What to Wear and What to Pack for Norway in Winter
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Wondering what to pack for Norway in winter or what kind of clothing you need for your winter trip? This guide should answer all your questions and help you prepare for an unforgettable winter adventure.
Packing for Norway in winter will depend a lot on the kind of trip you’re doing. Spending a weekend on a city trip in Oslo will require very different clothing than enjoying outdoor winter activities in Tromsø…
This winter packing list for Norway is based on my personal experience on several active winter trips to Northern Norway in February – the beginning of March. I spent lots of time outdoors on those trips: dog sledding, reindeer sledding, walking, visiting Tromsø Ice Domes, and chasing the Northern Lights... I also spent time in Tromsø town, visited museums, etc.
I also used pretty much the same clothing for my other trip to northern Norway when I visited Svalbard in winter.
This packing list and tips on what to wear in Norway in winter might not be very fashionable, but it will keep you warm and comfortable. If you are visiting Norway on a cruise, this winter packing list will work as well, but you may want to pack a few nice outfits for dinner as well.
Before we continue with the winter packing list for Norway, here are a few things you should know. First, don’t rely on the forecasted temperatures. Second, don’t worry about arctic clothing. Here’s why.
Weather forecast. How cold is it in Tromsø in winter, you may wonder. Average winter temperatures in Tromso in January and February are between -1°C and -5°C (30-23°F). ‘That is not bad at all for a place high above the Arctic Circle’, I hear you thinking. Don’t be misled by this.
Tromso city is located next to the coast and therefore has a relatively mild climate. It’s very well possible that you will experience temperatures of -25°C (-13°F) just an hour’s drive from the city. This applies to many other places in Northern Norway as well. So travel well prepared and enjoy your winter trip to Norway no matter the weather.
Arctic clothing. Despite the fact that it can (and does) get really cold in Norway in winter, most tourists don’t have to rush to the shops in search of extreme-cold-weather clothing when preparing for a winter trip to Norway.
The reason for this is quite simple. Pretty much all companies that organize winter outdoor activities in Norway offer thermal packs to save you from freezing to death. Whether it’s a fjord cruise, husky sled ride, reindeer sledding, or a Northern Lights experience, they really want you to enjoy it. So before you set off, you’ll be given a chance to put on a thermal suit. Some places offer gloves, hats, and even winter boots that you can use during outdoor activities… And yes, it’s all included in the price of your tour.
TIP: Don’t play a cool guy and make sure to actually wear these thermal packs. Even if it doesn’t look very cold at first, it will get really cold when you are outside for a longer time. Winter activities in Norway aren’t cheap, so you can as well enjoy them instead of having your teeth chattering from the cold.
Still, keep in mind that you will probably be doing some exploring on your own, beyond the tours. In that case, you will need a warm jacket of your own. More about the jackets further below.
What to pack for Norway in winter
Let’s start with the most important things first. If you forget all the rest you read here, remember just one word when packing for Norway in winter – wool.
From shoes with wool lining, woolen socks, wool underwear to woolen sweaters, gloves, and hats – wool is what you need in order to stay warm in extreme cold temperatures.
Here’s what you need to wear in Norway in winter:
1. Winter boots. Warm waterproof winter boots are a must in Norway in winter. If it’s really cold and there is no chance of melting snow, you will also be ok in regular winter UGGs.
In fact, I wore my UGGs in Tromso for walking around in town. But when I was out and about outdoors, I always wore my waterproof UGG winter boots. If you pack just one pair of shoes for Norway, then make sure they are warm and waterproof. Most Norwegians and local tour guides wear Sorel winter boots.
LEARN MORE: Best Winter Boots for Travel
2. Stabilicers. Snow spikes, stabilicers, traction cleats, or crampons are just different words for anti-slip traction gear for your shoes.
In town, you’ll be fine with easy-to-put-on-and-off stabilicers or something even lighter like this. Whereas if you are planning to go hiking, you should probably consider heavy-duty traction gear like sturdy crampons with spikes (in that case you may want to take hiking poles as well – I missed them a lot!).
In Tromso, you see people wearing spikes everywhere in the winter months. In fact, it’s so widespread that you’ll find this kind of signs inside shops, restaurants, and museums. So if you bring spikes, make sure they are easy to remove and put on back again.
