
And each time you also get a “workshop” introducing Sami culture, which is generally very interesting. You don’t often get the chance to meet the original peoples of the far north!
I did an outing (well, 3 times actually, my wife loves it!) at a Sami farm, with Tromsø Arctic Reindeer, to feed them and to do the sleigh ride once.
Note that these farms generally aren’t open before the end of October; before that the reindeer are still roaming around outside.
The different Sami farms
In practical terms, in Tromsø there are two big farms: Tromsø Arctic Reindeer and Tromsø Lapland but now several smaller, more family-run farms that have just opened to the public:
- Wondering Reindeer
- Reindeer Experience Tromsø
- Unit X Reindeer Camp
- but also Camp Tamok, which I don’t recommend
I went twice to Tromsø Arctic Reindeer, once alone and once with the Mrs, first the option of just feeding them (to have time to take photos of them) and once with the sleigh. Actually, I’d rather recommend the short version of the sleigh ride, it can be a touch long since it goes slower than the dogs. That said, I’d say the sleigh is nice but not essential.
In practice, there’s no difference between these two farms, they offer the same thing. Feeding, taking a sleigh ride, under the northern lights.
The only difference is that Tromsø Lapland opens earlier than Tromsø Arctic Reindeer, which doesn’t open until November.
WARNING: you can’t just show up at a Sami farm on a whim. Since they organise a visit for each group, with explanations, a meal, stories, songs… they couldn’t do it if someone was turning up every 30 minutes. So unfortunately you absolutely have to book a slot in advance. That said, you’re not obliged to take their transport, you can perfectly well come on your own, but you have to arrive at the same time as the bus (and let them know).
Tromsø Arctic Reindeer
The biggest and best-known farm, located about thirty minutes east of Tromsø, in a lovely setting and a very large park. Loads of reindeer! You can do all the classics: feeding, sleigh rides, seeing them under the northern lights.
📍 Sami camp · Tromsø Arctic Reindeer (4 h)
Sami camp next to Tromsø with a herd of 300 reindeer to hand-feed, a traditional meal cooked over the fire and joik in the hut.
- 4 h · child seats included · Prostneset round-trip transfers included
- 300 reindeer to hand-feed · Sami meal cooked over the fire
- 3,806 reviews · hot chocolate + stories + joik singing
Free cancellation
From 154 € / person
📍 Sami camp · Tromsø Arctic Reindeer (4 h)
Reindeer sled ride pulled by a Sami then feeding of the herd, a hot meal in the lavvu and joik songs around the fire.
- 4 h · reindeer sled ride · round-trip transfers included
- 300 reindeer to feed · hot lunch in the lavvu
- 6,853 reviews · Sami guide + traditional joik + coffee/snacks
Free cancellation
From 173 € / person
📍 Sami camp · Tromsø Arctic Reindeer (4 h 30)
Evening version with a night-time reindeer sled ride, a three-course Sami Bidos dinner in the candle-lit gamme and a chance to see the northern lights.
- 4 h 30 · 6 pm departure · night-time reindeer sled · round-trip transfers
- 3-course dinner traditional Bidos Sami stew + hot chocolate
- Chance of northern lights · 2,803 reviews · joik around the fire
Free cancellation
From 191 € / person
Tromsø Lapland
The second big farm around Tromsø, located in Breivikeidet, in a very beautiful valley but above all facing the Lyngen Alps. A magnificent setting that I love. Be warned, it’s generally colder there than in the rest of the region.
📍 Sami camp · Tromsø Lapland (4 h 30)
Sami camp 50 min from Tromsø with a herd of reindeer to hand-feed, traditional stew and a cultural presentation in a wooden hut.
- 4 h 30 · Radisson Blu round-trip transfers included · 50 min by bus
- Hand-feeding of the reindeer + Sami stew (vegan option)
- 2,386 reviews · traditional joik + coffee/tea/hot chocolate
Free cancellation
From 155 € / person
📍 Sami camp · Tromsø Lapland (4 h 30)
30-min reindeer sled ride through nature facing the Lyngen Alps, feeding of the herd and traditional Sami Bidos in the gamme.
- 4 h 30 · reindeer sled ride ~30 min · Lyngen Alps view
- Hand-feeding + Bidos Sami stew (vegan option) in the gamme
- Thermal suit + boot covers provided · Sami guide + cultural stories
Free cancellation
From 200 € / person
📍 Breivikeidet · Tromsø Lapland (4 h 30)
Breivikeidet camp in the evening facing the Lyngen Alps with reindeer feeding, a chance to see the northern lights and a Sami Bidos dinner.
