Senja - An Arctic Island

A fusion of mountain, moorland & sea
 

Holiday Highlights

The scenery | An unrivalled delight for the senses, throughout the holiday.
‘Arctic Caribbean’ beauty | Discover azure waters and coral-sand beaches reminiscent of the Caribbean.  
Varied walking | From mountains to moorland and pristine sandy beaches to incomparable viewpoints.  
The ‘Sugarloaf’ mountain | A must-do walk ascends the peak of Sukkertoppen for incredible views.
Senja - An Arctic Island. 7 nights
Senja - An Arctic Island. 7 nights
 

Holiday information

 

A walking holiday on Senja

From mountains to moorland and pristine sandy beaches to incomparable viewpoints, this flexible, self-guided walking holiday reveals an astonishing variety of scenery. The accommodation is just as diverse – one high-quality quayside hotel followed by stays in two historic fishing villages.
Although well known for its mountains, fjords, islands and convoluted coastline, Arctic Norway still has a few surprises – and little-visited gems – up its sleeve. Senja, second largest of the country’s islands and a little farther north, even, than the justly popular Lofotens, is certainly one of these – relatively little-known, yet full of extraordinary natural beauty.

Senja’s wild north-western coast, accentuated by peaks which soar skywards from secluded sandy bays, is balanced by the gentle terrain of the sheltered eastern side of the island; and by the lakes, forests and high moorland in between. On this holiday, you are treated to superb walking with breathtaking views, while being based at some charming waterside locations.
 
Gallery

 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.

    The Midnight Sun is visible from about 20 May to 21 July, while the Northern Lights are visible on some nights as early as late August.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C -2 -2 0 3 9 14 17 16 11 5 1 -1
    mm 118 111 108 107 103 92 111 113 136 151 115 128
  • A note about distances & timings
    Our timings and grades are based on our own experiences of walking on the island. Unlike the local grading system, which is based purely on the amount of ascent involved, our timings and grades take the type of terrain into account, and assume a much slower pace over rocky ground. In our experience, walks of just a couple of kilometres can take several hours, but the incredible views are more than ample reward for your efforts.
  • Arrival in Sommarøy
    On arrival in Tromsø, an hour’s drive across beautiful Kvaløya brings you to the small neighbouring island of Sommarøy.

    Night 1: at the Arctic Hotel, Sommarøy (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of walking.
  • Choice of walks on Sommarøy: 2km to 6km
    We suggest three walking options for your day on Sommarøy – all of them offering views of the ‘Arctic Caribbean’, so-called for the azure waters and coral-sand beaches which surround the local islands. None is long, though the climbs to both Hillesøya and Lakstind are significant.

    Out-and-back route up Ørnfløya (grade 1-2): 2km, 1hr; 145m ascent/descent
    This modest peak gives exceptional panoramas for minimal effort and is the ideal spot for an after-dinner viewing of the Midnight Sun.

    Out-and-back route to Lakstinden (grade 2): 6km, 3hrs; 515m ascent/descent
    The nearest proper peak on the mainland is an excellent objective, with a pretty forest traverse before the rocky summit and lakes of Lakstinden itself. Afterwards, take a stroll to nearby Sandvik beach – the perfect spot to relax.

    Out-and-back route up Hillesøya (grade 2-3): 5.5km, 2.5hrs; 300m ascent/descent
    This steep hill provides spellbinding views over the archipelago and out to sea. We suggest you follow the locals’ route to the summit: straight up, using a handy rope running alongside you from bottom to top in uniquely Norwegian style. It’s not nearly as hard as it sounds!
    The tranquil slopes of Lakstinden
    Out-and-back route up Ørnfløya (grade 1-2): 2km
    Climb Hillesøya for excellent views
    Out-and-back route to Lakstinden (grade 2): 6km
    Out-and-back route up Hillesøya (grade 2-3): 5.5km
  • Drive from Sommarøy to Mefjordvær, via Husøy
    A scenic ferry journey (pay locally) takes you over to Senja itself for a memorable drive close to the island’s dramatic north coast. En route, we suggest a visit to Husøy, a community of 300 souls occupying a spectacular island that is now connected to the mainland by causeway, and which offers tremendous views south-west to Senja’s most dramatic concentration of peaks. Your onward drive takes you past high lakes, cols and coast to reach Mefjordvær, one of the region’s oldest fishing villages, where your next two nights are spent at Mefjord Brygge.
  • Choice of walks from Mefjordvær: 2km to 6km
    Today, you can choose between three short walks from the door (or combine them to make one full-day walk); while Senja’s most iconic peak, Segla (‘sail’), faces you across the fjord and can be reached via a short drive to Fjordgård, from where we suggest a wonderful route beneath the mountain to the neighbouring peak of Barden.

