Reindeer sledding with children
Few things impress a five-year-old like a reindeer eating out of their hand. The ride is slow, the camp has a fire and there is usually hot food. Reindeer sledding is one of the most child-friendly things to do in Tromsø in winter, with a few details worth knowing before you book.
Ages and seats, tour by tour
| Tour | Children | Seats on the bus |
|---|---|---|
| Our pick, Tromsø Arctic Reindeer | Welcome, no minimum age listed | Booster seats, bring your own baby seat |
| Closest camp, sled option | No minimum age listed | No baby seats; bring your own |
| Tromsø Lapland | No minimum age listed | Not stated |
| Evening sled and dinner | Welcome, no minimum age listed | A few booster seats; bring a baby seat or take a taxi |
| Camp Tamok | From age 4 | Not stated |
| Best Arctic | From age 4 | Not stated |
The bigger tour buses carry booster seats. If your child needs a baby seat, bring your own; none of the operators lists one, and the evening tour suggests a taxi with the right seat as the alternative.
Which tour we would book with children
With children of any age, our pick from Tromsø Arctic Reindeer. The bus leaves from the Prostneset terminal, has booster seats, the drive is short, there is a hot lunch in the lavvu, and a herd of three hundred reindeer keeps everyone busy. With toddlers or a short attention span, the sled option at the camp closest to town is half an hour shorter, and the guide-photographer means you are in the photos too.
Older children who like a bit of action love Best Arctic's camp, where half the group goes tobogganing while the other half rides, then they swap. It costs ~$249 and takes five and a half hours, so it suits a family with a free day more than a cruise stop. Teenagers who want speed may prefer dogs; reindeer or husky compares the two.
The family favorite
Our pick from Tromsø Arctic Reindeer has booster seats on the bus, a big friendly herd and a hot meal by the fire, for ~$197 per person.
In the sled
Small children ride on a parent's lap or squeezed in beside them, wrapped in skins. Most are silent with wonder for the first minutes and asking questions for the rest. The ride is slow and close to the ground; falls are rare and soft. What the ride is like is in our guide.
In the feeding pen
This is where you hold a small hand. A crowd of reindeer pushing towards a bucket is taller than a toddler, and antlers swing at a child's head height. Let your child feed from your arms, or stand at the edge while the guide brings a calmer animal over. School-age children usually manage on their own after a minute.
Keeping them warm
- Dress children one layer warmer than yourself; they sit still in the sled and lose heat fast.
- Mittens on a string, a spare hat and spare socks in your bag.
- A snack and a warm drink for the bus ride back.
- Watch noses and cheeks for white patches on very cold days; cover them with a scarf.
The full clothing list works for children too.
The evening tour with children
The evening sled with dinner runs until 10:30 pm, which is late for small children but magical for older ones, especially if the Northern Lights appear. Vegetarian and other special menus are available. How the evening works is in our guide.
Questions children ask
Is it Santa's reindeer? Do they fly? Why do the girls have antlers? You can find most of the answers in our guide to the reindeer and how they live, and the rest your guide will be happy to answer. Ask about the reindeer's names; at many camps the sled reindeer have them.