Chasing Northern Light in Norway
- Mar 11
- 7 min read
This post can help you choose where to visit in Norway for either hiking with scenic views in summer months or chasing the North Light in winter season. We will introduce you to beautiful places in Oslo, Stavanger, Bergen, Flam, Alesund, Lofoten island, and Tromso. Hiking season: June-August (Not recommended for winter hiking in Norway)
Midnight Sun season: June-July (Sunset at midnight)
Northern Light season: Sep-April in Tromso/Lofoten island (Best in Oct/Nov or March/April).
*Norway is a cashless country so payment by cash in large amount (more than 100 EUR) is not common. The country has a very strict rule on foreign currency exchange to prevent money laundering.
*Norway budget is expensive so it's expected to spend around 30-50EUR per meal, and accommodation cost is varied around 100-200EUR per night. However, there are many hostel options which are less expensive. Oslo
Most of all international flights connect to Oslo. The city brings cosmopolitan and chill vibe but the cost of accommodations is very expensive. Due to this reason, we suggest travelers to stay in Oslo for only a connection base to other destinations in Norway. From the Gardermoen international airport, you can take a train connecting to city center. You can explore some nice places by walking around the city within 1 day: Oslo city walks
Stavanger
A vibrant coastal city in Norway known for its charming old town, rich maritime history, and easy access to the iconic Lysefjord and Preikestolen.
You can reach Stavanger from Oslo by the scenic Sørlandsbanen train (~8hours) or by flight (~2hours). If your trip is short, we recommend to take a flight as it would be same price as taking the train and you can do it right after landing at Oslo International airport.
Suggested activities and day trips from Stavanger:
Exploring the city by foot in 1 day: stroll from the iconic Stavanger concert hall to Old Stavanger (Gamle Stavanger), the IDDIS Museum (the Norwegian Printing Museum and the Norwegian Canning Museum), continue to iconic Fargegaten, Norwegian Oil Museum.
1-day trip to hike the Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen) for scenic view. Also this is where Tom Cruise filmed one of his Mission Impossible movie 2018.
1-day trip to hike Kjerag to see Kjeragbolten.
Half-day trip to go on a Lysefjord cruise.
Bergen
A scenic gateway to Norway’s fjords, known for Bryggen Wharf, Mount Fløyen, and offering iconic day trips such as Hardangerfjord, and the dramatic Nærøyfjord.
From Stavanger or Oslo, you can reach Bergen by train or flight.
Suggested activities and day trips from Bergen:
What to do in a day in Bergen: short hike to Mount Fløyen (1-2hours), stroll through Bryggen area, visit KODE Art Museums, follow the tree-lined street all the way to Nordnesparken, an urban park with views of the fjord.
Fjord cruises from Bergen for day-trips: Sognefjord Cruise (From Bergen to Flåm) and the Nærøyfjord Cruise (From Flåm to Gudvangen, including to visit Stegastein viewpoint).
Hiking trails for adventurers: Mount Ulriken (The trail starts from the Ulriksbanen cable car station and takes about 2-3 hours to reach the summit); Vidden Trail is a popular hiking trail that connects Mount Ulriken and Mount Fløyen (5-7 hours) that is recommended to join with a guided tour; Stoltzekleiven is a steep and challenging hiking trail made up of over 900 steps (1-4hours); Mount Sandviksfjellet is a hidden gem in Bergen offering scenic views of the city and the fjords (2-3hours).
Mount Rundemanen is the second highest of Bergen's seven mountains and is a popular hiking trail for locals (2-3hours).
Trolltunga Hike When you're in Norway, don't miss to do one of the most scenic hikes in Norway - Trolltunga Hike (8-12 hours). Best time to hike Trolltunga: July-August (Summer time). Where to stay for the hike: Odda (3-hour by bus line 930 from Bergen - it runs 3 times/day). How to reach the start of the hike trail: take the shuttle bus from Odda to P2 Skjeggedal and another second bus to P3 Mågelitopp. Check the bus schedule and price here.
Ålesund
A striking Art Nouveau coastal city known for its colorful architecture, panoramic Aksla viewpoint, and access to top adventures like hiking Sukkertoppen and exploring nearby gems such as Geirangerfjord. From Bergen, you can reach Alesund by flight (~45minutes) or by bus (~8hrs) or by ferry (~12hrs).
Suggested activities and day trips from Alesund:
Exploring the city by foot in one day: stroll through Art Nouveau district to Fjellstua for a view over Ålesund, then head to Fisketorget for local seafood dish, or visit the Fisheries Museum, Atlantic Sea Park and the Jugendstil Center and KUBE.
Fjord cruises from Alesund: Geirangerfjord cruise and Hjørundfjord cruise.
Hiking day trips from Alesund: Sukkertoppen Hike (2-3 hours); Saksa Hike to see Hjørundfjord (2-3hours): start very early in the morning with bus to Sæbø then ferry to Leknes or Urke to find a trailhead to start the hike. Skageflå hike to see Geirangerfjord (4hours): You would need to stay 1 night at Geiranger village (there is ferry from Alesund to Geiranger) then take the boat transport from Geiranger to Skageflå in the morning. The most common is to buy a ticket for a boat trip out and that you go all the way back to Geiranger. You will then be transported to Skagehola, which is located right down by the fjord and is the starting point for the mountain hike up to Skageflå.
