From the Norwegian coast to the Swedish border by foot

JUNE 2022

AVAILABLE

If you are attracted to long-distance hiking, take a close look at this fantastic 14-days hiking trip. It all happens north of the Arctic Circle, and we plan to hike from the Norwegian coast to the Swedish border. Our research team worked hard to develop this hiking trail, and now you can join us and explore the nature of northern Norway. We start in the off-the-beaten-track destination of Steigen and hike through mountainous areas and valleys to the east with often impressive views over the fjords. The scenery changes when we reach Sørfold, and we walk through valleys with scenic lakes. After that, we wander to the Rago National Park's great wilderness to reach the Swedish border and the Padjelanta National Park. During this trip, we stay overnight in cabins and also in tents. You will see most of all the different types of landscape that Norway has to offer and there is an excellent chance to see all kind of wildlife. Join us and lets hike mountains, cross rivers, wander through forests, and enjoy spectacular views over the fjords. Of course you can learn a lot of outdoor skills during this trip.

Summary IN OTHER LANGUAGES (TRANSLATIONS)

NEDERLANDS

Als je je aangetrokken voelt tot lange afstand hikes, bekijk deze fantastische 14-daagse reis dan eens goed. Het gebeurt allemaal ten noorden van de poolcirkel en we zijn van plan om van de Noorse kust naar de Zweedse grens te hiken. Ons onderzoeksteam heeft hard gewerkt om deze trail te ontwikkelen, en nu kun je met ons mee en de natuur van Noord-Noorwegen verkennen. We beginnen in de off-the-beaten-track bestemming Steigen en wandelen door bergachtige gebieden en valleien naar het oosten met indrukwekkende uitzichten over de fjorden. Het landschap verandert wanneer we Sørfold bereiken, en we lopen door valleien met schilderachtige meren. Daarna dwalen we door de wildernis van het Rago National Park om de Zweedse grens en het Padjelanta National Park te bereiken. Tijdens deze trip overnachten we in hutten en ook in tenten. Je zult vooral de verschillende soorten landschappen zien die Noorwegen te bieden heeft en er is een uitstekende kans om allerlei soorten dieren in het wild te zien. Ga met ons mee en laat beklim bergen, steek rivieren over, doorkruis bossen en geniet van spectaculaire uitzichten over de fjorden. Natuurlijk kun je tijdens deze reis veel outdoor skils leren.

NORSK

Hvis du tiltrekkes av langtur, kan du ta en nærmere titt på denne fantastiske 14-dagers tursturen. Det hele skjer nord for polarsirkelen, og vi planlegger å gå fra norskekysten til svenskegrensa. Forskningsteamet vårt jobbet hardt for å utvikle denne turstien, og nå kan du bli med oss ​​og utforske Nord-Norges natur. Vi begynner i mål utenom allfarvei til Steigen og vandrer gjennom fjellområder og daler i øst med ofte imponerende utsikt over fjordene. Naturen endrer seg når vi når Sørfold, og vi går gjennom daler med naturskjønne innsjøer. Etter det vandrer vi til Rago nasjonalparkens store villmark for å nå svenske grensen og Padjelanta nasjonalpark. I løpet av denne turen overnatter vi på hytter og også i telt. Du vil se mest av alle de forskjellige landskapstypene som Norge har å tilby, og det er en utmerket sjanse til å se alle slags dyreliv. Bli med og la oss vandre fjell, krysse elver, vandre gjennom skoger og nyte en spektakulær utsikt over fjordene. Selvfølgelig kan du lære mye utendørs ferdigheter i løpet av denne turen.

