The 13 Best Tours in Alta

1.Reindeer – A carrier of Sámi Culture

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 221 reviews · 1 hour · from $73Our pick

At Sami Siida, you will hand-feed reindeer, take photos, and hear about Sámi culture and reindeer herding from guides such as Mia, Jack, and Ann-Kristine. The visit includes time in a lavvu tent with Sámi artifacts and stories, and may finish with a hot drink. Bring warm clothes and allow extra time if the talk runs long.

“It was a fantastic experience! Our guide was helpful and kind in leading us through our experience and allowed us to spend a great day with Sami people and reindeers. The love that our guide feels for these animals is infinite and is demonstrated in his every gesture and smile. I recommend it to anyone who wants to enjoy the beauty of this landscape, its story and its people.”

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2.Whale and Seabird Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 136 reviews · 3 hours · from $220

Join an English or Norwegian speaking crew from Havneveien 24 for a three-hour Alta Fjord whale and seabird cruise. Warm suits, coffee, tea, and biscuits are included. Look for orcas, humpback and fin whales, white-tailed eagles, and seabirds, with Sami joik sometimes performed on the return journey.

“Very nice tour! We saw orcas and humpback whales, the guides were good at finding them despite the fog. And on our way back our guide sang some joik for us!”

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3.Small-Group Guided Northern Lights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 112 reviews · 4 hours · from $251

Join Alta Adventure AS for a four-hour Northern Lights hunt from Alta. Guides such as Steven, Diamela, Stephen, and Roger may drive you between clear-sky spots, explain Sami culture and local history, help with camera settings, and serve hot chocolate with pastries. Pickup, drop-off, warm suits, and boots are included.

“Much thanks the reliable guide leaded us to a spot to see the extraordinary aurora at a cloudy night. I am so impressed especially I failed to watch the light with a clear night the day before. Highly recommended for everyone who want to have a nice aurora tour. PS. The lovely dog in the guide's home is a bonus.”

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4.Northern Lights tour with Alta Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 110 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $235

Alta Adventure takes you into the countryside by black minibus to search for the aurora. Guides such as Stig, Diamela, Steven, and Sebastian explain Alta and the science behind the lights, adjust the route for cloud cover, and may provide warm suits, photos, hot chocolate, pastries, and snacks. The group is limited to 13 people.

“I struggled here, I would have preferred a 3.5. When you go on one of these tours there is never a guarantee you will see the lights. Nature controls that. But when you go out knowing from experience that it is highly unlikely, there should be an option for the tour operator or tourist to call it half way thru and have an agreed refund amount. Otherwise you are driving around with little hope. That said the operators were fabulous and engaging but there has to be a better ending on nights like this.”

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5.Altafjord Whale Watching in a Heated Boat

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 80 reviews · 4 hours · from $262Top rated

Meet Valerie and the crew at Alta Harbor for a four-hour whale safari aboard Sea Runner. You’ll search for orcas and humpback whales in the Altafjord, warm up with coffee and cookies, and hear local stories while enjoying snow-covered mountains from a heated cabin. Sightings are not guaranteed, and cold, choppy water is possible.

“Whale watching was amazing. We saw many orcas and humpback whales. Valerie was great, knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Definitely dress warm because once you see the whales, it is hard to go back inside.”

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6.Privat sled trip with husky in the alta valley

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 75 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $345

Ole and his small team collect you from an Alta hotel, provide thermal suits, boots, and mittens, then introduce you to the huskies before a 45 to 60 minute sled ride near the Alta River. You may drive if fit and conditions allow. Afterward, enjoy more dog time, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and snacks.

“Ole, Ave and Natty were our hosts and were so informative and kind. They provided top notch winter jump suits to protect our clothing. We had coffee and cookies around their kitchen table. The huskys were friendly and eager for getting petted. They obeyed and loved our guides and knew Norwegian direction commands. The sleigh ride was fast, invigorating and smooth. We count this among one of our best tours ever.”

