Lofoten
The best places to see the Northern Lights in Lofoten
- Visit one of the many remote, white sand beaches that face north, like Uttakleiv, Gimsøystranda or Rambergstranda.
- Spend the night in a rorbu(a fisherman's cabin).
- Go horseback riding on Icelandic horses.
- Enjoy the show from a steaming hot tub or a modern sauna.
For a thousand years, fishermen have flocked to Lofoten to take part in the renowned skrei winter fishery in Northern Norway between February and April. Foodies are now following in their footsteps.
Experience living history in the small, picturesque fishing villages scattered around the islands. You can even get to watch the aurora from your own balcony if you stay in a traditional rorbu, a fisherman's cabin, right on the sea shore.
Lofoten is situated just beneath the auroral oval, a belt of light that encircles the geomagnetic poles and provides some of the best chances in the world of seeing the northern lights. You can go fishing, ski touring, alpine skiing, horse riding, hiking, kayaking, and dog sledding under the northern lights or the equally beautiful starry sky. Or how about enjoying the show from a steaming hot tub or one of the many new panoramic saunas in the area?
Due to the northern latitude, the sun remains completely below the horizon for about five weeks in mid winter in this area. The darkness is truly unforgettable. But you can still experience daylight in most of the winter, increasing gradually to the midnight sun in summer. And we promise you that the unique winter light and the flaming skies will give your Insta account a big boost too! Go on a fishing trip or a RIB boat safari, and be sure to count eagles on your way.
Bad weather? No worries! You have plenty of excellent galleries, museums, historic Viking sites, and cosy eateries to explore! There are many excellent restaurants and resorts that are open year round in Lofoten. The city of Svolvær is the area's main hub, offering a wide range of hotels, shops, as well as a cultural centre and several bars and eateries.
Winter in Northern Norway
Did you know that you can experience the northern lights as early as late September until late March?
4-day tour including a cruise with Hurtigruten. Choose from a wide selection of winter activities including dog sledding and northern lights excursions.
Price from NOK 7 080Book Now
6-day tour, including a return cruise from Tromsø to Kirkenes with Hurtigruten. Visit the North Cape and try winter activities including dog sledding and snowmobiling.
Price from NOK 12 030Book Now
Join a northern lights cruise and enjoy delicious arctic tapas from our partner in Tromsø, while hunting for the northern lights!
Price from NOK 1 790Book Now
Spend 5 days in Alta at an Arctic wilderness resort, a forest chalet and an igloo-style dome. Enjoy dog sledding, snowmobiling, and ice-fishing.
Price from NOK 40 800Book Now
4-day winter break to Tromsø, including dog sledding and a northern lights chase by minibus. Additional winter activities can be added.
Price from NOK 9 060Book Now
4-day break to Tromsø with a cruise and hunt for the northern lights. With one free day, you can add winter activities like dog sledding, a reindeer safari, and more.
Price from NOK 7 690Book Now
This 6-day tour includes a guided day tour of Tromsø, sea kayaking, and a sea eagle safari. Stay in a small fishing village and learn how to capture the northern lights on camera.
Price from NOK 16 275Book Now
4-day trip with an aurora-chase guided tour, RIB boat tour, and accommodation in a traditional fisherman's cabin.
Price from NOK 9 498Book Now
6-day winter adventure. See the fjords and the Arctic city of Tromsø. Winter activities like dog sledding, a northern lights safari, and much more can be added.
Price from NOK 8 490Book Now
Explore the Tromsø fjords on a hybrid-electric boat with panoramic windows, while savouring a delicious dinner and keeping an eye out for the magical northern lights.
Price from NOK 1 590Book Now
Join a 6-day northern lights round trip. Fly from Oslo to Tromsø and experience all the highlights of the region, including several opportunities to chase the northern lights.
Price from NOK 27 995Book Now
6-night round trip from Oslo. Stay at an ice hotel, go on a king crab safari, take a reindeer sleigh ride, and enjoy an Arctic gourmet dinner.
Price from NOK 31 595Book Now
Round trip from Oslo including a scenic train ride to Trondheim, two nights onboard a cruise ship, a visit to Bodø, Tromsø, and a Viking feast on the Lofoten Islands.