    Out-and-back route up Knuten (grade 1-2): 2km, 1.5hrs; 115m ascent/descent
    This is an easy walk (gentle enough to do as an evening stroll) up the nearby hill of Knuten, whose lighthouse makes a fine viewpoint just north of the village.

    Out-and-back route to Stordalen (grade 1-2): 5.5km, 1.5hrs; 130m ascent/descent
    Through lake and marsh country, ringed by craggy mountains, this walk follows extensive boardwalks, looping through forest and passing remote summer cabins.

    Out-and-back route to Skøyteneset (grade 2-3): 6km, 3.5hrs; 170m ascent/descent
    A challenging coastal hike which can easily be truncated – still allowing you to see the best of this beautiful rocky headland.

    Drive then out-and-back route to Barden (grade 2-3): 6km, 4.5hrs; 600m ascent/descent
    The peninsula across the water from Mefjordvær is Senja’s most spiky and dramatic spit of land. The climb from Fjordgård – where the walk begins – to the summit of Barden gives you arguably the best view of Segla’s sail-shaped peak.
    Enjoy a gentle stroll up Knuten
    Out-and-back route up Knuten (grade 1-2): 2km
    Out-and-back route to Skøyteneset (grade 2-3): 6km
    Explore the beautiful coastline
    Out-and-back route to Stordalen (grade 1-2): 5.5km
    Out-and-back route to Barden (grade 2-3): 6km
  • Drive from Mefjordvær to Hamn i Senja, via Husfjellet
    The direct route from Mefjordvær to Hamn i Senja takes only an hour, but we suggest stopping off at several locations en route: beautiful Ersfjord beach; Tungeneset headland, for the walkway to a viewpoint where you can admire the Devil’s Jaw’s incisor-like peaks; Bovær, with its pretty beach and extraordinary Kråkeslottet (‘crow’s castle’); and Husfjellet, where there is an excellent walk to the summit (see below). You continue to Hamn i Senja, where your last three nights are spent by the harbour, from where the Midnight Sun, or – in late season – the Northern Lights, may be seen.

    Out-and-back route up Husfjellet (grade 2): 7.5km, 4hrs; 700m ascent/descent
    The 600-metre peak of Husfjellet is a well-graded, steady climb from Skaland on the coast. If the weather is kind, take in views over the ‘Hundred Island’ Bergsoyan archipelago towards Hamn, followed by an unbeatable panorama from the top.
    Out-and-back route up Husfjellet (grade 2): 7.5km
    Take in the views
  • Choice of walks from Hamn: 3km to 10km
    During your time in Hamn, we suggest several local walks as well as inland routes and a driving tour to the south-west of Senja.

    Circular route via Sukkertoppen (grade 2): 8km, 4hrs; 530m ascent/descent; shorter option (grade 1-2): 6km, 2hrs; 200m ascent/descent; longer option (grade 3): 9.5km, 5hrs; 600m ascent/descent
    This must-do local walk takes you to the peak of nearby Sukkertoppen (‘Sugarloaf’) mountain. Though the final few metres to the summit are tricky, and should be avoided unless you enjoy scrambling, the majority of this climb is mellow, through lake-studded woodland, and offers exceptional views. It can be walked as a flexible-length circuit, incorporating an exploration of an old nickel mine on a pretty peninsula.

    Out-and-back route to Ballesvika beach (grade 2): 3km, 1hr; 15m ascent/descent
    Just 5 kilometres from Hamn, this attractive sandy beach is the starting point for a walk along a shoreline which is notable for its gorgeous large round pebbles – as good to look at as they are hard underfoot! Your destination is a cove which is popular with locals as a picnic spot, and as a viewing point for the Midnight Sun.

    Circular route via Leirdalen waterfall & Langdalsryggen (grade 2-3): 10km, 3.5hrs; 350m ascent/descent
    Following a spectacular drive through the Kaperdalen valley, you walk north through the Ånderdalen National Park and discover the moorland, tarns and rivers of Senja's interior – a completely different landscape to the island's rocky western coast. The first part of the route takes you alongside a lake and valley to a waterfall, following a section of the classic, multi-day, cross-Senja hike, 'Senja pa langs'; the return leg, meanwhile, leads you to a peak with beautiful views over the high countryside.
    Pass a multitude of tarns as you ascend Langdalsryggen
    Circular route via Sukkertoppen (grade 2): 8km
    Out-and-back route to Ballesvika beach (grade 2): 3km
    Circular route via Leirdalen waterfall and Langdalsryggen: 10km
 

Accommodation

Your accommodation is in tune with your natural surroundings. The last two bases are fishing villages rather than hotels, where you stay in thoughtfully converted buildings and former homes.
 

