Northern Norway: Kvaløya, Lyngenhalvøya and Tromsø

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From February 23 to March 02, 2023, Micha(ela), Ace and I were on the road again in the north of Norway. It was Ace’s first vacation in northern Norway. We split up our stay. First we spent a few days on Lyngenhalvøya (Lyngen Peninsula) and then on the island of Kvaløya.

Arrival

Normally we always flew from Munich to Tromsø, but unfortunately this time it wasn’t possible because the prices for the flights were too high. That’s why we started from Frankfurt. However, we had to plan two extra nights for this. We were able to stay overnight with Micha’s aunt and uncle near Frankfurt.

In Frankfurt, our plane was not at the gate and we were taken to its parking position by bus. The flight lasted just under 4 hours and the landing was somewhat exciting. Less than half an hour before landing, the pilot informed us that the airport in Tromsø was closed due to snow and had to be cleared first. We flew a wide arc and were then allowed to land late in the snowstorm.

I’ve never had a landing during a snowstorm before. It was a little wobbly, but the pilot brought the plane down gently 😊 It’s always a new experience to walk from the plane across the snow-covered runway to the terminal. This time we got a lot of ice blown into our faces on the way. Tromsø Airport was being rebuilt and we had to take a bus from the temporary terminal for the “international” flights to the main terminal to pick up our rental car.

Accommodation

When traveling with three people, it is sometimes not so easy to plan accommodation. It should be fair for everyone. Therefore, only vacation apartments came into question. These are often cheaper than hotels in such a constellation.

The Distillery Cabin

We spent the first 3 nights in the Distillery Cabin in the Lyng Alps. The cabin takes its name from the world’s northernmost distillery, just a few meters away northernmost distillery in the world: “Aurora Spirit Distillery”.

It is about 90 km from the airport. You should allow a good 2 hours for the route, as you use the ferry between Breivikeidet and Svensby, which only arrives every hour. The crossing takes just under 20 minutes.

The vacation home was nice and spacious. A living room with a well-equipped kitchen. The fireplace made for cozy evenings. On the ground floor there were 2 bedrooms and a large bathroom with washing machine. Upstairs there was another room with 3 beds. Enough space even for a larger group/family. Heating was a bit interesting. There was only underfloor heating in the bathroom and hallway. In the living room the fireplace and air conditioning.

I booked the “Distillery Cabin” on the Homepage of Aurora Adventure. The accommodation cost € 685.41 for the 3 nights. The identical “Aurora View Cabin“ can be booked via Booking.com.

In Lyngseidet (approx. 10 km away) you can stock up on groceries and everything else you need. You should only pay attention to the opening hours of the stores. There is also a gas station there.

Unique and charming vacation home

We spent the second half of our vacation in a cosy vacation home on the island of Kvaløya, southwest of Tromsø. The house is about 55 km from Tromsø Airport.

The vacation home was very charmingly furnished. We immediately felt at home, even if they opened doors from time to time as if by magic 😅 The furnishings were a bit retro, but we had enough space. There were 3 bedrooms upstairs and the bathroom, kitchen and living room were on the first floor. There was a large laundry room in the basement.

The landlady often wrote to us in advance to find out how we were getting on and later to check that everything was going well during our stay. We were even able to get into the house earlier on our arrival day. Nothing beats good communication.

The house was built in the 1960s by the owner’s great uncle, who was a farmer and fisherman, and she and her husband have lovingly renovated it. They have revived the old, cozy style. Each room also has a different color.

An uninhabited house stood hidden behind trees on the large property. A large tent was set up at the back of the garden for the guests. A small stream runs along the edge of the property. I’m sure it’s also very nice there in summer.

I booked the vacation home via Booking.com booked. There is a small supermarket about 10 km towards Sommarøy. You have to drive a little further to find a gas station, but this is on the way to Tromsø.

Activities / Excursions

Unfortunately, the weather didn’t play along and we weren’t able to do everything we had planned or booked. I booked the excursions on the yacht and to the reindeer farm through Get Your Guide.

Arctic Whisky Experience – VIP guiding tour

It was our second visit to the northernmost distillery in the world. This time we treated ourselves to the VIP tour. We also benefited from the good location of our accommodation 😉 Only 180 m away.

The distillery is open to visitors 2-3 times a week and offers various guided tours. There is a cozy lounge area where you have a wonderful view over the fjord. There is also a small store. Unfortunately, you can’t buy any of the fine spirits produced at the distillery.

