Snorkeling with orcas or killer whales has been at the top of my travel bucket list for years. Norway, as one of the few if not the only country in the world, offers the opportunity to swim with orcas in a responsible way. From October to January large schools of herring, the orcas’ primary food source, migrate into the fjords and coastal waters of northern Norway, attracting countless orcas and other whales in search of a feast.
But apart from the whales, the stunning and raw Norwegian scenery and arctic light conditions create a magical atmosphere during this time of year. During the polar night period (approx. end of November to mid January), the sun remains below the horizon. But it’s never completely dark. On clear days you can see breathtaking sunset colors against a deep midnight blue sky. This is also the best time and place to witness the mesmerizing northern lights. We combined our whale watching adventure in Skjervoy with a city break in Tromso and a short nature break on the island of Kvaloya. Find out more about our one-week itinerary in Arctic Norway.
Day 1-4: Tromso
Tromso, also often referred to as the Paris of the North, is the gateway to northern Norway. Although most flights have a stopover in Oslo, we were lucky to book a direct flight from Düsseldorf to Tromso with Eurowings. In just over 3 hours, we stepped into a completely different world and inhaled the crisp arctic air. The downtown area of Tromso is small and compact and everything is within walking distance. You therefore don’t need a car if you’re only staying in and around Tromso. Most tour operators in the area also take care of transportation. To get to the city centre, you can hop on the airport shuttle which stops in front of the terminal or grab a taxi like us (costs approx. €15-20) which drops you off right in front of your accommodation.
We stayed in King’s Park apartment, in a quiet area of Tromso’s inner city, just a stone’s throw away from all the major attractions, restaurants and cafés. We were glad to have booked this apartment instead of a hotel. Somewhere spacious where we could relax and warm up after a few hours walking around the city, before going out to dinner in the evening.
See & do
Tromso offers a wide range of activities and experiences, both in the city itself as well as the surrounding area. We limited ourselves to exploring the inner city center as we were still traveling to other islands in northern Norway. Here you can find some of the highlights of our trip.
- Fjord & history cruise with Hermes II: aboard a beautifully restored wooden boat from 1917 you go out in the Tromso Sound and the city’s nearby islands and fjords in search of wildlife. We loved everything about this trip. From the breathtaking scenery, the white-tailed eagles and harbor seals to the delicious fish cakes and enthusiastic crew and guide.
- The Polar Museum: we enjoyed this museum the most of all. You learn about courageous hunter/trapper expeditions and the hazardous journeys of discovery in the arctic. The charming museum is located in an old wharf at the waterfront, dating back to 1830.
- The Troll Museum: the first and only troll museum in Norway. You get acquainted with Norwegian fairytales, legends and folklore. It’s a tiny museum with two small halls but the augmented reality makes for a fun and interactive experience.
- Polaria: a small Arctic experience center and one of only two places in Europe where you can see bearded seals up close. You learn about arctic sea life and how everything depends on each other for survival.
In search of the northern lights
Of course, what most of us come to northern Norway and Tromso for in winter is the aurora borealis. From September until early April and when the skies are clear, you have a good chance of seeing the northern lights. To maximize you chances, it’s best to escape the city light pollution. You can do this by booking one of the many tours offered around Tromso, but a good and cheaper alternative is to go out on your own. The app My Aurora Forecast notifies you when you’re likely to see the northern lights on your location. Tromso has several nearby spots that offer excellent opportunities for aurora sightings and it’s easy to get there on foot or by public transport. Most likely the best spot and the one we’ve been to is Prestvannet Lake, a nature reserve just a few kilometers from the city center and easy to reach by bus 40.
Eat & drink
Cozy coffee places and fresh pastries, local delicacies, international and high-end cuisine. Tromso offers it all. Here you can find an overview of the cafés, breakfast places and restaurants we’ve been to and recommend. Make sure to reserve restaurants or dinner in advance as the winter months are peak season in Tromso.
Coffee places and cafés:
- Tollefsenhjornet: our first stop in Tromso, a cozy and authentic spot offering some of the best coffee in town. You can also enjoy home-made pastry or a small lunch dish.
- Vervet Bakeri: we’ve been here twice because we enjoyed it so much. Bread and pastries are baked while you watch and you have wonderful harbor views.
- Kaffebonna: a local coffee shop chain with lovely hot chocolate, cinnamon buns and more.
- Olhallen: the oldest pub in Tromso with one of the largest beer tap selections in Europe serving Norwegian beer from 72 different taps. We recommend Mack’s classic Christmas beer.
