Marianne’s Heaven On Earth Aurora Chaser Tours

Awesome experience with amazing guide. It was fun chasing the clouds movements and traveling the back roads in search for the perfect spot to view. Marianne was great

Hi everyone. I brought my parents to Tromso and we were worried to see the Nothern lights. First, we book normal tour in bus but after checking on internet we decided to move with Marianne. For sure, paying more but it worth it, trust me. She is nice driver, his colleague is checking the best spot to see nothern lights. She brought equipment, like trípode, jackets, boots, te, chocolate, food… She is pending all the time that everything works well and stopping along the way to see other places. I would come back with my girlfriend for sure. Thanks to made a special night with my parents. I’m grateful

We didn't catch the aurora on our tour but we still had an amazing time! Jordi and Brock (the cutest doggo!) were awesome guides. We hung out by a campfire, drank hot chocolate, roasted marshmallows, and played snowball fetch with Brock. Also, the homemade soup and sandwiches Marianne packed for us were absolutely delicious! Even though we waited a couple of hours and the lights didn't show up, Jordi gave us some great tips for spots near Tromsø we could easily reach by bus. We checked one out two days later on our own and finally saw the Northern Lights! Would highly recommend!

I had an amazing experience on this Northern Lights tour with Jordi and would definitely recommend it. The guides were incredibly passionate about the Northern Lights and clearly love what they do. They went above and beyond, driving for hours and constantly searching for the best possible conditions so we could actually see the aurora. Their dedication really made a difference. This tour isn’t a quick or easy outing, it can involve many hours in the car and outside in the cold, waiting for the right moment and location. Because of that, I strongly recommend being prepared and dressing very warmly. Proper clothing is essential if you want to fully enjoy the experience. We ended up about 1.5 hours away from Tromsø, in a very dark and remote location. The conditions there were perfect: we saw the Northern Lights beautifully, the stars were absolutely stunning, and the guides even made a fire and provided some food. That moment, standing under the sky with the aurora above us, was truly unforgettable. This is a fantastic tour for anyone who is willing to be patient, spend time outdoors, and embrace the unpredictability of chasing the Northern Lights. If you come prepared and with the right mindset, it’s an experience you won’t regret. Thanks Jordi and Marianne also for the amazing pictures!

We went on Marianne's Excellent 4/5 hour day tour from Tromso to the mountains and fantastic scenery including to her village where she was born. Marianne is full of knowledge and is also a pro. photographer and gives very good tips. Excellent driver and we were in a 4WHD SUV and her driving is just what you need in the climatic conditions. We were with another British couple and this made the day even better. Very good stops for photography. Now that we have been on this tour, we would certainly recommend using Marianne for the nightly northern light tours as well. We are hoping to return in the summer months as we just love Tromso and we will certainly be hoping to go with Marianne again. Norway is expensive and Marianne is not cheap either, but you are getting a personal tour as opposed to being in a large coach.

We had a great time on this chaser tour and took some stunning photos. Whilst it was a cold night Jordi lit a bonfire and we had soup and toasted cheese sandwiches to warm us up. The tour took us into the Fjords and it was a really clear night and the aurora was stunning and present for around 8 hours which was the duration of the tour. Thermal suits were available as were camera tripods and help to capture the best shots if you needed it. The Northern Lights are once in a lifetime opportunity and I can recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see them and with experienced and friendly tour guides.

I went on the Northern Lights Tour from Tromsø with guides Marianna and Jordi from Barcelona. The tour felt like we were being held hostage. They abandoned us for long periods, equipment was broken, and food was ignored. They did not even speak to us. At 12:30 a.m., we asked when we could go home and Marianna called it a “stupid, stupid, stupid question” and intimidated us. When we asked again later because we were freezing, she refused and said, “you can sleep when you die.” At 2:30 a.m., the car was left with windows open and no heat for an hour, and we had to call the police at 3:30 a.m. to get home. She still refused to turn on the heat or close the window. The driving was unsafe as she was speeding, and the guides were verbally aggressive. I would never recommend this tour.

It was an extraordinary experience. You can really tell it's a family-run business that takes care of every detail of the experience. It's not the typical tour on a huge bus packed with people, but a very personalized, almost private experience, as you travel to the locations in a van. This allows you to reach magical spots that are impossible to access by bus or minibus. The guide was incredible, besides being very friendly, he was also an excellent photographer and helped me adjust my camera to get the best possible photos of the auroras. He also gave a great explanation of why they occur, lit a fire for us, and offered marshmallows. Marianne, the owner, was extremely hospitable and kind, and made us feel wonderful throughout the entire tour.

