Kvaloya

Kvaloya, whale island, lies immediately west of Tromso and is connected by bridge, which makes it the everyday outdoors for a city of eighty thousand: fjords cutting deep into the interior, sharp peaks rising to over a thousand metres, and a western coast of small fishing settlements and pale beaches facing the open sea. Popular objectives include Store Blamann at 1,044 metres, the Tromsdalstinden view across the strait, and the beaches at Sommaroy, Grotfjord and Tulleng. In winter the island's road network gives access to dark skies within twenty minutes of Tromso, so most aurora tours from the city head here. Reindeer graze on parts of the island in summer under Sami herding.

What you actually see

• The fjord arms - Kaldfjord, Ersfjord and others cutting into the island.
• The peaks - summits over a thousand metres within reach of the city.
• The western beaches - pale sand at Sommaroy, Grotfjord and Tulleng.
• The aurora roads - dark-sky access twenty minutes from Tromso.

When to go

June to August for hiking and the midnight sun; September to March for the northern lights, when the roads are the main draw. Winter driving requires studded tyres and care on mountain sections.

Honest expectations

Weather changes fast and cloud from the Atlantic frequently blocks both peaks and aurora. Roads are narrow with limited passing places, and aurora traffic clogs the lay-bys on clear winter nights. Reindeer on the road are a genuine hazard.

Nearby

Tromso is across the bridge; Sommaroy lies at the western end and Senja south by ferry.