When: 19-25.6.2025
Have you ever been on a backpacking tour where you hike on the fells and the turquoise sea spreads out all the way to the North Pole below you? Sørøya is Norway’s fourth largest island (816km2) and is located in the embrace of the Arctic Ocean, in Finnmark County. Despite the island’s large size, only about 1,000 people live there permanently, which means there is an incredible amount of nature to explore!
On this 7-day hike, we explore the island’s big and small hidden gems. The island has sandy beaches, beautiful rock formations, waterfalls, steep cliff that drops directly into the Arctic Ocean and lots of green nature! The island is also called the Green Island, and not for nothing! In June, around Midsummer, the green color is still wonderful, the light shade of early summer and the fells shine in their flowers. The Arctic Ocean is almost constantly present on the hike. When you walk along the fells for several hundred meters vertical mountain walls rising straight from the sea and your gaze reaches the sea, which is landlocked all the way to the North Pole, it creates an atmosphere that backpackers usually don’t experience. And what tent sites there are with a sea view on the island!
The island’s landforms put your map reading and orienteering skills to the test, and you will learn a lot from this during the hike. Or you can just enjoy the nature and landscapes around you and let the guide take care of the orienteering. The island also has a lot of history from World War II, when some local residents fled to live in caves during the German occupation of Norway. With those who are willing, we will visit one of these caves either before or after the hike.
The island of Sørøya can only be reached by ferry and this 1.5-hour journey there is already quite an experience. We will meet on Thursday morning in the village of Øksfjord, where our ferry to the island departs.
Guide: Jenni Antinaho, professional wilderness guide. A Finn who has traveled all over the northern wilderness on longer and shorter hikes during all her holidays and vacations for the past few decades. She got the northern bite as a child, while hiking there with her parents. The bite became so strong that today her home is in Northern Norway, among the fjords and mountains.
Guide language: English & Finnish
Number of participants: 5 – 9 people. With a small number of participants, we create a peaceful hike that allows you to enjoy nature better.
Accommodation: In own tents. The tent must be suitable for open fell terrain, so tolerate also stronger winds. If you don’t have your own, the organizer has a few tents to borrow
Previous experience: You must have previous hiking experience from a hike lasting several nights and where you have slept in the tent, carried all the equipment and food in your backpack. Be in good shape and have an adventurous mind. The ability and experience to carry all 7 days equipment and food in your backpack. Although we ain’t after covering long distances on the hike (we are hiking 10-15km per day), the river crossings and the daily ascent meters are adding an additional challenge. The terrain is quite varied, from easy fell highlands to a more technical rocky terrain. If your own experience makes you think, please contact us 🙂
Own equipment: Hiking equipment. We sleep in the tent every night (the tent must take the windy conditions of the open fell), your own meals you prepare with a camping stove. Hiking poles (these are essential when crossing rivers in a treeless fell area) Before the hike, you will receive tips on how to lighten the weight of your backpack without lightening the weight of your wallet.
Price: 6590 NOK / person. The price includes guidance, tent if needed and safety equipment
The hike follows Karu Arctic’s Travel Terms and Conditions. Please read them through before registering. By registering, you confirm that you accept the travel terms and conditions.
For more information and registration: info (at) karuarctic.com.
Travel to the starting point: Please contact if you need some tips for this! 🙂