DEUTSCH

Wenn Sie sich für Fernwanderungen interessieren, schauen Sie sich diese fantastische 14-tägige Wanderung genau an. Es passiert alles nördlich des Polarkreises und wir planen, von der norwegischen Küste bis zur schwedischen Grenze zu wandern. Unser Forschungsteam hat hart gearbeitet, um diesen Wanderweg zu entwickeln. Jetzt können Sie sich uns anschließen und die Natur Nordnorwegens erkunden. Wir starten im abgelegenen Steigen und wandern durch Berggebiete und Täler im Osten mit beeindruckenden Ausblicken über die Fjorde. Die Landschaft ändert sich, wenn wir Sørfold erreichen, und wir wandern durch Täler mit malerischen Seen. Danach wandern wir in die große Wildnis des Rago-Nationalparks, um die schwedische Grenze und den Padjelanta-Nationalpark zu erreichen. Während dieser Reise übernachten wir in Hütten und auch in Zelten. Sie werden vor allem die verschiedenen Arten von Landschaften sehen, die Norwegen zu bieten hat, und es besteht eine hervorragende Möglichkeit, alle Arten von Wildtieren zu beobachten. Machen Sie mit und lassen Sie Berge wandern, Flüsse überqueren, durch Wälder wandern und einen spektakulären Blick über die Fjorde genießen. Natürlich können Sie während dieser Reise viele Outdoor-Fähigkeiten erlernen.

FRENCH

coming soon...

2450 EUR

Moderate

14 days

Intermediate

Yes

25 June 2022

Yes

Available

MORE FACTS AND DETAILS

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general information

Here you can find all important information about this trip. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
You can also check our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for general questions.

DATES AND BOOKING INFORMATION

NAME
From the Norwegian coast to the Swedish border by foot

DATES
25 June 2022 - 8 July 2022 (14 days)

COSTS (WHAT IS INCLUDED)

COSTS
The costs of this trip are:
2450 EUR

INCLUDED
Included are rents of (mountain) cabins, all transports during the trip (including your return trip to Bodø), guiding, rent of snowshoes (if needed) , use of tents, and cooking equipment.

NOT INCLUDED / SHARED COSTS
Flights and transfers to the starting / ending point are not included. Daily expenses like food and drinks are shared among the participants and the staff. Usually these costs are around 10-15 EUR per day. You can also bring some food from your home country.

LOCATION AND ARRIVAL INFORMATION

LOCATION
This trip starts at our base, a small fishing village named Helnessund, in the municipality of Steigen (Nordland) in the north of Norway. It's located 50 km north of Bodø and can be reached by ferry daily. This fast ferry (hurtigbåt in Norwegian) takes you in approximately one hour from Bodø to Helnessund. Check the timetable for departures in the FAQ.


AIRPORT
To fly to Bodø you usually take a connecting flight from Oslo. There are multiple flights daily between Oslo and Bodø with different airlines such as SAS, NORWEGIAN, WIDEROE or WIZZ Air.

TRAVELING BY TRAIN IN NORWAY
If you want to travel economically friendly we can recommend you a 17 hours train ride from Oslo to Bodø. Check vy.no for more information about traveling by train.

OUR ADVISE: TAKE YOUR TIME
We would like to recommend you to arrive one day before the start of this trip and take some time to acclimatize yourself. It's also good to reduce the travel and work stress.
We can give you suggestions for (budget) hostels or hotels in Bodø if you like.​ An overnight stay in Bodø after the trip has ended is also a good idea. In case of bad weather ferries can be cancelled or delayed.

LEVEL AND EXPERIENCE

LEVEL
For this trip you need to be in a good shape and you will face some challenges. Not extreme but it can be out of your comfort zone at times. In general the distances are 4 -6 hours a day), but sometimes the trails are steep or include parts where there is no path (cross-country). Weather and terrain can make short distances more tough.

EXPERIENCE
You need some basic experience to join this trip. Your previous experience should include hiking, sleeping in tents, fire making and outdoor cooking. On some stretches you will carry a daysack (the rest will be transported to the next stop) and on other stretches you carry a full pack with tents and sleeping equipment.

Everybody has a comfort zone and it always differs from the comfort zone of other people. It is a personal thing. Being in wild nature away from civilization is adventurous, but can also cause stress or might scare you a bit occasionally. These feelings are natural and not a problem. Just be open and share things or ask questions. They say life starts at the end of your comfort zone. We believe that this is very true.

ACCOMMODATION

ACCOMMODATION
You will stay overnight in (mountain) cabins, expedition tents and tipi-tents.

GEAR AND PREPARATIONS

PACKING LIST
This trip is organized north of the Arctic Circle. So you need warm clothing, good shoes and outdoor gear like sleeping bags and more. You can find a detailed packing list here.
On this packing list you can find all the gear and equipment you will need and other practical information.