The trip was amazing! Our guide Jordi made sure we were comfortable. He spoke about the science behind auroras and how they occur and showed us how to photograph them. He gave us this tomato soup that Marianne made (really delicious). After seeing one, Jordi tried to help us see more and drove to Finland! The service is impeccable and we are so happy to have chosen Marianne’s company as our guide. Would repeat again and hopefully have more luck next time.

Went out with Marriane in the day breathtaking scenery and a lovely drive Went out again on the night with jordi and we drove quite far and the aurora was amazing jordi went out his way to make us comfortable and showed us how to photograph the aurora and fed us soup and cheese sandwiches around a fire would highly recommend this tour 5 stars

We went on the Northern Lights Tour and Jordi was our guide. The tour was great and Jordi was very helpful, food and snow suits were provided and we got some great pictures.

A tour to repeat, without a doubt. I did the tour with them twice, both with Jordi (our guide) and once with Marianne herself and what an epic tour it was. The tour itself is based on very small groups, which to me is the most important. They focus on your experience and comfort. You will travel as far or as late as it needs to be so that you see Auroras (of course if the weather is in your favour). We had hot chocolate, tomato soup, cookies, sandwiches, and great company. Jordi gave us tips on how to set up our cameras and brought his equipment so he could take pictures for the ones that didn't have one. There were some big buses that we saw on our way (also hunting auroras) but they got back home really early (probably missed the best part of one of the nights). It was really worth it and I would always choose small group tours for these experiences. If you want great company, good Aurora tips and info, and one of the best chances to catch Auroras, get this tour!

We came to Tromso hoping to have a good aurora experience. Our experience was totally awesome. Mariana and her driver took us to her private viewing spot and we were blown away by the view and the lights of the aurora. She helped us to photograph the lights and provided us with snacks and beverages that further enhanced our experience. Marianna and crew are enthusiastic and truly did all they could to elevate our exposure to the awesome northern lights. We would highly recommend her services

Our group of 7, including our 3-year-old daughter, had an absolutely wonderful evening with Marianne! She was amazing with our little one and made sure everyone was comfortable throughout the night. The bonfire, hot soup, and sandwiches were perfect for keeping us warm, and we were thrilled to see the aurora! Marianne took incredible photos for us and was spot-on with communication. She was punctual, knowledgeable about tracking the lights, and passionate about what she does. Her expertise really showed as she guided us to the perfect spots. Highly recommend Marianne's tours for families, she truly goes above and beyond!

Incredible! Her passion is contagious and her knowledge unmatched! I loved the tours I did with her and the Lights were amazing

My friend and I had the absolute pleasure of joining Marianne’s evening tour in Tromsø this February, and it was hands down one of the most incredible experiences of our lives! Marianne’s passion for chasing the Northern Lights is truly unmatched. She was constantly in touch with other guides to make sure we had the best possible chance of seeing the aurora, and her dedication paid off—we were beyond lucky to witness a breathtaking, vibrant dance of lights! (Especially after hearing that the previous night hadn’t been so fortunate.) Marianne went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and well-prepared. She provided snow suits to keep us warm, tripods for our iPhones to capture the magic, and delicious hot chocolate, soup, and sandwiches to keep us fueled through the chilly night. It was clear she genuinely cared about making the experience special for everyone. Beyond just her guiding expertise, Marianne was an absolute joy to be around—funny, kind, and full of energy. She made the whole group feel at ease and added so much to the adventure with her great sense of humor. This tour was far more than we ever expected, and I can’t recommend it enough! If you’re heading to Tromsø and dreaming of seeing the Northern Lights, do yourself a favor and book with Marianne. You won’t regret it!”

I know that she doesn't want to lose money and that no one can predict the weather but i really was prefered that they cancell the tour. Just we are 2, she send a man, really Nice man but he was so distracted driving and im not paying to much money just for he showing us a supermarket, where he save his things in a camper and take photos of abandoned houses and just two or three Nice photos. We have to await what he wants to do and i mean that was a waste of time. Marianne never wrote, just spent the money and thats really unprofessional

Marianne and her team went above and beyond to make our northern lights tour once in a lifetime. Our first stop had the aurora visible, although was fairly cloudy and not overly visible. We then moved to another area where the lights put on an insanely beautiful show. We had a clear view of the most incredible aurora show that lasted around 50 minutes. Marianne and her team gave us tips for taking the best photos, allowed us to use a tripod, took professional photos of us with the auroras (which was emailed to us the following day along with her professional photos of the lights which were breathtaking). Once the aurora had subsided, we had soup, sandwiches, biscuits and hot chocolate - the perfect way to warm up. If you are deciding between a bigger bus tour and a smaller tour, this is by far the way to go. The experience was made even more incredible with every person on the tour being so passionate about spotting the lights. Hands down one of the best tours we have ever taken. We cannot thank the team enough for making our first experience seeing the northern lights unforgettable.

