the Vesterålen ISLANDS EXPEDITION (Arctic Norway)
MARCH 2022
If you are attracted to a bit tougher winter challenges in northern Norway and like to stay in tents and back-to-the-basics cabins, then this expedition-style adventure might be the perfect trip for you. We travel to different places on the Vesterålen islands to explore wild nature, including spectacular nature reserves. For this popular expedition, you need to be in a (normal) good shape; you must like to be outside a lot and see it as an adventure not to have a shower for some days. During this trip you might at times feel out of your comfort zone. No problem, we help you with that. The Vesterålen Islands are located north of the touristic Lofoten and are absolutely off-the-beaten-track. You can join this 8-days expedition as a single traveller, couple, or group. Prepare for a stunning adventure north of the Arctic Circle. Costs are 1475 EUR per person (8 days). If you book as a group, you can get a discount.
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.
You can also check our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for general questions.
DATES AND BOOKING INFORMATION
NAME
The Vesterålen Islands Expedition
DATES
Sunday 20 March 2022 - Sunday 27 March 2022 (8 days)
The Vesterålen Islands Expedition
DATES
Sunday 20 March 2022 - Sunday 27 March 2022 (8 days)
COSTS / WHAT IS INCLUDED
COSTS
The costs of joining this trip are 1475 EUR per person.
If you book with a group of 3/4 persons: 1375 EUR per person
If you book with a group of 5 or more persons: 1325 EUR per person
INCLUDED
Included are all transports during the trip, guiding, use of kayaks, use of sleds, ice-fishing equipment, use of tents, use of flotation suits, cooking equipment for hikes and other activities. Other equipment (like snowshoes, kayak suits, crampons, etc...) can be rented from us. Included are all overnight stays in (mountain or fjord) cabins.
NOT INCLUDED
International and domestic flights are not included..Transfers (buses) from EVENES Airport to our base in Bø and return are not included. The costs of buses are 45 EUR one way. The costs of food and drinks are shared amongst participants and staff. Usually these costs are around 10-15 EUR per day per person. Alcoholic drinks not included. Meals can be adapted to for example vegetarians. If you have a very special diet you can bring your own ingredients too (no problem). We invite you to assist in cooking or cook a meal. We love local products and we like to cook Norwegian dishes. We often catch our own fish. We love outdoor cooking on a fire and are happy to teach you more about this.
The costs of joining this trip are 1475 EUR per person.
If you book with a group of 3/4 persons: 1375 EUR per person
If you book with a group of 5 or more persons: 1325 EUR per person
INCLUDED
Included are all transports during the trip, guiding, use of kayaks, use of sleds, ice-fishing equipment, use of tents, use of flotation suits, cooking equipment for hikes and other activities. Other equipment (like snowshoes, kayak suits, crampons, etc...) can be rented from us. Included are all overnight stays in (mountain or fjord) cabins.
NOT INCLUDED
International and domestic flights are not included..Transfers (buses) from EVENES Airport to our base in Bø and return are not included. The costs of buses are 45 EUR one way. The costs of food and drinks are shared amongst participants and staff. Usually these costs are around 10-15 EUR per day per person. Alcoholic drinks not included. Meals can be adapted to for example vegetarians. If you have a very special diet you can bring your own ingredients too (no problem). We invite you to assist in cooking or cook a meal. We love local products and we like to cook Norwegian dishes. We often catch our own fish. We love outdoor cooking on a fire and are happy to teach you more about this.
LOCATION AND ARRIVAL INFORMATION
LOCATION
This trip takes place on the magnificent Vesterålen Islands in northern Norway (a few hundred kilometres north of the Arctic Circle). Our base is located in the municipality of Bø in the south of the Vesterålen islands with great views over the ocean and impressive mountains all around you.
AIRPORT
You can reach our base in the Vesterålen easily with a flight from Oslo Airport (Gardermoen) to EVENES (Harstad/Narvik) Airport. After arrival on Evenes Airport you take a bus to our base while enjoying a great road trip. To fly to EVENES Airport you take a connecting flight from OSLO (Gardermoen). There are multiple flights daily between Oslo and EVENES Airport with different airlines such as SAS, NORWEGIAN, WIDEROE or FLYR.
At the end of the trip you take the bus back to EVENES Airport for your flight to Oslo.
