A wonderful week around Tromsø, Kvaløya, and the Lyngen Alps (page 1 of 2)

Hi everyone,

There haven’t been many recent stories about Norway in winter, and since I had trouble finding info on winter hikes, I thought I’d share a little travel journal.

Back in September 2024, while planning our summer 2025 trip to Norway, I joined some Facebook groups dedicated to travel in Scandinavia and started reading travel blogs. Since winter trips were being planned at the time, I came across posts with stunning photos of northern Norway in winter. I’d always pictured monotonous landscapes of pine forests and frozen lakes, so I was pleasantly surprised to see fjords, mountain ranges, and charming colorful cabins—just like in the Lofoten Islands. Turns out, the vast pine forests are more typical of Finnish Lapland. Norway, north of the Arctic Circle, is actually much more diverse. That was all it took to suggest this destination to my three guys for our winter vacation. After some research, early March seemed ideal—good weather, long enough daylight, and great chances for northern lights. A direct flight from Paris to Tromsø sealed the deal. The only downside? The cost of cars, accommodations, and activities nearly made us back out! Everything except flights is really expensive.

Since our oldest son had an important school deadline in June, he decided to skip the trip, so we ended up going as a trio. We took a Transavia round-trip flight from Orly to Tromsø for an amazing trip from March 1st to 8th.

Want to come along?

As usual, I won’t go into day-by-day details (it’s on my blog, in my signature), but I’ll share our favorite highlights. The first being our accommodation.

I booked a bit late—early November 2024 for March 2025. I’d selected four places within our budget (around 1000 € per week), and after a week, two of them were already unavailable. This one wasn’t my first choice, but it had the advantage of being outside Tromsø (a key criterion to avoid lights and noise) and fairly central for the hikes we wanted to do since we didn’t want to book multiple places. It was brand new on Airbnb and had no reviews yet. A little risk to take...

The place turned out to be comfortable and quiet, with a lovely snowy garden. Our host answered all my questions and welcomed us warmly.







The only downside? The parking spot wasn’t covered



We wanted to stay outside the city to avoid streetlights and have a good chance of seeing the northern lights. Unlike many travelers who drive for hours to chase them, we were counting on luck to see them right at our doorstep! We didn’t feel like driving long distances at night, paying for a guided tour, or waiting in the cold all night. A choice we stand by.

This place has the huge advantage of being right across from the Håkøybotn hiking and ski trailhead—a perfect spot to watch the northern lights with small mountains and pine trees in the background. And yes, we were lucky enough to see them right outside!

Literally right outside the door, with a view toward Tromsø:



From the Håkøybotn trail:

Here’s the link

Sommarøy

Sommarøy is a very popular destination. Most tourists staying in Tromsø take a day trip to Sommarøy. And you quickly understand why! The road to get there is stunning, especially when you're lucky enough to have sunshine.



We have two main goals: the hike from Nordkollen to Hillesøya and the hike to Ørnfloya. Both are very short and, like many hikes in Norway, involve reaching a summit to enjoy the view. Conditions are pretty good since there’s little snow left and temperatures are mild enough that it didn’t freeze overnight. We’ll have alternating sun and clouds, with just a brief snow shower at the top of Hillesøytoppen. No need for crampons, let alone snowshoes.

Ørnfloya is shorter and easier than Nordkollen (2 km round trip). As a result, it’s more crowded. There’s no signage, so you’ll have to find your way a bit, but it’s not difficult. The views of Brensholmen, Senja in the distance, Håja, and Sommarøy are gorgeous, even before reaching the summit. Watch out for the wind—it’s *really* strong up there! You can feel the ocean breeze! The hike starts on route 862, heading toward Brensholmen. The parking lot by the road is tiny, so you’ll need luck or patience to find a spot.



In the last photo, you can see the island of Håja in the distance. The shape of this island inspired the architect of Tromsø’s Arctic Cathedral.

Nordkollen starts with a very tough climb on rocky terrain. A rope runs all the way to the top to help you make progress. It's very steep (183 m elevation gain over 800 meters), but there's no feeling of vertigo, and with the rope, you can't get lost! Once at the radar at the summit, you can go back down the same way (good luck!) or head left. I really recommend taking the left path, which offers different views and ends in a paradise-like cove. It's longer (about 3 km for the loop) but definitely less difficult and especially very beautiful. The views of Senja, the crystal-clear sea, and the little beaches are stunning. The hike starts at the very end of the archipelago, on Hillesøya. There's a paid parking lot on-site.



