Walking the Lofoten Islands

Perfect for keen walkers looking to explore the Lofoten Islands. Enjoy daily hikes between 3 km and 13km, with significant ascent/descent on rough terrain. Travelling with a car in the Lofoten brings extra flexibility and freedom, and all walks are optional. This trip is ideal for those looking to get away from it all; enjoy a slower pace of life, experience the Norwegian "friluftsliv" (outdoor life) with plenty of fresh air, and build up an appetite for lovely local dishes!

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Drive and Hike | Exploration of picturesque and remarkable destinations by car combined with walks that highlight the best of a country or region.

This tour is rated moderate. Walks tend to be on the shorter side (longest walking day is less than 13km) but the rough, and sometimes steep, terrain can make for slow progress, so shouldn’t be underestimated. Paths are a mixture of rocky, grassy, narrow, boulder-strewn and particularly after bad weather– muddy trails. Some short sections of trail require light scrambling (not exposed), this is detailed in your daily route notes. The ascent/descent is considerable, ranging between 220-950m each day. To get the most from this tour you should be in good physical shape and be an all-weather hiker! Be prepared with the right equipment; waterproof boots, walking poles and gaiters are a necessity.

Spend 1 night in a 3* hotel and 7 nights in 3* standard traditional ‘Rorbuer’. These are former fishermen dwellings which have been lovingly restored and are now used as accommodation. Each have comfortable beds (normally twin beds, double beds are rare), a bathroom, a fridge, table and chairs and normally an outside seating area. Some cabins also have a kitchenette. If you require a twin room, a 2 bedroom cabin will be required in Reine & Nusfjord as the one bedroom cabins only have double beds. There will be a supplement payable for this of approximately $230 per person. Please let us know at the time of booking if you would like a double room or 2 room cabin in Reine and Nusfjord (a twin room cabin is available in Svolvaer).You will find an example of the Rorbuer we normally use below. If these accommodations are not available we will use an accommodation of a similar or better standard.

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

This trip is not available to solo walkers due to the terrain encountered on some walks. Single rooms are not available on this trip.

Meals

7 breakfasts are included in the cost of your trip. Breakfast is always buffet-style with various options available. Expect a continental breakfast with bread, jams, pastries, yoghurt and muesli available. Usually there are also local meats and cheeses, eggs and fruit on offer. Dinners and lunches are not included so you have the freedom to choose from what’s on offer each day. There are plenty of options for dinner each night, most Rorbuer have an on-site restaurant and there will be restaurants near by. Lunch can be picked up from the local supermarket or bakery, and all cabins have a fridge to keep packed lunch items nice and fresh. Food in Lofoten features fish quite heavily, although there is usually always at least one meat and vegetarian option available on restaurant menus. The restaurants on Lofoten use locally sourced and fresh produce with pride -delicious!

Hiking trails on Lofoten are still quite primitive and way-marking is sparse. However we will provide you with turn-by-turn instructions for each walk, maps and access to our GPS smartphone navigation app, so you will have no problem finding your way.

You can start your Lofoten adventure on any day between the beginning of June and the beginning of September. The weather on Lofoten is extremely changeable, and one should be prepared for 4 seasons in one day, at any time of the year. Generally speaking, you can expect an oceanic climate in summer, with fine sunny days with mild temperatures, combined with cold showers. June tends to be the driest period, and July and August are the warmest. The famous midnight sun (permanent light) happens from the end of May until mid July, and offers lovely long days ideal for hiking. Peak tourist season runs from mid-July to mid-August.

From Svolvær, you can take a ferry (3.5 hours) or a plane (30 mins) back to Bodø. There is one boat a day, and several flights. Wideroe is the only airline operating flights between Svolvær and Bodø. From Svolvær, there are also direct flights to Oslo, although these don't operate everyday. Check www.wideroe.no/en for more information.