RENT GEAR FROM US
In case you do not have all the gear and you do not want to buy, then you can rent equipment from us, for example backpacks, sleeping mattresses and more.

REMARKS

THE ARCTIC
Remember we are in the Arctic and here the weather makes the rules. There is no day-to-day itinerary, only short term plans are realistic. We make our decisions on what is possible and when to do it based on weather forecast and conditions. Of course we love to hear your ideas and wishes. And we do our best to make it happen. A bit flexible mindset is a good thing to have here in northern Norway.

WEATHER AND CLIMATE

You can find detailed information about the climate and temperatures here.

MORE ABOUT THE DESTINATION

If you want to learn more about the region Steigen click here. More information about the Rago National Park you can find here (soon available).

BOOK NOW!

The rough plan of this trip

We are proud of our research team that developed this new trail just north of the Arctic Circle in northern Norway. An exclusive journey from west to east with the final destination, the Padjelanta National Park in Sweden. After arriving at our base in Steigen, we prepare for a fantastic long-distance hike along the Norwegian coastline. Our route includes mountain passes, scenic valleys, waterfalls, mountain lakes and pine or birch forests. During the hikes, we take time to observe nature and enjoy slow travel. Some stretches include a bit steep mountain trails on other parts; we will hike cross-country because there are no paths. We sleep in (mountain) cabins or tents, and we hike with full gear or just a daypack. Occasionally equipment (tents, cooking equipment, etc.) will be transported at times by car to a nearby pick-up point. We can also choose to skip some parts of the trail if we run out of time (weather conditions or other circumstances). In those cases, we use transport to get to the next part. This trip is about exploring, improvising and having a great time in nature.

THE START

This amazing trail starts at the small fishing village of Helnessund, where our base is located. A daily ferry takes you here from Bodø. Here in Helnessund in the municipality of Steigen, we brief you about the plans, the route, the weather forecast and more. A warm meal is waiting for you, and there is time enough to acclimatize. We sleep in a nearby camp with views over the ocean. On the following day, we start hiking the trail.

ACROSS STEIGEN

The first part of the trail leads us through the wild nature of Steigen and you will hike through a variety of landscapes. We start with some trails through the steep mountains of the Brennvik massif. As we hike further east the trail leads us through valleys and forests. The views over the wide fjords are magnificent. Steigen has the largest population of sea-eagles in northern Europe. So, we are sure we will meet some of those giant birds on our way. We sleep in tents and sometimes in a cabin. Sometimes there are more routes possible and we can choose what we like. There are also summits to reach if you are into that (optional). After a bunch of days we will reach Sørfolda and the scenery and shapes of the mountains are changing.

EXPLORE SØRFOLDA

The trail continues in a south-easterly direction as we enter the municipality of Sørfolda. We pass huge lakes and impressive mountains. The mountains were shaped by glaciers a long time ago. During the hikes, we try to catch some fish and cook a tasty meal. Berries (July and August) are everywhere, and in September, we can find edible mushrooms. We sleep most of the time in tents. We follow routes with trails, but occasionally we do some cross-country hiking.

ENTER THE RAGO NATIONAL PARK

As soon as we get to the Rago National Park, we make a base camp to prepare us for exploring this part of the Norwegian wilderness. Rago National Park offers pure wilderness, incredible scenery, wild rivers, thundering waterfalls, impressive mountains and a great canyon to explore. We will hike some trails in the park and do some cross-country hiking through areas with no path. We overnight in tents and, if available, a remote cabin probably. Of course, we try to spot wildlife, and during your stay in Rago, you can try your luck at catching trout. There is enough time to relax to enjoy nature or do some photography. If you join the September edition, we might see some northern lights.

THE END OF THE TRAIL

After wandering through the Rago National Park, we return to our basecamp at the park's border. After a good night of sleep, we make a two hours road trip back to Bodø. Time to refresh, take a beer and reflect on the adventures of the past days.

