Tour in search of the Northern Lights in Tromso

Posted By : 48biancaq
We booked 3 excursions with Fram Tours from Italy, at the suggestion of a friend. We interfaced with Cristian who was always available to meet our every request, providing us with advice and directions.
On the first day we did the Fjords excursion, very pleasant and well organised. Super recommended!
On the evening of the first day we booked the Aurora Discover and our guide David was nothing short of PHENOMENAL! The weather was extremely cloudy, all the guides in Tromso immediately headed in different directions while David was immediately extremely certain of our destination: an enchanting place on a river on the slopes of a mountain about 45 minutes from Tromso where we were the unique to observe the sky. There we waited with extreme patience for the dawn.
David went out of his way to keep us comfortable and warm, with a fire, meal and piping hot drinks. There were only 4 of us (all Italians) and the evening was wonderful. He was always in contact with the other guides and continually observed the sky with his camera to make sure we didn't miss any spectacle. And suddenly, finally here it is!! All the other tour operators reached our isolated place after a short while but no one was lucky enough to see it for long enough as us. In short, David had phenomenal intuition (as well as patience)!
The second evening another Aurora Discover, again with David and this time she did the IMPOSSIBLE! Snow was falling from the sky non-stop, tours were canceled all over Tromso but he didn't want to give up and drove to Finland for about 4 hours under a storm, with great enthusiasm and confidence, until he found clear skies well beyond the border and there we enjoyed a fantastic show! With -17 degrees, with great patience and professionalism (as well as without gloves!!) he provided us with overalls, fire and hot meals, helping the participants to take photos and keeping everything under control.
David was nothing short of wonderful!!
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Posted On : 2024-03-26 12:00:51

Posted By : umasrikanth18
We had booked for northern lights tour with Fran tours , very unreliable service . They kept postponing and on the final day they cancelled the tour 4 hrs before . Such unprofessional .we tourists come here to have the northern light experience and If the tour gets cancelled it’s very irresponsible on Frwm tours .
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Posted On : 2024-03-10 10:01:53

Posted By : DarcyKT
I have been on many Northern lights tours over the years (and tours in general) and Fram Tours was in the bottom two. It probably deserved one star, but I reserve that for actual scams.

Issues:
-Tour was promised as no more than 8. We were on told on arrival they had doubled the tour but rented a bigger bus with a bathroom. After some ensuing chaos it turned out they instead rented two 8 person vans that traveled in a caravan.
-Due to having two buses and a tour of 16, we were held up for an hour at the only bathroom outside of Tromso (every bus stops there so the line stretches out of the door).
-Due to being held up, we missed the best spots for lights and traveled to a spot next to the main road.
-For some reason, the driver of one bus did not help with the services - so we had 16 people crammed around a fire the size of a serving plate. 8 people had chairs and 8 people crammed together on yoga mats.
-The guide happily took photos - only for us to find they are 290 krona per photo to download once the company sent the link. No mention was made either way about charging for photos, but I have never been on a tour when downloads were not free. Also, this led to us taking far fewer photos assuming the ones taken by the guide would be better and we could concentrate on spotting the lights.
-This trip could have easily gone much worse than it did based on Fram Tour’s lack of professionalism. Success was due to the forced determination of the 16 guests to make the best of it. In fact, one group was getting quite angry and began wondering out loud if we were being scammed. This justifiable displeasure was offset by the second group of eight (a multi generational family with limited English) simply taking the worst fallout from the overcrowding without complaint (furthest from the fire, sitting on the ground instead of chairs, etc) leading to the rest of the guests holding back their anger at the bait and switch. A shouting session certainly had been brewing.
-I don’t know how often this happens, but I think Fram Tours manages to give poor/bordering on dishonest service due to the northern lights appearing and everyone being charmed. This has nothing to do with the quality of the tour company. Driving that far north during the high season means seeing at least a brief view of the lights is almost a guarantee.

All the companies pretty much follow the same route. There is no reason to choose Fram Tours for this excursion.
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Posted On : 2024-02-26 22:29:54

Posted By : Jason_S
We saw the lights! So, in all, accomplished the primary goal. The guide was very pleasant too.

A few disappointments, though, considering this was one of the more expensive trip options we found: (1) the van was super cramped, (2) we deliberately chose a trip with a maximum of 8 participants, but then they paired us up with another van - not a big deal except that it limited our site options, and made it so none of us could really get close enough to the fire once we got to the site (not sure why each van didn't just get its own fire?) and (3) they didn't tell us that the pictures they were taking would cost ~USD $30 / photo ... seems like for the cost of the trip, they could've included 1 or 2, or at least the cost could be something slightly lower. They really don't make it clear that you'll be charged and, in fact, kind of imply while you're taking them that they'll just be available.