- 4 h 30 · hotel round-trip transfers · Breivikeidet camp facing Lyngen Alps
- Hand-feeding + chance of northern lights · low light-pollution site
- Sami Bidos dinner (veggie option) + coffee/tea · thermal suit + boot covers
Free cancellation
From 155 € / person
Wondering Reindeer
This one is a really great package. Ok it’s expensive, but they don’t just take you to see the reindeer for a few hours, it’s a full day of touring that starts notably with a visit to Kvaløya.
And so you also get a visit to a Sami farm, feeding the reindeer of course, along with discovering Sami culture. On top of that you have lunch at the Sommaroy Arctic Hotel, not bad!
And it’s done in a small group. So I highly recommend it, especially since it’s the best-rated reindeer activity.
Reindeer Experience
15 minutes north of Tromsø, on the island of Kvaløya, there’s a new Sami farm that’s been open for a good year or so. It’s on a smaller scale than the two big farms and has a good reputation from what I’ve heard. You can do the sleigh ride here too, but you come mainly to get your fill of contact with the reindeer and the Sami!
Since it’s not as far, it’s shorter and cheaper. Not bad!
Unit X Reindeer Camp
This one is funny because it’s a camp I watched being built along the road south of Tromsø, and before it became one I used to stop along the fences to go say hi to the reindeer.
There are plenty of reindeer but it’s a tiny family farm (they genuinely live in the house next door), the reviews are excellent and the advantage is that the groups aren’t too big and it’s not far from Tromsø. I think it’s a good alternative to the two main farms. There’s no possibility of doing a sleigh ride.
Seeing reindeer at Camp Tamok
So… if you’ve read me from the start, I say nice things about pretty much everyone, but I warned you that I wouldn’t recommend Camp Tamok. Simply because it’s not a reindeer farm. They’ve got… 5 or 6 reindeer off to the side, great.
You go to Camp Tamok for the amazing dog sledding and snowmobiling experiences, yes, to see the crazy landscapes. But you don’t pay that price (over €200) to see 5 reindeer.
So really, if you truly want to learn more about reindeer, to see a real herd, don’t go there.
Other farms
There are a few other farms out there, but they haven’t necessarily done any promotion, so I’m trying to track them down as I go.
There are mostly agencies that act as middlemen to take you out to farms. You’ll probably see them pop up. I can’t really judge them because I don’t know them personally, I only see the customer reviews. So my advice is just to make up your own mind, but otherwise go with the ones above, they’re all lovely, especially the smaller ones!
- Best Arctic: the biggest tour agency in Tromsø, it’ll take you to a farm in Nordkjosbotn, an hour south of Tromsø
- Vikran Touring: a small middleman agency, it should take you to the middle of Kvaløya
Seeing wild reindeer roaming free around Tromsø
Reindeer need space, and fairly flat space at that. So you’ll have a hard time finding them where the landscape is very mountainous. But as soon as there’s a valley or a plain, that can be their favourite spot.
WHEN TO SEE THEM IN THE WILD
In summer and autumn, it’s super easy to spot them on Kvaløya. They’re everywhere, especially after the Kvaløya bridge, at the roundabout on the left (and even on the Kvaløyvågen road, actually). So you’ll see them easily!
In winter it’s trickier, because the reindeer, no fool, prefers to head home for food since there’s snow.
On the Kvaløyvågen road
Up to the tunnel that leads to Ringvassøya, the Kvaløyvågen road is too residential to shelter any reindeer. And there isn’t enough space. So on this part of Kvaløya island, you’ll have to go almost all the way to the village of Kvaløyvågen to have a chance of seeing any. After passing the road that leads to Ringvassøya, you keep going until a small bridge, and then you reach a plain, which is a former Sami camp. Here there are chances of seeing reindeer. I saw some on the road, but at night.
On the Tromvik road
The road to Tromvik isn’t flat. Running along the mountainside, at the edge of the fjord, it’s not the best spot for reindeer. Except for one point where you enter a small valley before arriving at Grøtfjord. Here you can sometimes see reindeer.
On the Skulsfjord road
After the tunnel that’s near the viewpoint and the big car park, you come into a large valley. Carry on a bit and you’ve got a good chance of seeing reindeer, there are very wide open spaces perfect for their herds. And since there’s plenty of room, you can get closer without scaring them and without getting too close either.
