Feeding, sledding, Sami culture or an evening under the northern lights: what each tour includes and what it costs per person.
Pick a day, or the first and last day you are in Tromsø. We check the booking calendar of each reindeer tour shown here and list the ones with places left, day and evening departures alike.
Sled ride: Sled ride or feeding, your choice
No sled ride
No sled ride
No sled ride
No sled ride
No sled ride
No sled ride
No sled ride
Sled ride: 10 or 25–30 min, chosen at booking
Sled ride: 15–20 min, per the operator
Sled ride: Up to 30 min, snow permitting
Sled ride: Short ride, length not stated
The tour names on booking sites all sound alike. These are the shapes a reindeer visit can take. Pick one to compare the tours inside it.
Feed the free-roaming herd and take your time. There is no sled ride, which makes this the calmest way to be close to the animals.
The classic: a sled ride pulled by reindeer, plus feeding the herd. Rides are short by design, between 10 and 30 minutes.
A daytime camp visit centred on Sami culture and food, hosted by the people who live with the herds.
Dinner at camp after dark, with or without a sled ride, and a chance (not a promise) of auroras overhead.
Each tour below is the clearest choice for one wish, from a longer sled ride to a calm feeding visit. The full table further down lists every reindeer tour.
You choose a 10 or a 25–30 minute ride when you book. After the ride you feed the herd of around 300 reindeer and eat a warm lunch in a lavvu while the guide tells stories and sings joik.
No sled ride. The day is built around the herd and the Sami hosts: you feed the reindeer by hand, eat a meal cooked over the fire and listen to stories and joik by the campfire.
Feeding and a sled ride after dark, then a three-course dinner with bidos in a candlelit gamme. The listing names vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options. The northern lights are a chance, not a promise.
No meal is included. You choose sled ride or feeding when you book, then listen to Sami hosts for about 30 minutes in a lavvu. A photographer takes pictures of you with the reindeer.
Pick daytime or evening and what matters most, and we suggest a camp visit.
Question 1 of 2
Question 2 of 2
No tour fits every answer, so here is the closest one.
The most-booked reindeer tour from Tromsø: a sled ride booked as a 10- or 25–30-minute slot, plus feeding the free-roaming herd at Tromsø Arctic Reindeer.
The cheapest way into a reindeer camp: choose sled ride or feeding at booking, with about 30 minutes of Sami storytelling around the fire.
The full-day trip to the Tamok valley with Destination Tromsø: about 1.5 h by bus each way and a short sled ride. Only 5–6 reindeer live at this camp.
The daytime cultural visit at Tromsø Arctic Reindeer: feeding the herd, a Sami cultural programme and lunch at camp. No sled ride on this one.
Feed the free-roaming herd at the Tromsø Lapland camp, join the cultural programme and have lunch. There is no sled ride, which keeps the visit calm.
A Sami family welcomes small groups at its reindeer farm in Lavangsdalen, about 30 minutes from Tromsø: feeding the herd, a lasso try and stories with coffee or tea in a warm hut. No sled ride, and not suitable for children under 6.
The evening tour with the longest sled ride (up to 30 minutes, snow permitting), plus dinner and an aurora chance at the Tromsø Lapland camp.
Sled ride and a three-course bidos dinner at camp after dark. On clear nights in season the northern lights can appear overhead, but no sighting is guaranteed.
An evening at the Sami family camp of Tromsø Arctic Reindeer without a sled ride: feeding, a three-course dinner in the gamme, stories about herding life and a joik. Northern lights are possible on clear nights, not guaranteed.
The evening without a sled ride: feed the herd at the Tromsø Lapland camp, share a Sami dinner and join a guided northern lights watch. No sighting is guaranteed.
