A Sámi reindeer experience in Tromsø, Norway

Read on for my Sámi reindeer experience in Tromsø, Norway: feeding reindeer with Sámi herders, warming up in a lavvu, and how to choose the right tour for your trip.

I’d come to Arctic Norway in February to chase the Northern Lights, but the day I spent with Sámi reindeer herders turned out to be one of my favourite things I did in Tromsø.

My tour left Tromsø at 9am sharp and headed out to the island of Kvaløya, where I fed reindeer with Sámi herders on a snowy hillside. Surrounded by reindeer, with snow absolutely everywhere, it was the definition of a winter wonderland.

Here’s what the experience was like, what I learned about Sámi culture along the way, and how to pick the right reindeer tour in Tromsø for you.

Sámi reindeer experience in Tromsø

Choosing a reindeer experience

The days are short in Tromsø in winter, so it’s worth planning what to do while it’s light. The two classic Arctic day trips are dog sledding and visiting a Sámi reindeer herd. A reindeer tour gives you the animals, the Arctic scenery and a real introduction to the culture of Norway’s Indigenous people, all in one day.

I went with Wondering Reindeer on their Arctic Fjords and Reindeer Experience, a small-group day tour run by a Sámi company. It leaves Tromsø at 9am and takes in Kvaløya, the reindeer herd, a lavvu and the fishing village of Sommarøy, getting back to town in the mid-afternoon. Lunch, hot drinks and warm thermal suits are included. Expect to pay around NOK 2,400 to 2,900 per adult. Wondering Reindeer is currently reorganising this tour, so check their website for this winter’s dates before you plan around it.

Two other Sámi-run operators are well worth a look, and both include a reindeer sled ride:

• Tromsø Arctic Reindeer is run by a Sámi reindeer-herding family, with a camp about 30 minutes from Tromsø. Their tours run from late October to early April and range from a three-hour feeding visit (NOK 990) to four-hour sledding tours with a warm meal (NOK 1,890 to 2,090). You can book their reindeer sledding and feeding tour here, which includes joik and storytelling with a Sámi guide.
• Tromsø Lapland is a family-run company founded by a Sámi reindeer herder. Its camp sits in a valley about 50 minutes from Tromsø, with views towards the Lyngen Alps. The sledding tours include a ride of around 20 minutes, reindeer feeding, a Sámi guide and a lunch of bidos, a warming reindeer stew, from NOK 2,195 per adult. They also run evening tours with a chance of the Northern Lights.

Who are the Sámi?

The Sámi are the Indigenous people of the far north of Europe. Their homeland, Sápmi, stretches across northern Norway, Sweden and Finland and Russia’s Kola Peninsula, and Sámi people have lived in this region for over 2,000 years. Today there are around 80,000 Sámi across the four countries, and about half of them live in Norway, with a big concentration around Tromsø.

Over the centuries, Sámi communities have made their living in many ways, including fishing, hunting and farming. The coastal Sea Sámi lived mainly from the sea, while the Reindeer Sámi began taming reindeer for transport and food. Reindeer herding is the tradition most people know about, and within Norway’s Sámi reindeer-herding area, the right to herd reindeer is by law essentially reserved for Sámi people. Even so, only around 3,000 people in Norway work in Sámi reindeer husbandry today. Life has modernised a great deal over the last 50 years, but many Sámi keep their language and traditions alive.

Meeting my guide, Ula

My guide, Ula, is of Sámi heritage. On the way out to Kvaløya, the big island west of Tromsø, he took us to some fantastic photography spots before we’d even reached the reindeer, which is a big bonus when you’ve only got a few hours of good light in winter.

Reindeer sledding: which tour to pick

My tour was all about feeding the reindeer and spending time with the herders, so there was no sled ride. If sledding is on your wish list (and I completely understand why), choose Tromsø Arctic Reindeer or Tromsø Lapland instead.

On a sledding tour, the Sámi guides hitch the reindeer to traditional wooden sleds and lead you in a line through the snow, so you can sit back, wrap up under the blankets and take in the scenery. It’s a gentle ride rather than a thrill, but gliding through a silent, snowy valley behind a reindeer is about as close as you’ll get to childhood Christmas dreams come true.

The reindeer meet and greet

When we reached the herd, I listened to one of the Sámi herders call to the reindeer in his native language, and it was fascinating.

Then we had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to feed the reindeer in the middle of this winter wonderland. Fair warning: those reindeer are hungry and very keen on that food, so watch out for their antlers when they come in close.

