Lofoten northern lights with kids, tour by tour
An aurora night with children is a different trip from one with adults. Late hours and cold waiting are part of it, and the best moment may come just after someone has fallen asleep. Age limits also rule out two of the five tours from Svolvær for younger kids.
Age limits on each listing
Two of the five tours set a minimum age on GetYourGuide. Lofoten Insight does not take children under 12, and RAW Lofoten does not take children under 10.
The other three list no minimum age. That is not the same as saying a toddler will be welcome or comfortable, so families should contact the operator before booking with a young child.
| Tour | Minimum age | Length | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raido Adventures | None listed, ask the operator | 5 hours | ~$177 |
| Lofoten Insight | 12 | 4 hours | ~$194 |
| RAW Lofoten | 10 | 4.5 hours | ~$177 |
| Lofoten Aktiv | None listed, ask the operator | 4 hours | ~$199 |
| Brim Explorer cruise | None listed, ask the operator | 3–3.5 hours | ~$106 |
Children's prices are not printed on every listing page. Ticket types for adults and children appear when you pick a date and check availability, so compare the family total there. Our price guide covers the adult fares.
How late the night runs
Aurora tours leave in the evening after full dark, and the exact start time shows when you choose a date. A road tour lasts 4–5 hours, so a family can be back at the hotel well after a child's usual bedtime.
Raido's tour is the longest at about five hours. The cruise is the shortest at 3–3.5 hours, which on its own makes it easier with younger children.
An afternoon nap helps, and Lofoten Aktiv's listing suggests one for every guest. Plan a slow next morning too, and avoid a tour on the night before an early flight.
Cold, waiting and boredom
Much of an aurora tour is waiting. Adults can stand on a beach for half an hour at around 0 °C (32 °F) watching a dark sky, but children get cold faster and bored sooner.
Dress them more warmly than seems necessary, with a hat over the ears and mittens for small hands. Our clothing guide lists the layers, and children need the same plus one more.
A warm vehicle nearby is the most useful thing a road tour gives a family. Children can climb back inside between bursts while the guide keeps watching the sky, and nobody has to stay out in the wind.
Explain beforehand what to look for. Faint aurora looks grey-white to the eye, and children who expect the bright green of photos may think nothing is happening when it already is.
The small comforts that help
Raido and RAW both serve hot drinks, as does Lofoten Insight. Lofoten Aktiv's listing is unclear on food and drinks, so pack a flask of something warm if you book that one.
Raido adds food and a bonfire when the weather allows, which gives restless children something to sit around while the sky stays quiet. RAW hands out wool blankets, and its glass roof lets children watch the sky from their seats.
Both Lofoten Insight and RAW mix aurora science with old stories, which can hold an older child's attention through a slow spell. Lofoten Insight and Raido also send souvenir photos afterwards, so parents can look after children instead of a tripod. Our photo tips help if you want your own.
Why the cruise suits many families
Brim Explorer's northern lights cruise, from ~$106, is the easiest of the five with young children. It is the cheapest seat and the shortest night, and the boat leaves from the pier at Torget in the middle of Svolvær.
Inside, heated lounges with floor-to-ceiling windows let children watch from a warm seat, and you step out onto the decks when the lights brighten. The café sells drinks and food at extra cost.
GetYourGuide lists the boat as wheelchair accessible, which also helps with a stroller or a grandparent who cannot stand out in the cold for long. None of the road tours carries that note.
Warm lounges for the whole family
A hybrid boat for up to 100 guests with outdoor decks, plus a guide telling stories about Lofoten and the aurora. With fewer than 8 guests the trip is rescheduled or refunded.
On the downside, the boat is stuck with any cloud over the coast. Its GetYourGuide score of 3.8 from 30+ reviews is also the lowest of the five. Long exposures blur on a moving deck, as our page on cruise or minibus explains.
Teenagers and older children
From 12, every tour on our list is open. A teenager who likes photography gets the most from a small van, such as RAW Lofoten from ~$177 or Raido, where the guide has time to help with settings.
For children aged 10 or 11, RAW is open while Lofoten Insight is not. Seven seats fill fast, so a family of four should book early, and our group size guide shows how the vans compare.
Planning the family night
Book the tour early in your stay so a cloudy or cancelled night leaves room for another try. The northern lights are never guaranteed, and children take a blank night harder than adults do.
All five tours offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before on GetYourGuide, and operators refund their own weather cancellations. Our page on the best months helps with dates.
On nights without a tour, a short walk to a dark corner of town can be enough for tired children. Our guide to seeing the lights on your own covers where to go.