This was by far one of the best tours my husband and I have ever been on! Marianne and her team went way over and beyond to provide us with the most amazing experience! She was incredibly friendly and generous in very way! Marianne took us to places where we were just about the only people in our small group to look for the Aurora. We found Aurora many times in all of her glory at both locations! Marianne shared so much experience with helping us to get the best photos for catching the Aurora. She and her team are truly passionate about taking photos and experiencing the Northern Lights! We have already highly recommended this tour to other people we have met in Tromso.

Dear Marianne, thank you very much for the wonderful evening we had yesterday! Magnificent Northern Lights and fabulous magic soup! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 Your cabins was so charming 👍 Thanks also to the driver ! We wish you the best for your business. Valerie

27th Nov 2025 ( my birthday) I joined Marianne on my 3rd chaser tour with her, this time with my Mum in tow as it as her dream to see lady Aurora. I knew her best chance would be on a tour with Marianne, and I was right! Went to a couple of locations as the first location the lights were slightly visible but the sky was cloudy. We then travelled towards Finland, as Marianne heard from a contact that the sky was clear there. BOOM we witnessed a fantastic display, with green, reds and purple dancing across the sky, I couldn’t have wished for a better display for my mum. A campfire, hot chocolate, sandwiches and soup helped keep us toasty in our snow suits. Tripods available and help with setting up your cameras or phones. My photo’s all taken on my IPhone and you can see they look great . Pick up at 6pm and got dropped off at our accommodation at 3.30am, talk about value for money. I can’t recommend Marianne’s northern lights tour enough, 5*

A wonderful, genuine service with passionate photographers. I actually booked the wildlife tour first, which was OK but we didn't see much in terms of wildlife, though we did have bad weather that day. I added on an Aurora tour at the last minute when we realised there was a strong solar signal coming that night and that was amazing. Actually it was much better value and better quality than the other awful tour I took the next day, with so many sub standard operators in the region that really rip you off on a once in a lifetime experience. Marianne had everything and looked after us really well - she ensured we were warm, protected and had all the gear you would need on both tours, and spent a lot of time that no one else would ever do on little extra touches herself like filming the drive, sending us her own shots, checking on our boot quality etc. She even cooks homemade soup that I couldn't get enough of, after several nights of sub standard restaurants in town. Her staff were all really genuine and honest, warm people - no fake smiles, no meaningless mindless natter, just honest, helpful service and they give you time to get the right shots and help you. We had a great run of solar activity and stayed for ages, it was wonderful as they checked and helped us while frantically getting us set up to take shots ASAP and even gave me an extra tripod for my phone. While their ads and website don't state so, they include everything. Photos of you with aurora, photos of the aurora that they as professional photographers take, plenty of food amd hot drinks, all the gear for you to wear but most importantly all of the gear to take excellent photos. I wish I had known this as I then had already booked an awful cheap bus tour the following night with none of this, just a few hot drinks and awful service, couldn't even get a single decent photo from all the light pollution caused from both staff and passengers, even staff bumping me while trying to stand far away, this was so much better than all the awful dodgy unlicensed operators. You get proper professionals who make sure your once in a lifetime experience is worth it. Even after sales service was great, I would recommend them in a heart beat. They're not the cheapest bit the cheapest was a complete waste of time - I'm so glad I got lucky with choosing these guys!

Well-run operation!. We stayed out a long time (6pm-3am) giving us plenty time to enjoy the Aurora Borealis. Marianne took us almost to Finland to escape the cloud cover nearer Tromso. Marianne and her crew provided everything we needed to make us comfortable and productive with our cameras. They provided tripods and camera guidance even for the Iphone. They took professional quality photos of us with the aurora. We found Marianne to be committed to providing a good experience (worked with us to reschedule when our scheduled night didn't seem good due to cloud coverage into Finland). We were referred to Marianne's by satisfied customers from 2023. We would definitely choose Marianne again.

Fantastic team and tour! If there is a chance of seeing anything, they will do everything to be in the right spot at the right time.

