Snowmobiling in Alta with children
Snowmobile tours in Alta are built for adults, and children join only as passengers behind a parent. The age limits differ by operator, from 7 on one tour to 12 on the others. This page sorts out which ride fits which age.
No child sleigh on the Alta listings
Some snowmobile resorts elsewhere pull young children in a sleigh behind the guide. None of the Alta listings on this site mentions one, so every child rides on the snowmobile itself, behind an adult who drives.
That makes the passenger rules the ones that matter. A child sits on the back seat, holds on through the bumps and leans with the driver in bends for most of the ride.
Nobody under 18 drives on these tours. A driver must hold a valid class B driving license, and Alta Adventure puts its driver age limit at 18, as our license guide explains.
The age limits side by side
| Tour | From | Youngest passenger | Other limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alta Adventure Finnmarksvidda safari, 5 h | ~$337 | 7 | Passenger max 75 kg (165 lb), nobody over 80 or over 100 kg (220 lb) |
| Æventyr daytime ride, 4 h | ~$288 | 12 | Not for pregnant travelers or back problems |
| Æventyr northern lights ride, 4 h | ~$284 | 12 | Nobody over 70 or over 130 kg (287 lb) |
| Æventyr ice fishing day, 6.5 h | ~$417 | 12 | Nobody over 140 kg (309 lb), not with heart or back problems |
The pattern is simple. Children aged 7 to 11 fit only the Alta Adventure safari, while from 12 every tour opens up, as long as the child rides behind a licensed adult.
Ages 7 to 11 on the Alta Adventure safari
Alta Adventure's 5-hour Finnmarksvidda safari (from ~$337) is the one tour here that takes children from age 7. A parent drives and the child rides behind on a shared sled.
The listing allows a shared sled only for people travelling with family or a friend. That suits a parent and child. The route crosses frozen lakes and stops at a mountain cabin for warm drinks and snacks.
Reindeer herds may show up on the plateau, as may the odd dog sled. A child with something to look out for tends to forget the cold for a while, though no sighting is promised.
From age 7, with a parent at the handlebars
Five hours on Finnmarksvidda in a group of 12 or fewer. Pickup in Alta is included, and the office lends warm suits and boots. It rates 5.0 from 70 reviews on Viator and 5.0 from 50+ reviews on GetYourGuide.
Its catch for families is the length. Add the pickup and the dressing at the office to the 5 hours, and it makes a long day for a seven-year-old.
The passenger limit of 75 kg (165 lb) suits children but rules many adults out of the back seat. In a family of four, that usually means two sleds, each with a parent driving and a child behind.
Twelve and over, more choice
From 12, a child can ride behind a parent on any of Æventyr's tours. The daytime ride from Gargia (~$288) takes 4 hours, with about 2 hours of driving through forest and up to the plains at Beskades.
Its catch is the group size, up to 30 people. On the plus side, the convoy follows the guide at a pace set for the group's experience, which helps a parent who is driving for the first time.
Teenagers who want the aurora can join the northern lights ride (~$284) in the evening. It means a late night, and the lights are never promised, as our aurora guide explains.
The ice fishing day (~$417) also starts at 12, but 6.5 hours with long still spells on the ice is a lot for most young teens. It is a newer tour with few reviews, covered in ice fishing on the plateau.
Grandparents and the upper limits
Age limits run at the other end too. Æventyr's northern lights ride is not for anyone over 70, and Alta Adventure does not take riders over 80.
The daytime ride from Gargia lists no upper age, but it rules out pregnancy and back problems. A grandparent who prefers not to ride can wait in town, since every tour returns to Alta.
Several tours also set weight limits, from 100 kg (220 lb) on Alta Adventure to 140 kg (309 lb) on the ice fishing day. The limits per seat sit in own sled or shared.
Keeping children warm
The cold hits a small passenger hardest. The child sits still behind the driver and moves far less, while the wind of the ride cuts across the open plateau.
Expect −15 to −25 °C (5 to −13 °F) on Finnmarksvidda in mid-winter. Ask the operator whether it has suits and boots in your child's size, and bring your own warm layers in any case.
Under the suit, dress children in wool rather than cotton, with a fleece on top. Add thick wool socks, and mittens instead of gloves. Our page on what to wear on the plateau goes through it layer by layer.
Check cheeks and nose at every stop. Pale or waxy patches are early signs of frostbite, and children do not always say when their face goes numb.
For younger children
Children under 7 cannot join any of the snowmobile tours here. Reindeer visits and dog sledding are among Alta's winter outings for small children, and these are easier to fit around a young child's day.
Light matters for families as well. During polar night, from about late November to mid-January, midday brings only blue twilight, while February to April bring sun and longer days, as the season guide shows.
The plateau itself is described in what Finnmarksvidda is. Arriving by ship? The cruise-day guide covers harbour pickup, and the cost page lists every price per person.