3. Wool socks. Woolen socks are probably just as important as good boots. Even if your shoes aren’t that warm, wearing woolen socks will help to keep your feet warm. I wore merino wool socks most of the time. When chasing for Northern Lights I also wore my wool skiing socks on top of the others.
TIP: If you can’t find good wool socks at home, you can also buy them in Norway. Just do it on the first day you get there because you’ll need them.
Also feet warmers can help a lot, especially during night-time excursions. I wore mine a lot in Norway in winter and they keep your feet toasty warm.
4. Thermal underwear. In my opinion, thermal base layers are the most important clothing items you have to pack for Norway in winter. It doesn’t really matter much what kind of pants you wear if you have warm thermal leggings underneath; you can even wear jeans and you won’t be cold.
A warm thin long-sleeved thermal shirt is the best base layer to wear in winter as well. Cotton t-shirts just don’t keep you warm enough in the Arctic winter. I have several shirts and leggings in merino wool from IceBreaker which I wore in Norway and in Iceland in winter and every time we went skiing.
Ice grips are not a must, but it makes walking around much easier. After all, you don’t really want to visit a local Emergency Room during your trip to Norway… Most streets and pavements are icy and not often cleaned in winter, so now you know what to expect.
5. Woolen sweater. You’ll probably be wearing several layers of sweaters in Norway in winter, but make sure you have at least one really good wool sweater to keep you really warm. I packed several fleece sweaters to Norway as well, but they just don’t keep you as warm as a 100% wool sweater.
Icewear and Dale of Norway have a big choice of wool sweaters that are perfect for a winter trip to the Arctic regions.
TIP: You can buy beautiful Norwegian wool sweaters in souvenir shops all over Norway. However, they aren’t cheap, so unless you want a souvenir as well, I’d buy a wool sweater before the trip already.
6. Warm winter jacket. I guess this is a no-brainer. You need a really warm wind- and water-resistant jacket in Norway in winter. Exactly how warm that jacket should be, depends a bit on what you plan to do. If it’s just an excursion or two where they provide a thermal suit, you might be ok with a ski jacket. Whereas if you are also planning to go exploring on your own, you will want a really warm winter coat.
I read somewhere that Norwegians only wear sweaters and don’t bother with winter jackets, but this is not what I saw during my trip to Norway. Well, actually I did see one Norwegian dressed like this, but she was a tour guide and it was around 0°C (32°F) and dry that day.
Also, it’s different when you live somewhere and have all kinds of clothes at hand and can decide to leave a jacket in your car for a short 2-min walk to your office. But when you’re visiting Norway in winter as a tourist and plan to spend a lot of time outdoors, make sure you pack a warm jacket.
My experience: I’ve been to Northern Norway in winter a few times. Once, it was quite ‘warm’ (0 to -20°C (32 to -4 F)) and I wore an insulated winter jacket like this or like this (the exact model is no longer available). On another occasion when it was much colder (under -20°C (-4F)), I wore an even warmer Arctic parka like this.
TIP: Fjallraven jackets are very popular in Scandinavian countries, just like Helly-Hansen winter jackets. These brands aren’t cheap, but their clothes are designed for Nordic weather conditions.
7. Warm hat. You wouldn’t believe how many people forget to pack a warm hat when traveling to the Nordics in winter! I guess you can always buy one in Norway, but with Scandinavian prices, I’d say it’s better to pack one from home. I took and wore two: a warm hat with fleece lining and a trapper hat with ear flaps.
8. Gloves. Yes, you really need good gloves in Norway in winter. Ideally, you pack warm Gore-Tex gloves for outdoor activities and thin gloves to wear when taking pictures, etc. If you use your smartphone a lot, it’s best to get screen-touch gloves. I had two pairs of gloves in Norway and always wore the thin ones underneath the warm waterproof gloves.
TIP: Mittens keep your hands warmer than gloves. Also, if you are planning to spend lots of time outdoors (e.g. watching the Northern Lights), you may want to take some hand warmers with you as well.
9. Scarf or warm buff. A scarf is another item you shouldn’t forget when packing for the Nordics in winter. If you rather wear something lighter, consider a polar buff. They are great to tuck your frozen nose in when it gets really cold.
10. Moisturizer. I cannot stress this enough – skin moisturizer is a must when traveling in an extremely cold climate. A combination of cold and wind makes your skin very dry. Use a good body lotion, face cream or moisturizer, and also lip balm. And no, this is not just for women. Men and especially children will need this protection for their skin just as much.
