Arctic Winter in the Lofoten Islands

Level 2 out of 5
Moderate. An undulating route with modest elevation changes (maximum 600m), although snow and ice can make progress more difficult. The terrain is accessible to everyone, but a good level of fitness and regular hiking in mid-altitude mountains are recommended. Bear in mind, however, that paths in the Lofoten Islands can sometimes be steep. No technical difficulties.
Depending on the time of year, we may alternate between hiking and snowshoeing.

No luggage to carry: you only carry a small daypack with your belongings for the day and your picnic lunch. You are reunited with your luggage every evening at the end of the day’s route.

From 4 to 8 participants.

8 days / 7 nights.

From mid-February to early April.

Guiding

Led by a French mountain leader with a state-recognised qualification and a specialisation in snowshoeing.

Accommodation

Evenes – Overnight hotel stay in a double room with a private bathroom. Comfortable accommodation for a relaxed start or end to your trip.

Mortsund (Lofoten) – Stay in a rorbu, literally a “fisherman’s house”. These red cabins on stilts, once shelters for fishermen, have now been converted into warm, welcoming accommodation. Each rorbu has a fully equipped kitchen, one or more bedrooms (2 to 6 beds, often with duvets and sheets provided), a bathroom with a hot shower and sometimes a wood-burning stove for an authentic Nordic atmosphere.
Accommodation in twin rooms, with one bathroom per room. Sheets and towels provided.

Svolvær (Lofoten) – Stay in a sjøhus or hytte:

• A sjøhus (pronounced “shuh-hooss”) is a communal building originally used to house fishermen and fish factory workers. More recent than the rorbu, it retains all its maritime charm and offers rooms with 2 to 6 beds.

• Hytter are small Norwegian cabins, often located on quiet campsites, offering a simple, friendly setting. Twin bedrooms (sometimes with a mezzanine), a shared bathroom, and a living area with dining and seating areas. Sheets and towels included.

Note: where shower tokens are used, they are allocated on the basis of one shower per day.

Meals

To help the trip run smoothly, everyone needs to take part in shared tasks, such as preparing meals and washing up.

• Lunch: a cold picnic prepared by the guide with help from the participants.

• Breakfast and dinner: to avoid restaurants, which are often expensive, your guide cooks these meals with help from the group. Groceries are bought in local shops, taking everyone’s preferences into account.

At 68° north, the choice of food, particularly fruit and vegetables, is fairly limited. However, we make every effort to include a portion of fruit and a portion of vegetables per person in each meal. Fish is the only fresh produce available locally. To give you a taste of the local culture, we offer local foods and dishes (prawns, salmon and cod). Wine and spirits are only sold in state-run shops (Vinmonopol, which are not necessarily on our route), at prices that are extremely high compared with those in France. If you would like a bottle to enjoy with your meals, it is therefore worth buying it at the airport duty-free shop or in France. However, a wide variety of beers (up to 4.6% alcohol) is available in all supermarkets and bars (allow 75 NOK for a beer in a bar and 30 NOK in a supermarket). (1 NOK = 0,09 €).

Meeting point / End of trip

Meeting point

On Day 1 at Evenes Airport.

End of the trip

On day 8 at Evenes Airport.

Around two weeks before your departure, you will receive joining instructions specifying the meeting time and place, your guide’s name and contact details, and the address of your first accommodation.

If you wish, we can book additional nights before or after your trip.

By air

Flights Paris–Oslo–Evenes.

Member of Agir pour un Tourisme Responsable (ATR)

Since 2012, Grand Angle has been a member of ATR, the leading association for more responsible tourism. We design our trips – on foot, by bike and on snow – to encourage everyone to discover the world differently: with curiosity, respect and consideration.

As members of the board of directors since 2018, we actively help the sector move towards more meaningful practices. In practical terms, we focus on:

• Transparency in our practices and pricing
• Respect for our partners and local communities
• Protecting the environment on every trip

We also share the values of the Traveller’s Ethical Charter, which encourages everyone to take simple steps to protect the places they visit and foster meaningful encounters.

Travelife Partner

Since 2025, Grand Angle has held Travelife Partner status, an international label that certifies our responsible environmental, ethical and sustainable management practices, both within our company and in our work with partners and the organisation of our trips.

