What to Wear for the Northern Lights in Alta
What to wear on a northern lights tour in Alta: wool base layers, a down jacket and trousers, mittens, winter boots and spikes, and which tours lend or include warm suits.
Dress for standing still in deep cold for hours. Visit Norway’s advice for the north is a thin wool base layer, a fleece or woolly jumper, then a thick down jacket and trousers in the coldest weather, with a hat, mittens rather than gloves, and waterproof boots with good soles for snow and ice. Inland Finnmark can sink to minus 30 °C, and NordNorsk Reiseliv says Alta’s winter can drop below minus 30. If you arrive without Arctic clothing, Alta Adventure’s small group lends warm suits and boots, and Æventyr's snowmobile night includes a thermal suit.
The calendar above is Amazing Aurora’s campfire tour, from US$128 a person (checked November 2026): a fire, hot drinks and snacks at the stop, and a coach with a toilet to warm up in.
The layers
| Layer | What | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Thin wool, top and bottom | Wool stays warm when you sweat on the walk from the coach |
| Middle | Fleece or a woolly jumper | The insulation you add or remove |
| Outer | Thick down jacket and trousers | For the coldest nights, standing still |
| Head and neck | Hat, scarf or roll-neck | Most of the night is spent looking up |
| Hands | Mittens, with thin gloves under for the camera | Mittens keep heat better than gloves |
| Feet | Waterproof winter boots with good soles, wool socks | Snow and ice at every stop |
| On the street | Shoe spikes or grips | Sold at sports shops and big supermarkets |
Layers, mittens, boots and spikes: Visit Norway’s winter tips for Northern Norway, read November 2026.
How cold it gets
Visit Norway puts the coast and the south of the region at about 5 to minus 5 °C in winter, and says the open plains and inner parts of Finnmark can sink as low as minus 30 °C. Alta is in between: on the fjord, with Finnmarksvidda behind it, and the tours often drive inland. NordNorsk Reiseliv’s line is that Alta’s winter “can drop below minus 30, but the dry climate makes the cold a part of the experience”. Dress for the plateau, not for the town.
Check dates for the campfire tour
What the tours give you
| Tour | Warm clothing | Also |
|---|---|---|
| Amazing Aurora, campfire coach | Bring your own; dress for well below freezing | Campfire, hot drinks, snacks, toilet on board |
| Alta Adventure, small group | Warm suits and boots to borrow | Snacks, cake, sandwich; wool layers recommended |
| Finnmark Adventure, aurora bus | Bring your own: winter jacket, hat, gloves, proper footwear | Heated bus, warm drinks |
| Æventyr, snowmobile night | Thermal suit, shoes, gloves and helmet included | Coffee, tea and snacks |
From the four listings, read checked November 2026.
Cameras and phones in the cold
Batteries drain fast in deep cold: carry a spare in an inside pocket, close to your body. On Finnmark Adventure's bus, prepare your camera settings before the tour; Amazing Aurora’s guests get professional photos included, which takes the pressure off.
Pick your night
Alta: Northern Lights Adventure Tour with Fire & Free Photos
Two guides, a campfire with hot drinks and snacks, free professional photos; up to six hours.
Check dates →Alta: Small-Group Guided Northern Lights Tour
Alta Adventure lends warm suits and boots for its small-group night of about four hours.
See the small group →From Alta: Northern Lights Night Adventure By Snowmobile
Thermal suit, boots, gloves and helmet for two hours driving to Beskades; drivers need a car licence.
See the snowmobile night →Prices, ratings and review counts from the listings (GetYourGuide checked November 2026). Operators price by date and season, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.
More Operators in Alta
Alta Aurora Tours with Open Dates
Aurora tours from Alta with live availability. Times, pickup and cancellation terms are on each listing.
Dressed for It? Book the Night
The campfire tour stops by a fire with hot drinks while you wait for the sky.
Check dates