I’ve have had 9 tours in Tromsø in two different years, this one is the best. Book your tour with Marianne and her team, they are experts in chasing northern lights, they take you to te right spot no losing time and keep you there until the time is right, no limits. Best aurora chase in Tromsø by far.

Marianne and her crew really wanted us to experience the lights, and went out of their way to find them for us. It was a truely interesting experience. All that they provided was excellent including the instruction on the set up of the camera (supplying the tripod for me) for capturing the lights. The soup, sandwiches, hot chocolate were much appreciated in the cold, as was the warm clothing and boots. It was a long night but I wouldn't go with anyone else. This adventure was the highlight of our trip.

I went on a Northern Lights tour on 10/21/24 and it was GREAT! The group was small (it was me and 2 other people) and we had 2 guides. I am horrible with names, so I apologize, I do not remember their names. However, it was 2 gentlemen and they were fantastic! They knew all about camera settings and how to adjust them, so you can take your own beautiful pictures of the NL. We drove to a few (3-4) different spots, before they found the best spot to view the NL. We were the only tour group there, so it was nice and quiet, and was on a beach that had a fire pit to help stay warm. We got to see a SPECTACULAR NL show! They provided cheese sandwiches, homemade tomato soup (which, for me not being a tomato lover, I had 2 full servings of it!!), cookies and hot chocolate. I've read some negative reviews from others, and I think the company has seriously taken those to heart because it seemed to me that they have changed some things to address those concerns. The ONLY minor negative thing I have to say is that (compared to some other tours I went on) the guides didn't seem as knowledgeable about the science of the NL and seemed a little more interested in taking their own photos of the NL, instead of taking photos of us with the NL. However, I still 100% would recommend this tour to anyone!! I was not disappointed in the least! Great guides, amazing tour, and BREATHTAKING NL show!

Booked with Mariannes aurora tour. We meet them on time and left at 6pm at the city center. Her team is very friendly and experienced. Mariannes team drove us for more than 3 hours until we find the clear sky. They are willing to drive us all the way to Finland just to see Aurora Borealis. We captured the best Aurora last night. The tour lasted for more than 9hrs. It was really a good chase. I WILL DEFINITELY Mariannes Aurora tour. Thank you Marriane and to your team. You make us all happy specially my parents from the Philippines

tos with our phones. While phone cameras won’t capture spectacular shots, they take professional pictures of the group, which they share later. To make the experience even more enjoyable, they also offered us hot soup, hot chocolate, sandwiches, and cookies. There was a cozy fireplace where we could gather and warm up between outdoor activities. Marianne was like a mother bear, taking great care of us. She even drove us to the airport after the tour and kindly kept our suitcases at her place. We truly enjoyed the tour, and so will you!

Govind is the Northern Lights whisperer — I can’t give him enough credit for helping create a moment we’ll remember for a lifetime: an engagement and priceless photos of an amazing aurora. From start to finish, he helped me plan the perfect moment to ask, ‘Will you marry me?’ — and then stayed up extra late editing the photos, sending them to me in literally hours to share with family and friends. On a night when conditions didn’t seem ideal, he drove us all around until the sky opened up above us and put on a display I could have only dreamed of… I just can’t say thank you enough. If you want the best chance to see the aurora in Norway in an idyllic setting, you need to book with Govind.

Going out chasing auroras with Marianne and the team was an unforgettable experience. They will make sure to find the right place to spot the auroras and they will take very good care of you while waiting for it. Marianne is so kind and she provided us with all we needed. We went out with other tours but came back to go out with Marianne again. Thank you so much for everything Marianne and team, we will definitely be back!

Great trip with Marianne and colleague And so pleased we were able to see the aurora. I can’t recommend Marianne highly enough. She is a local person, whose knows the area and conditions very well. If the aurora is there she will help you see it.

An unforgettable Tour with Marianne, Govin and Iwan. Even though the weather forecast said low activity for Aurora, Marianne knew where to go. They took us to Dåfjord . Soon after we arrived, the Northern Lights Show started and it was magic. Marianne helped us with the Camera settings so we were able to take great pictures. Then we had hot soup Sandwiches and sat around the Fire 🔥 before the Aurora started again 💚. Govin took some Pictures of us so we have wonderful memories of the Tour. I highly recommend this Tour, but you have to keep in mind that you are out there in the wild with no toilet around. I would always go on a tour with them again. Thanks Marianne, Govin and Iwan 🫶