This label, the second level of a rigorous international certification scheme, recognises our practical actions in support of responsible tourism. We are actively working towards the next level, Travelife Certified, in line with our sustainability policy

Luggage
You must pack all your belongings in 2 bags: 1 backpack and 1 large soft travel bag.
All your luggage must be divided between 2 bags:

• Bring a soft travel bag with a side zip for easier access to its contents, such as a duffel bag, with a capacity of around 80 litres and a maximum weight of 15 kg. No suitcases. Luggage is transported by vehicle.

• A backpack (approximately 40 to 50 litres) for your day-to-day essentials: jumper, spare T-shirt, water bottle/thermos flask, picnic lunch, glasses, small items of equipment and a plastic bag.

Bedding
1 sleeping bag liner is sufficient (or a fitted sheet and pillowcase for a single bed)
The accommodation provides duvets/blankets. Accommodation in the Lofoten Islands does not allow sleeping bags for hygiene reasons.

Equipment provided

Snowshoes and poles are available to borrow on site, along with safety equipment (avalanche transceivers, shovels and a probe).

Clothing

• A pair of trekking boots for the hikes. They must have three qualities: durability, good foot and ankle support (high ankle cuffs), and waterproofing. Choose boots with non-slip, lugged and relatively stiff soles that provide a good grip on the terrain.

Avoid après-ski boots or “Moon Boots”, which provide no ankle support and are unsuitable for a full-day outing. However, they can be used for a stroll at the end of the day.

• Slippers for the evening

• Pairs of wool socks

• A mountain jacket. The jackets that offer the best protection against wind and rain are made from “breathable” fabric, which allows perspiration to escape quickly while keeping the rain out.

• A down jacket (optional, but very useful for keeping warm during the lunch break)

• A synthetic fleece. This has the advantage of being durable, warm and lightweight; it dries quickly and feels soft against the skin.

• Technical base layers, top and bottom. These provide your first layer of insulation, so choose them carefully. Fine technical fabrics or wool are very effective, warm, flexible, comfortable and lightweight. They dry very quickly.

• Waterproof trekking trousers, mountaineering trousers or ski trousers (make sure they are not too thick)

• Nightwear

• Two pairs of ski gloves, or mittens if your hands get cold easily

• One or two pairs of liner gloves

• A warm hat

• A neck warmer or balaclava

• Swimwear (for the sauna)

Equipment

• Gaiters

• A notepad

• A camera

• A sleeping bag liner + 1 pillowcase, as blankets are provided at all accommodation

• Sunglasses with a high level of protection or ski goggles

• A personal first-aid kit

• A towel

• A head torch, with spare batteries and bulbs

• A knife

• A food container and cutlery

• Sunscreen (for your face and lips)

• A lightweight water bottle with a capacity of at least 1 litre

• An insulated flask so you can have a hot drink at lunchtime

• Plastic bags to keep your belongings dry

Personal first-aid supplies

• Your usual medication
• Vitamin C or multivitamins
• Pain relief medication: preferably paracetamol
• An elastic adhesive bandage (such as Elastoplast, 6 cm wide)
• A selection of adhesive dressings + antiseptic wipes
• Blister dressings

Country: Norway
Capital: Oslo

The Lofoten Islands, like the rest of Norway, have extremely wild, untamed terrain and natural landscapes. This is part of their charm, but be aware that hiking in such terrain comes with challenges! In the north of the country, there are few hikers and consequently few trails. As a result, most of the hikes offered take place off-trail, over terrain that is often rugged, with slopes that are generally quite steep.

To ensure your trip remains an enjoyable experience for both you and your fellow travellers, you need to be in good physical condition and have experience of walking in the mountains and over rough terrain, as well as experience of snowshoeing; you will be the first to benefit from this preparation. For more details on the difficulty level, see the section on the different levels and the physical preparation required. In addition to the challenges of the terrain, the climate can sometimes be harsh and changeable (Arctic in the northern part of the country), especially when the wind picks up.

Travel documents

A valid national identity card or passport.

Health

Bring your European Health Insurance Card, which you should request from your health insurance provider at least 15 days before departure. This is particularly useful given the cost of medical care in Norway.

The Norwegian krone (as of 04/04/20251€ = 11,58 NOK).

Dialling code for calling France from abroad: 0033

Dialling code for calling Norway: 0047

There is no time difference between France and Norway.

The Gulf Stream gives Norway a more temperate climate than you might expect at this latitude. However, the weather is very changeable and rain is frequent. In summer, temperatures can reach 30°C, although they tend to average around 17°C.