The best time for kayaking in Tromsø
Blue twilight in winter, endless light in summer, storms in between. Here is what each part of the year looks like on the water.
There is no single best month for kayaking in Tromsø, only a best month for what you want. The winter tours run in the polar night and the weeks of returning light, built around seals, sea eagles and the blue Arctic light. In summer the sun does not set for weeks, and the paddling moves to calmer, brighter evenings. The fjord paddles of Steam Tours run all year. Start with the tours and their seasons, then the year month by month.
Which tours run when
The season as each product page states it. Where a page gives no dates, the booking calendar shows the days that can be booked. Sorted by number of reviews.
| Photo | Tour | Season | Duration | Reviews ↕ | Price ↕ | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Winter Sea Kayaking with Wildlife Arctic Resorts | Winter tour, dates in the booking calendar | 5 h incl. transfer | ★ 4.9 (666) | €218 per person | Book now |
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Easy Winter Kayaking with Seal Watching KaruArctic | Winter tour, dates in the booking calendar | 5 h incl. public bus | ★ 5.0 (76) | €176 per person | Book now |
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Easy-going Winter Sea Kayaking Arctic Resorts | Winter tour, dates in the booking calendar | 4 h incl. transfer | ★ 5.0 (27) | €195 per person | Book now |
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Half-day Hobie Kayak Trip, Sommarøy 69Nord Sommarøy | Not stated, see the booking calendar | 3 h | ★ 5.0 (2) | €149 per person | Book now |
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2-Hour Small-Group Fjord Kayak Steam Tours | All year | 2 h, about 90 min paddling | New tour, no reviews yet | €84 per person | Book now |
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Fjord Kayak Tour with City Transfer Steam Tours | All year | 220 min, about 90 min paddling | New tour, no reviews yet | €110 per person | Book now |
|
Midnight Sun Hobie Kayak Trip, Sommarøy 69Nord Sommarøy | Midnight-sun season, dates in the booking calendar | 3 h | New tour, no reviews yet | €172 per person | Book now |
Kayak tour prices in this table come live from GetYourGuide and include taxes and booking fees. Whether transport to the water is included differs from tour to tour.
The year on the water
| When | Light | Sea, roughly | Weather | Tours on this site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October to mid-November | Days shorten quickly | Cooling, roughly 7–8 °C | Storm season begins | Steam Tours all year; winter tours as the calendar shows |
| Late November to mid-January | Polar night: no sunrise, a few hours of blue twilight around midday | Roughly 5–6 °C and falling | Stormy through December | Winter tours; Steam Tours all year |
| Mid-January to March | The sun returns and the days lengthen fast | Coldest: roughly 3–5 °C | Winter conditions, snow on the shore | Winter tours; Steam Tours all year |
| April to mid-May | Long, bright days; no real darkness from late March | Still cold, roughly 4–5 °C | Snow lingers on the mountains | Steam Tours all year; others as the calendar shows |
| Roughly 19 May to 27 July | Midnight sun: the sun does not set | Warming, roughly 5–10 °C | Mild air, cold water | 69Nord trips on Sommarøy; Steam Tours all year |
| Late July to September | The sun sets again, but no real darkness until mid-September | Warmest: roughly 10–12 °C | Late summer, shorter evenings | Steam Tours all year; 69Nord as the calendar shows |
Light and sea temperatures are rough values for the Tromsø area; individual years and days differ.
The polar night (late November to mid-January)
From roughly late November to mid-January the sun stays below the horizon in Tromsø. It is not completely dark: around midday there are a few hours of soft blue twilight, enough to see the mountains and the shoreline from a kayak. For many visitors this light is the reason to come. Tours that start in the morning, like the KaruArctic paddle with its 08:45 meeting time, are on the water during the brightest part of the day.
Returning light from mid-January to April
From mid-January the sun comes back, and the days lengthen quickly. February and March combine winter scenery (snow down to the shore) with real daylight, which also makes a seal in the water easier to spot. The sea is at its coldest in these months, roughly 3–5 °C, so the drysuit and warm layers matter as much as in December. From late March there is no real darkness at night any more.
The stormy months, October to December
Autumn and early winter bring strong low-pressure systems in from the Atlantic, and from October to December stormy weather is common. Kayaking depends on wind and waves more than most activities, so cancellations are more likely in these months. Arctic Resorts refunds its wildlife tour in full if it cancels for weather, and KaruArctic offers another date or a full refund in strong wind. If your trip falls in this period, book the paddle for the first days of your stay so a cancelled tour can move.
Midnight sun from roughly 19 May to 27 July
In summer the sun does not set over Tromsø for about ten weeks. The kayaking offer is smaller than in winter: 69Nord runs trips in Hobie kayaks with pedal drive and a sail on Sommarøy, west of Tromsø, including a midnight-sun paddle, and the Steam Tours fjord paddles continue. The details are on our summer and midnight sun page. From late July the sun sets again, but there is no real darkness until mid-September.
Water temperature through the year
The sea around Tromsø is cold all year. It is coldest from late winter into spring, at roughly 3–5 °C, and warmest in late summer, at roughly 10–12 °C. Even in August, falling in would be a shock. That is why the drysuit on the Steam Tours paddles is standard in every season. For what to wear in each season, see our what to wear page.
For the blue polar-night light: December and early January. For winter scenery with daylight: February and March. For mild air and light around the clock: June and July. For the warmest water: August. If storms worry you, avoid relying on a single day between October and December.
FAQ
When is the best time to go kayaking in Tromsø?
It depends on what you want. December and early January offer the blue light of the polar night, February and March winter scenery with daylight, and June and July the midnight sun. The Steam Tours fjord paddles run all year.
Can you kayak in Tromsø during the polar night?
Yes. From roughly late November to mid-January the sun does not rise, but around midday there are a few hours of blue twilight. The winter tours use this light, and morning departures make the most of it.
When is the midnight sun in Tromsø?
Roughly from 19 May to 27 July the sun does not set. 69Nord runs a midnight-sun kayak trip on Sommarøy; its product page does not list dates, so check the booking calendar.
How cold is the water?
Roughly 3–5 °C from late winter into spring and roughly 10–12 °C in late summer. It is cold all year, which is why drysuits are standard on the winter tours and on the all-year Steam Tours paddles.
Are kayak tours cancelled because of weather?
Yes, when wind or waves make paddling unsafe. From October to December storms are common. Arctic Resorts refunds its wildlife tour in full if it cancels for weather; KaruArctic offers another date or a full refund in strong wind.
Compare every kayak tour from Tromsø
Winter, all-year and summer tours side by side.
See the comparison