Lofoten island If you're in Norway, you cannot miss to visit Lofoten islands, which is Norway's most breathtaking secret, hiding in plain sight above the Arctic Circle.
Hiking activities only during summer time (June-Aug). Do not hike in winter time.
Northern Light season starts from Mid Sep to Mid Nov, or Mar-Apr.
How to get to Lofoten Islands for solo travelers:
The easiest way to get to Lofoten from Oslo is to fly directly from Oslo to Leknes or Svolvær (1.5-2hrs).
If you have more time and want to enjoy scenic view along the way, you can fly from Oslo to Bodo then take a ferry from Bodo to Moskenes (3.5-4hrs). The scenic view from the ferry trip is most recommended, but there are only 2 ferries during the day so always check the ferry schedule in-advance here.
Public Transport in Lofoten: The main bus is Route 300 (Svolvær ↔ Moskenes), operated by Nordland Fylkeskommune. Check timetables at ruter.no or 177nordland.no — buses run a few times daily so timing your day around the schedule is essential. Download the Vy or Entur app for real-time planning.
If you go with the ferry from Bodo to Mokenes, you can firstly base at Reine village for 1-3 nights (take the bus 300 from Mokenes to Reine ~15mins) then you can change the base to Leknes (where there is an airport that later you can fly from here), below are suggested destinations. Day 1 to Day 3 - Based in Reine:
Day trip from Reine to Å Village: catch bus 300 for 25mins to visit the famous fisherman village in Lofoten island. Walk through the open-air Norwegian Fishing Village Museum.
Start the day early for Reinebringen Hike (4-5hours return) to enjoy the iconic the panoramic view over Reine, the surrounding fjords, and the jagged Moskenesøya peaks is breathtaking.
Day trip to Fredvang Bridges and Kvalvika Beach via Fredvang (Bus 300 from Reine toward Leknes, get off at Fredvang, ~30 min).
You can consider to do some easy/moderate hiking routes from Reine (only available in Summer time): Reine to Hamnøy walk (~1.5hrs), Kirkefjord Shoreline (~3hrs), Munkebu Hut Trail (~4hrs), Ryten hike to Kvalvika Beach (~5hrs), Tindstinden hike (~6hrs) which is reachable by a short bus ride or 30–40 min walk from Reine toward Å direction to get off near Tind village (also written as Vindstad area).
Day 4 to Day 7 - Based in Leknes:
Half-day trip to visit the famous Nusfjord Fising Village (Closer from Leknes, change for Nusfjord road, ~20 min + short walk) A 19th-century fishing village tucked deep inside a narrow fjord — Nusfjord is one of the most atmospheric spots in Lofoten.
Half-day trip from Leknes to visit Rambergstranda Beach (Bus 300 westbound, ~20 min) One of the most stunning white-sand beaches in Norway — turquoise water, dramatic mountain backdrop, completely free to visit.
Hamnøy Village (Bus 300 westbound, ~40 min) Classic red rorbu cabins reflected in still water with dramatic peaks behind — one of the most photographed spots in all of Norway.
Day trip to visit Henningsvær (Bus 300 eastbound, ~25 min to junction + 3km walk) - The "Venice of Lofoten" — built across a cluster of small islands with art galleries, the famous floating football pitch, and great seafood restaurants.
Full-day trip to visit Svolvær (Bus 300 eastbound, ~1hr 10 min) The main town and hub of Lofoten. Don't miss the Lofoten War Memorial Museum, explore the harbor, browse shops and galleries, and hike up Tjeldbergtinden for panoramic views over the town and fjords.
Tromso
Norway's Arctic capital — a vibrant university city perched above the Arctic Circle where the Northern Lights (Sep-Nov or Mar-Apr) dance overhead in winter and the Midnight Sun (June-July) never sets in summer.
Suggested activities and day trips from Tromso:
Spend 1 day to take a leisure walk around the town: Tromsø Cathedral (Free entry), Polar Museum (Polarmuseet), Storgata Street (good place to grab small snacks), Tromsø Harbor Waterfront, Arctic Alpine Botanical Garden, Ølhallen Pub (opened in the evening).
Spend half-day to visit Fjellheisen Cable Car (10 min walk from city center): Take the Fjellheisen cable car up to Storsteinen at 421m — open from 10am daily, ~320 NOK return. At the top there is a café and a network of marked hiking trails — walk the easy Sherpa Trail loop (~2km, 1 hour) directly from the cable car station for wider ridge views without any technical difficulty.
If you visit Norway during Sep-Nov or Mar-Apr, don't miss to spend 1 evening to join Northern Light Hunt Tour (~200-300EUR/person), or join the cuteness and lovely animal tours-- Husky Northern Light Tour and Reindeer Northern Light Tour (you can check on Getyourguide for these services with reasonable price).
Don't miss to join one of these Arctic Wilderness Day Trips (It's only available in small group tour): Sommarøy Island (Summer, year-round), Lyngen Alps (Winter/Spring — for snow lovers), Whale Safari or Whale watching tour (November–January).
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