Also a good fit
Sorted by review count, most-reviewed first. Tap a column header to re-sort.
| Photo | Tour | What's in it | Rating ↕ | Price ↕ | Book |
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Sledding + feeding with Sami guide | Sled ride (10- or 25–30-min slot), feeding, Sami-guided visit · 4 h | ★ 4.7 (6,868) | €181 per person | Book now |
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Camp + Sami culture, lunch | Feeding, cultural programme, lunch (no sledding) · 4 h | ★ 4.7 (3,816) | €162 per person | Book now |
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Sledding or feeding, 3.5-h budget entry | Sled ride OR feeding (your choice), 30 min Sami storytelling · 3.5 h | ★ 4.8 (2,943) | €100 per person | Book now |
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Evening: sledding + dinner + aurora | Sled ride, 3-course bidos dinner, northern lights chance · 4.5 h | ★ 4.6 (2,809) | €201 per person | Book now |
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Feeding + Sami culture, lunch | Feeding, cultural programme, lunch (no sledding) · 4.5 h | ★ 4.7 (2,400) | €163 per person | Book now |
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Evening: feeding + Sami dinner + aurora | Feeding, Sami dinner, guided northern lights watch (no sledding) · 4.5 h | ★ 4.5 (1,559) | €163 per person | Book now |
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Evening: sledding + aurora + dinner | Sled ride (up to 30 min), dinner, northern lights chance · 4.5 h | ★ 4.5 (1,018) | €211 per person | Book now |
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Evening: feeding + 3-course dinner + aurora | Feeding, 3-course bidos dinner, joik, northern lights chance (no sledding) · 4.5 h | ★ 4.7 (942) | €187 per person | Book now |
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Sami family farm, Lavangsdalen | Feeding, lasso try, snacks in a warm hut (no sledding) · 3.5 h | ★ 4.9 (261) | €191 per person | Book now |
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Camp Tamok day trip | Full-day valley trip, short sled ride, small camp herd · 7 h incl. bus | ★ 4.7 (130) | €199 per person | Book now |
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Autumn: feeding + Sami culture, lunch | Feeding, Sami stories, warm meal (no sledding, autumn) · 4.5 h | ★ 4.7 (95) | €146 per person | Book now |
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Autumn evening: feeding + dinner + aurora | Feeding, bidos dinner, northern lights chance (no sledding, autumn) · 4.5 h | ★ 4.5 (40) | €146 per person | Book now |
Reindeer tour prices load live from GetYourGuide with taxes and booking fees included, so a camp visit costs at checkout what this table shows. “What’s in it” summarises the product title. The full inclusions are on the product page.
Sled ride, food, the Sami programme, bus time and winter clothing, taken from the listings and the operators’ websites. “Not stated” means neither gives a figure.
| Tour | Sled ride | Whole trip | Food | Sami programme | Bus each way | Winter suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reindeer sledding or feeding, 3.5-hour camp visit | Sled ride or feeding, your choice | 3.5 h | Not included | About 30 min of stories in a lavvu | 60 min | Bring your own |
| Reindeer camp visit + Sami culture, lunch included | No sled ride | 4 h | Warm lunch | Stories and joik | 30 min | Not stated |
| Reindeer feeding + Sami culture, lunch included (no sledding) | No sled ride | 4.5 h | Warm stew | Guide on Sami life, artefacts | Not stated | Not stated |
| Evening reindeer feeding + Sami dinner + northern lights chance | No sled ride | 4.5 h | Bidos (Sami stew) for dinner | Talk on Sami life, handmade clothing | up to 60 min | On loan |
| Evening feeding + three-course dinner + northern lights chance | No sled ride | 4.5 h | Three-course dinner with bidos | Stories and joik | up to 35 min | Not stated |
| Reindeer visit at a Sami family farm in Lavangsdalen | No sled ride | 3.5 h | Snacks with coffee or tea | Hosted by a Sami family, lasso try | 30 min | Not stated |
| Autumn reindeer feeding + Sami culture with lunch | No sled ride | 4.5 h | Warm lunch | Stories about Sami culture | 45 min | Not stated |
| Autumn evening with reindeer feeding, bidos dinner and northern lights chance | No sled ride | 4.5 h | Bidos (Sami stew) for dinner | Stories about Sami culture | up to 60 min | On loan |
| Reindeer sledding + feeding with a Sami guide | 10 or 25–30 min, chosen at booking | 4 h | Warm lunch | Stories and joik | 30 min | Not stated |
| Evening reindeer sledding + dinner + northern lights chance | 15–20 min, per the operator | 4.5 h | Three-course dinner with bidos | Stories and joik | 30 min | Not stated |
| Evening reindeer sledding + northern lights chance + dinner | Up to 30 min, snow permitting | 4.5 h | Bidos (Sami stew) for dinner | Guide on Sami life, artefacts | Not stated | Not stated |
| Camp Tamok day trip in the Tamok valley | Short ride, length not stated | 7 h | Warm stew | Stories about Sami culture | 1.5 h | On loan |
From the GetYourGuide listings and, where they give no figure, the operators’ own websites, checked in October 2026. The length of the whole trip is the operator’s figure.