Mission: Seeing northern lights in a bad weather condition Status: Success My mother and I visited Tromso for 4 days 3 nights in mid-September. Unfortunately, the weather condition was not the best for seeing the northern lights due to overcast, also the KP value was considerably low-normal during those days. On the second day of our trip, my mum and I decided to join a tour to increase our chance of seeing the northern lights. The very nice lady from the travel information center has recommended us to join the Marianne's tour, as Marianne is a professional photographer and he has great knowledge of finding spots for this occasion. The tour was 2200NOK per person from 7pm - 4am, and the tour run as a small group (6 persons in total when I arrived) After we met Marianne, we jumped on his mini van immediately and he drove towards Finland border. The journey was around 2 - 2.5 hours long, I did ask to stop by a service station. If you are joining the tour as well, I'd recommend you to go to the bathroom beforehand. We were dropped by a field just after Finland border. As soon as we arrived the place, we already saw a few northern lights in the sky and the sky was getting clearer. Full moon was shinning through the field so the field wasn't too dark. Marianne has then helped us to set up our cameras (IOS/ F-stops / exposure time etc) He also help to set up iphone camera settings. If you do decide to go for a northern light tour, I'd highly recommend you to bring a camera instead of using a phone camera. I have my own tripod, but Marianne also provided tripods for this event. After a while of taking pictures in the cold, Marianne has set up a fire, brought out some chairs, hot soups, sandwiches, hot chocolate and cookies for us. It warmed us up a lot in this freezing weather. He also has some extra warm jackets to provide I believe. I have taken many pictures of the Aurora, the sky got really clear during the night. At around 2am we started to head back Tromso, and Marianne has dropped us off to where people stayed. Overall, the experience was amazing and we had indeed successfully seen the northern lights. Without joining the tour, we wouldn't be able to see the great amount of northern lights at all due to the weather conditions. (Not crazy amount of northern lights, but good enough for the photos and defo better than nothing - see attached photos!) Finally as a sum up, this is what I'd recommend you to bring and prepare if you are joining an Aurora tour yourself too: - Wear many many warm clothes - stay warm as much as possible! - Bring a camera (instead of just a phone) if possible, and tripods if you are joining a tour that will not provide one - Bring head torch (red light is better) - Fully charged battery bank

Marianne’s heaven on Earth Aurora Chaser Tours was awesome! First with Govind and then Marianne joining other seekers driving hours to find openings in the cloudy skies. Driving deep into Finland was normal and spending hour in freezing temperatures waiting with 5 layers of thermal clothes until 2 or 3 am was par for the course. It was exhilarating despite what might be only a few minutes of its display. But all was worthwhile when at 2:30 am the sky lit up and Aurora danced through the sky for 20 minutes. The scenery was spectacular. The fun of campfires roasting marshmallows, sipping hot soup and hot chocolate and meeting wonderful likeminded people from around the world made this a wonderful experience!

Outstanding experience! We went out 3 nights. Saw amazing auroras. Got jaw-dropping photos (thanks to Marianne and her team, who provided equipment and expert guidance, as we are iPhone-only casual picture takers). While many companies can take you aurora chasing in Tromsø, what sets this team apart is that they’re great people. They genuinely care about their guests and do everything possible to ensure you have the experience you want. Key to go with a small group too. Food, hot drinks, thermal suits, photography gear, all provided. Experience of a lifetime. Highly recommend.

We had a great time, saw the Aurora and got some great pics, friendly and helpful team all spot on. Great outing Soup and hot chocolate too

Absolutely wonderful. I can recomend Marianne to others. We started the night early so we could stop on the way to the location to take beautiful pictures of the view on the way. She mase us something to eat and had warm chocolate with her. She even had warm clothes in the car for us to borrow. 10 out of 10 recommend

Marianne arranged a great guide to take my husband and I around Tromso and the surrounding area, driving even an hour away. Ase was great, knowing where some fabulous photographic spots would be. We were there in mid/late May, knowing we weren't going for the Northern Lights. We wanted landscape that showed the beauty of Norway. Ase provided those photo opportunities for us, driving us around in her own car. She was patient and very knowledgeable about the area since she had grown up there. We came home with many treasured photos of our tour around Tromso. It was one of the highlights of our 10 days in Norway.

Once again marinne came good with difficult cloudy conditions and a nearly full moon we got fantastic views and northern lights. Marianne is really helpful in giving advice on camera set up and she carries spare tripods warm clothing well worth a go. Also check out the day tours.