- Riso Mat & Kaffebar: we’ve been here twice for breakfast. I loved the omelette with honey, cheese and walnuts or the baked potatoes with bacon and fried eggs.
- Helmersen Delikatesser & Vinbar: you can choose between two lovely traditional breakfast plates with bread, butter, cheese, jam and a boiled egg or add a granola yoghurt as a nice extra.
Restaurants:
- Bardus Bistro: my absolute most favorite restaurant in town with a menu based on the ingredients and culinary history of the north, such as moose and reindeer.
- Casa Inferno: not an obvious choice when traveling to northern Norway but you’ll be surprised by the delicious Italian pizzas and the lovely ambiance. Make sure to try the reindeer pizza.
- Fiskekompaniet: a tasteful culinary experience, where seafood and harbor view make the perfect combination. Although this is one of the more expensive restaurants in town, this is definitely a must if you’re a seafood lover.
Day 4-6: Whale watching in Skjervoy
In recent years the herring and whales migrated off the coast of Tromso near the fishing village of Skjervoy. All the more reason for us to also travel further up north to Skjervoy. From the Tromso harbor you can take the comfortable express ferry boat that will take to Skjervoy in just over two hours. The express boat leaves from Tromso to Skjervoy once every day, except on Saturdays, so keep that in mind. You can also drive to Skjervoy with your own rental car or take the Arctic Route bus. The drive there takes over four hours and weather conditions might make driving difficult or even cause road blocks. On our way back the Arctic Bus was cancelled due to weather conditions. Luckily, the express boat was leaving later that day.
Skjervoy is a small fishing village that offers limited options to stay. We chose Pa Hjornet Guesthouse, simply because it has the best ratings and an on-site restaurant. It’s a 10-minute walk from the harbor where the express boat arrives. The new studios are small but comfortable and exceeded our expectations based on the pictures we saw beforehand on Booking.com. The restaurant is also very convenient offering an extensive menu and decent food at a reasonable price. Added bonus is the pastry shop which offers a wide range of tasty cakes and sweets for breakfast.
Except for the exceptional whale watching, Skjervoy itself does not have too much to offer. Unless you have a car and can drive to one of the other nearby Lyngenford regions. But whale watching is exactly what we had planned here, although the changing weather conditions threatened to ruin our plans. We booked an orca snorkeling tour with Whale2Sea, but there are also other operators that offer snorkeling and whale watching. You can even board one of several expedition ships that go out for three or six days.
On the day itself, all participants met for a briefing and whale presentation at the Whale2Sea office at Hotel Maritim Skjervoy, directly at the harbor. Unfortunately, we were told that due to expected rough seas, only certified divers were allowed to swim with the orcas if the conditions allowed for out. It took some time to process this disappointment. Not only did it feel unfair for all non-divers but when we arrived at the fjord, the sea was quite calm. Nonetheless, the trip was amazing seeing several sperm whales, a huge fin whale and large pods of orcas up close, against the stunning backdrop of colorful skies and majestic mountains. And don’t worry about the cold, you get suited up in warm thermal outfits or dry-suits if you go into the water. Our dream of swimming with orcas will remain on the bucket list for now, but we’ll go back there soon and stay for more days to increase our chances.
Day 6-8: Kvaloya and Sommaroy
The last two days we spent on the picturesque island Kvaloya, the fifth largest island in Norway and a must visit destination for nature lovers. To get there, we rented a car at Hertz, located directly at the express boat terminal. After a 45 minute drive, we arrived at our final destination, the idyllic Yggsdrasil Farmhotel. Here you can experience what it’s like to stay close to nature. The home-made food served at the farm is based on old Norwegian traditions and breakfast is certainly one of the best we’ve ever had. On-site you can also enjoy a wood-fired sauna and relaxing jacuzzi bath. If you’re lucky you can watch the northern lights dance in the sky while bathing in the hot water.
During most of our stay in northern Norway, we had clear skies and lots of snow. Unfortunately during the last two days, it was clouded and rainy. So our plans of going on long nature walks fell through and we drove around the islands of Kvaloya and Sommaroy instead. Although the weather was overcast, we got a glimpse of the majestic mountains, endless fjords, crystal clear blue water and white sandy beaches. The highlight of our little road trip was the large herd of reindeer crossing the road right in front of us.
Northern Norway definitely did not disappoint and we’ll certainly be back next winter to fulfil our dream of swimming with the orcas. See you then!