11. Snow pants. I put snow pants at the end of this packing list because they aren’t really a must in Norway in winter. In town, you can wear any pants (just don’t forget those thermal leggings!) and when you book outdoor activities you can wear a thermal suit that’s usually provided.
However, if you are planning to spend some time outdoors, I’d still advise packing snow pants. I wore mine all the time and would not have wanted to miss them. I saw many tourists wearing their ski clothes in Tromsø (yes, also in town), so if you already have good ski pants, no need to buy new ones. Just pack what you have.
12. Extra batteries and power bank. Last but not least. Batteries drain very fast in the cold. It’s wise to always have spare batteries for your camera (and keep them in an inside pocket). If you rely on your smartphone during the day, take a portable power bank as well. That way you can quickly charge it when needed.
13. Other. Depending on your interests and travel style, these items might come in handy in Norway in winter as well: compact travel thermos for warm drinks, reusable water bottle (tap water is delicious in Norway), flashlight, day backpack (with a rain cover), and sunglasses. Oh, and don’t forget the European power adaptor!
What to wear when chasing the Northern Lights?
Seeing and photographing the Northern Lights (don’t forget a good sturdy tripod!) is one of the main reasons for many people to travel to Northern Norway in winter.
If you are wondering what to wear when hunting for auroras in Norway, a lot depends on which company you book your tour with.
- If you go on a small group aurora tour in Norway, most of them provide thermal suits. You will still need warm socks and shoes, thermal underwear, a sweater, a jacket, a hat, a scarf, and gloves, but you can probably get away with fewer layers and maybe even jeans. On top of that, they often light a bonfire, so you can warm up your hands, have some warm soup, etc.
- If you go on your own or on a big bus tour, you won’t have a thermal suit. You can always warm up in the car or on the bus while waiting for auroras, but in any case, make sure that you are dressed warm enough to be able to stay outside in the cold for a long time. Sometimes if you are lucky auroras can dance for hours. Dress really really warm to make sure that you can truly enjoy the spectacle! Wear layers of thermal underwear and wool sweaters, thermal leggings and snow pants, really warm socks, good shoes, a windproof jacket, a hat, warm gloves, and also hand warmers.
TIP: Organized tours usually offer warm drinks, but if you go aurora chasing on your own, you may want to take a thermos with some hot tea (and cookies ;)).
If you forget something…
You will be able to find anything you might need in Norway. However, the prices are much higher there (read also: How expensive is Norway) than online. So prepare in advance, pack smart, and enjoy your Norwegian winter trip to the fullest!
More travel inspiration & tips for Norway in winter:
- Tromso in Winter
- Best Tromso Tours
- Tromso Itinerary (Winter)
- Northern Lights in Tromso
- Dog Sledding in Tromso
- Tromso Ice Domes
- Svalbard in Winter
- Snowmobiling in Svalbard
- What to Wear in Svalbard in Winter
If you found this post useful, please bookmark it and share it with your friends who are planning a winter trip to Norway. Are you on Pinterest? Pin these images!
Hi Jurga thank you so much for this fantastic information. Incredibly helpful. We are going on a cruise with P&O from Southampton in December 2025 and are starting to compile a list of what we need so your advice has really helped us. We want to enjoy Tromso etc and our trips without any discomfort and were somewhat at a loss as to what to wear until we came across your excellent site. We saw a company called icebreaker who have a sale on right now and have a lot of merino wool items. Have you heard of them and would you recommend if so? Thanks so much once again for all the help your site has been. Kind Regards Graham and Rachel
Hi Graham and Rachel, yes, I know Icebreaker and have quite a few Merino wool items from that brand myself. It’s not cheap but I find that it’s worth it – if you use it a lot. I bought mine on Amazon.
Alternatively, if you only need warm clothing for this one trip and don’t want to spend that much money, there are many cheaper brands on Amazon for Merino wool underwear as well. Danish Endurance is also a very good brand and tends to be cheaper than Icebreaker.
Whatever you buy, be sure to follow the washing/drying instructions because wool can shrink really badly.
@Jurga, Thanks for the Amazon link Jurga and for the heads up re Danish. We have order a mixture of Icebreaker and Danish Endurance from Amazon. We appreciate all your help and advice.
Kind Regards
Graham and Rachel
Thank you for such a detailed guide! My fianc̩ and I are planning a Northern Lights cruise for our honeymoon. So, this will definitely come in handy Рpinned for later.