On the flagship tour the sled ride is a bookable slot of 10 or 25–30 minutes, and the longest variant runs up to 30 minutes. The most common complaint in reviews is a ride that felt like “a pony ride”. Meals are traditional camp food, not restaurant dinners. The tours are priced per person with no meaningful family discount, so a family total climbs quickly; the 3.5-hour budget tour and the feeding-only tours cost less. The page on sledding vs. feeding goes through the trade-off.
10 to 30 minutes, depending on the tour, and how to pick the right length.
Read more
Tour by tour, and when a feeding-only visit is the better choice.
Read more
Free-roaming herds and short rides in rotation, plus the questions worth asking the camp.
Read more
How to layer for hours outdoors at camp, and what the operators provide.
Read more
The season runs from late October or November to early April, and darkness, snow and aurora odds change by month.
Read moreReal traveller reviews from GetYourGuide.
★ 4.7 (6,868 reviews)
“Thoroughly enjoyable. The animals looked healthy, the owners and assistants were helpful and friendly and seemed enthusiastic about their subject”
“Despite the rain, feeding the reindeer was no problem … While we couldn't experience sledding due to the weather, we received a partial refund. … reindeer stew for lunch (there was a vegan tomato soup …) was delicious …”
“Good experience, but the very touristy atmosphere made us lose the desired feeling … We felt that it was primarily a business activity … it's a shame, but it's worth doing.”
The praise across these reviews is consistent: healthy-looking animals, friendly Sami hosts, hearty food. The critical reviews repeat three points. The sled ride is short (a bookable 10- or 25–30-minute slot, a loop rather than a journey), it can be cancelled for lack of snow or bad weather with only a partial refund, and departures run as large groups. If any of those would spoil the day for you, weigh them before booking.
★ 4.8 (2,943 reviews)
“… warmly welcomed by a passionate Sami family … It felt authentic and personal, not just a tour. … we gathered inside a cozy tent where we enjoyed hot chocolate … the meeting point was easy to find (conveniently close to the library) …”
“… I loved feeding the reindeer; they are very docile and cute … The price is quite high for what is offered on the tour, but it is worth doing for the experience.”
“… Only disappointment was that our photos were not taken. … Would be good if guide took the trouble to click pics of everyone, without expecting to be called, since it is part of the package highlight.”
The recurring criticism here is not the tour itself but the photos: the camp has a photo service, yet several reviewers report that shots are only taken on request. Ask the photographer directly rather than waiting to be called. Groups can number up to 45 people, and the visit moves station to station.
★ 4.5 (1,559 reviews)
“The bus departed on time. We had enough time to spend with the reindeers … The most unexpected thing were the Northern Lights. There was no single cloud in the sky …”
“… Shortly after eating, we even had the chance to see the Northern Lights. At the end, a Sami woman told us a bit more about her culture. Unfortunately, this was a bit rushed … we did find the price a bit high.”
