In Kirkenes there is no shortage of things to do. There are activities here that satisfy even the most adventurous and many of them have earned a well-deserved spot in travel memories. As a guest at Thon Hotel Kirkenes, you can choose to do the activities on your own or join an organised group tour. Below are our top tips for a memorable visit to the north.
Speed and excitement
King crab tour in winter
Barentssafari organises a king crab experience with both speed and amazing flavours. Participants first get to bring in king crab from the hotel’s pots and while a chef prepares the crab, they take a snowmobile trip on the Langfjord and into the Siberian taiga forest in the Pasvik valley. After the tour, food is served in a lavvo (Sami tent) and the freshly caught king crab is accompanied by bread, mayonnaise and white wine, followed by coffee and tea.
Happy ice fishing
The area around Kirkenes is an eldorado for fishing! And in a place where winter lasts almost half a year, there plenty of ice fishing. The main season for ice fishing is from February to May and the most common species of fish caught are char, trout and perch. Go on an organised tour to learn how it’s done – and find out why many people think that Sør-Varanger is best experienced sitting on a reindeer skin on the ice while waiting for a bite.
Husky tours – join the dogs on an adventure
Experience northern Norwegian nature from a dog sled! Snowhotel Kirkenes organises husky tours adapted to the season and with different distances. You can enjoy everything from a 5-kilometre tour along the fjord in beautiful Sandnesdalen to a complete Arctic dog sledding adventure out in the wilderness. It is wonderful to experience how the dogs almost float on the white surface of the snow.
Northern Lights tour
The Northern Lights are perhaps one of the most beautiful natural phenomena you can experience and Kirkenes has excellent conditions for seeing the beautiful colours dancing across the sky. You can combine a Northern Lights tour with several other types of tours:
You can go on a husky tour where the dogs take you on a sled up the mountain or a snowmobile tour where you drive around waiting for the lights to reveal themselves. If you prefer to stay warm, Aurora Express offers a bus trip along the routes where there’s the greatest chance of seeing the Northern Lights.
Experience the midnight sun from an ATV
Barents Safari organises several tours on ATVs. One of them takes you to the Barents Sea, where you can visit the official border crossing at Storskog and head east, past the Jarfjord and across the mountain plateau, before arriving in the lush Grense Jakobselv valley. The town has been vacated and you are very close to the Russian border, where you can experience Norwegian and Russian border guards. Near the beach facing the Barents Sea is the King Oscar II chapel, built from stone in 1869 as border protection against Russia. Enjoy coffee and a bite to eat by the Barents Sea before returning home.
King crab tour in the summer months
With professional fishermen and a fast RIB, Kirkenes Snowhotel is proud to call this trip the 'original king crab tour'. In the warmer months of the year, this is a fast-paced and fun trip that takes you out into Varangerfjord. Fish for crab, get to hold them and take pictures. After the trip, you are taken to a boathouse by the fjord where the crab are prepared in true northern Norwegian style.
Barents Sea fishing trip and snowmobile tour
Kirkenes Snowhotel takes you out to the Barents Sea in a RIB to one of the last stops before the North Pole. Out at sea, you get to experience a wide range of wonderful wildlife and if you're lucky, you might see eagles, seals and birds. And, of course, there is good chance of a bite on the hook! Barentssafari organises a range of snowmobile tours, whether you’re chasing the Northern Lights or fishing for king crab.
Experiences
Snowshoe tours
Snowshoes have been used by Arctic peoples for thousands of years. In Kirkenes, you have the opportunity to test this mode of transport and have an extraordinary hiking experience. Snowhotel Kirkenes organises guided tours in the untouched mountain landscape around the hotel and you get to trudge through the snow looking for animal tracks. The tour will get your heart racing and may even cause a sweat on the way up the mountain, but your reward awaits at the top! Take a break while enjoying the fantastic views.
Winter cycling
Sollia Gjestegård organises winter cycling! The bicycles are fitted with winter tyres for a good grip on the prepared trail. See the area from a new angle from a bike seat and if you're lucky, the Northern Lights will entertain you along the way. The tour ends with hot soup and a relaxing soak in a hot tub.
Chasing the Northern Lights in summer
It doesn't have to be winter for the Northern Lights to make their appearance in the sky. In late summer and autumn, you can tak an evening tour to the Borealis camp organised by Sollia Gjestegård, away from the city, buildings and artificial light. The tour goes up into the mountains, where there is a good chance to experience the Northern Lights. Dinner is served over a campfire in a lavvo (Sami tent) and on the way to and from the camp, you sit comfortably in a sled in warm clothing behind an ATV. A fantastic experience!