Glad to help, Kim. Have a great honeymoon!
This was so helpful, esp the links. thank you!
Glad to help, Heather. Have a great trip!
One of my “bucket list” items is to see the Northern Lights. I would love to take my sons next year but I have arthritis and extended walking is not possible for me.Would you recommend any excursions that we could do?
Hi Mary, most Northern Lights excursions don’t require any walking at all. They drive around looking for the best location on that specific night and if there is aurora activity, you can usually just get out of the bus and see whatever there’s to see without going anywhere.
Another nice option is a boat tour (depending on which places you are visiting).
Overall, it’s difficult to recommend any tours without knowing where you are traveling. One of the best places to see auroras in Norway (and in the world!) is Tromso in Northern Norway. You can find more information and tour suggestions in our guide to the Northern Lights in Tromso.
I am allergic to wool, cashmere and any animal fur. Will cotton or silk do the trick for socks long underwear?
Hi Leslie, I would avoid cotton for shirts and underpants, but you can find plenty of choices of the so-called ‘technical clothing’ that should be just as good as wool.
Something like this, for example: a long-sleeve shirt, or leggings.
For socks, you can find some ski socks that have no wool, e.g. something like this.
Hope this helps.
@Jurga, Thank you for your help.
Thank you for this detailed post.
I will be visiting Norway in October from India. You gave me some ideas on what to pack.
Thank You
Glad to help. Enjoy your trip!
We are heading to Lofoten and Tromso in January and I am wondering if a packable puffer coat will be warm enough with other layers of course. Heavy parkas are so bulky and I like to travel light. We will be doing dog sledding and Northern Lights tours and a fjord cruise.
Thanks for sharing your insight!
Hi Natalie, it’s a bit difficult to say without knowing what kind of puffer coat it is. But in general, I don’t think it will be sufficient. The packable puffer jacket that I have (see here) is something I’d pack for Northern Norway in summer/early fall.
It’s true that most of the tours you’ll take in Tromso will provide you with a thermal suit, so you might be able to get around just fine. But I assume you will also want to walk around town, maybe take the cable car to the top of the mountain, and also in Lofoten, you will probably be outside quite a lot. So for all that, you will really need a much warmer jacket and all the warm layers underneath (including a wool sweater). Keep in mind that you’ll need some space underneath your jacket for a few warm layers, so ideally it’s big enough for that. The puffer jacket that I own is so tight that I can only wear one light sweater under it.
I understand that buying a warm jacket that you might never use again is a big investment, and it is indeed bulky (not necessarily heavy). But having been to Northern Norway in winter a few times, I can tell you it’s not something I would have wanted to compromise on. The same with good winter boots.
If you don’t care about a specific model or color, you can usually find some really good deals online. I bought all my winter clothes for all the trips on Amazon and it was very affordable compared to the local stores here in Belgium, not even to mention the prices in Norway. I have a bright yellow jacket that I bought for Iceland and also used in Norway and then an even warmer parka in red that I bought for Svalbard – mainly because they were a lot cheaper than the black ones. But those colors just made all the pictures better and my jackets were cheaper than the price of one guided tour. So not a big additional cost when you look at the total price of the trip.
Also, even with a bulky parka you can travel light and just take hand luggage with you. Be sure to wear all the bulky items on you – I always do that and it’s really not too bad.
If you decide to go ‘light’ and realize it’s not warm enough, you can always still buy warmer clothes in Norway, but you will likely pay a lot more. Also, there are more stores in Tromso than in Lofoten.
Hope this helps.
We live near the beach on the east coast of the US. It has been 30 years since I have worn wool! We are planning a trip to Norway in January 2023. Your site has provided the BEST overall list and recommendations for what to wear and what to pack. Thank you so much!
Oh, you’ll definitely want lots of wool in Norway in January, especially in the north. Glad to help and have a great trip, Celeste!
Hi!
Thanks a lot for your post. It helped me a lot to prepare for my 4-weeks trip to Tromso last year in October-November. We’re going back again in January 2022 for 5 weeks this time -we’ll be working from there for 3 weeks as we’re taking advantage of us being able to work remotely and enjoy the experience of “living” and there-. Last year we packed light as we couldn’t take much luggage with us so all we had was a pair of waterproof (ish) hiking boots and we were absolutely fine during our hikes and excursions, but there wasn’t much snow and it wasn’t winter. Do you think that if we take these and some snow boots we will be fine in January? We plan to do mainly outdoor activities and small hikes/walks.
