Snuggled under the duvet, a wood-burning stove crackling beside us and, above our heads… a glass roof opening onto the Arctic sky. That’s how we spent one of the most unusual nights of our lives, deep in a Norwegian forest!
Thanks to the blog, our travels sometimes come with a few little extras… During our trip to Tromsø in Norway, in November 2018, Francisco invited us to spend the night in one of his crystal lavvos, in the Lyngen Alps. You can imagine what our answer was! After a day spent watching orcas and whales, off we went to the forest… Want to see what this unique place to stay near Tromsø looks like? Let’s go!
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What is a lavvo (or lavvu)?
First things first, let me explain what I’m talking about! The lavvu (lavvo in Norwegian) is the traditional tent of the Sámi, the Indigenous people of Lapland best known for herding reindeer. It looks a bit like a Native American tipi, but it’s lower and wider at the base, a shape that makes it far more stable against the wind sweeping across the tundra. In the past, it was made solely from reindeer hides and crossed wooden poles, easy to take down so the Sámi could follow their herds. Today, canvas and lighter materials often replace the hides, making it even easier to carry.
Lavvus come in different sizes: the largest can host people for a meal or a ceremony, while the smallest really are comparable to tents, designed to be put up by one person with no effort at all. In the centre of the lavvu, you’ll find a fire, used for heating, keeping mosquitoes away and even cooking. Sometimes it’s replaced by a modern stove, which is better at getting rid of smoke, but gives off less light.
And the lavvo is no museum piece! You’ll still come across it in reindeer herders’ camps (we even had lunch in one during our day with the reindeer), at Sámi gatherings, and it has become a true symbol of Sámi culture. Not to be confused with the goahti, a sturdier dwelling with an arched wooden frame, often covered with turf, used for longer-term camps.
So what is a crystal lavvo?
The crystal lavvo is the comfy (and slightly magical) version of the traditional lavvo! At Francisco’s, it’s built from wood and keeps the conical shape of the Sámi tent, but the whole roof is transparent. The idea? Enjoy a proper bed, a toasty stove… and scan the sky for the Northern Lights without leaving your duvet. It’s a far cry from wild camping, but the atmosphere is still very much that of a night out in nature.
Our night in a crystal lavvo in Norway
Francisco picks us up halfway between Skjervøy and Tromsø to take us to his home in the Lyngen Alps. That’s where we’ll discover our lavvo. It’s already dark, so we can’t see much during the 45-minute drive, but Francisco describes the forest on one side and the fjords on the other. We’re already daydreaming…
Our lavvos in the middle of the forest
We arrive at Francisco’s, and he shows us around part of his house before introducing us to the lavvos. There are 6 of them, 5 of which are right in the forest. As there are 4 couples, he asks whether anyone would like to stay close to the house (and the loo!), but everyone wants to be in the forest! We all squeeze into the first lavvo so Francisco can explain how the stove works. Alcino and I stay in this one, while the others go off to discover their ‘rooms’. Ours has 4 beds, a stove in the middle and enough logs to last several days! And above our heads, that famous glass roof… We settle in quickly before heading back to the house for dinner. Francisco explains what the Northern Lights are, and tells us quite frankly that tonight is going to be tricky.
It’s after dinner that we make the most of the lavvo, curled up by the fire with a little coffee… We’re completely smitten… Our eyes slowly get used to the darkness and we can clearly make out the silhouettes of the trees outside. We keep telling each other ‘we’re in a forest in Norway’, ‘we’re in a crystal lavvo’, ‘how lucky are we’… We lie down, dreamy-eyed, and gaze at the sky, hoping our wishes will sweep away the clouds… The stove, meanwhile, is pumping out heat, and after a few hours we stop feeding it… Something we’ll regret when we wake up to a freezing morning!
Traditional Norwegian meals
For both dinner and breakfast, Francisco had prepared Norwegian specialities. Perfect for foodies like us! On the evening menu: salad, lamb and potatoes. For breakfast, the first time in our lives we tried scrambled eggs… with smoked salmon! Delicious! The two go together beautifully. We also have a coffee machine and a kettle for tea, which we can use whenever we like. Not bad either, the view from the dining room over the fjord opposite. And nothing else in sight.
A Northern Lights photography evening
After dinner, Francisco sets up our cameras to capture the aurora, should it decide to make an appearance. He gives us loads of tips and lends tripods to anyone who hasn’t brought one. A proper photography lesson! It’s only 8pm, so Francisco arranges to meet us outside the house at 11pm for the show.
The Northern Lights never turn up, but we stay out there for a good hour having fun anyway! Around 1am, Alcino tries his luck again on his own, but to no avail…
How to book a night in a crystal lavvo near Tromsø
➺ This night was offered to us by Francisco from Green Gold Of Norway, who runs a wide range of activities depending on the season. Francisco can come across as a little reserved at first, but he knows a huge amount about the Northern Lights and photography… and once the ice is broken, he’s friendly and great fun!
