Gastronomy and Northern Lights vacation in Tromso, Norway

Planet

This foodie tour of Tromsø, in Northern Norway, has been designed with sustainability and the environment at its very heart. The hotel for your stay is the Clarion Hotel The Edge. This hotel is a part of the Plaststafetten initiative, with Hurtigruten and WWF, meaning that since 2019 all unnecessary plastic has been eliminated. Factoring in the global scarcity of water, this hotel ensures that water usage has been reduced, with water saving showers and sinks to lower consumption as much as possible.

The hotel offers a good selection of organic products as part of the breakfast buffet, and all products are palm oil free. Of all the food that is produced in the world, around 33% ends up as waste, because of this the hotel has found that by decreasing the plates by a few centimetres and putting up a sign with a prompt to finish the food, food waste was reduced by 20%. The Hotel has used WWF's fish guide to shape all menu choices, creating its own red list of products and suppliers that they refuse to use. All tiger prawns used in the restaurant are ASC-certified. (the Aquaculture Stewardship Council is an independent non-profit organisation and labelling organization that establishes protocol on farmed seafood while ensuring sustainable aquaculture.) All of the eggs used are organic, and from free-range and organic hens, whilst all coffee used is organic and free trade. Using organic produce where possible ensures that fewer harmful chemicals are being put into the environment.

A major selling point of this is the fantastic local restaurants that you’ll eat your meals at. Each restaurant has been chosen as they make use of the healthy local produce that is readily available, reducing the carbon footprint of importing food from across the world.

Given Tromsø’s proximity to the coast and fjords, fish and seafood are a large part of the diet here. Given how essential these foods are to the diets and economy of the area, there are strict rules in place to ensure no overfishing occurs. Norway is recognised as a leader in sustainable fishing, with strict quotas in place and treaties enforced by the marine police.

Some of the activities take place on board small boats, with a Polar Fjord Cruise, Arctic Fishing Tour, and Northern Lights Dinner Cruise all included in the itinerary. All of these activities take place on board small boats, which have much less impact, and lower fuel consumption in comparison to larger passenger cruise liners, minimalising the impact on the Arctic waters that they explore.

People

All of the activities that are included involving boats are owned and operated by local fishermen, who will pass on tips and tales that have been passed down the generations. Guests will learn about how sustainable fishing is an essential part of Norway’s economy, and traveling with local fishermen ensures that money gained from tourism actually benefits the local economy.

As a part of the itinerary, Guests are encouraged to immerse themselves in the traditional cultures of the indigenous Sám people, heading to a local reindeer camp. Here, meetings will take place with herders, who will then introduce people to their animals. Following your time with the animals, you will be invited inside a Gamme (a Sámi hut) to warm up by the fire and enjoy a traditional, locally-sourced three-course Sámi meal. After dinner, you will move to the Lavu (Sámi tent) to gather around the fire and listen to stories about the Sámi culture as well as a traditional song, called a joik. As you spend time here, your guide will keep an eye on the sky where hopefully the Northern Lights will appear.

By making use of locally owned restaurants for the duration of this gastronomy tour, we are ensuring that money is remaining in the local area to benefit the community, eliminating the potential for tourism leakage.