Thanks again for your help,
Cristina
Hi Cristina, I’d definitely recommend waterproof winter boots for Northern Norway in January. Lots of locals wear these Sorel boots. Hiking boots might be ok, but you’d need some extra space in them for wool socks, etc. so the ones you wear in summer/fall will likely be too small.
It can get really cold and I wouldn’t risk having cold or wet feet. It’s also very slippery (also on the pavements in town), so good winter boots are really a must.
Hope this helps.
Enjoy your trip!
Going to Norway January 2022. Just wondering what sort of Marino socks you would recommend? There are so many different blends! 100% or mixed blend! First time traveller to Norway so no clue! I loved reading all you info!
Hi Jayne, in general, I always prefer 100% wool for the Arctic destinations in winter, but I also wore my ski socks on several occasions as well (I have these ski socks from Falke and they are a Merino mix). And sometimes I wore my thick wool socks over these ski socks :). You should be fine with a mixed blend as well if you have very good warm winter boots. It also depends so much on where exactly you go and what you are planning to do. Visiting a city, anything will be fine (and you probably don’t want to overdress too much), but standing outside waiting for the Northern Lights or so, you’ll want to dress as warm as possible.
If you can’t find very good wool socks at home, just get a pair or two of the best ones you can find and get something in Norway (if you’ll be in bigger towns, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find).
Have a great trip!
I have kind of a silly question. We are planning a 10 trip to Oslo and Tromso in a couple years (in January for my birthday). We live in the desert Southwest and aren’t used to thermal underwear. For 10 days on the ground, how many pairs would you pack- given you may not have access to laundry?
Hi Kelley, it’s a good question indeed! I prefer to use a clean base layer every day. Despite the cold, you sweat a lot. All the layers you’re wearing are ok outside, but then you come inside a restaurant or your hotel (which are always very warm in the Nordics), and you get warm very quickly. So you’ll feel better if you can wear a clean pair every day.
That being said, thermal underwear isn’t cheap and I also only own a few pairs because we don’t really need it where we live. The good thing is that it dries quickly and doesn’t require ironing, so I usually just wash mine by hand every evening and it’s dry and good to use the next day (hotel rooms are usually very warm in the Nordics and they often have a warm towel rack that you can use to dry your hand-washed clothes). That way, I usually just pack 2 or 3 pairs of thermal undershirts for any trip and it always works out ok. For thermal leggings, just one (or max. two pairs) is enough and you can also wash them if need be.
Also, you may not need it all quite as much in Oslo as you will in Tromso, where it’s much colder. Also, in the city, you’re likely to spend more time indoors (hotel, restaurants, museums, etc.). So you’ll need fewer warm layers when doing sightseeing vs. for outdoor activities in Tromso.
Hope this helps.
Many thanks
Glad you found this helpful, Josephine. Hope you can make that trip happen this winter!
Hello,
I loved your blog!!
I am going with my boyfriend to do a internship for 6 months in Stokkoya and we are not able to find clothes warm enough to buy and take with us, since we live in the Azores (Portugal islands).
In addition, we are not sure if we should bring just warm clothes or if we should bring warm clothes + mid season clothes.
Can you help me with this?
Thank you!
Hi Carina, since you didn’t say when exactly you’re going and since it’s six months, yes, definitely take lighter clothes for autumn/spring as well. Also, from what I see, Stokkoya isn’t that high up north at all, so they’ll usually have much milder winters than in the north of Norway. This article and its suggestions are more meant for people traveling to Norway in winter and most winter-activity destinations are high in the north where it gets much colder than where you’re going.
Still, you should expect freezing temperatures and probably some snow in the winter.
So I’d say, pack the warmest clothes you have (for the winter) and then just buy whatever you need in Norway. And yes, definitely pack lighter things too.
Hi Jurga,
we found your information very useful and we have used it to organize our trip to Tromso from 11/01 to 18/01/2020, so thank you very much! We plan to do the Aurora safari and the trip by driving the dog sled. Perhaps even a safari in the fjords to see whales. We were wondering if we should use foot warmers inside snow boots. What do you think about it?
Thanks, Alessandro and Maura
Hi Alessandro, if you have good winter boots and warm socks, I don’t think foot warmers are necessary unless it would be extremely cold.
