Northern winter in the Lofoten Islands

8 DAYS - Difficulty level: MODERATE

GROUPS OF 5 to 15 PEOPLE - ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE: BODØ

  Detailed hiking guide of the tour

PRESENTATION

Despite its high latitude (68°north), the region enjoys relatively mild temperatures in winter (between 0 and -5°C in January, the coldest month) due to the warm Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream also attracts huge shoals of cod that come to spawn in the protected waters of Vestfjord. You will explore this Arctic peninsula on snowshoe hikes when it is at its busiest: during the cod fishing season! The islands in their winter coats are at their height around Easter time. The summits are capped with sparkling snow and bathed in bright sunlight, a precursor of the perpetual days of the Arctic summer to come. Nights are often lit up with the changing colours of the Northern Lights that shed an unreal light on the landscape! Only a few hours away from the heart of Europe, winter in the Lofoten Islands will give you a sense of escapism that is second to none.

DAY to DAY

Day 1: Arrive at Bodø Airport and transfer by ferry to the Lofoten Islands. We will arrive in the Lofoten Islands in the night and transfer to Fredvang, where we settle into our accommodation for the next 4 nights.

Day 2: We begin our first hike that will lead us to the beach of Stokkvika near Yttersand on the island of Moskenesøya. The beach is located in the bottom of a very isolated valley where a handful of fishermen and farmers lived until the beginning of the 20th century. Nowadays, in summer time, sheep only populates this small valley.

Day 3: After a small bus transfer, witch allows us to cross the Island of Flakstadøya; we will reach the village of Ballstad on the great island of Vestvågøya. From there we head towards the valley of Kylingdalen and cross a few isolated farms before walking through a thick conifer forest alongside a beautiful lake. At the end of the lake the more hardened walkers may tackle the summit of Breitinden.

Day 4: We depart for the beautiful beach of Kvalvika. Kvalvika (or “whale bay”) is one of the mythical hikes on the Lofoten Islands. This large white sand beach of about 1km long, is surrounded by huge cliffs of black granite, and seems coming straight out of an adventure novel.

Day 5: Sightseeing of the northern part of the archipelago (crossing of Vestvågøya and Gimsøya, to the island of Austvågøya). On our way, we visit the small fishing harbour of Henningsvær. This beautiful village is extremely active during the cod fishing season (February and March). On our way back, we stop for a small hike on the island of Gimsøya facing the Norwegian Sea.

Day 6: Today we will hike to the summit of Kartstaven. After a short transfer to a place called Nykmarka, we start walking through a small forest of dwarf birch. Later on, we will pass along a large lake where ice fishing is practiced. From there, we will climb to the top of Kartstaven, which offers a beautiful view of the Vestfjord and the island of Vestvågøya.

Day 7: In the morning we start our hike to the top of Guratinden. To begin we cross a forest area before starting the climb towards a pass from where we have a beautiful view over the island of Vestevågøya and the large fjord below. We follow the mountain ridge to the summit, which boasts an outstanding panoramic view. In the evening we will take the “Hurtigruten”, the famous coastal line that has been connecting Bergen to Kirkenes for over a century! If we are lucky, this night crossing will maybe allow us to observe the northern lights above the Vestfjord…

Day 8 : Transfer in the morning to Bodø airport.

Sightseeing of the northern part of the archipelago (crossing of Vestvågøya and Gimsøya, to the Island of Austvågøya). On our way, we visit the small fishing harbour of Henningsvær. This beautiful village is extremely active during the cod fishing season (February and March). On our way back, we stop for a small hike on the Islands of Gimsøya facing the Norwegian Sea.