Winter Packing List: What to wear in Tromso, Norway in Winter

Tromso, in the north of Norway, is a great place for winter adventures. There’s a great range of winter activities. Here’s my ultimate winter packing list, for what to wear in Tromso, Norway in Winter.

What is the weather like in Tromso, Norway in winter?

Tromso is situated in the North of Norway, above the Arctic Circle. This means that it can get very cold and snowy in Tromso in the winter. So your winter packing list for what to wear in Tromso, Norway in winter will definitely need plenty of warm and waterproof clothes and boots!

Tromso gets snow a lot in the winter, and temperatures can drop down below freezing. However, Tromso is on the coast of Norway – so it actually can be less cold than some areas inland. The coast moderates the temperatures slightly, so although it can be snowing and around 0 degrees celcius, extremely cold temperatures are rare. You can also expect some clear sunny days in the winter. But remember that the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon for a lot of January and February – so although you get some light on these days, you don’t get proper sun. Visit in February or March for a chance to see the sun, while also being likely to see some snowy days as well.

What clothes should I pack for Tromso, Norway in winter?

There are lots of different winter activities you can do in Tromso, and it’s a good idea to have a rough idea of what activities you’ll be doing so you can plan your clothes. Check out my detailed guide here for the top winter activities in Tromso, or check out the section at the end of this article about the activities in Tromso.

If you book a winter activity through a tour company, check on that company’s website for what warm clothing they provide. A lot of these companies will provide thermal suits that you can wear over the top of your other clothing. Some might also provide boots as well. However, even if the companies provide some warm clothing, your winter packing list for what to wear in Tromso, Norway in winter still needs to include plenty of warm clothes of your own. Even just walking around the streets in Tromso can be challenging if you’re not prepared with the right clothing!

But don’t panic too much about what to take. From my experience, you don’t need to rush out to buy lots of really expensive outdoor clothing. I do a lot of hiking in the UK, and I took clothes that I normally would wear when out hiking in the UK in the winter. With a few extra layers underneath, I managed fine. I didn’t buy anything new or expensive for my trip.

Boots and socks

One of the most essential things you’ll need is waterproof walking/hiking boots. These are absolutely essential. Even if you’re just walking from the bus stop to your hotel in Tromso, you’ll need boots if the ground is snowy and slippery.

Waterproof hiking boots are perfect for this. You can also buy specific ‘snow boots’. These might be ok, but a few people I’d met had found their cheap-ish snow boots were leaking after a while. So hiking boots are probably the best option.

Make sure you’ve got two pairs of socks underneath your boots as well. The first can be a thin pair of ankle socks. And then you’ll need thicker socks as well – ideally wool as these are the warmest. But most thick hiking socks will be fine.

Warm base layers

A lot of articles I read before my trip said you need a wool thermal base layer – long trousers and long sleeved top. However, I didn’t have a wool base layer. And I didn’t want to buy things I’d only wear on this trip. So I took a range of different layers that I already had.

On the days I was doing the coldest activities, such as night-time Northern Lights chasing, I’d wear all the base layers I had. This would include a vest top, t-shirt, long-sleeved t-shirt, a warm jumper, and a fleece. And on the bottom half, I wore thick leggings and hiking trousers. The material of these clothes was nothing special – it was just things I had at home. But by layering it all up, it felt warm enough.

It’s really important to have layers, because some activities need fewer layers. For example, I went snowshoe hiking on one of the days, and very quickly got very hot. For this activity, I just had a t-shirt and jumper underneath my coat – and I still felt warm!

The key thing is layers that you can adapt to various activities. But I didn’t buy anything special at all – just clothes I already had, and clothes that I’d wear for hiking in the winter in the UK.

Waterproof coat and trousers

It’s absolutely essential to have a waterproof coat and also waterproof trousers in Tromso in the winter. But again, this doesn’t have to be anything really fancy and expensive. Skiing clothes is perfect – a warm, thick jacket and ski trousers are perfect.

However, if you don’t have ski clothes, that’s ok. I didn’t have any ski clothes, but I had hiking clothes, so I wore that and it was fine. My coat was thick, warm and waterproof. And it was big enough to fit lots of layers underneath! For waterproof trousers, I used the thin waterproof trousers I use for hiking in the UK. They’re not as thick as ski trousers, but with layers underneath (leggings and hiking trousers), I was plenty warm enough. So again, hiking coat and trousers will be fine for your trip.

Other things to pack for Tromso, Norway in winter

The clothes above should give you a good idea of what to wear in Tromso, Norway in Winter. Remember not to panic about needing lots of expensive specialist clothing – normal hiking clothes will be fine!

Other things that might be useful for your trip include:

• Spikes for your shoes – I took some but didn’t use them much because they were a pain to take on/off, but they could have been useful
• Extra phone battery charger – the cold weather can make your phone battery run out a bit quicker. Make sure you’ve got the right plug adaptors for Norway as well to charge your phone in your hotel.
• Camera – if you want to take high quality photos of the Northern Lights. But most Northern Lights tours will include professional photos taken during your trip, so you don’t need to buy a camera if you don’t already have one.
• Moisturiser and lip balm – the cold, dry air can make your skin very dry
• Swimming costume – there are some swimming pools and saunas in Tromso

What winter activities can I do in Tromso, Norway in winter?

There are loads of different winter activities you can do in Tromso in the winter. Most of these are easy to organise, as there’s a range of different companies offering day trips and day tours from Tromso to do these activities. You can read more detail about the top winter activities in Tromso here. I’d recommend planning your activities before you go, so you have a rough idea of what clothes you’ll need – but remember, a lot of the companies will offer additional warm clothing as well.

One of my favourite activities in Tromso was Reindeer Sledding. I loved meeting the reindeer, and relaxing in the sled enjoying the night time views.

Husky sledding was another favourite – a lot more energetic than the reindeer sledding, but also with great views and a perfect activity for any animal lover.

Sailing in the fjords around Norway is also amazing. You can choose day sailing or night sailing. With day sailing, you can enjoy the views of the fjords in daylight. And with night sailing, you can enjoy the peacefulness of being out on the water in the dark, and if you’re lucky you might catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

Northern Lights chasing is another top activity in Norway in the winter. As well as sailing, you can also do minibus trips to see the Northern Lights, as long as you’re lucky with the weather!

Snowshow hiking is a great activity if you want to see more gorgeous views in Norway. It can be hard work, but the views are definitely worth it.

And finally, Tromso is a great city to explore in the winter – with plenty of interesting museums, good restaurants, and an ice bar as well.

If you want more detail about these activities, check out my more detailed guide here!

Hope you enjoyed my Winter Packing List: What to wear in Tromso, Norway in Winter! Remember to also check out my detailed guide to the top winter activities in 4 days in Tromso and guide for Solo Female Travellers in Tromso. A lot of these tours can be booked through Pukka Travel, but there are lots of companies offering tours. For more mountain adventures in Europe, check out my guides to Iceland and Austria.