To tell you the truth, I never even heard of foot warmers (just looked it up now and they look quite cool, so I linked to them – in case someone else wonders :)). I had hand warmers with me in Tromso, but never used them. On the other hand, it was quite warm when I visited… So if you’re not sure, why don’t you pack some and then see how it is when you get there…
Have a great trip!
Love this article! So helpful as I’m going to Norway in January and partaking in many outdoor activities. I’m curious if you would suggest 200m-300m/g2 (midweight) thermal base layers, and then layering those, or if 400m/g2 (heavyweight) would be necessary? I do get cold very easily, so I’m worried about freezing! I’m just not sure if 400m/g2 is worth the price tag and layering midweight is a better option. Thank you!
Hi Robin, I just looked up at which thermal underwear that I have and it’s these Icebreaker Oasis shirts (I also have leggings from the same line). From what I see, they are just 200 range and it always worked fine for me. In any case, one layer is never enough. In winter in Norway, I wore a thermal shirt, plus a wool sweater, plus a warm fleece hoody, plus an insulated winter jacket, and it was just fine.
If you want to cut one layer or so, then it might be better to get thicker under layer or a very thick wool sweater. Just recently, I bought myself a real Icelandic wool sweater and it’s so thick that I think it will save me one layer on my next trip to the Arctic this winter.
One more thing, prices depend so much on the brand. For example, I just found this highly-rated 400g merino wool thermal shirt that costs less than the 200g one from Ice Breaker.
That being said, all the organized outdoor activities that I did in Norway (e.g. reindeer sledding or dog sledding in Tromso), provided us with warm thermal packs that we could wear over our clothes. They keep you toasty warm and dry, so nothing to worry about.
Hope this helps.
This is such a huge help, thank you!! What would you suggest for bottoms?
Hi Robin, as I said in the article – merino leggings are a must and warm winter pants. Not necessarily ski pants, but insulated wind- and water-resistant winter pants (something like this would probably be sufficient for regular activities).
Thank you for such valuable information! I have a trip to Tromso planned for early February 2020 to celebrate my husband’s birthday (a surprise trip) and your blog has provided really great advice and tips – thanks!
Glad to help. Enjoy your trip, Paula. P.S. Your husband is really lucky! 😉
Hi Jurga,
I am planning a trip to TROMSO for norther lights in Feb 2020. I am part of a group of 10 people. Is there an option where we can have a tour guide with us though out these 4 days and who can plan the trip for us as well as pick and drop us for the various activities. Let me know if you have any ideas on this. Thanks once again for your blogs. It is so detailed with lots of information.
Hi Sunray, I have no experience with tour guides in Tromso, but I think it’s just an unnecessary cost. It’s so easy to plan a trip on your own – book a hotel in the town center and then book day trips that you want to do. Everything is within walking distance in town and organized tours will pick you up in the center of town as well. Why would you pay an additional guide and a car… Just my 2ct.
Here you can find many ideas for things to do in Tromso in winter.
One tip – since there are so many of you – book all your day tours well in advance or you risk not having enough spots for all of you.
Thank you so much for this! This is EXACTLY the kind of information that I need…it’s as if your post was tailored for my upcoming trip. I just added this link to my “Norway” folder.
In February 2020, I’m headed to Oslo, Lillehammer, Bodo, and finally Tromso. And thank you for all of the links to my beloved Amazon shopping.
Your post has ramped up my excitement level…thank you so very much 🙂
Glad you found this useful, Pam. I have some information about visiting Tromso in winter on my blog, check it out if you haven’t seen it yet. I really loved Tromso – there is so much to do there in winter!
Enjoy your trip!
I need to choose between a trip in October to Tromso or December. What is your suggestion and why ?
Hi Tanya, it’s hard to say. Here are some things to consider:
– October has much more daylight (only 3-4 hrs in December).
– There’re some winter activities that you can do in December that you can’t do in October due to lack of snow. For example, dog sledding, reindeer sledding, Ice Domes visit (see our article on Tromso in winter for more info).
– Both months should be ok for whale watching, although December probably more chances.
– December will be more expensive, especially if you go around Christmas.
Not sure if this helps… The decision is ultimately yours to make. Enjoy the trip!
Thanks ! We planned for December
You’ll need all the warm clothes, especially if you go up North. Southern part and Oslo aren’t usually too bad, but it never harms to check the weather forecast a few days before you leave. Enjoy the trip!
