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Guide · Experiences
Experiences at the Reindeer Farm in Tromsø
What Do Guests Who Have Already Been Say? We Have Read the Reviews of the Most Booked Reindeer Tour in Tromsø and Summarized What Is Praised, What Is Disappointing, and What You Can Learn from It.
Check availabilityfrom $200 · free cancellation
Editorial tromsorentierfarm.deUpdated on October 3, 2026about 7 min to read2 sources
In short
- 01Overall Rating
- 4.75 out of 6,854 Ratings for the Tour with Sled and Feeding.
- 02Most Praised
- The Feeding, the Sámi Guides, Their Stories, the Stew, and the Joik.
- 03Most Common Criticism
- At the end of the season, the sled ride may be canceled due to thaw or icy conditions; guests report partial refunds.
- 04Sub-scores
- Guide 4.8, Transport 4.8, Value for Money 4.5.
- 05Who is it for
- For anyone who wants to experience reindeer and Sámi culture; less suited for those seeking adrenaline.
Overall Guest Rating
The most booked reindeer tour near Tromsø, the sled ride and feeding experience with a Sámi guide, scores 4.75 out of 6,854 reviews. With that many votes, the rating is reliable, and it shows that the experience meets most expectations. For an outdoor activity that depends heavily on the weather, that is a remarkably good value.
The sub-scores are interesting. Guide and Transport each receive 4.8, while Value for Money comes in at 4.5. Guests are clearly happy with what they experience but find the price high. This is typical for popular tours in Tromsø and should not put you off, but it is worth knowing. Anyone who knows what to expect usually ends up satisfied.
For this page we have read current reviews from spring, including feedback from the UK, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, the USA, Singapore, Greece, Bulgaria, and Argentina. Clear patterns emerge in what guests love and what bothers them, and we have summarized exactly those patterns here. Individual opinions are subjective, but the repeated themes are not.
The day from the guests' perspective
What comes up in the reviews
-
Departure
Organization
Guests praise the orderly start and the comfortable buses.
-
Arrival
Introduction
The hosts explain the herd and the culture.
-
Enclosure
Feeding
The most praised part of the day.
-
Snow
Sleigh ride
Calm; at the end of the season it may be cancelled.
-
Lavvu
Food, stories, joik
Stew, hot chocolate and singing by the fire.
What Guests Praise Most
Guests most often praise the feeding experience. One guest from Greece writes that the time with the reindeer and the Sámi people was wonderful, and a guest from Bulgaria says the excursion is worth the price. Many describe how close they got to the animals and how much unhurried time they spent with them, without it ever feeling intrusive. The feeling of standing right in the middle of the herd comes up in almost every review.
Almost as often, the guides are mentioned. Guests describe them as helpful, knowledgeable, and passionate about their subject. A guest from the UK writes that meeting the Sámi and learning about their culture was the highlight. Others praise the stories told in the tent, which moved them. Several guests say they learned more about Sámi culture than they had expected.
The organization also comes across well. A guest from the USA praises the smooth start and the comfortable buses. And again and again, the reindeer stew, the hot chocolate by the fire, and the joik the guide sings at the end are mentioned. Many guests say these quiet moments stayed with them the most. Small things like a warm drink by the fire apparently linger in memory for a long time.
Sub-scores
How guests rate the tour in detail
Points
In Comparison
Reindeer tours near Tromsø rated
| Tour | Rating | Reviews | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleigh & Feeding (Classic) | 4,75 | 6.854 | from $200 |
| Camp & Culture with Lunch | 4,71 | 3.806 | from $179 |
| Sleigh, Feeding & Culture | 4,79 | 2.931 | from $132 |
| Sleigh Ride, Dinner, Northern Lights Chance | 4,59 | 2.804 | from $219 |
| Feeding & Culture with Lunch | 4,70 | 2.386 | from $178 |
| Fjord Cruise, Feeding, Lunch | 4,93 | 509 | from $283 |
Scores according to GetYourGuide. Amounts are per person, from.
Well Rated
Tours guests recommend
Most booked
Best score
BudgetDecision helper
Is it worth visiting for you?
What guests experience, tailored to your wishes.
Yes, absolutely
The feeding is the most praised part.
Yes
The stories of the Sámi hosts are often highlighted.
With reservations
At the end of the season the ride is often canceled.
Rather not
A husky tour is a better fit.
An estimated 40,000 to 45,000 Sámi live in Norway. Of those, 25,000 live in Finnmark, the northernmost region.
The Most Common Criticism: Canceled Sled Rides
By far the biggest disappointment is a canceled sled ride. Near the end of the season, in March and April, many guests report too little snow or overly icy ground. One guest from Argentina writes that the ride was canceled because of ice, as it would have been unsafe. Anyone who has traveled a long distance is understandably disappointed, even if the rest of the day goes well.
What matters is how the operator handles it. Several guests report that they were informed quickly and received a partial refund. One guest from Greece even found it nice to have more time for feeding instead, and a family from Austria emphasizes that the weather is not the operator's fault. This honest approach runs through many reviews and speaks for both the guests' composure and the operator's fair dealing.
For your planning, this means: if you absolutely want the sled ride, travel in deep winter. One guest from Singapore writes about good luck, because on that day the ride was offered for the last time before the ice melted. The later in spring you go, the more the ride becomes a matter of luck. In that case, ask about the outlook and the cancellation policy when you book.
