Feeding Reindeer with the Sami People in Arctic Norway
00:00 Charles de Gaulle Airport — Departure
00:17 Arriving in Tromsø & Kiwi Mart
00:32 Hotel Grand Tromsø — Check In
00:54 Skrri Restaurant — Reindeer Burger & Steak
01:14 Tapas Tromsø AS — Disappointing Experience
01:39 Wandering Owl Northern Lights Tour
02:22 Sami Tribe Cultural Grounds
03:00 Feeding Reindeer with the Sami People
03:38 Warming Up Inside the Teepee
04:07 The Sami People & Their Struggle with the Norwegian Government
04:27 Singing Traditional Tribal Songs with the Tribal Chief
04:58 Heading Back to Tromsø
05:13 Sami Tribe Gift Shop
05:23 Suvi Sushi — Two Chef Specials in Our Hotel Room
06:00 Rødne Fjord Cruise — Chasing the Northern Lights
06:42 The Northern Lights — But Not What We Expected
08:06 Flying Back to Paris
Tromsø, Norway — one of the most hyped destinations in the world for Northern Lights chasers and Arctic adventurers. But is it actually worth it? Here is our completely honest experience.
We flew from Charles de Gaulle Airport straight into the Arctic, checked into Hotel Grand Tromsø, and immediately started exploring. Norway is notoriously expensive and Tromsø did not disappoint in that regard — every meal, every tour, every experience came with a price tag that made us wince.
Our first dinner at Skirri Restaurant gave us a taste — literally — of Norway's famous reindeer. A reindeer burger and reindeer steak that came to $80. Okay for a special experience but undeniably pricey.
Then came Tapas Tromsø AS — one of the most unpleasant dining experiences we've had anywhere in the world. Tiny portion sizes, steep prices, food that took over an hour to arrive, and we were treated to the bonus experience of overhearing the owner aggressively arguing with his own staff. Hard pass.
We booked the Wandering Owl Northern Lights Tour hoping to finally witness the legendary Aurora Borealis. What we got was a huge waste of time and money — no Northern Lights. Just cold, darkness, and disappointment.
But then — everything changed.
The highlight of the entire trip was visiting the tribal grounds of the Sami people — the indigenous reindeer herders of Norway. We fed reindeer, warmed up inside a traditional teepee, and learned about the deeply troubling history between the Sami people and the Norwegian government — a story of cultural suppression, forced assimilation and an ongoing struggle for independence that deserves far more international attention.
The most profound moment of the entire trip came when the tribal chief led us in traditional Sami songs. People from completely different cultures, backgrounds and languages — all united in song in the middle of the Arctic. It was one of those rare travel moments that stays with you forever. The Sami people are incredibly resilient and their culture is a treasure that the world should work to protect.
We found solid value at Suvi Sushi — two chef specials at $40 each with generous portion sizes, eaten in our hotel room. A welcome contrast to the overpriced disappointments earlier in the trip.
We made one final attempt to see the Northern Lights on the Rødne Fjord Cruise.
And here's where it gets interesting — we did capture green hues on camera. But here's our honest take: the photos looked dramatically different from what our eyes actually saw in real life. We had to switch to night mode, use ambient light from other tourists' phones, and rely heavily on our phone cameras' post processing to capture anything remotely resembling the famous Aurora.
Make of that what you will — but we strongly suspect the Norwegian tourism industry and camera manufacturers have a very convenient arrangement when it comes to Northern Lights photography. 👀
Is Tromsø a tourist trap? For the food and Northern Lights tours — absolutely yes. For the Sami cultural experience — absolutely not. That alone made the journey worthwhile.
📍 Tromsø, Norway
✈️ Flying from Paris, France
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