“Feeding the reindeer was awesome. Due to the weather conditions (cloudy and rainy), no northern lights were visible.”
Reviewers rate the evening highly for the time with the herd, Sami stories, warm food, and on clear nights sometimes the northern lights. Two things to weigh: this is the tour where value for money falls behind in the reviews, with several reviewers calling the price high, and busy evenings can mean some waiting. The operator replies publicly to almost every review.
Reviews collected from the tours' GetYourGuide pages. Shortened for length (marked with …), wording unchanged; names reduced to first name and country.
Every reindeer tour from Tromsø ends up at one of these camps. The tour you book decides which one you visit.
Sami family-run camp about 30 minutes from Tromsø, home to a herd of around 300 reindeer.
Sami camp visited on 4.5-hour tours that include the transfer from Tromsø.
The budget-friendly camp about an hour’s drive from town, with 3.5-hour visits where you choose sled ride or feeding.
Sami family farm about 30 minutes from Tromsø, visited in small groups on a 3.5-hour tour without a sled ride.
The camp further out, about 90 minutes from Tromsø in the Tamok valley, on a day trip operated by Destination Tromsø.
We list every reindeer experience bookable from Tromsø with the same facts for each, so you can compare them in one place. There is no sign-up and no sales call. When you book through a link on this page, GetYourGuide pays us a small commission out of their margin, not out of your ticket price.
It depends on what you want out of it. If the sled ride is the point, take a sledding + feeding tour. If you mainly want time with the animals, the feeding-only tour is cheaper and less rushed. If you want the cultural side, pick a daytime camp visit with Sami programme and lunch. And if you are chasing the northern lights, the evening tours combine dinner at camp with an aurora chance, either with a sled ride or with feeding only.
Short. On the flagship Tromsø Arctic Reindeer tour you book the ride as a slot of 10 or 25–30 minutes; the Tromsø Lapland evening tour runs up to 30 minutes, snow permitting. The sled ride is one part of a multi-hour camp visit, not the whole programme. Most reviews that mention disappointment come from visitors who expected a long ride.
These are not cheap afternoons, and because they are priced per person with no meaningful family discount, the total adds up fast for a family. What you pay for is a visit to a working Sami camp: time with a free-roaming herd, hosts from the culture that has herded reindeer here for centuries, and food at camp. If you mainly want the sled ride, know that it is short. The feeding-only tours give you most of the animal contact for less money.
Maybe. The camps are outside the city lights and the season overlaps aurora season, so on clear nights the chance is real. Still, no operator can promise a sighting, and neither can we. Book the evening tour for the camp evening and dinner, and treat auroras as a bonus.
From late October or early November to early April, depending on the camp. Tromsø Arctic Reindeer, the camp closest to the city, runs from 31 October to 4 April with daily departures at 10:00, 13:00 and 18:00. Before the winter season, Tromsø Lapland runs autumn feeding tours without a sled ride.
The camps near Tromsø are Sami-run or Sami-guided. Camp Tamok, further out in the Tamok valley, includes stories about Sami culture, but its listing does not say the hosts are Sami. Tromsø Arctic Reindeer, for example, is a Sami family business. Reindeer herding is a centuries-old Sami livelihood, and hearing about it first-hand from the people who live it is what reviewers praise most about these tours.
The herds at the camps near Tromsø are free-roaming (around 300 animals at Tromsø Arctic Reindeer), and reindeer herding is the traditional livelihood of the Sami families who run the camps. The sled rides are short and the animals are worked in rotation. The one outlier is Camp Tamok, which keeps only five or six reindeer alongside its other activities, and we say so on the tour card. If animal welfare matters to you, ask the operator directly before booking; they answer these questions routinely.
Yes. Every tour on this site offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start. The policy shown at checkout on the GetYourGuide product page is the binding one, so give it a quick look before you book.
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