We have been on trips with Marianne many times over a number of years. Both her night time Aurora chasing and her day time trips. She is knowledgeable, friendly and funny, and goes the extra mile to get her guests seeing what they hoped for, whether that be seeing reindeer or hunting for the Northern lights. She is passionate about the Aurora, and for those clients not sure how to set up their Iphones or cameras, she will do what she can to assist. Gives ideas on taking different photos, looking at things from a different angle. Food and drink always good and plentiful. The trip is small, so if just one minibus it's 7 people. Whenbusy, she will run 2 minibuses. Ok for couples, groups or single travellers. This time on the aurora hunt we visited Sommoroy one night, then Tromvik the 2nd night. She will always go where you are most likely to see the lights. Highly recommend.

Marianne is wonderful. We had used her back in 2019 on our first trip to Tromso for the Northern Lights and been very pleased, so when we returned in March of 2024, we reserved 2 more nights with her. Again, we were very pleased. Many tour operators say that they’ll find you clear skies for the aurora and you get a sort of half-hearted attempt. Yes, you may see some color, but you end up surrounded by large tour buses full of people, you get bad foregrounds, or a peek-a-boo view at the aurora through clouds that spoil your photographs. Marianne delivers on her promises. Our first night she took us to 3 different spots on Kvaloya, and island near Tromso. We had good results on the first two stops and after about 5 hours of work, as we were headed back toward Tromso She saw the aurora above us on the road, found a safe spot for us. and we got to photograph the aurora directly above us, moving faster than my wife and I had ever seen. A couple of nights later we went our with her again. The weather forecast around Tromso was terrible, heavy cloud cover with light snow all night long. Marianne loaded us all up and drove us about 60 kilometers in to Finland, found us a spot to ourselves with good sightlines in all directions, and when the aurora appeared int really put on a show. One of my attached photographs shows her other clients on the tour under a beautiful aroura. She gave us 9 hours of her time that night to make sure we got what we wanted. She works with her clients to make sure they get good photos, whether they have good cameras or are trying to capture the aurora on their cell phones. She provides food, hot soup, hot chocolate, has thermal suits for those who need them, and tripods for those that don’t have their own. My wife and I have photographed the aurora in Alaska, in Lofoten, and in Tromso and have used a variety of tour operators. When in Tromso we will never use anyone but Marianne.