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7.Dog Sled Tour and Husky Cuddles

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 70 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $431

Meet the Alaskan Huskies at Holmen Husky, learn to handle a sled, and ride for about an hour through snowy countryside near Alta. Warm clothing, transport, hot drinks, snacks, and time with the dogs are included. Children can ride with an adult, while solo driving starts at age 16.

“È stata un’esperienza fantastica ed emozionante.La consiglio a tutti adulti e bambini.I cani sono molto amorevoli.”

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8.4hr Dog Sledding Trip on Finnmarksvidda

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 68 reviews · 4 hours · from $340

Meet your huskies in Alta, ride by minibus to Gargia, and learn to drive your own sled team with an English or Norwegian guide. You’ll travel through pine forest toward Finnmarksvidda, then warm up at historic Gargia Lodge with coffee, tea, snacks, and stories about dog sledding and local life. Two people share one sled and swap drivers.

“Brilliant day - well organised with very friendly and professional guides. It was such great fun and we had fabulous weather conditions (bit hot for the dogs but great for the humans who aren’t used to the minus numbers!). We were well looked after from pick up to drop off.”

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9.Snowmobile safari in the mountain plateau of Finnmarksvidda

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 63 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $301

Join Alta Adventure for a five-hour snowmobile safari across Finnmarksvidda from Alta. Guide Stig leads a small group through Arctic scenery, with driving instruction, warm clothing, photo stops, hot drinks, and local stories. Choose a shared snowmobile or drive alone. Drivers need a car or motorcycle license.

“The gear they provide is amazing. Wear what you brought to be warm but then take everything they offer because it is warm and extremely nice. We were very comfortable during the ride. This was a perfect trip for multiple generations. Stig was a fantastic guide. The views were breathtaking. The snowmobiles were in excellent shape and the gear was top notch. Can’t say enough good things. You just have to take this trip! Booked on our own , not through our cruise. Best decision ever. 💜”

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10.Dog Sledding Trip under the Northern Lights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 48 reviews · 4 hours · from $391

From Alta, a minibus takes you to Gargia for a four-hour evening adventure. After training and warm clothing, you drive your own husky team, switching halfway if sharing a sled. Guides such as Adam, Linda, and Raul help you handle the dogs before coffee, local stories, and time with the huskies at the lodge.

“The activity was absolutely amazing. Although the lights weren’t out for us that night I would do this 100x over. The guide Adam was amazing and the driver Enrico for transfer too. The dogs were friendly and both sitting and driving were thoroughly enjoyable. Couldn’t recommend this more. I (22) went with my grandad (70) and my mum (50) and all three of us had the best time.”

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11.Northern Lights Adventure By Snowmobile

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 36 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $337

Meet Æventyr in central Alta, then ride to Gargia Lodge for warm Arctic clothing, a safety briefing, and a shared snowmobile journey along the old postal road to Beskades. You drive half the route if you hold a valid B-class license. Guides such as Rodger, John, and Jakub are praised for careful instruction and aurora advice.

“Excellent host fantastic experience, unfortunately cloudy night, lights didn't come out to play. That was the only disappointment (we know that's luck of the draw) putting that aside good time had by all. Freezing at -20 at top of mountain”

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12.Small Group Whale Watching by RIB

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 28 reviews · 3h 30m · from $278

Meet at Æventyr Adventure Store in Alta, then travel to the harbor where whales were most recently seen. A guide leads a maximum-12-person RIB trip through Arctic fjords, using warm thermal suits and careful engine-off viewing. Expect about 210 minutes, English guidance, coffee, tea, and snacks.

“Es war eine wunderschöne Tour. Unser Guide hat uns dicht an die Wale gebracht. Wenn man Wale beobachten möchte, dann so :-)”

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13.Alta Fjord Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 26 reviews · 4 hours · from $262

Set out from Fiskerihavna with a captain and a small group of up to eight people for 3.5 hours on Alta Fjord. The winter trip may bring sperm whales, orcas, porpoises, hourglass dolphins, or seals. Warm coveralls, boots, wool socks, mittens, and headwear are available to borrow.

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