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I believe everyone should experience hiking in Norway. Northern Norway Hikes in particular are almost surreal. 

With the cliffs that rise directly out of the ocean, gorgeous fjords and mountain tops unlike any you have ever seen before this is a hiker’s paradise.

This blog post will go over my 5 favorite hikes I did while traveling through Northern Norway. These hikes will truly go down as some of my favorite hikes of all time. 

Table Of Contents

1. Reinebringen in Lofoten Islands

2. Offersoykammen Trail

3. Ryten Hike Norway

4. Hesten Peak and Segla Peak

5. Steindalen Glacier

6. Things To Keep In Mind When Hiking In Norway

7. When Is The Best Time To Hike In Norway

5. What To Bring Hiking In Norway

Hiking Resources For Beginners!

In addition to this post I have other blog posts and guides that will add so much to your backpacking knowledge! Be sure to go give those posts a save 🙂

• How To Prepare For A Hike
• “How Hard Is That Hike?” Hiking Classes Explained!

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Norway Hiking Map

Northern Norway Hikes

Northern Norway Hikes #1:

Reinebringen In Lofoten Islands

Location: Reine in Lofoten Islands, Norway

Length: 3.6 Miles RT

Elevation Gain: 1712 ft

Difficulty: Challenging

Trail Information: Link

Permit: None

One of the most famous hikes on this list is Reinebringen- located in the small town of Reine in the Lofoten Islands. 

This hike is a moderately challenging route that snakes its way up steep stairs to the top of a gorgeous mountain overlooking the entire town and fjords in Reine.

This hike is not one to be missed and I can only imagine how beautiful it would look on a clear day at sunset.

READ MORE: Trolltunga Via Ferrata in Norway!

Check Out My Norway Wall Art!

Northern Norway Hikes #2:

Offersøykammen Trail 

Location: Lofoten Islands, Norway

Length: 1.4 miles RT

Elevation Gain: 1,148 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Trail Information: Link

Permit: None

Another stunning trail in the Lofoten Islands! This is a much shorter trail, but again still quite steep.

You can find this hike around 4 miles from Leknes on the E-10 running north. The parking lot is located off of the E-10 and the trail begins through the forest across the street- you do have to walk a couple hundred feet on the other side of the highway before crossing over to the start of the trail. 

This short trail gives you a beautiful overlook of the Vestvågøya flats to the east and the mountains on the island of Flakstadøya to the west. It is a beautiful 360 view from the top and totally worth the climb it took to get there! 

READ MORE: The Best Things To Do In Lofoten Islands Norway

Northern Norway Hikes #3:

Ryten Hike Norway

Location: Lofoten Islands

Length: 4.5 miles RT

Elevation Gain:  1,958  ft

Ryten is one of the most beautiful and dramatic hikes in the Lofoten Islands- a stunning cliff overlooks a gorgeous beach and giant cliffs. 

To get here you have to park at a farm in Fredvang Norway where they charge $100 NOK or $10 USD to park there. Here you begin your hike up the cliff side to the top of Ryten peak. 

If you want to make this longer or backpack it- you can head to Kvalvika Beach where you can camp! This is the beach right below the cliff that you hike up!

This is a bit longer of a hike and does have quite a bit of elevation gain but it is well worth it!  

READ MORE: Explore the Arctic Paradise of Lyngenfjord Norway

Northern Norway Hikes #4:

Hesten Peak & Segla Peak

Location: Senja, Norway

Length: 3.3 miles RT

Elevation Gain: 1,787 ft

Difficulty: Challenging

Trail Information: Link

Located on the island of Senja in Northern Norway, just above the Lofoten Islands, is the hike to Hesten Peak and Segla Peak. You start near the town of Fjordgard in Norway. 

This absolutely stunning hike was by far my favorite we did on our entire trip. This hike takes you up a steep but short route to either the top of Segla Peak or Hesten peak. We hiked Hesten peak and overlooked Segla but I am kicking myself. I didn’t do the summit of Segla as well! I guess I will just have to come back. 

I saw many people backpacking here so you can definitely camp if you would like to spend the night, I certainly wished I had! This is a gorgeous hike to do for sunset or sunrise to get that perfect light for photography.

