Destination: Norway

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Itinerary: Norway`s far North

A minimum time-frame for this journey would be three weeks, but it could easily take a month, especially if you take time out to do a spot of hiking. Travelling by the coastal steamer is picturesque and none-too-fast, adding time (and countless postcard-like memories) to the trip.



Northern Norway is true frontier territory country, although to get there you’ll need to start along well-trodden paths. Bergen is the starting point of the Hurtigruten coastal ferry which runs all the way to Kirkenes on the Russian border in Norway’s Arctic north. The wonderful Lofoten Islands is high in Norway’s pantheon of most breathtaking places; Kabelvåg, Henningsvær, Nusfjord and Moskenesøy will initiate you into the delightfully backwoods-feel of the Lofoten. The Vesterålen archipelago also contains some little-visited gems, including Nyksund and Stø, where you can go whale-spotting.

Returning to the mainland, energetic little Trømso is an antidote to lonely northern nights, a great place to return after excursions offshore to Karlsøy or inland to the Lyngen Alps. For those of you who found even the sleepy Lofoten islands too busy for your liking, head to the equally dramatic but even quieter Senja which is known for its enchanting fishing villages. Other places not to miss in your pursuit of solitude include the Øvre Dividal National Park and the rock carvings of Alta.

If you’re in the area, don’t miss Nordkapp for novelty value before again leaving the crowds behind to venture into Eastern Finnmark where you’ll find the Nordkyn Peninsula, some contemplative salmon fishing at Tana Bru and worthwhile inland detours to the Sami cultural centres of Kautokeino and Karasjok, as well as the trackless wilds of the Reisa National Park.

Finally, to get so far off-the-beaten track that you’ll almost fall off the end of the earth, there’s no place quite like Svalbard, a place of rare and stark beauty that is the Arctic in essence.

Travelling to Norway?
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