Marianne and George are an amazong aurora hunting team. My wife and I went on 7 excursions (5 aurora hunting and 2 others), and don't regret a single one. 3 out of 5 aurora nights were the most amazing displays of aurora activity that most people ever get to see in their lives. One night had decent early activity with a lot of waiting for almost nothing to show the rest of the night, but still was able to get a lot of amazing Milky Way Galaxy photos taken with Marianne's instruction. The last trip was the fated trip with the van breakdown that the below group of reviewers spammed negative reviews about in order to drop Marianne's rating (shame on you). But that's how aurora hunting goes. You never know what is going to happen and every one of them is an adventure. AURORA HUNTING IS HIT OR MISS! You are never guaranteed to see an aurora. What Marianne has though is over 40 years of experience in knowing the 200 miles surrounding Tromso as well as an extremely scientific suite of tools that tracks every aspect of aurora potential in real-time with weather, kP index, magnetic field resonance/strength, location and many more. She is also connected with a huge network of other operators who all help each other find the best places where activity is happening. One group of people we were on a trip with said that they were on their 8th trip to Tromso for aurora hunting and had only seen the aurora 3 times (each time was with Marianne). Marianne is a very kind and compassionate person who is willing to go out of her way to make your trip to Tromso the best possible. After our first night trip she offered to take us on a daytime photography instruction tour. It was absolutely wonderful! She was also able to help connect me with a local fisherman to charter a fishing trip. Marianne goes the extra mile (or 100 miles if needed) every time! One night as she was picking the group up there was a very elderly couple who were lost walking the streets with their luggage who only spoke Dutch and German. Marianne's big ole heart couldn't let them wander alone, so she found someone who could translate and helped get them to their hotel before our trip. She really cares and is very passionate about helping everyone around her. As is with all tours, there is often someone who is a buzzkill. On the first night a group of 4 people who were up on top of the gondola lift and luckily saw a truly amazing aurora display. On Marianne's trip the next night they were snarky and belligerent, wanting little to do with the amazing experience that Marianne guided them to since they already did it the night before on their own and were just doing Marianne a "favor" by not canceling. They just wanted to get drunk and were upset when Marianne wouldn't take them to a liquor store to get alcohol (against the rules of her trip). Luckily we had a second vehicle and Marianne was able to have her helper take them home early per their request. Look for those negative reviews soon... As for the breakdown night. Yes it was a harder than normal night, but please read between the lines of the negative reviews. One person complained about not getting taken all the way to Finland and we instead went south. Well guess what... the entire way to Finland, in the opposite direction of where we went, was completely cloud locked. NONE of the other tour operators were succesful going in that direction and to suggest later in their reviews that they were successful that night is straight up dishonest. We went in the ONLY direction that there was a chance for the clouds to break. Guess what... THEY DID! After the van broke down we were standing in a turnout on the roadside and the clouds opened and guess what... the aurora came out! Would you believe that these obnoxious reviewers WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK UP! We were telling them... LOOK RIGHT THERE! THERE IS THE AURORA!!! and they wouldn't even look at it or even attempt to take a picture. Instead they pouted and huffed and went off on their own. Then they have the nerve to complain about tour size when the problem was their own inability to understand plain English. Nowhere does it say that the tour maximum is 7 people. It only says that there is a maximum of 7 PER GROUP. Marianne has two different vans that each hold 7 people. One van for this night needed to stay behind, so Marianne hired two private cars to drive the second group around. Yes the vans are tight quarters for people who are over 6ft tall, but imagine how rigid and ornery of a person you have to be to complain about being "stuck" in a private car instead of packed up into a bus with 6 other people in tight quarters because that is what you were expecting. Having 2 vans to shuttle up to 14 people is a blessing just in case something bad happens or you have a group of rigid negative Nancies that want to peel off early while others want to stay late. Two vans for 14 people is FAR better than one fourteen passenger van. Lastly, the reviewers use of false impressions to manipulate readers (such as "we sat for many hours with our knees up around our ears") is just straight up deceitful. There were many stops, multiple restroom breaks, delicious soup and cheese sandwiches, home made hot chocolate and Norweigan cookies... the list goes on. Imagine the reviewer who was upset that "his spot" in the car was lost because Marianne asked him to stay back so someone else could go and he doesn't have the decency to explain that he was asked to stay back because two of the people that were in the van had to be at the airport for a flight out in the wee hours of the morning! He is actually mad that these people didn't miss their flight home and he had to stay behind for an extra hour to wait for another car and NOT watch the aurora that formed over his head. Just silly. Childishly self-centeredly silly. One thing in common with all of the negative reviews is that they exude an obnoxious entitlement and a narcissistic need to be catered to as the center of attention. Then to have your whole group spam individual 1-star reviews just to hurt the tour operator who scrambled her heart out the entire time to try and save such a doomed tour is just such a horrible and mean-hearted thing to do. Marianne is a true professional at what she does. She made our whole trip to Norway 10x better; far better than I originally expected. We will definitely be booking with her for our next trip!

We travelled to Tromsø to see the Northern lights. Marianne helped us achieve this goal ! She has expert knowledge on all photography equipment and plenty of tripods to go around. She was very patient with us and helped adjust our settings on our camera, as well as our phones. We were also provided with snowsuits, high visibility vests (for safety purposes). Boots and gloves were also on hand if needed. Marianne had prepared a warm soup, cheese sandwiches and also treated us to delicious hot chocolates and cookies. Prior to that we also made a bathroom stop to grab any snacks we would want, and for her to fill up the tank. It was a lot of driving, but we were quite happy to rest our eyes in between stops. She stayed out longer than most of the other tour companies, to ensure we got the best opportunities to see the Northern Lights in all their glory, we ended up seeing them all the way into Finland, around 1 am! ang got back to our hotel just before 4am. It was absolutely incredible ! If we ever come back to Tromsø, we would definitely contact her again!

Of the three Aurora lights tours we took Marianna's was the absolute best! She knows the best spots to view the lights, supplies tripods for cameras, and shows the proper settings to use on the camera if you do not know it. The van tour included one other couple and it made for a very personalized experience. Marianne had hot soup (very delicious), sandwiches, and cookies for us. We stopped at a small camp area where we met some lovely men from Scotland around a fire. Marianna kept watch for more lights there. Since none appeared she took use to another area with more great viewing. Along the way she stopped for us to see reindeer wandering around and I got some good pictures. Afterward we were dropped off at our hotel. I feel she went the extra mile to make our aurora lights tour memorable and I would highly recommend going with her tours if you come to Tromso, Norway.

