North Norway, Aurora Borealis, Hike & Sail
This polar voyage focuses on hikes (with snowshoes, if needed) that provide excellent views of Northern Norway’s scenic coastlines. Snowshoeing is easy for anyone in good physical condition. It requires no technical knowledge, and makes moving over the snow much easier and faster.
Your voyage sets out of Tromsø. You’ll love exploring this sub-Arctic Norwegian town, said to have been inhabited since the last ice age, and afterward we’ll depart in the evening.
We’ll first sail through Grøtsundet and Ullsfjorden toward the northeast, arriving in the Nord-Lenangen fjord on the following day. The ship may stay there for the night, just under Lyngsfjella (the Lyngen Alps). If weather conditions permit, you may also make a walk along the coast of the fjord, after which evening glimpses of the northern lights may appear.
You’ll then sail along the base of the Lyngen Alps, across the Lyngen fjord, and may stay for the night in Hamnnes, an ancient trade and fishing settlement originating in the 17th century. Located on the island of Uløya, Hamnnes features typical wooden warehouses where residents store dried cod. In fact, the town still exports this cod for the traditional Mediterranean dish, Bacalhau. Uløya is one of the many places we’ll visit that offers good hiking, often on snowshoes.
Next we’ll sail farther northeast into the Kvaenangen Fjord, enjoying this dramatic area in the early part of the day and spending the night in one of the scenic fishing villages nearby: Skjervøy, Seglvik, Reinfjord, or Burfjord.
There are other great hiking possibilities in this area. One of them is on the Island of Spildra, where we might climb the 240-meter-high (788 feet) Staurhammaren, with expansive views over the fjord.
Great hikes can also be made in Burfjord, just 50 km (31 miles) from the northerly town of Alta. During the evenings and nights, there are fine opportunities to see auroras here if the sky is clear enough.
The following objective is to sail back southwest, staying for the night in Finnkroken, a tiny hamlet that gives you a solid chance of seeing the northern lights. In the morning you embark on a final hike, hopefully with snowshoes, to the 315-meter-high (1,033 feet) Småvasshaugen. On day seven, you sail back to Tromsø.
We’ll arrive around midday, leaving enough time to shop for souvenirs in town, visit a museum, or take a walk in the fresh winter air. After spending the last night on board, we disembark with memories that will accompany us wherever the next adventure lies.
A few notes about this voyage:
At the beginning of the season, there is still snow on the coastline, valleys, and mountains. For this reason, we favor the option of snowshoes during our hikes. Snowshoes are available on board (free of charge) and fit all shoe sizes.
As a rule, daily hikes of two to three hours are planned, in the morning and / or afternoon. Approximately 100 to 200 meters (330 to 660 feet) of altitude may be climbed per day, depending on the hike.
For all hikes, passengers (maximum of 33) are split into two groups under the guidance of experienced guides who take into account the interests and physical fitness of the participants. Hiking routes cannot be determined in advance, because local conditions influence the final program.
For the hiking program, it is recommended that you bring ankle-high, sturdy boots with gaiters. For wet shore landings via our Zodiac boats, please bring insulated rubber boots with anti-slip soles. Hiking poles with deep snow plates are also required. See our equipment list for more details.
The Northern Norway coastline is renowned for its beauty, a forested terrain contoured with rugged mountains and vast fjords. And it’s not just during the summer months that Norway shows off its splendors, but winter as well.
The mountains are capped with snow, the sun hangs heavy on the skyline, and everything is embraced in a lustrous coat of frost. In the far north, about 500 km (310 miles) northeast of the Arctic Circle, the Lyngen and Kvaenangen fjords can be found. Between them we find steep mountain ridges, remote islands, and a wealth of hiking opportunities.
In winter the amount of daylight is limited, providing about 10 hours of light by the end of February. The dramatic landscape under the low sun and long sunrise / sunset offers great opportunities for photography enthusiasts, but the dark hours will not be wasted: Northern Norway is one of the best areas in the world to see the northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis.
In good weather conditions, this voyage offers ample opportunities to admire and photograph the northern lights from the remote fishing villages and bays where we stay the night. You may also see white-tailed eagles and fish otters, both year-round residents of Norwegian fjords.
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