Price from NOK 24 350Book Now
Fly from Oslo to Kirkenes and stay overnight at a snow hotel, then go wilderness dog sledding before taking a 5-night cruise to Bergen. Visit Trondheim's Nidaros Cathedral and Lofoten along the way.
Price from NOK 34 510Book Now
Join a 7-day adventure through Norway. Chase the northern lights, go on a king crab safari, experience dog sledding, and explore Flåm and the UNESCO fjords.
Price from NOK 26 890Book Now
7-hour trip. Your guide will choose the camp location with the highest chance of seeing the northern lights. All camps have shelters, toilets, campfires, and benches outside.
Price from NOK 1 590Book Now
Combine a northern lights experience with comfort and luxury. These once-in-a-lifetime stays are in prime locations for optimal aurora borealis viewing.
Price from NOK 3 000Book now
Hunt the northern lights along Norway's entire coastal route with 34 ports, 1,000 mountains, and more than 100 fjords. Enjoy insightful lectures from astronomers during the voyage.
Price from NOK 28 048Book Now
Spend a night in a private crystal Lavvo in the Lyngen Alps. Learn how to photograph the aurora and try snowshoeing. Return transfers, lunch, dinner, and breakfast are also included.
Price from NOK 3 390Book Now
Enjoy two nights in central Tromsø , including a northern lights tour. Stay in a Crystal Lavvo in the Lyngen Alps, with a view of the auroras. Local transfers, activities and meals included.
Price from NOK 11 220Book now
Try reindeer sledding, spend the night in a traditional Sami tent, feed reindeer, and enjoy Arctic landscapes. With some luck, the northern lights might appear!
Price from NOK 3 995Book now
Experience Tromsø, the gateway to the Arctic and a great place to witness the spectacular northern lights! This holiday package includes two nights stay in a cosy hotel and two unforgettable tours that maximise your chance of seeing the mighty aurora borealis.
Price from NOK 6 790Book nowWhat to do
Where to stay
Where to eat
Getting There
The E10 (King Olav V’s road) is the main motorway connecting the Lofoten archipelago from west to east. Travelling by public transport requires some planning, especially if you want to go anywhere off the E10, so check the timetables carefully.
For tickets and timetables, visit Entur
There are daily public bus services from Narvik and the airport at Lofoten/Harstad/Narvik to Svolvær, Leknes and Å (route 300). There are also bus connections from Svolvær to Sortland in Vesterålen.
For tickets and timetables, visit Entur
If you choose to go by car, there are several options for getting to and from Lofoten. Take one of the car ferries from Bodø (year round) or Skutvik in Hamarøy (summer).
A boat-free connection from the north of Lofoten, or from Sweden, takes you between the mainland and Lofoten.
There are daily train services all year between Narvik and Kiruna, and Stockholm. From Narvik, you can catch a bus to the Lofoten Islands.
You can also take the train from Oslo to Trondheim, and from Trondheim continue on to Bodø with the Nordland Railway. This latter stretch of the journey takes about 10 hours. From Bodø, you can take a ferry or express boat to Lofoten.
There are frequent flights to regional airports, including Bodø Airport and Lofoten/Harstad/Narvik Airport, and to local airports in Svolvær, Leknes, and Røst.
The flight from Oslo to Bodø takes 1.5 hours and an additional 20–30 minute flight or approximately 3–4 hour boat ride from there to Lofoten. From Lofoten/Harstad/Evenes it's a 2.5-4 hour drive or bus ride to Lofoten.
There is also a helicopter service between Bodø and Værøy.
There are daily express boat services operating year round between Bodø, Svolvær, and Skrova.
There are car ferries from Bodø to Røst, Værøy and Moskenes in Lofoten year round, and between Hamarøy and Svolvær in summer, and between Lofoten and Melbu in Vesterålen.
The Norwegian Coastal Voyage Hurtigruten calls at daily Stamsund and Svolvær in Lofoten, while Havila Voyages calls at the same ports two days a week. You can also sail shorter distances between Bodø, Tromsø, and Lofoten, for example.