Please could you let me know if Hurtigruten supply out door clothes when you’re on their trips. We are looking forward to our trip and hoping to see the Northern Lights. I have enjoyed reading your replies to the previous enquiries.
Hi Wendy, I really don’t know, but I don’t think they do. It’s just a ship with hop-on hop-off possibilities along the coast, not really a tour.
All the local tour operators that run small group aurora tours, dog sledding, etc. – they do offer thermal suits. But I don’t think you’ll be provided with one on the Hurtigruten ship. You could always just contact the customer service and ask, but in any case I think you need to dress really really warm for this trip.
Hi Jurga, your comments and tips are really helpful. Also from South Africa (Cape Town) we have no concept of cold except for some U.K. winters! Also I cannot wear wool next to my skin so will have to start with a non wool thermal layer. Even my hat will have to go over a non-wool one! I have taken into account all your comments and am really looking forward to our cruise in Dec 2019.
HI Sue, glad you found this useful. I’m sure you can find good thermal underwear that will keep you war and make sure to wear many layers of everything to stay warm. 🙂
Enjoy your trip!
Nice post, Jurga. This blog about winter packing list for Norway is the best I found. Very useful for our trip.
Thanks, Marilyn. Glad to hear you found this useful. Enjoy your trip!
Thank you for the information. It will be most helpful to sis and me.
My sister and I will be taking a Hurtingruten coastal voyage the first two weeks of March 2019. Does your packing list seem appropriate for us. We live in southwestern florida so we are going to have to purchase most everything you listed. I am especially concerned about shoes and or boots since we will probably never need them again.Is snow going to be deep enough that we will need boots or could we get by with waterproof shoes like doc Martins? Your information is invaluable to us!
Hi Betty, it’s really hard to say about snow, but it will definitely be cold in March. This packing list is based on my experience in Norway in the first week of March AND it was exceptionally warm for the time of the year when I was there. 🙂
I really think that right clothing is essential for you to enjoy any winter trip.
As for the shoes – you may get away with waterproof shoes, but you’ll need wool socks, maybe even two pairs, so you’d probably have to buy shoes at least a size bigger. And if you have to buy something anyway, you can just as well get warm winter boots.
In my selection of the best winter boots for travel you can find several budget options as well. For example these waterproof winter boots can be a good option that won’t break the bank.
I know how it is when you have to buy clothing specifically for one trip (and we travel with kids who quickly grow out whatever you buy), but I also know that some trips can be ruined if you don’t dress right.
Hope this helps.
Thank you for the really useful information. I live in South Africa and we really have no idea what “very cold” really is. I found your tips very useful. We are also going on the Hurtigruten northern lights cruise in January 2019.
Kind regards
Patricia
Hi Patricia, imagine the coldest windiest day standing at the Cape of Good Hope and multiply that feeling by two,- that should give you an idea how cold it will be. 😉 Just kidding, you’ll be fine, but indeed dress warm – several layers of thermal underwear and warm sweaters topped with a warm weather-proof winter jacket. Have a wonderful trip!
Hi Patricia
We are going on the Hurtigruten Cruise on the ship Kong Harald on the 24th Feb 2019, any inf and advice on what you found you needed will be really useful. We have booked the sled ride, I think it is from Tromso, can you recommend any other excursions? I know they are all expensive, par for the course in Norway.
Jurga
Many thanks, your blog has been brilliant, So helpful of you to write it to help others.
Joan
Hi Joan, glad you found this useful. I really doubt that Patricia will see your question (I’m the only one who gets notified of new comments – you know, privacy laws and all :)). Anyway, if you are looking for more things to do in Tromso, you can find some ideas here and also some tour suggestions here. For the other places, I can’t really help you much. Maybe you can find some here, depending on the place; alternatively see what the cruise company is offering at each location and how much time you actually have in every town.
PS you can also join our FB group and ask there – I know quite some people were talking about doing Hurtigruten cruise in that area.
Hope this helps.
Thank you for the outstanding information. Our trip starts on 6 Jan 2019 on the MS Nordnogge to chase the auroras. 28 days to go and we can’t wait. I also got your printable email. Thanks again.
Glad to help, Janice. Sounds like an amazing trip. Enjoy it!
Thanks Jurga, I’ll get onto Facebook, that’s really helpful.
Joan