From here, you can also see Haja Island perfectly with its characteristic shape. Views of Sommarøy:





We fell in love with Nordkollen. The views are much more varied and even more beautiful than from Ornfloya. If you have time to do both, that's ideal, but if you have to choose just one, I’d go for Nordkollen without hesitation—the loop with the steep climb from the parking lot and the return via the south of Hillesøya. That’s the easiest way, though it’s still no walk in the park! We took 2 hours to complete this hike, including plenty of photo stops.

To get back to the car, the end of the Nordkollen hike takes a small road lined with some charming *rorbuer*. These wooden fishing cabins built on stilts—usually red—are common in northern Norway. You’ll find plenty in the Lofoten Islands, but Troms County has its fair share too. I love them...

Thanks for this travel journal, it's a beautiful place! 😊

Shall I take you along?

With pleasure!😊

Coming along?

I’m joining in too—happy to be on board!

Hi Virginie,

I just found your travel journal—I’m jumping in with pleasure! Looking forward to traveling with you! Hélène

Great travel journal, Virginie, really brought to life by those stunning photos of the breathtaking landscapes 🤩 Apart from the fact it probably wasn’t very warm in early March, your journal makes me really want to go there 😊 You’ve shared your highlights—would you also tell us what you didn’t enjoy as much?

Welcome everyone, Louis, Nathalie, Carmen, Hélène, and Isabelle! 🙂

To answer you, Isabelle, we didn’t get very cold. We fluctuated between -2° and +6° all week. The coldest day was when we went dog sledding. It must’ve been around -2° with a wind chill of -6°/-7°, but we were bundled up in the suits provided by the operator. And our dogs were lazy, so we often had to help them out... running behind the sled warms you up!

You’ll share your highlights, but will you also tell us what you didn’t like so much?

I won’t keep you in suspense. There’s nothing we didn’t enjoy.

The only thing I could mention as a downside is the prices, especially at restaurants. We like to eat out a few times to try local food, but we only went on the last evening. It was good, but not amazing, and I paid 185 € for three of us (two reindeer stews, one burger, a bottle of wine, and a soda). No dish was under 40 €. We could’ve skipped the wine and saved 50 €, but hey, it was our last day...

The day is starting off gloomy: very overcast, snow showers, -2°C in the morning. We’re sticking to the plan anyway. Heading to the north of Kvaløya Island to reach the village of Tromvik and hike Brosmetinden.

On the AllTrails app, Brosmetinden is listed as a moderate hike. 4.5 km round-trip with a 257-meter elevation gain, supposedly doable in 1 hour 45 minutes. We took 1 hour 30 just to cover 3 km! Fresh snow that fell all night (and is still coming down in showers) slows our pace and makes the effort more intense. We’re also moving slower with snowshoes, but we’re really glad to have them so we don’t sink in. Another thing slowing us down: the hike isn’t marked at all (or maybe there’s paint on the rocks, but they’re buried under snow). With our mittens and poles, we can’t keep the phone in hand, so we struggle quite a bit to find our way and stop often to check if we’re still on the trail shown by the app. And every time we stop, we realize we’ve gone off course! With the fresh snow, there are no footprints to follow, no path to spot.



The view is partly blocked by clouds, so once we reach the edge of the fjord, we decide not to go all the way to the summit and turn back instead. We’ve got another hike planned for the afternoon—need to save some energy!

The road along Grøtfjord is stunning. We drive through a few more snow showers, and the clear spells are brief but give us a moment’s break to step out of the car.

Not a dish under 40 €. We could’ve skipped the wine—would’ve saved us 50 €—but hey, it was our last day... Awkward

Doesn’t surprise me. We were in Norway back in 2011—Nordkapp, Tromsø, Vesterålen, Lofoten—and it was already super expensive. As for alcohol, I don’t think we’ve ever drunk so little on vacation. Abstaining’s good for your health. 😏

If you don’t mind me asking, how much did the rental car set you back?

