Overview
Highlights
- The famous Lofoten Islands winter edition
- Northern Lights
- Winter Kayaking
- Snowshoeing
Experience the Lofoten Islands on this winter adventure!
Northern Norway is a unique, quiet and isolated part of the country and truely special. In the winter months, its dark almost 24 hours a day, with a dusky twilight just above the horizon midday, and dancing Northern Lights. During the summer, its 24 hours of sunlight, and the kids in school sing songs to the sun, thanking it for appearing come Spring.
This is a fun, incredibly unique and variable tour that combines adventure with education! The activities are interactive and hands-on, and you will learn a lot about how people of the North have been staying warm, dry and healthy for thousands of years in such a isolated and cold environment. The Northern Lights are one of the most majestic wonders of our planet, and this trip is a sure opportunity to gaze upon them. Join us this winter up North!
What's included
- All accommodations
- All meals
- Professional nature guide
- Transport within itinerary
See more of what's included under the "details" tab
Contact
Questions about the trip? Don't hesitate to contact our project leader below, or contact our office here.
Details
Difficulty
Level 2 out of 5. Please read more about our level of difficulty here.
What to bring?
Have a look at the full equipment list by clicking "Equipment list" in the menu above. You can leave your luggage in the car or at the accommodation each day, so when hiking, you only have to carry what you need for the day. Relevant outdoor winter clothing and boots will be provided on site. Dress warm! All equipment needed for the activites are included.
How to get there?
Wondering how to get from the airport to Oslo City? Read more here. Flights daily from Oslo to Bodø. You might have to share a bathroom with one or two other rooms in some of the accommodations, this is how most accommodation is in Lofoten. It might also be possible with single rooms. Please let us know if you would like to pay extra for this.
Accommodation
You will stay in traditional but modern fisherman huts. Dont worry, the huts have been renovated since the fisherman lived there. No fishy smell!
Baggage
We ask that you bring one piece of luggage (we recommend a duffel bag, which is easier than a rolling bag to transport on this tour) with your clothes, toiletries and items necessary for when we are not hiking. We require you bring a day pack (hip belt strongly recommended) to use when hiking for food, water, cameras and layers.
Insurance
You need a travel and health insurance, which also includes transportation back to your country. Remember to bring your insurance card/information.
Languages
The guide will speak English.
Changes may occur
We reserve the right to make changes to the program, and the price. The day to day program is indicative, and changes may occur. Please have a look at our terms and conditions.
Number of participants
Minimum: 3 people; Maximum: 8 people.
Not included in the price:
- Flights to Bodø, from Evenes/Svolvær
- Drinks and snacks.
day
1
Arrival Bodø - Ferry to Lofoten
We meet in Bodø at the pier and take the ferry to Moskenes at 1 pm. When we arrive at Moskenes our vehicle for the week will await us and we will drive towards our first accommodation for the trip - traditional Fisherman huts right by the seaside. We have dinner together and go through the program for the week.
day
2
White, sandy beaches!
We start the day with a tasty breakfast. After breakfast we will start exploring the islands. We will visit the small municipalites of Å and Nusfjord and then visit a white sandy beach, Haukland. In the afternoon we hike from Haukland beach to Uttakleiv, approx. 2hrs hike along the beach/seashore. If you dare - maybe a swim in the ocean? Not many can say they have taken a swim in the arctic ocean in the winter time!
In the evening after dinner we will go out to look for the northern lights!
day
3
Winter kayaking
Up for a winter kayak adventure? Today we will drive further north and go explore the Lofoten islands from kayaks.
Don’t worry you will be able to use a drysuit, so it wont be that cold. After the kayaking we go to our next accommodation and enjoy a hot tub to get warm again. Maybe we can see the northern lights from the hot tub, there is very little light pollution on this side of the islands, so if we do it will be magnificent. We enjoy dinner before we relax in our warm beds in our comfortable accommodation. It is also possible to do a optional horseback trip at the accommodation.
day
4
Snowshoeing
Today we will do a snowshoe hike. We will hike one of the magnificent mountains in Lofoten and can enjoy wonderful views as we hike. In the evening we will do a northern lights hike to the Mountain Hoven, no light pollution. If you want to relax and spend some more time in the hut tub it is easy to skip one of todays hikes. Between them we will have dinner in a cozy barn that is turned into a restaurant.
day
5
Henningsvær, a charming pearl in Lofoten
Today we visit the charming village Henningsvær in the morning, and then after lunch we will do a snowshoe hike. Our last night together we will have dinner together and enjoy the hottub again and do a swim in the ocean – if you dare.
day
6
Fly back home
After breakfast, the trip has unfortunately come to an end. There will be a private transport to Evenes/Narvik airport to meet a flight at 3:30 pm, we will leave Svolvær at around 10:30 am. If you like, you can also stay in Henningsvær or get off the transport at Svolvær airport and fly directly from Svolvær. Getting from Svolvær with flights to Oslo is easy, but a bit more expensive than Evenes/Narvik. It is also possible to take the afternoon express boat from Svolvær back to Bodø.
