Tromsø boat tours

Norway has over 1.000 fjords and can therefore be called ‘the land of the fjords’. Tromsø itself is an island and the waters directly around it technically a straight and is called the Tromsøysundet. It connects to Balsfjorden and Straumfjorden to the south and into the Kvalsundet and Grøtsundet straits to the north.

To the west of Tromsø is the island of Kvaløya, which is home to the 3 most popular fjords around Tromsø: Ersfjorden, Grøtfjord and Kaldfjorden. Branching off from Balsfjorden is Ramfjorden, which we often visit on one of our boat tours.

One of the most common questions! A fjord is a long, elongated valley with steep land on three sides and created by a glacier. The open end connects on with the ocean, filling it with salt water.

A fjord is formed when a glacier retreats, carving out and leaving behind a valley that is below sea level. The melting water from the glacier transports and pushes down rocks and residual towards the fjords entrance, making the entrance of the fjord often shallower than the middle of the fjord.

Tromsø weather might surprise you. In short, summers are not always warm and winters are not always cold. Since Tromsø is surrounded by fjords and coastline, it has a mild climate. The average temperature in the winter is -5 Celsius and the coldest it has ever been is -18 Celsius, recorded in 1966. However, once you leave tromsø and drive further land inwards, the temperature can drop more often to -18 with temperatures of -20 being more common only 2 hours drive from Tromsø.

There is no ‘best’ time to visit Tromsø. It depends on your preference and what tours you want to do in Tromsø. The Northern Lights are visible between late August and early April. In Autumn there is no snow and the mountains are filled with autumn colours. From mid-November until mid-January it is polar night and the sun does not rise above the horizon. November until end of January is generally also the time we are able to see the whales around Tromsø. Between February – April the days are getting longer and the most snow is on the ground, making it the best time for skiing and other winter sports. From late May until the middle of July it is midnight sun, the time of the year that the sun does not go below the horizon.

If you would like to book a boat cruise with Brim Explorer, our season in Tromsø is generally between October and April.

Tromsø has many options for accommodation. From Airbnb to budget hotels, a campsite with cabins and bungalows and a hotel. Most common is to stay in one of the midrange hotels in the city centre. There are several, but Clarion Hotel The Edge has well recommended by people and our boat tours in Tromsø depart from right outside the hotel.

Tromsø is located far above the arctic circle, so during the winter it will snow and it can get cold. While our boats have heated saloons and are spacious with floor-to-ceiling windows that will provide panoramic views, it is recommended to dress warm (such as a down jacket and merino wool thermal wear) in case you would like to go outside during one of our boat tours and experience the elements of arctic Tromsø. You are allowed to bring your own snacks but there is a café on board that has drinks and food available for purchase.

Our boats are designed with our guests in mind. This includes families and children. The boats are catamarans which make them more stable and they are spacious with the floor-to-ceiling windows, giving even the smallest amongst us a great view. Some of our tours in Tromsø are 6-8 hours or are in the evening so keep this in mind when making your reservation.

During the winter in Tromsø you can find plenty of wildlife. Most famous are moose, reindeer on land (although they can swim!) and whales in the fjords (orca’s and humpback whales). While not as common, we can also find some white-tailed eagles. Cormorants are more common, and dolphins can sometimes be seen after the whales have migrated south. The fjords are rich of Herring, Halibut, Salmon and Cod, the most commonly fished fishes. In recent years even King Crabs have populated and moved south and settled in the Tromsø fjords.

Tromsø has its own airport on the island of Tromsø. From the airport, there are public busses, an airport bus or taxi’s that can bring you the 10-minute ride to the centre of town. This is by far the easiest, most convenient and most common way to get to Tromsø.

Travelling by airplane however comes with a lot of pollution. The more sustainable way is to take the train up to Narvik through Sweden and continue from there by bus. There is a direct bus connection from Narvik to Tromsø. It is also possible to take a bus to Tromsø through Finland, past Rovaniemi and crossing the border at Kilpisjärvi

Brim Explorer is available for private group tours, charters & events in Tromsø. Our ships are well equipped for a variety of occasions, besides our regular boat trips. We have multiple multimedia screens onboard and a café/bar. Together with our local partners, we can provide food and catering services as well. You can read more about renting Brim Explorer for charter & events here.