TRANSLATION of the rough plan

NEDERLANDS

We zijn trots op ons onderzoeksteam dat dit nieuwe trail net ten noorden van de poolcirkel in Noord-Noorwegen heeft ontwikkeld. Een exclusieve tocht van west naar oost met als eindbestemming het Padjelanta National Park in Zweden. Nadat u bij onze basis in Steigen bent aangekomen, bereiden we ons voor op een geweldige long-distance hike langs de Noorse kustlijn. Onze route omvat bergpassen, schilderachtige valleien, watervallen, bergmeren en dennen- of berkenbossen. Tijdens de wandelingen nemen we de tijd om de natuur te observeren en genieten we van slow travel. Sommige stukken bevatten een beetje steile bergpaden, op andere delen zullen we cross-country hiken omdat er geen paden zijn. We slapen in (berg) hutten of tenten, en we hiken met volledige uitrusting of gewoon een dagrugzak. De natuur en het landschap veranderen wanneer we Sørfolda bereiken, en we wandelen door verbazingwekkende valleien omringd door bergen. Zodra we het Rago National Park bereiken, maken we een basiskamp om ons voor te bereiden op het verkennen van de Noorse wildernis. We zullen een aantal dagen door het park dwalen en we volgen de oude Sami-paden. Als de tijd het toelaat maken we een kort bezoek aan Padjelanta National Park in Zweden. Na onze terugkeer in het Rago-basiskamp, ​​is het tijd voor een douche en nemen we je mee terug naar Bodø. Op bepaalde trajecten wordt uitrusting (tenten, kookgerei, etc) met de auto door onze staff vervoerd naar een nabijgelegen ophaalpunt, zodat we met minder bepakking hoeven te reizen. We kunnen er ook voor kiezen om sommige delen van de trail over te slaan als de tijd op is (vanwege weersomstandigheden of andere omstandigheden). In die gevallen gebruiken we transport om naar het volgende traject te gaan. Deze trip zit vol met explorerern, improviseren en genieten in de wilde natuur en alles wat daarbij komt kijken.

DEUTSCH

Wir sind stolz auf unser Forschungsteam, das diesen neuen Trail nördlich des Polarkreises in Nordnorwegen entwickelt hat. Eine exklusive Reise von West  nach Ost mit Endziel im Padjelanta National Park in Schweden. Nachdem Sie an unserer Basis in Steigen angekommen sind, bereiten wir uns auf eine erstaunliche Fernwanderung entlang der norwegischen Küste vor. Unsere Route umfasst Bergpässe, malerische Täler, Wasserfälle, Bergseen und Kiefern- oder Birkenwälder. Während der Wanderungen nehmen wir uns Zeit, um die Natur zu beobachten und langsame Reisen zu genießen. Einige Strecken beinhalten etwas steile Bergpfade an anderen Stellen, die wir querfeldein wandern werden, da es keine Pfade gibt. Wir schlafen in (Berg-) Hütten oder Zelten und wandern mit voller Ausrüstung oder nur einem Tagesrucksack. Natur und Landschaft ändern sich, wenn wir Sørfolda erreichen, und wir wandern durch erstaunliche Täler, die von Bergen umgeben sind. Sobald wir den Rago-Nationalpark erreichen, machen wir ein Basislager, um uns auf die Erkundung der norwegischen Wildnis vorzubereiten. Wir werden einige Tage durch den Park wandern und den alten samischen Pfaden folgen. Wenn es die Zeit erlaubt, machen wir einen kurzen Besuch im Padjelanta National Park in Schweden. Nach unserer Rückkehr im Rago-Basislager ist es Zeit für eine Dusche und wir bringen Sie zurück nach Bodø. Gelegentlich werden Geräte (Zelte, Kochgeräte usw.) zeitweise mit dem Auto zu einem nahe gelegenen Abholpunkt transportiert. Wir können auch einige Teile des Weges überspringen, wenn uns die Zeit ausgeht (aufgrund von Wetterbedingungen oder anderen Umständen). In diesen Fällen nutzen wir den Transport, um zum nächsten Teil zu gelangen. Bei dieser Reise geht es darum, die Natur zu erkunden, zu improvisieren und eine tolle Zeit zu verbringen.