Take a good look at this list, and make sure you bring everything you need. We encourage you to use what you have for this trip, and purchase items if you're missing something important on the list below. We have divided the gear list into three categories:
- Required: If you do not own this gear, you must acquire it for your trip.
- Recommended: Gear we suggest to be comfortable, but it is not imperative.
- Optional: Fun, additional luxuries.
Layering is extremely important in a variable climate like Norway. This list will guide you through the essentials. Remember the Norwegian saying "There is no bad weather, only bad gear", and prepare appropriately for any weather. You can read about the weather where you're traveling here.
The video below is for SUMMER gear, but you can get a lot of great tips for winter hiking as well! Welcome to Norway!
Please contact us at hvitserk@norrona.com if you have any questions and check out our gear page to learn more.
We always recommend wool in the Norwegian Mountains, but if you already have synthetic layers and don't want to buy new ones, synthetic is okay.
Required:
|
BASE LAYER - 2 SETS |
Two sets of wool long-sleeved top and bottom. Warm, Extra Warm or Expedition thickness is recommended. |
|
MID-LAYER |
A medium thickness wool or fleece top to go over your base layer. |
|
INSULATED JACKET |
A thick, warm, insulated jacket to put on during breaks. We recommend a puffy jacket with down or synthetic. |
|
SHELL JACKET |
Gore-Tex or similar is mandatory. Extremely important in Norwegian climate. The jacket must be water-proof, have a hood, and make sure you don’t get wet even if it rains or snows all day. We recommend jackets with pit zips for ventilation. |
|
MEDIUM INSULATED JACKET |
Use a synthetic or down jacket that fits over your base layer and mid layer, yet underneath your rain shell. Should be comfortable with full range of movement when all layers are on. |
|
EXTRA TOP LAYER |
Bring an extra medium thick layer to add underneath your medium insulated jacket in case you get cold quickly. |
|
GLOVES & MITTENS |
1 thin pair of wool gloves to protect your hands. 1 pair of over mittens for additional warmth with windproofing. 1 extra pair of thick mittens in case yours get wet. 3 in total. |
|
HATS |
2 warm hats. 1 thick, 1 thin. Make sure at least one has a windproof lining. |
|
HIKING SOCKS |
4 pairs, we recommend wool, above the ankle or higher. 2 thin. 2 thick. We recommend a 5th pair that is extra thick for evenings. |
|
BOOTS |
Warm boots comfortable for snowshoeing all day. |
|
BACKPACK |
Day pack- 20-40 liters. |
|
SUNGLASSES |
UV rated, we recommend a strap to keep them in place and so they don't get lost. |
|
SUNSCREEN / CHAPSTICK |
Make sure the Chapstick has UV rated sunscreen in it. |
|
WATER BOTTLES |
Insulated water bottle, 2-liter capacity. Do not bring a camelback bladder, this will freeze in cold temperatures. |
|
TOILETRIES |
Personal basics: shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, etc... |
|
PERSONAL MEDICATIONS |
Make sure you bring any personal meds you need on your trip and ensure the Hvitserk office is updated on your allergies or needs. |
|
WATERPROOF SHELL PANTS |
Waterproof shell pants. Gortex is best. We recommend heavier duty pants to keep you warm with zips for ventilation. |
|
HEADLAMP |
Make sure you bring extra batteries as they die faster in the cold. |
Recommended:
|
WOOL UNDERWEAR |
We highly recommend bringing wool underwear and bra. No cotton. |
|
COMPRESSION SACKS FOR GEAR |
Recommended for storing your gear, keeping it dry, and compressing your down jackets to create more space. |
|
BALACLAVA OR BUFF |
A wool layer to protect your neck and face. |
|
THERMOS |
We recommend a thermos for hot drinks to have with you all day. We suggest a large, 1-liter thermos. |
|
FIRST AID KIT |
If you have certain hiking aids specific to you: i.e. blister care or ibuprofen, etc... |
|
CAMERA |
Be prepared for the cold. Insulating your camera will keep it working for the entire trip. We suggest bringing an extra battery pack. |
|
CASUAL CLOTHES |
Cozy clothes to wear when we are not participating in activities. |
|
SITTING MAT |
Strongly recommended to insulate you from the ground. |
Optional:
|
ANTIBAC |
If you need it for the bathroom or lunch. |
|
WET WIPE OR TOILET PAPER |
If you have a bathroom emergency while hiking. We use "pack it in pack it out" ethics, so you will need to carry out your used items and throw them away later. |
|
EAR PLUGS |
If you're a light sleeper. |
|
JOURNAL AND PEN |
In order to take notes and write about the trip. |
|
SNACKS |
Chocolate, nuts or energy bars if there is something particular you enjoy eating. You will have the opportunity to buy snacks on your trip. |
Bed linens and towels are included all nights. All the equipment specific to the activities will be provided.