Extend your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 7 nights: 25 May 2024 - 30 September 2024 & 25 May 2025 - 30 September 2025

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    25 May - 12 Jun 2024 £2295 £795
    13 Jun - 30 Jul 2024 £2390 £810
    31 Jul - 24 Aug 2024 £2315 £810
    25 Aug - 23 Sep 2024 £2360 £790
    25 May - 12 Jun 2025 £2375 £825
    13 Jun - 30 Jul 2025 £2470 £840
    31 Jul - 24 Aug 2025 £2375 £840
    25 Aug - 23 Sep 2025 £2415 £815
    3rd & 4th person discount -£370 to -£380
    Single traveller supplement £370 to £380

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Price includes: 7 days' category B car hire (eg Citroen C3 or similar with automatic transmission)

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Mefjord Brygge, Mefjordvær
    Superior: 25 May - 30 Sep 2024 £7
    Superior: 25 May - 30 Sep 2025 £7
    Hamn i Senja, Senja
    'Aurora' on ground floor: 25 May - 30 Sep 2024 £121
    'Aurora' on ground floor: 25 May - 30 Sep 2025 £130
    'Aurora' on upper floor: 25 May - 30 Sep 2024 £170
    'Aurora' on upper floor: 25 May - 30 Sep 2025 £180

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Mefjord Brygge, Mefjordvær (with dinner) Double room Single room
    25 May - 31 May 2024 £265 £420
    01 Jun - 25 Aug 2024 £285 £440
    26 Aug - 30 Sep 2024 £265 £420
    25 May - 31 May 2025 £280 £445
    01 Jun - 25 Aug 2025 £300 £465
    26 Aug - 30 Sep 2025 £280 £445
    Hamn i Senja, Senja (with dinner) Double room Single room
    25 May - 31 May 2024 £195 £261
    01 Jun - 25 Aug 2024 £215 £299
    26 Aug - 31 Aug 2024 £205 £289
    01 Sep - 30 Sep 2024 £195 £261
    25 May - 31 May 2025 £205 £274
    01 Jun - 25 Aug 2025 £225 £312
    26 Aug - 31 Aug 2025 £215 £302
    01 Sep - 30 Sep 2025 £205 £274
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Tromsø

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Oslo. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Tromsø (via Bergen) Wideroe 
    Aberdeen - Tromsø (via Stavanger & Oslo) SAS 
    Aberdeen - Tromsø, (via Oslo (Gardermoen) ) SAS 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Tromsø (via Copenhagen & Oslo) SAS 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Tromsø (via Bergen) Loganair 
    Edinburgh - Tromsø (via Oslo (Gardermoen) SAS 
    Edinburgh - Tromsø (via Oslo (Gardermoen) ) Norwegian 
    Edinburgh - Tromsø (via Stockholm & Oslo (Gardermoen)) SAS 
    Edinburgh - Tromsø (via Stockholm) SAS 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Tromsø Norwegian 
    Gatwick - Tromsø (via Bergen) Norwegian 
    Gatwick - Tromsø (via Oslo (Gardermoen) ) Norwegian 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Tromsø (via Bergen) Wideroe 
    Heathrow - Tromsø (via Copenhagen) SAS 
    Heathrow - Tromsø (via Oslo (Gardermoen) ) SAS 
    Heathrow - Tromsø (via Stockholm) SAS 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Tromsø Wizz Air 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Tromsø (via Oslo (Gardermoen) ) Norwegian 
    Manchester - Tromsø (Stockholm) SAS 
    Manchester - Tromsø (via Copenhagen & Oslo) SAS 
    Manchester - Tromsø (via Helsinki) Finnair 
    Manchester - Tromsø (via Oslo (Gardermoen) ) SAS 
    Outward route Airline
    Norwich - Tromsø (via Amsterdam Schiphol and Bergen) KLM 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Oslo. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

What is included
  • 7 nights
  • 7 dinners
    7 breakfasts
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • 7 days' category B (automatic) car hire
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Norway, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). There is no need to apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) as this (and still-current EHICs) is not valid in Norway. However, should you need medical help, you can show your UK passport at the medical facility and treatment will be provided on the same terms as for Norwegian nationals. It is important that, if you already have travel insurance in place, the terms do not exclude medical cover, especially for existing conditions, in the absence of an EHIC.
  • The most widely spoken language is Norwegian. The currency is the Kroner. Norwegian time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
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