Perletur – the best hikes in the great outdoors
Finnmark Friluftsråd has put together a number of hikes throughout the county, which they have called 'perleturer' (hiking gems). This is a collection of the best hikes to walk or ride in the great outdoors. We have many of these in Kirkenes, ranging from short hikes of one hour to long hikes that can take a whole day. The Sør-Varanger Touring Association is part of DTA (Norwegian Trekking Association) and has created several walks for visitors. It is also possible to meet up with others and walk with them.
Museums and attractions
Visit a real snow hotel
Kirkenes Snowhotel is the first hotel made entirely from snow and ice. You can step into a 'winter wonderland' all year round here. The hotel is open 365 days a year and offers guided tours of the park, dinner, accommodation and various activities.
Grenseland museum
The Grenseland museum is about a 20-minute walk from Thon Hotel Kirkenes. Here you will find both permanent and temporary exhibitions about the border area, local culture and World War II. There’s also a museum shop with a varied selection and a bright and pleasant café, and outside there are benches, a playground and an exciting maze to explore during the summer.
Andersgrotta
Visit Andersgrotta for a true historical experience that will take you back to World War II. Kirkenes was one of the most strategic locations in Europe during the war and Andersgrotta was the largest bomb shelter in Kirkenes. The bomb shelter was constructed in 1934 and is well hidden under the centre. A short film about Kirkenes from 1941–1944 is shown here, describing the 320 bombing raids in the city.
Group activities
King crab tour in winter
Barentssafari organises a king crab experience with both speed and amazing flavours. Participants first get to bring in king crab from the hotel’s pots and while a chef prepares the crab, they take a snowmobile trip on the Langfjord and into the Siberian taiga forest in the Pasvik valley. After the tour, food is served in a lavvo (Sami tent) and the freshly caught king crab is accompanied by bread, mayonnaise and white wine, followed by coffee and tea.
Husky tours – join the dogs on an adventure
Experience northern Norwegian nature from a dog sled! Snowhotel Kirkenes organises husky tours adapted to the season and with different distances. You can enjoy everything from a 5-kilometre tour along the fjord in beautiful Sandnesdalen to a complete Arctic dog sledding adventure out in the wilderness. It is wonderful to experience how the dogs almost float on the white surface of the snow.
Northern Lights tour
The Northern Lights are perhaps one of the most beautiful natural phenomena you can experience and Kirkenes has excellent conditions for seeing the beautiful colours dancing across the sky. You can combine chasing the Northern Lights with several other types of tours. You can go on a husky tour where the dogs take you on a sled up the mountain or a snowmobile tour where you drive around waiting for the lights to reveal themselves. If you prefer to stay warm, Aurora Express offers a bus trip along the routes where there’s the greatest chance of seeing the Northern Lights.
Experience the midnight sun from an ATV
Barents Safari organises several tours on ATVs. One of them takes you to the Barents Sea, where you can visit the official border crossing at Storskog and head east, past the Jarfjord and across the mountain plateau, before arriving in the lush Grense Jakobselv valley. The town has been vacated and you are very close to the Russian border, where you can experience Norwegian and Russian border guards. Near the beach facing the Barents Sea is the King Oscar II chapel, built from stone in 1869 as border protection against Russia. Enjoy coffee and a bite to eat by the Barents Sea before returning home.
King crab tour in the summer months
With professional fishermen and a fast RIB, Kirkenes Snowhotel is proud to call this trip the 'original king crab tour'. In the warmer months of the year, this is a fast-paced and fun trip that takes you out into Varangerfjord. Fish for crab, get to hold them and take pictures. After the trip, you are taken to a boathouse by the fjord where the crab are prepared in true northern Norwegian style.
Snowmobile tour and snow hotel
Go on a snowmobile tour! Barentssafari organises a range of snowmobile tours, whether you’re chasing the Northern Lights or fishing for king crab. Kirkenes Snowhotel is the first hotel made entirely from snow and ice. You can step into a 'winter wonderland' all year round here. The hotel is open 365 days a year and offers guided tours of the park, dinner, accommodation and various activities.
When you stay at Thon Hotel Kirkenes, you can combine your stay with a number of unforgettable activities. We are happy to help if you have any questions or want to organise trips.