Checklist
What guests recommend to others
01
What guests recommend
- Visit the shop at the camp
- Enjoy plenty of time feeding
- Speak with the guides if you have back problems
- Book the sleigh ride for midwinter
02
Bring
- Several warm layers
- Good winter boots
- Camera for the herd
Cost calculator
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Total from$400
per guest from $200
Check availabilityfree cancellationStarting prices according to GetYourGuide, converted using the ECB reference rate. The exact price is shown only at booking time.
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Road trip through Norway: Northern Lights and reindeer
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Minor Criticisms
Beyond the weather, there are few complaints, but they are helpful. One guest from Germany, traveling with their mother, points out that the sled ride can be bumpy for people with back problems. Older guests or anyone with spinal issues should discuss this with the guides beforehand. According to guests, the guides are happy to take such concerns on board.
One guest from Italy writes that the sled ride did not impress them and could have been skipped, while the feeding and the stories about the Sámi were very enjoyable. The ride is slow and quiet; if you expect speed, a dog sled tour is a better fit. It is also a question of expectations: anyone who knows it will be calm usually enjoys the ride more.
One guest from the UK would have liked to buy a book about the Sámi in the shop to learn more. That is less a criticism than a wish, but it shows how much the visit inspires a desire to know more. Anyone who reads up beforehand can ask more targeted questions at the camp and get more out of it. At the camp itself, you can also ask the hosts which books or museums they recommend. That way, the visit becomes a beginning.
What Guests Write About the Reindeer
Many reviews describe the animals themselves. A guest from the USA finds the hierarchy in the herd fascinating and tells how the reindeer nudge you with a hoof or antler to get your attention. A guest from the UK writes that the animals seemed healthy and the owners friendly and helpful. That may sound wild, but according to guests it is not threatening.
One guest from Italy offers a helpful tip: pregnant reindeer are a bit more impatient and push other animals away with their antlers, as they have priority in the herd. A guest from Germany tells that in spring the animals shed their antlers; if you are lucky, you can see that on site. Such observations show that the herd has a social structure you experience directly while feeding. So keep a respectful distance from animals that are asserting themselves.
The reason the animals are so approachable is that the reindeer in the Tromsø region are domesticated animals belonging to the Sámi, who have been herding reindeer for centuries.2 They are accustomed to humans, but they remain animals with their own will, and that is exactly what makes the encounter so vivid. The hosts are happy to explain how they care for the animals. Anyone with questions about husbandry should ask them directly at the camp.
How Other Reindeer Tours Are Rated
For comparison, it is worth looking at other offerings. The fjord cruise with feeding and lunch scores 4.93 out of 509 reviews, the highest rating among the reindeer tours near Tromsø. A shorter experience with sled, feeding, and Sámi culture reaches 4.79 out of 2,931 reviews. Both tours are still rated above the classic, but have fewer reviews.
The camp visit with Sámi culture and lunch scores 4.71 out of 3,806 reviews. The evening tours with a chance of Northern Lights score somewhat lower, around 4.59 out of 2,804 reviews for the tour with sled and dinner. The rating often drops when the sky stays cloudy. That is more the sky's fault than the hosts'.
Overall, the numbers show that reindeer experiences near Tromsø are consistently well rated. The differences lie less in quality than in the program. Choose according to what matters most to you, and read the latest reviews for the tour that interests you before booking. If sled, food, or Northern Lights matter to you, check that they are on the itinerary. And the more reviews a tour has, the more meaningful its rating.
Our Conclusion from the Experiences
The guest experiences are clear: a visit to a Sámi family's reindeer herd is one of the most beautiful experiences in Tromsø. Praised above all are the closeness to the animals, the hosts and their stories, the food by the fire, and the joik. Several guests say they explicitly recommend the excursion, and a guest from the UK writes that it perfectly rounded off their Tromsø adventure.
The biggest uncertainty is the weather. Anyone who travels in deep winter has the best chances for the sled ride; anyone who comes in spring should see it as a bonus. If it is canceled, guests report partial refunds and more time for feeding. Anyone who knows this and adjusts their expectations accordingly will, according to most guests, hardly be disappointed. A calm, honest plan is the best advice the reviews give.
If you want to experience reindeer and Sámi culture, the classic tour from $200 is a safe choice. If you are mainly looking for speed and action, a husky tour is a better fit. And if you want to save money, the shorter visit from $132 is a very well rated alternative. Read the latest reviews first.
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You ask,we answer.
How is the reindeer farm near Tromsø rated?
With 4.75 points. Out of 6,854 reviews for the tour with sled and feeding.
What gets the most praise?
The feeding and the Sámi guides. Also the stories, the stew, and the joik.
What do guests criticize?
Canceled sled rides at the end of the season. Guests report partial refunds in this case.
Is the visit worth the price?
For most, yes. The sub-score for value for money is 4.5.
Are the animals well kept?
Guests describe them as healthy. The reindeer belong to Sami families.2
Is the sleigh ride bumpy?
Somewhat. If you have back problems, speak with the guides beforehand.
Which reindeer tour has the best score?
The fjord cruise with feeding. 4.93 out of 509 reviews.
Sources
Evidence for this guide
- 1Norwegian Polar InstituteThe Saami of Norway↩
- 2Visit Tromsø Region ASTake care of the reindeer in the Tromsø region↩
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