Ask us to name our favorite place on Earth for outdoor adventure, and we’ll say Northern Norway without even thinking about it. We’ve gone to New Zealand, to Iceland, to the French Alps, and to the Canadian Rockies. We come back to Norway every time.

We’ve taken Lofoten’s icy roads, trying to get away from the clouds for the northern lights. We’ve dog-sledded in Alta. We’ve eaten a truly embarrassing amount of waffles and brunost in Tromsø. We’ve hiked Senja’s insane-looking peaks. We’ve floated in a sauna in Bodø at dawn. We’ve had a snowmobile wreck on a Svalbard glacier at -38ºC.

One thing worth knowing before you start planning: a large part of what’s called “Northern Norway”, including Tromsø, Alta, and all of Finnmark, sits within Sápmi, the traditional homeland of the Sámi people, Europe’s only recognized indigenous population. Their reindeer herding, joik music, and connection to this landscape are a vital part of everything up there, and the region is so much richer for it.

This Northern Norway trip guide covers the destinations we know best: Bodø, the Lofoten Islands, Tromsø and Kvaløya, Senja, Alta, the Far North, and Svalbard. All of it is extraordinary.

Hiking Husfjellet in Senja with our mascot Mac

A Note on Norwegian Hiking Grades

Before we talk about specific hikes, it matters enough to say upfront: Norwegian trail grades run significantly harder than what you’d expect in most other countries. The Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) uses a four-color scale: green for easy and family-friendly, blue for moderate, red for demanding, and black for expert terrain. A blue trail here often involves sustained steep climbing on rocky terrain. Red often…

Read Full Article Source