Unfortunately I have few positive words to say about this tour. From the start to the end, the tour was surrounded by complete confusion. Firstly, it was overbooked with 11 people on the “maximum 7 people” tour, which required half of the guests to travel in “private cars”. I drew one of the apparent short straws and was asked to travel in said private car. My driver (who I actually owe my life too given the time on the road, distance traveled, and the conditions of the roads) was just that: a driver. Apart from small talk, there was nothing else to fill the blanks of the 9 hours of driving. Not a guide who could pass the time with stories, history or insight. During the trip, George (who was leading) would occasionally stop and look at the sky or at an application on his tablet. Most of the time he would then continue on. Sometimes there would be a consultation / argument between George/Marianne about which way to go. After perhaps the 4th time, we all got out of the cars. George explained that the conditions were not optimal, but there was a chance. I even set up my tripod, and George offered tripods to that that didn’t have them. I was excited, was this it? Would I see the northern lights? Sadly it was not to be, back into the car and onwards into the unknown. We would continue this trend of stop/go until about 5 hours into the tour, when the main van broke down. It was not possible to start the engine. Now my short straw appeared to be better placed, as the other two “private cars” could continue back to Tromso - however Marianne had the nerve to request me to “wait about another hour” for a friend with yet another private car to pick me up, and my original spot to be given to someone else? I stood my ground. It was at this point 1am and we were still hours away from Tromso. This final interaction with Marianne summed up the tour for me: disorganisation. I had booked this tour based on previous reviews and the understanding that the guides were professional photographers, I was hoping that I could profit from their experience to take my own photos of the northern lights. My impression from my experience is that they are pushing the limits on old vehicles, and whilst they do have decades of knowledge, they are not forthcoming and lack organisational skills. George was clearly passionate about the phenomena and was informative, humourous and compassionate. Marianne however was cold and detached. I cannot recommend this tour. I urge you to seek other alternatives.

We love supporting small businesses, and the advertised tour of a maximum of 7 people was appealing. We had looked forward to some guidance about photographing the aurora, after looking at her website. Our group was much larger than 7, but it didn’t matter much anyway, as Marianne was almost entirely mute during the many hours in the van. No introduction, no indication of the game plan, if there would be bathroom stops, nothing. It was as if she did not speak the same language as the passengers, though her English is good. Finally, after 6 and a half hours, the van broke down. At that point, she told us nothing until asked later by another passenger how we were going to get back 2 hours to Tromso, and she said a sentence or two. I expected more from someone who is advertised as a guide. We understand that vans can break down. But when the van stopped and a light came on the dashboard, she said something like, “It’s that light that keeps coming on, only the van won’t restart this time.” It was very disappointing that she did not respect her passengers enough to have this checked out before taking us into the middle of nowhere. The van was too small; we sat for many hours with our knees up around our ears. The food was not good, but I did not sign up for the food. We did not see the aurora - disappointing, but we understood that there were no guarantees. Other groups did have success that night, which stung a little. We felt that we received nothing from this tour - no information, no photography tips, and no common courtesy. We have thoroughly enjoyed every other experience in Tromso.

Marianne was wonderful. She really “gets” that seeing northern lights is a dream come true for most people and often the highlight of your vacation and she is relentless about finding them. We’ve gone out with many times and she does not disappoint. The last night we were with her she drove us to Finland. I cannot say enough good things about her. She is delightful, informative, extremely helpful with camera settings. She even helped another couple adjust the settings on their phone so they could get the best possible photos of the auroras. After trying two other tours, all I can say is we won’t ever go out without anyone else in the Tromso area!

The shame of it is that I could have booked with anyone. I had researched this experience through aurora photography articles. I even spoke with them ahead of time when I booked months in advance. They promised me they “would do everything possible, even drive to Finland” to get us the best experience possible. I was looking forward to working with a photographer to help with my own shots. Needless to say, I was bitterly disappointed. It is a seat of the pants operation. They chose a geographic location with complete cloud cover which never improved. There was no chance of regrouping and finding another location because we were too far in the wrong direction. And then the old van broke down. This was after 6 hours of being stuffed in the back of a too small van with no rear shocks and all my equipment stuffed under my chin. So now we are stuck on the side of a dark, icy, isolated road at 1 am with a broken down van. George is saying anything to placate me and Marianne is saying I can’t blame her for car trouble when I heard them talking about “this problem with the check engine light again”. They knew their van had problems. They may have given people a good experience in the past because I checked these reviews myself. However what we experienced were people who were dialing it in trying to pack in as many people as possible in unsafe, old vehicles. To return home finally after 3 am watching happy, smiling people who had gone out with other companies was just painful. However, I was just grateful I and my family returned home safely because that was not a given. I would strongly suggest you find another company who is not too tired or cynical to help with your chance to see the aurora. To have wasted my time and taken my money is the least of what I experienced. They put my family in danger and for that I can never forgive them.