Want to explore the Northern hemisphere? Maybe go on husky safari, encounter the nordic wildlife and get awed by scenic nature? Here are a small guide for things to do in Northern Norway. Enjoy!

Where to stay: Villa Hegge

Snuggle up with a view

If you are looking for things to do in Northern Norway, I would recommend staying at Villa Hegge for a couple of days. This modern cabin is an experience in and of itself.

Sometimes you can choose the accommodation before you even think about where it is located. Or at least, I do.

Villa Hegge offers a spectacular space and an breathtaking view. In the summer you can experience the midnight sun around the clock, and in the winter time you can gaze the magical northern lights through the huge windows.

The perfect office space

The cabin is located in the small village “center” of Sjøvegan. Even though the cabin is in a residential area close to the “center” of Sjøvegan, it feels pretty tucked away from it all. Staying here is an opportunity to live like a local in the rural district.

Villa Hegge has loads of Scandinavian design objects, and also comes equip with everything you might need or didn’t know you needed. Among other things, two bikes, two fishing rods, yoga mats and some sleds.

Sunsets from the living room

Northern Norway often offers great and extreme weather, something you can enjoy through the big windows. This is a perfect office space if you work remotely. Get inspired by new impulses. A modern fireplace will keep you warm as well as electrical heating.

Bardu Polar Park

Encounter the northern wildlife

Welcome to the world’s northernmost animal park! This is home to Norway’s large predators such as bears, wolves, and lynx as well as deer, moose, reindeer, arctic fox and muskox.

Lynx

Bardu Polar Park is more than a traditional zoo. They place great emphasis on animal welfare, and provide large areas to create a habitat as natural as possible for the animals. This means that you will get to experience the animals in their natural surroundings, and each species gets a lot of room to romp around.

Wolf

This is a Norwegian wilderness experience with beautiful surroundings of arctic nature. PS: watch out for the muskox, it can get pretty wroth…

Brown bears

Husky Safari Gratangen

Dogsledding and a lot of cuddles

This is one of the best things to do in Northern Norway! Dogsledding through the arctic winter scenery, and maybe if you’re lucky, on the hunt for the spectacular northern lights.

Hiking with Bruno

Alaskan Huskies come in many shapes and sizes – tall, small, big, thin, black, brown, white, or multicoloured. Despite these differences, they all share a common trait: an irrepressible and continuous will to run! With their thick and weather proof fur, tough paws, and frugality, they’re build for cold and harsh arctic weather.

Huskies are so enthusiastic when they are in their right element, and they love human contact – also known as cuddling with a capital C. Only one rule applies to cuddles: the more, the better!

Cuddles all day, everyday

Previous knowledge from dogsledding is not necessary. Everyone who is fit enough for cycling or skiing can join husky safari. When we visited Gratangen, it was not enough snow for dogsledding. But a cuddling visit and a hike through the northern wilderness lead by Bruno, was a great experience we won’t forget!

Explore the Scenic Senja

Mighty mountains and elongated white beaches

The steep mountains that plunge straight into the sea are an overwhelming sight, and the most striking feature of Senja. The road winds in and out of the fjords where the water is clean, clear and cold. So cold that no matter how inviting the beaches with chalk-white coral sand appear – a bath is reserved for the toughest.

The ferocious “Oksen” mountain range

There are a lot of things to do in Senja. This is like a huge playground for outdoor people who like challenges. Senja is perfect for anyone who wants to hike, climb, paddle, dive or ride down steep mountain slopes. Here you will really get to explore the scenic nature of Northern Norway.

I recommend driving all the way to the outside of Senja, where the ocean comes ashore. Stop by the vantage point, Bergsbotn; from a 44 meter long platform you can enjoy the grand vista of the Bergsfjord and the surrounding peaks.

Ersfjorden, Senja

Continue to the far end of the headland between Steinfjorden and Ersfjorden, and stop by the picnic area, Tungeneset. A footpath in Siberian larch leads out over the rocks to provide a view to the Northern Sea in the west and the mountain Oksen with the sharp peaks in the north.

If you follow the road even further, you will arrive at one of Norway’s most beautiful beaches. Ersfjordstranda is such a picturesque and uncommon sight in Norway – white, fine-grained sand and crystal clear water. This is Northern Norway at its most beautiful.