Still worth booking if it's your best available option, but I'd maybe consider looking at other providers too.

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Posted On : 2024-02-16 10:23:28

Posted By : Patrick_S
Our tour guide was David and he was excellent. He talked about Norway on the way to our first location. Wee set up a campfire by the waterside, put on thermal suits (that were needed!) and David along with 4 couples sat by the fire and within an hour the lights appeared and had a light meal of soup. David is a professional photographer by trade and he was extremely amenable to take as many photos as we wanted. His camera did so much more justice to the scenery and more importantly the lights than any of our phones or cameras. He was a very pleasant guy to spend the evening with and I would recommend him to anyone interested.
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Posted On : 2024-02-09 02:56:09

Posted By : ab1Feb1985
We randomly came across the agency and asked for info. They arrange the northern lights tour with a mini bus and they ask for about 1900 NOK. We had just found one at a different agency for 1300 NOK with the big bus, but they told us they're more expensive because the mini bus is more easily reaching any locations up to Finland, increasing then the likelihood of spotting the lights. They also mentioned a dinner on-board and a photo shoot, offered us a 10% discount and we accepted. The time comes and they say they actually arranged a BIG BUS, which is much more comfortable for us, cause we can have more seats (which we actually don't need) and we can drive less hours (which is actually not our problem). Luckily, lies will get you nowhere, and the truth came out during the trip. They basically sold more tickets, and we were actually not "chasing" the northern lights because the big bus can't park anywhere (they actually have very few spots for that). The dinner on-board was a very cheap pre-cooked soup of reindeers, the photo shoot never took place, and after hours of spotting nothing in the sky, at around 11pm the bus decided to head back to Tromsø. That night though, luck was on our side, and on the way back some passengers spotted something in the sky and asked the driver to pull over. The guide ignored us by saying he was looking for the best spot to stop. Truth is the big bus (paid as if it was a mini bus) had no space to park. As a matter of fact, as soon as we found parking, we stopped and saw some lights. Although we perfectly acknowledge the agency can't control nature and we accepted the risk of expensively paying a potentially unsuccessful tour, what is absolutely disappointing is the lack of professionalism. We paid for a mini bus being sold as by far the best option to snick in everywhere, and we get a huge bus with all the limitations listed above and the lie of "it's the best for you". They sell it as "chasing the lights". It's not. It's moving to one of the few possible parking to stay there until around 11pm. Either you see it, or you don't. They don't care. Their only concern is to be back in town at a reasonable time.
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Posted On : 2024-02-05 10:18:48

Posted By : federicagu1972
Unfortunately, to my great regret I can only give 1 star to fram tours. Before purchasing the 4 experiences with them they proved to be super helpful and present. I interacted via messenger and email and everything went smoothly. Nothing to complain about the activities carried out but when, also on the advice of those directly involved, we decided to ask for a refund for the second Aurora purchased, the problems began. As agreed with them, we would use part of the amount to pay for the photos, part in a spendable voucher and the remaining part in an actual refund which we have not yet received to date. And the speed and availability that I received in the pre-sale turned into cosmic nothingness. Even today, after my return to Italy on December 11th, I have not received any refund (only the photos and a voucher that does not correspond to what was agreed) but above all no response to my email for clarification.
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Posted On : 2024-01-24 07:01:48

Posted By : Nuria_B
We saw the beautiful and amazing auroras, the seeing point is amazing. Just we thought it was by bus, and was in a small van, with out bathroom. Is a long trip, we highly recommend more information, and definitely we will do it again but in a big bus as the same we used in other trips as the snowmobile .
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Posted On : 2024-01-23 09:27:56

Posted By : marisadR7000KB
Well organized excursion, kind from the first approach to the agency, available for all the information requested, even extra skills
We were with Cristian, who throughout the evening gave us a lot of information about Aurora itself, the Sami people, life there in Tromsø...
Peaceful evening, clear sky, moon...but unfortunately the green lady didn't show up...big disappointment for me who has been chasing her for years...(I then managed to get to the center on two subsequent evenings)

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Posted On : 2024-01-05 16:38:35

Posted By : boeysime
Brochure said 7 hrs, but its 6 to 9hrs, call + 10 times to company in the morning till 2pm, no one answer, till meet time, the guide cannot assure we will be back on time to our cruise, and others guest not happy with our group if shortest the journey, 8 of us have to give up. i showed my call record to the guide, he apologised & explain maybe all are too busy? Why provided the number that no one answer, submitted my claim due to misleading, but been rejected, not even partially?? its AUD2781.12
This booking via VIATOR, so the claim is with them too.
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Posted On : 2023-12-11 20:38:40