The VIP tour began after the distillery was closed to other visitors. It was just the three of us and our guide. That was a great feeling. We were able to see everything at our leisure and were given very detailed explanations.

Since our last visit in February 2020, a new warehouse in the form of a Viking longhouse has been built. Now the distillates are not only stored in the former NATO bunkers, but also in the longhouse.

Finally, there was an extensive tasting in the lounge, with some special whisky distillates. We didn’t leave a single drop, because these distillates are not commercially available. The way back to the cabin turned out to be very funny, as the whisky was already quite strong, but very good!

The various guided tours can be booked via the Aurora Spirit homepage website. It also describes exactly which services are included in which package and the current prices.

Polar Fjord Yacht Cruise

We wanted to do something special this time and booked a tour on the sailing yacht Stella Oceana.

We had actually booked the excursion for Wednesday, but were contacted by Sachi that the weather was going to get worse and she would rebook us for Tuesday.

It was a very private trip, as there was only one family from Singapore on board. The captain kept coming back to us to tell us some stories and facts about the area. It was very interesting. Sachi provided us with warm drinks on deck. It started to snow again and again and the way the ship glided through this snowfall silence was quite special. We really enjoyed our time on the Stella Oceana and her wonderfully friendly and cordial crew.

All information about the sailing yacht and the offers can be found on the Homepage of World Sea Explorers.

Reindeer sleigh ride and feeding with a Sami guide

We had to cancel this excursion as there wasn’t enough snow for the toboggan ride. Too bad, but maybe we can make up for it on our next vacation in the Tromsø area. Fortunately, Micha and I were able to take this trip in 2020.

Tromsø

As our trip to the reindeer farm was unfortunately canceled, we used the time to show Ace Tromsø despite the weather (sleet). At least what was possible under the weather conditions.

So we headed towards the harbor to Tromsøbrua. Halfway across the bridge, we turned back and skipped a visit to the Ishavskatedralen (Ice Sea Cathedral). Unfortunately, a trip up Tromsø’s local mountain, Storsteinen, was not possible either.

We reserved a table at the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch. This has been in Tromsø since fall 2022. We had a good meal and successfully plundered the accompanying store. For Micha and me, a visit to a Hard Rock Cafe is always a must.

We were in Tromsø twice during this week. After our boat tour, we grabbed a hot dog in the tiniest bar in the universe “Raketten Bar” (The Tiniest Bar in the Universe). We had always intended to do this on our last visits. There are different hot dog varieties to choose from. Something for everyone 😉

Northern Lights / Aurora borealis

One of the main reasons for our trips to northern Norway is the fascinating and magical Northern Lights. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee of seeing them.

The app “Polarlicht Pro” often reported high sighting probabilities, but unfortunately it was always very cloudy and we hardly got to see any auroras. This time the weather didn’t cooperate.

Weather

It didn’t start well when we landed. There we were greeted by an icy snowstorm. Unfortunately, it didn’t get any better. We alternated between freezing rain, snowfall and violent storms with gusts of 120 km/h. It thawed, then everything froze again. We barely got to see the sun.

In conversations with locals, we learned that the weather was far too warm for the time of year. Driving was also a strenuous affair. Otherwise, the roads were evenly covered with a solid layer of snow. This time most of the snow had melted away and we felt every nasty pothole and other bumps in the road.

Costs

Here is a small overview of the costs per person for 3 travelers for our one-week vacation in Northern Norway:

We only ate out once a week and otherwise always cooked for ourselves. Nevertheless, you should still plan for a buffer of EUR 200.00 to 400.00. You might want to send postcards or buy something nice to remember the trip by (souvenirs! 😄). And there are also a few fine products (gin from the Aurora Spirit Distillery 😍) at the DutyFree at the airport. The exchange rate between the Norwegian krone and the euro is also not always the same. There are also certain fluctuations.

Conclusion

Despite the bad weather, we had a great time up in the north of Norway. I love this calm and serenity.

One negative thing I noticed was the mass of tourists that are now in Tromsø and the surrounding area. This has increased significantly since our first trip in 2019. Lufthansa has also significantly increased its flight frequency to Tromsø in winter. Nevertheless, the next trip to Tromsø has already been booked. We thought about looking for a new winter destination in the north, but our hearts are now set on the area 💜

I hope you like my post and that I was able to convey some of our travel experiences. I skipped smaller excursions, e.g. to Sommarøy. I would be delighted to receive comments 💜

Kind regards Saphirija