You can feel the respect the herders have for the animals. The reindeer here aren’t wild: every one belongs to a herd and carries its owner’s earmark, and the herds move between the coast and inland pastures through the year. I learned that the reindeer are fed between December and March because winter grazing in this area isn’t ideal for them, so extra food helps them through the hardest months.

The numbers are remarkable. Centuries ago, the Reindeer Sámi kept just a few hundred tame reindeer. Today there are around 217,000 reindeer in Norway.

Learning about Sámi culture

Once we’d fed the reindeer, we warmed up inside a lavvu, the traditional Sámi tent, and learned more about the traditional Sámi way of life.

Life in the far north has always been tough. Inland winter temperatures in Northern Norway can drop below -40°C, which is why reindeer fur and skin were essential for clothing, footwear and shelter. You’ll probably see guides and herders in the gákti, the traditional Sámi dress, with its bright bands of red, blue and yellow. It’s still worn for celebrations, and the colours and details can show where the wearer comes from.

The Sámi have their own languages, entirely separate from Norwegian. There are nine living Sámi languages, and Northern Sámi is the most widely spoken.

That history isn’t an easy one. From the mid-1800s, the Norwegian state pursued a policy of assimilation known as Norwegianisation, and for generations Sámi children weren’t allowed to speak their own language at school. The Sea Sámi, who lived closest to towns like Tromsø, were among those who lost the most of their language. Norway set up the Sámi Parliament in Karasjok in 1989, and in 2023 a Truth and Reconciliation Commission reported on the harm done by these policies. Visiting a Sámi-run business is one small way to support the families keeping these traditions alive.

The joik

Inside the lavvu, we also got to listen to our Sámi guides joik (also spelled yoik).

The joik is one of the oldest living song traditions in Europe. Each joik is dedicated to a particular person, animal or place, and rather than singing about someone, the singer tries to capture who they are. A joik can move between rhythmic, percussive passages and smooth, melodic ones, and it sounds unlike any other music. It was such a fascinating experience.

Exploring Sommarøy

From the reindeer, the tour carried on to Sommarøy, a small fishing village on an island connected by bridge to Kvaløya. I might not have made it over here if it wasn’t for our guide, and it’s well worth the trip, with colourful houses, white sand beaches and snowy mountains across the water.

I spent a couple of hours walking around and watching the fishing village go about its day. Fishing has always been the backbone of life out here, and it reminded me of the fishing towns I’ve explored on the Lofoten Islands.

More ways to experience Sámi culture in Tromsø

If you can time your trip for early February, don’t miss Sámi Week in Tromsø, held around Sámi National Day on 6 February. The date marks the first Sámi national congress, held in Trondheim in 1917. The highlight is the Norwegian Reindeer Racing Championships, when reindeer pull skiers at speed down Storgata in the city centre, alongside the national lasso-throwing championships and an Arctic market.

On a cold afternoon, head to The Arctic University Museum of Norway on the south side of Tromsø island, which has exhibitions on Sámi history and culture. Adult tickets are NOK 130, and there’s a guided tour of the Sámi exhibitions every Friday at 1pm through the winter.

In summer, the Riddu Riđđu festival in Manndalen, in Kåfjord, is one of the world’s leading gatherings for Indigenous music, arts and culture. It’s held each July.

Final thoughts

Feeding reindeer with Sámi herders was a highlight of my trip to Tromsø, and it’s a must-do. Tours here aren’t cheap (expect to pay roughly the same as a Northern Lights tour), but you get a full day of Arctic scenery, time with the reindeer and a real insight into Sámi life from the people who live it.

If you’re planning the rest of your trip, see my guides to the best things to do in Tromsø in winter, chasing the Northern Lights in Tromsø and where to stay in Tromsø.

Discover More of Tromsø with this video!

Read more Norway guides

• How to Chase the Northern Lights in Tromsø, Norway
• 3 Days in Tromsø: The Perfect Tromsø Itinerary
• Norway in Winter: Why It’s Worth Visiting
• Best Time and Places to See the Northern Lights in Norway
• Unmissable Things to do in Norway
• 19 Incredible Things to Do in Tromsø in Winter
• ÆRA Tromsø Hotel Review: Northern Lights and Luxury in Arctic Norway
• The Ultimate Norway Travel Guide: What to See + Insider Tips for Your Trip

Love This? Save and Share on Pinterest!