NORSK

Vi er stolte. Vårt forskerteam har nå utviklet en helt ny tursti like nord for polarsirkelen i Nord-Norge. En eksklusiv reise fra vest til ost med endelig destinasjon Padjelanta nasjonalpark i Sverige. Etter at du ankommer basen vår i Steigen, forbereder vi oss på en fantastisk langtur langs den Norske kystlinjen. Ruten vår inkluderer fjelloverganger, naturskjønne daler, fossefall, fjellvann og furu- eller bjørkeskog. Under turene tar vi oss tid til å observere naturen og nyte ei langsom reise. Noen strekninger inkluderer litt bratte fjellstier, på andre deler vil vi gå etter på langs fordi det ikke er stier. Vi sover i (fjell) hytter eller telt, og vi vandrer med fullt utstyr eller bare en dagsekk. Naturen endrer seg når vi kommer til Sørfolda, og da vandrer vi gjennom fantastiske daler omgitt av fjell. Så snart vi kommer til Rago nasjonalpark, lager vi en basecamp for å forberede oss på å utforske den norske villmarken. Vi vil vandre gjennom parken i noen dager, og vi følger de gamle stiene som Samene brukte.Hvis tiden tillater det, tar vi et kort besøk til Padjelanta nasjonalpark i Sverige. Etter at vi kommer tilbake til basen i Rago, er det tid for en dusj, og vi tar deg tilbake til Bodø. Noen ganger vil utstyret (telt, kokeutstyr osv.) bli transportert med bil til et nærliggende hentested. Vi kan også velge å hoppe over noen deler av stien hvis det blir liten tid (på grunn av værforhold eller andre forhold). I slike tilfeller bruker vi transport for å komme til neste del. Denne turen handler om å utforske, improvisere og ha en flott tid i naturen.

ELEMENTS OF THIS LONG-DISTANCE HIKE

Here are some things you can expect during this trip.

(MOUNTAIN) HIKING

The trail leads to points with very scenic views. You will hike along sandy beaches, cross wide valleys, forests, follow mountain trails and walk on high plateaus. The days are very long thanks to the midnight sun (June, July).​

FOOD FROM NATURE

We are happy to show you what you can find to eat in nature. July and August is great for picking berries. Mushrooms are on our watchlist in September. We can also do some fishing in a river or in a fjord.

WILDLIFE SPOTTING

If we are lucky we can see quite some wildlife, like otter, reindeer, moose, hare, sea-eagle, foxes and even wolverine and lynx (in Rago National Park. As always we have to be focused and quiet to raise our chances.

OUTDOOR COOKING

We like good food and cooking!  So, we are not eating dry-freezed food all the time. When we have the right supplies we cook on a fire, bake breads or grill fish. You can help us, also with wood chopping, fire making and more.

IMPROVE SKILLS

During this trip you can improve your outdoor skills if you want. Learn more about navigation and finding te best route in wild terrain. Or learn more about outdoor equipment, tenting or working with a knife.

CROSS-COUNTRY CHALLENGES

During the hike there are some more adventurous passages that we can take or skip. If you want to have some challenges then we can climb a waterfall, reach a summit or cross shallow rivers. Let us have fun!

FAQ (about this trip)

ARE WE HIKING EVERY DAY?

We will hike most of the days, but there are options to skip a day and just relax while other explore a summit or a nearby valley. We like to keep things flexible and we have to (also because of weather forecasts and other circumstances).

HOW LONG ARE THE HIKES?

Most of the days we hike 4-6 hours. Sometimes a bit more, sometimes less. In Norway it is not about kilometres or heigth. It is about how difficult the terrain is.

IS THIS SOMETHING FOR ME?

Just chat with us (below on your screen) or ask for a video-call and we can discuss your things and find out if this trip fits you. Basically this trip is for everybody and of all ages as long as you are in good shape.

HOW BIG IS THE GROUP?

We take max 8 guests on this trip. You can join this trip as a single-traveller, with a partner or a group of friends.

ARE THERE EXPOSED AREAS/PASSAGES INCLUDED?

No the route we planned has no real exposed passages., but in general are mountains more steep than for instance the Swiss Alps. There are options (if you like) to do some summits to add more challenges. In case of bad weather (rain) we can divert routes if certain routes are (too) slippery.

Map of the area

Here is a map of the area in which this trip takes place.  You arrive at the airport of Bodø. The trip end in the small fishing village of Helnessund in Steigen. A catamaran ferry takes you at the end of the trip back to Bodø. 

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