On the Sommarøy road
On this road, it’s trickier. I don’t remember seeing any along it and there are few places where they could hang out. Maybe in the valley after leaving the Kaldfjord road, there are a few wide open spaces, but there’s no Sami camp. So I’m not convinced they hang around here.
Edit some time later: I’ve seen some near Bøgbukta on several occasions.
Signaldalen
In the Signaldalen valley, there are quite a few, and moose too. However, you need to go into the wooded part, more towards the village at the end of the road. But since they hide in the woods, they’re harder to spot.
📍 Skolegata · Charming city-centre address (9.2/10)
A cosy, human-scale address loved by backpackers, with rooms full of character, a shared kitchenette and unlimited hot drinks.
- Private or shared bathroom options (–35%)
- Self-service kitchen, tea and chocolate 24/7
- 15% discount on northern lights hunting tours
Free cancellation
From 70 € / night
📍 Storgata · On the main pedestrian street (location 9.6/10)
Opened in early 2023 in the heart of the pedestrian centre, this new aparthotel focuses on design apartments, a private gym and a bathroom with heated flooring.
- From a 24 m² studio to a 50 m² two-bedroom with kitchen
- Free gym, laundry, lift and 24/7 security
- No door directly on Storgata, adjoining grocery store
Free cancellation
From 100 € / night
📍 Sjøgata · Waterfront (location 9.5/10)
The waterfront classic, with its gym and panoramic sauna on the 10th floor, and the Rorbua pub buzzing with live music every evening.
- Windows over the fjord or the Arctic Cathedral
- Free panoramic sauna right at the top (10th floor)
- Buffet breakfast rated 9/10 by travellers
Free cancellation
From 110 € / night
📍 Skansegata · New waterside district (9.5/10)
The new favourite, opened in 2024 in a brand-new waterside district: careful décor, a panoramic rooftop and a high-end wellness area.
- Clean Scandinavian style, sizes from 16 to 51 m²
- Upper Dock Brasserie & Bar rooftop at the top
- Fitness and wellness area (surcharge) within the hotel
Free cancellation
From 130 € / night
Other things to do around Tromsø
Heads up though, you’re going to have to make some tough calls because there’s too much to do. So you’ll have to choose between these things to do in Tromsø:
- Seeing the northern lights with one of the best guides
- The best spots for dog sledding in Tromsø
- Seeing whales and orcas by boat in Tromsø
- Where to see reindeer in Tromsø
- Discovering the fjords of Tromsø by boat
To find out how much your stay in Tromsø will cost, I recommend the following article with a cost simulator:
The budget depends hugely on the activities you pick, but also on where you stay. Here are a few tips for choosing the right place to stay in Tromsø.
📍 Tromsø · Arctic Resorts (4 h 30)
Polar adventure driving your own dog sled through the Lyngen Alps, with breathtaking views over the Arctic wilderness.
- Self-drive the sled + swap halfway through
- Thermal suit + hot drinks and cake in the lavvu
- 50 min bus transfer Tromsø ↔ Breivikeidet camp
Free cancellation
From 266 € / pers.
📍 Tromsø · Northbound Viator (6-10 h)
Northern lights chase in a Mercedes 4x4 with a campfire, grilled hot dogs and a portrait under the aurora included by the photographer guides.
- Small group of 8 pax max in a heated Mercedes Vito 4x4
- Campfire + hot dogs + hot drinks provided
- Portrait photo under the aurora + timelapse included
Free cancellation
From 245 € / pers.
📍 Tromsø · Camp Troll (8 h 30)
Snowmobile safari at the foot of the Lyngen Alps over 2 h 30 of driving, with a safety briefing, legendary landscapes and a hot meal at the camp.
- 2 h 30 of snowmobile driving in pairs (swap halfway through)
- Suit + helmet + bowl of local soup provided
- Bus + ferry included from Prostneset Tromsø
Free cancellation
From 276 € / pers.
📍 Tromsø · Brim Explorer (7-9 h)
Heading for the Skjervøy fjords aboard a hybrid-electric catamaran that cuts its engines near the orcas, fin whales and sperm whales.
- Silent hybrid catamaran + 95 %+ success rate
- Heated lounges + 3 outdoor decks + wheelchair accessible
- Naturalist guide + lunch + wifi included on board
Free cancellation
From 178 € / pers.
Conclusion
Reindeer are an integral part of the region’s landscape. Managing to come across them isn’t mission impossible, but you need a bit of luck and, above all, to keep your eyes open. Otherwise the easy option is to go see them in the Sami camps, and it’s a really lovely experience, right in the middle of the herds, combined with activities like sledding.
