Northern Norway's wildlife is captivating: Views of the mountains and the sea, plains and fjords, the midnight sun and the aurora borealis, they are so spectacular, that they are breathtaking even for the most experienced travelers. And between high mountains and numerous islands, there are charming fishing villages built up with cottages.
The one third of Norway, the most northerly, only inhabits 10 percentage of the population. Most of the local population live in the cozy coastal towns. Huge expanses of untouched nature stretch from the plain, where tamed reindeer graze and sparkle with numerous lakes full of fish, to steep mountain peaks, fjords and the kingdom of numerous offshore islands.
Areas north of the Arctic Circle are dark in the middle of winter, and in the summer they are illuminated by white nights.
The most spectacular way to get to Northern Norway, it's a ship. Hurtigruten, also known as National Road No. 1, it runs from Bergen in the south to Kirkenes in the north. On your way north you cross the Arctic Circle, and then you reach the Lofoten Mountains, which emerge from the sea like a majestic wall. People say, that these are the oldest mountains in the world. The Lofoten archipelago is the main destination for excursions in this part of the country and has always been one of the richest in fish areas in the world.
Hurtigruten calls at all towns along the North Norwegian coast, including to the regional "capital" – Tromso, which lies just north of Lofoten. The city is rightly called the Paris of the North, due to numerous restaurants, bars, night clubs and cafes. Here is also the beautiful Arctic Cathedral.
The nature of Northern Norway is one of the least disturbed in Europe. The conditions here are more extreme than further south, and humans had to adapt to the landscape and the forces of nature. You can personally get closer to the forces of nature, living in a traditional cat in the Finnmarksvidda plain or in a fishing shack in the Lofoten Islands.
Wild nature attracts climbing enthusiasts, glacier hiking and skiing.
Sailing on the Hurtigruten to Bodo, along the Kystriksveien road, you can see the Svartisen glacier, that descends all the way to the sea and witness the orcs frolic around the ship.
Or maybe an expedition to the Finnmarksvidda plain, to the homeland of the Sami, in the company of reindeer?
The plain can boast over 60 000 lakes full of fish and thousands of kilometers of rivers full of salmon and trout.
From the North Cape, the northernmost point of Europe, you can look out over the Barents Sea, towards Svalbard and the North Pole.
Northern Norway is rich in birds, represented by the gray gull (Larus).
Statek Hurtigruten Nordlys from Torghatten in the area, in the Nordland region. There is a hole in the rock of Torghatten. The hole has 160 meters in length, 35 meters in height and 20 meters wide.
The northern lights are a phenomenon that occurs in the polar regions, visible in the sky as undulating light. Aurora can be of different shapes, colors and intensity, from dark blue to green and yellow, red and orange.
A home for eiders on one of the islands of the Vega archipelago in Nordland. Archipelago of 6500 islands, islands and surrounding skerries are included in the UNESCO cultural and natural heritage list, due to the unique coastal culture of the archipelago. Already from the Stone Age, people living just below the Arctic Circle, they lived in extreme conditions when fishing, collecting eggs and very soft eider duck feathers.
The Polar Circle Center on Mount Saltflellet, under Bodo, Nordland. The Saltfjellet-Svartisen National Park is right next door. The Arctic Circle is the gateway to arctic Norway, where you can experience both the white nights and the polar night.
Muzeum Hamsuna na Hamarey, where writer Knut Hamsun grew up. He is one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, and for many he is the creator of a modern novel. The Hamsun Museum was opened in 2009 year, to celebrate Hamsun's 150th birthday.
Fishing in the Lofoten Islands, in difficult conditions, have long been of great importance to the local community and the country as a whole. Cod fishing takes place in winter, when the fish swim towards the coast to spawn.
Cods in Lofoten are hung on special scaffolding for drying.
The longest sandy beach in Norway, Bleik na Vesteralen.
From the top of Aunflellet below Harstad, you have a fantastic view of the endless sea.
Go on a whale safari and experience the sperm whale encounter, fully protected in Norway. The killer whale is a dolphin related to the whale family and reaches up to 10 meters in length and weight of many tons.
Tromso, having almost 70 000 residents, is the largest city in Northern Norway and is rightly called the Paris of the North.
Arctic Cathedral in Tromso. The church was built in 1965 year. The bright fields and the very form of the church evoke associations with an iceberg. The church is strongly exposed in the landscape and is the hallmark of the city.
The impressive panorama of Tromso can be admired from the cable car, which leaves the city.
Alta is home to Northern Europe's largest collection of pre-ancient petroglyphs 2500 do 6500 thousand years. For a year 1973 found until 6000 petroglyphs in many places in Alta. Petroglyphs are on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List.
Arch point at Hammerfest, One of 34 points in different countries, which form Struve's geodesic arch. The column was erected in 1854 year, in memory of the largest international measurements of the shape and size of the Earth. The geodesic arch point is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Ice Hotel in Alta is the only hotel made of ice and snow. Inside, all winter, there is a constant temperature of -5 ° C. The hotel was first built in 2000 year, and since then it has been built anew every year.
The reindeer is an animal from the deer family, which inhabits the north and is the most important branch of the Sami economy. Reindeer are bred primarily for meat, skins and antlers. The reindeer herd has to be moved every year from pasture to pasture, and such reindeer grazing is associated with the lifestyle and culture of many Sami.