Arctic Guide 1
About This Course
Introduction
This course covers the basic knowledge and skills needed to professionalize your work as a guide, whether you have previous experience or are just about to start. It offers an introduction to the most relevant subjects and can be used to complement in-house company training.
The subjects are divided into four pillars: quality, safety, social responsibility and environmental respect. You can see the specific lectures below.
Workflow
Before the training, registered participants will have access to digital learning materials so they can start learning on their own.
The course will take place on the given dates at the University Museum, where participants will review their knowledge.
Two weeks after the course, there will be a theoretical exam at the same venue. Passing the exam is mandatory to receive the recognition.
You can learn more about the recognition here.
Lectures and Workshops
Check out the curriculum section.
Exam
A theoretical exam will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of the subjects. Participants are not expected to know everything, but they should know the most important things and where to find the details.
Schedule
From the 2nd to the 5th, and on the 10th of November:
- Morning course: 11:00–15:00
- Afternoon course: 17:00–21:00
*On November 10th schedule is 12:00 to 15:00 or 18:00 to 21:00
Both courses have the same content, and participants can decide which one to attend. They can also attend the morning course on some days and the afternoon course on others, or attend both.
A detailed schedule of the lectures will be sent to participants before the course. There will be breaks during the lectures.
During the week of the course, all participants have free access to the museum exhibitions during the museum’s opening hours.
Dates
Course: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 10th of November 2026
Exam: 23rd of November 2026
Prices
- Standard price: 4,000 kr
- Price with subsidy from Troms Fylkeskommune: 2,000 kr
- Tromsø Guideforening member’s price: 1,000 kr
Learning Objectives
Target Audience
- Guides at the beginning of their career who want to make sure they have the minimum knowledge to start guiding.
- Guides who have guided before but want to reinforce their ground knowledge.
- Any guide interested in understanding the environmental and social impact of tours and how to improve it.
- Companies who want to complement the in-house training of their guides.
Curriculum
Working in Norway
Working in Norway
History of Norway
Norwegian Culture
Weather Forecast
Environmental Care
Social Responsibility
Regional Geology
Arctic Flora and Fauna
Northern Lights
The Sámi
Accessibility on Tour
Safety on the road
Emergency Services
Guidelines and Code of Conduct
Your Instructors
Tromsø Guideforening
See more
Adrien Mauduit
Masters of Science, aurora chasing guide & instructor, professional astrophotographer & cinematographer, science communicator, author, owner at Night Lights Films
Andrea Mathisen
Bachelor´s degree in Paramedicine (UiT). Working as an Emergency Dispatcher with the Fire Department since 2021.
Arbeidstilsynet Tromso
The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority (Arbeidstilsynet) is responsible for ensuring that enterprises comply with the Working Environment Act and other relevant regulations.
Camilla Brattland
Sami culture and livelihoods, responsible for collection of folk music and yoik at the university museum.
Elina Hutton
PhD in tourism and Arctic issues in the changing world. Lecturer and researcher at UiT Business School. Guided first northern lights tours in 1994, nowadays more focused on visitor monitoring and management. Passionate about the little details in nature and believes in the transformative power of storytelling.
Jusshjelpa I Nord_Norge
The goal of Jusshjelpa is to improve legal aid services in Northern Norway. Jusshjelpa will have a social profile and provide free legal aid to those who need it most.
Martin Lobert
Martin Lobert has been a pioneer in accessible Arctic tourism since 2020, drawing from his extensive experience in sales, ski instruction, and local guiding. Driven by the barriers he witnessed guests with reduced mobility facing when visiting the city, he founded Tromsø Accessible Tours to transform outdoor travel in Northern Norway. By universally designing new sightseeing tours, and adapting other experiences, Martin is making sure that everyone will be able to safely and confidently experience the Arctic.
Max Berger
Guide, photographer, passionate science communicator and storyteller. Designing tours and educating guides since 2019; BSc Geology & Mineralogy TU Bergakademie Freiberg.
Known for integrating geological narratives into tours in a comprehensive and captivating way for guests of all ages and backgrounds.
Per Helge Nylund
Tromsø native, museum professional and science communicator. Master of Science in Botany and Master of Arts in Museum Studies. Training guides at and for the Tromsø Museum since 1999. Frequent presenter of Tromsø's history through city walks, talks and lectures, as well as funeral traditions through tours of cemeteries.
Petr Pavlis
Guiding for nearly 10 seasons (3 seasons for Czech Travel agency + 6-7 seasons in Tromsø), TGF leader, Master’s degree in Recreation, leisure time, well-being and Outdoor activities.
Sigmund Andersen
Study program manager for Bachelor Arctic Outdoor Life and Nature GuidingSubject coordinator for Arctic Nature Guide in Svalbard.
William Copeland
William has been providing weather information and teaching aurora guides for over a decade in Tromsø. His master is in Geology, specialising in marine geology and geophysics, and has worked at MET Norway and is now working back in tourism, primarily with aurora focus.