Crystal lavvo packages by season
A night in a crystal lavvo is booked as an all-inclusive package departing from Tromsø. Here are the options currently available (dates are indicative, so double-check when booking):
| 📅 Season | 🛏️ Package | 🗺️ Programme |
|---|---|---|
| September to mid-April | Crystal lavvo & Northern Lights overnight | Late-afternoon departure from Tromsø, dinner, photography workshop, aurora hunt and a night in the lavvo. Return the following morning. |
| September and October | Crystal lavvo & RIB fjord safari | RIB boat trip through the fjords, followed by dinner, a photography workshop and a night in the lavvo. |
| November to late January | Fjords, whales & aurora (our package) | Very early departure for Skjervøy, orca and humpback whale watching by RIB, followed by dinner, a photography workshop and a night in the lavvo. |
| Mid-December to mid-April | Crystal lavvo, snowmobile & aurora | 2-hour snowmobile safari in the Lyngen Alps, lunch, free time (snowshoeing, cross-country skiing), then a photography workshop, dinner and a night in the lavvo. |
➺ We went for the whales + lavvo night + Northern Lights package. We were out of luck with the aurora, as the sky was very cloudy, but as you can see below, Francisco sees them above his house very often!
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Our tips for your night in a lavvo
➺ After our trip to see the orcas and whales, Francisco met us halfway so we didn’t have to go back to Tromsø. These days, pick-ups and drop-offs are from the Scandic Ishavshotel in Tromsø city centre: allow around an hour and a half each way, ferry included. You can book your tour HERE!
➺ With the whale package, it’s a very long day: departure at silly o’clock (and no, not to see the aurora…), several hours on the road to Skjervøy, then the evening at the lavvo. If you really want to make the most of the Northern Lights hunt, the overnight-only option is far more relaxing.
➺ Dinner and breakfast are included, as are transport and the photography workshop with tripod loan. Each lavvo usually sleeps 2 people (4 maximum), and you won’t have to share with strangers. The toilets, however, are shared… and inside the house! If you tend to get up during the night, ask for a lavvo nearby.
➺ The stove gets seriously hot… but once it goes out, the lavvo cools down very quickly. Top it up before you go to sleep, or you’ll wake up as frozen as we did! And let’s be honest: if the Northern Lights do show up, you’ll be outside with your tripod planted in the snow rather than tucked under the duvet. The glass roof is really about the luxury of waiting somewhere warm while keeping an eye on the sky.
➺ I mention it in our article on the Northern Lights, but bring a camera with manual settings, otherwise it’s going to be very tricky!
Other unique places to stay near Tromsø
Crystal lavvos fully booked, or would you rather stay closer to town? Tromsø and the surrounding area have no shortage of unusual accommodation for watching the Northern Lights. We haven’t tried them ourselves, but here are the ones that have caught our eye for a future trip:
➺ Aera Panorama Glass Lodge: a handful of sea-view lodges with glass roofs, so you can watch the aurora from your bed.
➺ North Experience Basecamp: its AuroraHuts are small glass igloos with 360° views of the Arctic sky, and the camp has a sauna and an outdoor hot tub. Just the thing for waiting for the Northern Lights in comfort…
➺ MS Strønstad: a 1955 boat moored right in the centre of Tromsø and converted into accommodation… with a hot tub on board!
➺ A 100-year-old Norwegian log house, for an authentic atmosphere while staying close to town.
And if you’re simply looking for a well-located hotel in the city centre, we stayed at the Smarthotel for the rest of our trip: we tell you all about it in our guide to visiting Tromsø in winter.
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Despite the lack of Northern Lights, we absolutely loved that night! What a unique experience! Lying in our beds, we kept gazing at the sky and repeating ‘we’re in a crystal lavvo in Norway! We’re in the middle of a Norwegian forest, surrounded by fjords!’
FAQ: your questions about crystal lavvos in Tromsø
Frequently asked questions are here!
What is a crystal lavvo?
It’s a wooden shelter built in the shape of a lavvo, the traditional tent of the Sámi people, but with a fully transparent roof. You sleep in a proper bed, warmed by a wood-burning stove, with a view of the sky and, if the weather plays along, the Northern Lights.
Where can you sleep in a lavvo near Tromsø?
Green Gold of Norway’s crystal lavvos are located in the Lyngen Alps, around an hour and a half from Tromsø including a short ferry crossing. The night is booked as an all-inclusive package with transfers from the city centre.
Can you book just the night in a crystal lavvo?
Yes, there is an overnight-only option: late-afternoon departure from Tromsø, dinner, a photography workshop, an aurora hunt, a night in the lavvo and a return the next morning. Depending on the season, it can also be combined with whale watching, a RIB fjord safari or snowmobiling.
Can you see the Northern Lights from your bed?
Yes, on a clear night between September and mid-April, but nothing is guaranteed. In our case, the clouds won… And when the aurora does appear, you usually end up outside to get better photos!
Is it cold in a lavvo at night?
The wood-burning stove gets very hot, but the lavvo cools down quickly once it’s no longer fed. Top it up before going to sleep to avoid a freezing wake-up.
When is the best time to stay in a crystal lavvo?
From September to mid-April for the Northern Lights. Between November and January, you can combine your night with orca and whale watching in Skjervøy, and from mid-December to mid-April, with a snowmobile safari.