HOW-TO-GET-THERE
You can reach our base in 1 or 2 days depending on your flights and the country you are travelling from. For most travelers it is most convenient to stay in one of the hotels around OSLO (Gardermoen) on Saturday evening and take a flight to to EVENES Airport Sunday morning. Below you find some suggestions for flights and bus connections. There is also a local pick-up service by car (extra costs) from Sortland if you want to arrive earlier on our base at Sunday. Especially if you are traveling with a group this can be an option to consider. The costs of transfer by bus is approximately 40-47 EUR one way. Ask us if you need help with your travel schedule. We are quite good in that. Ask us about flights, bus connections and places to spend the night. You can check-in any time on the starting date.
HOW-TO-GET-BACK
For most international travellers it is most convenient to take a bus Sunday afternoon towards Evenes and do an overnight stay in one of the hostels (hotels) close to Evenes Airport. On Monday you take an early flight to OSLO (Gardermoen) and a connecting flight back to your home country. Below you find some suggestions for flights and bus connections. Ask us for assistance if you need help with transfers or flights.
This trip takes place on the magnificent Vesterålen Islands in northern Norway (a few hundred kilometres north of the Arctic Circle). Our base is located in the municipality of Bø in the south of the Vesterålen islands with great views over the ocean and impressive mountains all around you.
AIRPORT
You can reach our base in the Vesterålen easily with a flight from Oslo Airport (Gardermoen) to EVENES (Harstad/Narvik) Airport. After arrival on Evenes Airport you take a bus to our base while enjoying a great road trip. To fly to EVENES Airport you take a connecting flight from OSLO (Gardermoen). There are multiple flights daily between Oslo and EVENES Airport with different airlines such as SAS, NORWEGIAN, WIDEROE or FLYR.
At the end of the trip you take the bus back to EVENES Airport for your flight to Oslo.
HOW-TO-GET-THERE
You can reach our base in 1 or 2 days depending on your flights and the country you are travelling from. For most travelers it is most convenient to stay in one of the hotels around OSLO (Gardermoen) on Saturday evening and take a flight to to EVENES Airport Sunday morning. Below you find some suggestions for flights and bus connections. There is also a local pick-up service by car (extra costs) from Sortland if you want to arrive earlier on our base at Sunday. Especially if you are traveling with a group this can be an option to consider. The costs of transfer by bus is approximately 40-47 EUR one way. Ask us if you need help with your travel schedule. We are quite good in that. Ask us about flights, bus connections and places to spend the night. You can check-in any time on the starting date.
HOW-TO-GET-BACK
For most international travellers it is most convenient to take a bus Sunday afternoon towards Evenes and do an overnight stay in one of the hostels (hotels) close to Evenes Airport. On Monday you take an early flight to OSLO (Gardermoen) and a connecting flight back to your home country. Below you find some suggestions for flights and bus connections. Ask us for assistance if you need help with transfers or flights.
EVENES (HARSTAD/NARVIK) AIRPORT
SORTLAND (VESTERÅLEN)
OUR BASE IN BØ (VESTERÅLEN)
LEVEL AND EXPERIENCE
LEVEL (INTERMEDIATE)
For this expedition you need to be in a normal good shape (fit). The hikes are around 3-6 hours, but sometimes snow and steep trails can slow us down and make it a bit more adventurous. Weather, terrain, and wind can make outdoor activities more tough. The kayak routes are 2-3 hours long (including stops).
EXPERIENCE
This expedition is on intermediate level and you must have some outdoor experience. You are a lot outside and sometimes weather can be harsh and terrain can be difficult. You must like to be challenged at times. We are happy to teach if some of the outdoor activities are new for you. No problem. Our trips are about learning and getting new experiences.
COMFORT ZONE
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.
For this expedition you need to be in a normal good shape (fit). The hikes are around 3-6 hours, but sometimes snow and steep trails can slow us down and make it a bit more adventurous. Weather, terrain, and wind can make outdoor activities more tough. The kayak routes are 2-3 hours long (including stops).
EXPERIENCE
This expedition is on intermediate level and you must have some outdoor experience. You are a lot outside and sometimes weather can be harsh and terrain can be difficult. You must like to be challenged at times. We are happy to teach if some of the outdoor activities are new for you. No problem. Our trips are about learning and getting new experiences.