READ MORE: 15 Unreal Places To Stay In Norway

Northern Norway Hikes #5:

 Steindalen Glacier Hike

Location: Lyngen Alps

Length: 7.7 miles RT

Elevation Gain: 1,715 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Trail Information: Link

Permit: None

If you have made it as far North as the Lyngen Alps you are in for a treat- this area is absolutely stunning and has some beautiful scenery. This hike in particular takes you through a beautiful mountain valley to the bottom of a glacier. 

If you are feeling adventurous (we were!) you can take a tour that will guide you up the glacier!

This is an awesome experience- but only for those who are comfortable with a little bit of risk. We booked through Lyngen Outdoor Experiences and they were wonderful! You can contact them to get a rate for your group.

READ MORE: “How Hard Is That Hike?”- Hiking Class Explained

Hiking In Norway For Beginners

Things To Keep In Mind When Hiking In Norway

Norway Weather

Norway’s weather can change quickly, and what was once a blue sky can be replaced with rain or snow flurries in an instant. In Northern Norway even in the Summer it can get surprisingly cold. To make sure you are prepared I have listed some tips below: 

• Bring Layers- this includes a fleece, hard shell to keep you dry, gloves, a beanie, and a puffy jacket. 

• Don’t wear cotton- wear merino wool instead or synthetic fabrics! These will keep you warm even when wet. 

Difficulty Level

Hiking in Norway can be quite surprising to some- the majority of the hikes here are on the shorter side but can get quite steep.

It isn’t surprising when you look at the landscape here, with its jagged cliffs that seem to rise right out of the ocean you can imagine how hard hiking up them can be. 

Make sure you are mentally and physically prepared for a bit of a grind fest, and remind yourself of the view from the top! 

Some Important Tips: 

• Always have a map- I love using All Trails

• Always have light- I always carry a headlamp and backup flashlight

• Inform others of where you are going

• Wear proper footwear- hiking boots are a must here, tennis shoes really won’t cut it in most cases. 

• Trekking poles can be super helpful, especially to protect the knees on the way down. 

• Read trail reports

READ MORE: How To Prepare For A Hike

.When Is The Best Time To Hike In Norway?

Hiking in Norway is best in the Summer time months of June- September.

This is especially true in Northern Norway when things can get snowy and icy fast in the Winter months. In saying this, I have heard early Autumn can be a beautiful time to visit Norway! 

What To Bring Hiking In Norway

-Hiking Backpack

You will want to bring a nice day pack with you to throw snacks, water, and your 10 essentials in. I personally like to use this one below! It is a 20L pack and so it can hold all of my extra layers and camera gear. 

-Poles

Hiking such steep hikes can be really strenuous on the knees- I love bringing hiking poles to help me out, they are wonderful on the downhill especially.

-Insulated Water Bottle or Water Bladder

It’s super important to stay hydrated! I love having a water bladder in my backpack or an insulated water bottle to keep my water nice and cold.

– Food and Water

This seems like an obvious statement but I always make sure to have snacks with me (I love protein bars, dry fruit and trail mix!) as well as a good amount of water!

-Sunglasses and Sunscreen

If you are heading out on a sunny clear day you will want to bring polarized sunglasses with you and some sun protection- I love using Kinfield and you can get 15% off using the code seekingthenow15!

– Your 10 Essentials

These are items that should pretty much always be in your bag while you are out hiking in the back country. These include a headlamp, first aid kit, water, snacks, fires starter, extra layers, a knife, map and navigation tool, an emergency bivy and sun protection.

– Hand Warmers

-Layers

I always like to have a mid-layer, gloves, puffy jacket, hard shell jacket and a beanie with me just in case the weather turns! You can check out my blog post below for more detailed information!

READ MORE: Layering For Hiking

Conclusion

Northern Norway hikes really are unlike anything else. I hope you have a truly wonderful time hiking around Norway and that this guide helped you have a great trip! 

Let me know in the comments if there are any must-do hikes in Northern Norway that I missed! 

Check Out More Adventures In Norway!