Our top 8 places to explore by foot, skiing and snowshoeing

Tromsø is surrounded by beautiful places you should visit when exploring the city. Luckily you are close by some amazing views and adventures, easily reachable from the city. Here are our top tips for exploring the city by foot, cross country skiing and snowshoeing.

By foot:

1. Telegrafbukta (The Telegraph Bay)

Difficulty level: easy

This is the local beach area where people go for a swim all year long. Yes, even during winter we have an ice bathing club that enjoys a swim in the cold sea. The view towards Kvaløya, Malangen and Tromsdalen is really something! From the city centre you can follow the harbour going south all the way to Telegrafbukta (approx. 3 km) or take bus number 33 there. In Telegrafbukta you will find trails following the seaside, and even an outdoor open-air museum of older buildings from Tromsø and the region. This is also a very popular place to watch the northern lights from the city since there are not many lights there.

2. Prestvannet (the Priest Lake)

Difficulty level: easy

This is a lake on top of the island and can be reached by a 30 minutes’ walk from the city centre. You can follow the trails going around the lake with different views depending on your position. From the lake you can see the peaks of Kvaløya, Ringvassøya, Malangen and of course the landmarks Mt. Tromsdalstind and the Cable Car. The walk from the city centre is uphill, and you can skip the hills by taking bus number 28 or 40 to the lake. Once there you can have a nice 1,7 km walk going around the lake. During winter the lake is covered with ice and snow and can be crossed when it is safe – in the beginning of winter signs are put up when the ice is not safe to walk on. Even though the “light trail” (“Lysløypa”) is passing by, this is a very nice place to see northern lights from the city.

By cross country skiing:

In Norway we say children are born with skis on their feet, and in Tromsø it must be true. We have cross country skiing tracks in every direction and around 6 months with possibilities of skiing. When visiting you should try out our national sport and you can do a guided tour or rent equipment at Tromsø Outdoor to try it yourself. On www.skisporet.no you can check the conditions of the tracks. Here are the close by and easy to reach tracks.

1. Lysløypa Tromsøya

Difficulty level: easy/medium

From south to north on the Tromsø island you find a lid up trail which is prepped for cross country skiing. It can be reached from any part of the island, but a suggestion for first timers is to go to Prestvannet or Charlottenlund. This is the part of the tracks with the least hills and are good spots for practice. If you are more advanced, you can head for “Skihytta” a bit further north and try out your skiing skills in the hills.

2. Lysløypa Tromsdalen

Difficulty level: easy/medium

On the mainland you find the light trail going into Tromsdalen, the valley on the side of the Cable Car. The terrain is not too difficult, and you can head towards “Gutta på Skauen” where you find grilling huts and Lavvos where you can eat your packed food. “Gutta på Skauen” is located approximately 2 kilometers into the valley.

3. Lysløypa Kvaløya

Difficulty level: hard

The cross country tracks are for the advanced skiers. This trail has lots of steep hills and nice views towards Tromsø island and the surroundings. When the sun first comes back by the end of January, this is one of the first places where you can see the sun.

In March and April there is a ski bus taking you a bit further away from the city centre area to tracks around Tønsvik and Snarbyeidet. Find more information on the webpage of Troms Fylkestrafikk.

By snowshoeing:

Snowshoeing has become more and more popular over the years and makes it possible to reach places which are not accessible just walking on your feet in deep snow. Here are a few options with different difficulty level with great views.

1. Nattmålsfjellet, Ersfjordbotn

Difficulty level: medium

Between Monday and Saturday, you can catch buses going towards Ersfjordbotn, a small fjord on Kvaløya. You take bus number 42 from the city centre to Eidkjosen where you change to bus number 425 going to Ersfjordbotn. There is a small mountain of 297masl called Nattmålsfjellet which is very popular for snowshoeing. On the top you get great views of the two fjords Ersfjord and Kaldfjord. The hike takes approximately 2 hours, round-trip.

2. Mt. Fløya from the Cable Car

Difficulty level: medium

Take your snowshoes with you when visiting the Cable Car. Take the Cable Car to the upper station and snowshoe from there up to the peak Fløya. The view from this area is one of the best you can get when in Tromsø! The hike takes approximately 1-3 hours, round-trip.

3. Rødtinden

Difficulty level: hard

This is maybe the most popular mountain for ski touring in Tromsø because of its accessibility from the city. Take bus number 42 from the city centre to “Storelv”. The trail starts from just above Storelva Skistadion (the skiing stadion) where there are signs explaining the route. The view towards Tromsø and the surroundings are super nice along the trail and from the top. The hike takes approximately 3-5 hours, round-trip.