We visited Tromso for a week, hoping to get to see the Northern lights. The weather hadn’t been very kind to us, with cloudy and snowy days pretty much the whole week. So at first we were a bit worried we wouldn’t get to see any aurora at all but after speaking to our guide, Andrei, he reassured us the weather changes very quickly in Norway and he would do his best for us all to see the Northern Lights. We decided to trust his professional expertise and experience and we were not disappointed. Andrei was a fantastic guide, very friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable. He truly went above and beyond, driving us to different places, scanning the sky at all times and being in contact with other tour operators around Tromso to check how the weather was in different areas and checking for solar activity. The weather was really playing against him but he truly worked so hard to find suitable spots for us to enjoy the aurora. He informed us of the plan for the night as we drove off and kept us updated throughout the night regarding any changes. After driving around chasing clear skies, Andrei found a nice spot for us to stop. I had forgotten my tripod and he very kindly lent me one of his, meaning I got to take wonderful shots of the aurora. Andrei also set up two small bonfires for us to keep warm in the cold winter night as we waited for the Northern lights, serving hot drinks and plenty of chocolate cake - which was delicious and much appreciated. It was clear he had a passion for astronomy and photography - two interests I shared with him - and he explained all the science behind the Northern lights to us all. As the solar activity was present but not very strong - something nobody can do anything about - Andrei decided to stay at our spot well over our planned time, at no extra cost, clearly trying to do his best for us to see the aurora as best as we could. He even warmed the minibus up for anyone who preferred waiting inside rather than outside in the cold.
Really great guide and wonderful tour, would highly recommend. Of course, cloudy sky and solar activity are beyond anyone's control, but he truly worked so hard to give us the best possible tour.