Generally, I get the feeling prices have shot up since Covid. When I tried to book our 4x4 in Peru, I was shocked by the rates compared to 2020. So we ended up booking private drivers instead.

If it’s not too indiscreet, how much did you pay for the rental car?

I generally feel like prices have really shot up since Covid. When I tried to book our 4x4 in Peru, I was shocked by the prices compared to 2020. So, we ended up booking trips with a private driver.

Hi Carmen,

We paid 594 € at Hertz for a Suzuki S-Cross. I think we got a pretty good deal on that one. At the start of our search, back in November, prices were much higher (900 to 1,000 € per week for that category of vehicle). I had then booked a car from a private owner on Getaround. It was around 500 € if I remember correctly. The lady offered to leave the car in the parking lot with the keys on the rear tire. That didn’t really thrill me, so I kept checking agency prices at the airport regularly, and they eventually dropped temporarily. For just 90 € more, I preferred to book with Hertz.

We paid 594 € at Hertz for a Suzuki S-Cross. I think we didn’t do too badly on that one.

Thanks Virginie. How many days was the rental for?

We paid 594 € at Hertz for a Suzuki S-Cross. I think we didn’t do too badly on that one.

Thanks Virginie. How many days was the rental for?

7 days The agency is located at the airport

I continue...

After the hike up Brosmetinden and a picnic in the snow, the heavy clouds are still hanging around. We hit the road back towards Tromvik just as a snowplow decides to come up. Guess who had to reverse for several dozen meters on a narrow, slippery, and steep road? 🤪

The afternoon hike is still on Kvaløya, near Ersfjordbotn. You can start either from the village or from a small parking lot along route 862. The climb is said to be easier from route 862, so that’s where we begin. I’m not super enthusiastic because I see big dark clouds rolling in, and I’m worried we’ll climb for nothing. But the guys are motivated, so we’ll see once we’re up there if the view clears or not.

Nattmålsfjellet, also called Klokka 10, is a summit peaking at 297 meters that offers views of the two fjords at its base: Ersfjord and Kaldfjord. The hike is rated as moderate difficulty, with a total distance of 4 km and a positive elevation gain of 164 meters. I’d actually classify it as "easy." There’s no particular challenge. We strap on our snowshoes and head into the mountains. There’s no marking—or if there is, we can’t see it because of the snow—but it’s enough to follow the ridge, and we easily spot the summit we’re supposed to reach. The weather plays tricks on us: on the way up, we get a snow shower, then five minutes later the sun comes out before disappearing behind the clouds again. I grumble a little, I’ll admit 😏





As we near the summit, we spot Ersfjord on the left. The weather seems to be clearing a bit in the distance. The sun playing hide-and-seek creates a soft, unique light.



At the top of Nattmålsfjellet, a mailbox is attached to a rocky outcrop. It contains a large guestbook where you can write a message and your nationality. We haven’t climbed Everest, but we can still leave a mark of our visit on this little summit. I think the idea’s really nice.



So, what about the view? As we climbed, we saw the clouds start to break, and now they’re higher and more scattered. So yes, it was totally worth climbing this little mountain! We’re amazed by the five-star view of the two fjords and the isthmus separating them. The sea is like glass, reflecting the sun’s rays that turn the surface pink—it’s stunning.



Along with Nordkollen in Sommarøy, Nattmålsfjellet is another favorite. The difficulty-to-reward ratio is more than good, and except for a family coming down, there was no one else around. Enjoying this panorama alone, in absolute silence, was pure bliss.

Thanks Virginie for this lovely travel journal. The weather looked pretty mild. Could you tell me what time the sun was rising and setting in early March?

Hello,

I had everything noted in my road book.

March 1st: sunrise 7:04 AM / sunset 4:47 PM March 8th: sunrise 6:33 AM / sunset 5:16 PM

We had no complaints about the weather. Over 7 days, we had 2 very cloudy days with snow showers but also some sunny spells, 1 day with clouds and sun, and 4 days with bright sunshine.

I don’t know what the light is like for the rest of the year, but in early March, the sun is always relatively low (never at its zenith), so the light is gorgeous all day long.

Yes, having been to the Lofoten Islands in July, when night never falls, it gives a very different impression!