COMFORT ZONE
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
We will stay overnight in simple cabins and tents (expedition tents and tipi-tents). Usually we have a wood-oven on in the evenings in the tipi-tents (not at night). Optional you can build a quinzee (snow-hole) and use that for an adventurous night. In case of storm we might also sleep in other types of accommodation.
We will stay overnight in simple cabins and tents (expedition tents and tipi-tents). Usually we have a wood-oven on in the evenings in the tipi-tents (not at night). Optional you can build a quinzee (snow-hole) and use that for an adventurous night. In case of storm we might also sleep in other types of accommodation.
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PACKING LIST AND PREPARATIONS
PACKING LIST
This expedition 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. For this trip you need a day-sack (35-50 L) for the day-trips and a bigger backpack for multi-day trips (we might use sleds/pulks for transporting baggage and equipment on longer trails).
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, snowshoes and more.
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, snowshoes and more.
REMARKS
THE ARCTIC
Remember we are in the Arctic and here the weather 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.
GROUP SIZE
Max 8 participants.
Remember we are in the Arctic and here the weather 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.
GROUP SIZE
Max 8 participants.
WEATHER AND CLIMATE
You can find detailed information about the climate and temperatures here.
THE ROUGH PLAN OF EXPLORING THE VESTERÅLEN
The Vesterålen islands are a wild, non-touristic and remote destination. We are looking forward to guiding you to unique places that are off-the-beaten-track. The idea of this expedition is to explore areas where our team was before and visit new destinations and trails based on the research of our guides. In this expedition, you can expect physical and mental challenges, overnight stays in wild places (tents and cabins) and other ingredients for great adventures. Take a look at the rough plan below.
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ARRIVAL AT EVENES AND ROAD TRIP TO OUR BASE After you arrive at Evenes Airport you will travel by bus to our base in the Vesterålen. The 2-hours bus ride from Evenes to Sortland (the capital of the Vesterålen) is an awesome road trip with Nordic scenery all around you. In Sortland you take a break and change buses or use our pick-up service. It takes a bit more than 1 hour of adventurous road tripping through mountainous landscapes of Øksnes to reach our base in the Vesterålen.
WELCOME AND BRIEFING After arriving at our base, it is time to unpack your luggage, and we will brief you about the plans for the coming days. We will make a plan based on weather forecasts, possibilities and your preferences. After that, it is time to discover the near surroundings and have some views over the fjord. In the evening we will prepare a tasty meal for you (of course you can help us with that).
EXPLORE THE VESTERÅLEN ARCHIPELAGO 
In this expedition, we visit several parts of the Vesterålen Archipelago. Bridges connect the islands, and some are only reachable by boat. This expedition will focus on hiking, snowshoeing, and kayaking to explore the north Norwegian wilderness. We will do day trips and multi-day trips where we take tents to stay overnight in remote surroundings. Once a while, we sleep in simple (mountain) cabins. We will explore new routes in valleys, forests and mountains. To get to the different places, we do fantastic road tripping on small coastal roads with great views over the fjords and the ocean. We adapt our activities to a level that fits you, but sometimes it can be a bit out of your comfort zone and challenging, but that is part of an expedition. Our guides and other staff members are always happy to teach you new things. BYE-BYE SURPRISE EVENT Before you leave us, we will organize a nice surprise celebration for you. Of course, we cannot tell you now what that will be. But we are sure that you are going to enjoy this!
ROAD TRIP TO SORTLAND AND EVENES At the end of your stay with us we don a debriefing and after that you will travel back to Evenes Airport. Depending on your travel schedule, you can choose an overnight stay in a hotel/hostel close to the airport or fly to Oslo.
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OuTDOOR ACTIVITIES DURING THE VESTERÅLEN EXPEDITION
During this expedition, we focus on the outdoor activities listed below. If some activities are new for you, we are happy to teach you all you need to know. We do not have a day-to-day program because we plan the expedition on weather forecasts and what we like to prioritize as a group. And isn't that what adventure is all about? Read more about our plans below.
THINGS YOU CAN ENJOY ON THIS EXPEDITION
The Vesterålen expedition is not only about exploring and overcoming physical challenges. It is also about meeting the locals, relaxing close to a bonfire, listening to the stories of others and enjoying the phenomenon that nature has to offer.
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