Ice fishing on the plateau above Alta
One Alta tour trades a fast loop for a long afternoon on a frozen lake, with a rod in your hand and a guide who shows you how. It is the longest and the dearest ride we compare, and the newest. This guide covers the day itself and the small print that comes with it.
A six and a half hour day built around waiting
Æventyr's snowmobiling and ice fishing day from ~$417 is the longest tour on this site, 6.5 hours from start to finish. You ride up from the valley, stop at a quiet fishing spot and spend a good part of the day on the ice.
It suits people who like the idea of a slow afternoon outdoors more than a quick blast on the throttle. If you mainly want to drive, the shorter rides give you similar time on the sled for less money.
The price is the highest of the tours we compare, and our price comparison for every Alta tour shows how far it sits above the half-day rides. Viator lists it a little cheaper than GetYourGuide, so check both before you pay.
Up through the forest to the plains
The ride starts in snow-covered forest, where the track winds between bare birches before it opens out onto the plains of Finnmarksvidda. Transport from Alta to the starting point is part of the ticket.
On Æventyr's tours each sled carries a driver and a passenger, who can swap. To drive in Norway you need a valid class B driving license, and our page on who may drive a snowmobile in Norway explains what to show on the day.
The listing does not give a distance for the ride, and we will not guess one. What it does make clear is that the snowmobile is the way in and out, while the fishing is the heart of the day.
How the fishing part works
The guides pick a secluded spot and teach you the technique, and the fishing gear is included. Ice fishing usually means a short rod held over a small hole in the ice, then a long, quiet wait for a tug.
That waiting is the whole point for some people and a trial for others. If you get restless after twenty minutes without a bite, think twice before you book a day that is shaped around patience.
Trout or char on the ice, if one bites
When someone lands a fish, the guides cook it there on the ice. The listing names trout or Arctic char, the fish of cold northern lakes.
Nobody can promise a catch, and the listing does not. Some groups will eat fresh fish, others will drive home with nothing but the snacks. Go for the ride and the silence of the plateau, and count any fish as a bonus.
Snacks with tea and coffee are on the list in any case, so you will not go hungry if the lake stays quiet. Ask Æventyr ahead if you have a food allergy, since everything is prepared outdoors.
Sitting still on the ice is the cold part
Driving keeps your body busy, but fishing means long spells of sitting or standing in one place. On an open frozen lake in mid-winter a still body loses heat quickly, much faster than it does on a moving sled.
The listing asks you to bring warm clothing with a hat and gloves, plus snow clothing. It does not mention a thermal suit, unlike Æventyr's shorter tours, so ask the operator before the day whether one is lent.
A long day on the plateau with rods included
Æventyr's ice fishing tour scores 5.0 from 4 reviews on GetYourGuide and 5.0 from 1 review on Viator. The ticket covers the snowmobile with fishing gear and safety equipment. Snacks and hot drinks are part of it too.
Wear a wool base layer and a fleece under whatever outer layer you end up with, and pack thick wool socks. Our page on layers for a cold day on the vidda sets them out in order.
Stand up and walk around the hole now and then, and take turns with the rod so both of you can warm your hands. A thin liner glove helps when the thick ones come off for the hook.
Who can come along
The tour is not open to anyone under 12, and the listing rules out heart problems and back problems. It also says it is not for people with low fitness, and not for anyone over 140 kg (309 lb).
Up to 15 people join a departure, a middle-sized group for Alta. Families with younger children should look at the age limits on the other tours, which our guide to Alta snowmobiling with children sorts by listing.
A newer tour with a handful of reviews
Five reviews in total is thin evidence. Both scores are perfect, but a perfect score from a handful of guests says far less than a 4.9 from seventy, so treat this one as a newer tour that has not yet built a record.
The operator is the same as on the evening and daytime rides, which have many more reviews behind them. That gives some comfort about the guiding and the gear, though the fishing day itself is still a young product.
Ice fishing or a shorter ride?
For more time on the throttle and open views, Alta Adventure's 5-hour Finnmarksvidda safari from ~$337 is our pick. It crosses frozen lakes too, with a stop at a mountain cabin, though without the rods.
If you can choose your dates, a long day outside is easier with long daylight. Our guide to the dark weeks and the bright ones in Alta explains why late winter suits the long tours.
Said plainly, you pay the most for a day when the fish may never bite, on a tour with only a few reviews. If a quiet afternoon on a frozen lake sounds good anyway, nothing else on this site comes close.