Crossing Latitudes
Lofoten Multi-Adventure Trip
Arctic Norway 2012
Dates: June 20-27, 2012
Starting: Svolvaer, Norway Airport: Svolvaer
Ending Place: Bodø, Norway Airport: Bodø
Days: 8 Latitude: 68°N
Pricing: $4000.00 (based on 6 folks or more) All meals, accommodations in double rooms, all travel from day one when we meet in Svolvaer to the last day in Bodø and activities are included in the price of this Multi-Adventure. Your travel from “home” to Svolvaer and from Bodø back to your “home” is not included. Alcoholic beverages are not included either.
Day 1: Wednesday June 20: Welcome to Scandinavia, the Lofoten Islands and Svolvaer, Norway! At 18:00 (6:00pm) we will meet at Svinøya Rorbuer and after introductions and a light evening meal we will take a look at the maps and locate the various villages, museums and treks we will enjoy during our adventure together.
Svinøya Rorbuer will be our home for the next three nights. These traditional fishermen huts were originally built to give early seafarers shelter from the storms. Many have been renovated into lodging for modern day travelers. We are sure you will find them very comfortable. If you arrive early you are welcome to check in after 15:00 (3:00pm).
Svinøya Rorbuer Phone: +47-76 07 08 80 http://www.svinoya.no/
Day 2: Thursday June 21: After a hearty Norwegian breakfast prepared by our staff in our Rorbu we will go sea kayaking. We will help you become familiar with the kayaks and equipment. For participants with little or no paddling experience we’ll cover the basics of safe and fun sea kayaking. This includes kayak anatomy, getting in and out, basic paddling strokes, demonstration of a wet-exit, basic rescue techniques, injury prevention etc. We will start paddling around the many islands within protection and if weather permit we might paddle further out and over to the nearby community.
If the weather prohibits us from paddling there are a number of great trekking options around town. Knutmarka, Svolvaersgeita, Djälvulsporten and Tjeldbergstinda are all areas that will take us to spectacular views. Weather dictates our activities through out the Lofoten Multi Adventure Trip. We ask our participants to be flexible and go with the flow. We are not worried as we know we will fill your days with great adventures, spectacular vies and superb food, no matter what the weather is like.
A rainy day option can always be to take a boat tour to the famous Trollfjord. This is where the historic battle over cod fishing rights took place in 1890. The fjord cuts deep into the mountains. During this 3 hour tour the captain and crew willingly share their knowledge of the local history and ocean environment.
In the afternoons you will have the chance to walk through the Svolvaer town center. At the town square there is usually an open market where the local artists and native Saami sell reindeer skin, arts, crafts and other curios. Our dinners will be served at one of the many excellent restaurants downtown.
Day 3: Friday June 22: This morning you can once again choose to go kayaking or hiking. The Svolvaer community sits nestled among steep snow covered peaks right up against the ocean. Whether you see it by foot or from a kayak, the views are equally as spectacular!
Weather permitting we may paddle from Svolvaer all the way to Kabelvåg. A stop at the Lofoten Cathedral and at Storvågan makes this a full day. At some point today both hikers and paddlers will pay a visit to Storvågan where the famous Epsolin Art Gallery, Lofoten Museum and Aquarium are located. The Aquarium houses all the native species of fish, sharks and other sea creatures including live seals and otters).
Dinner tonight will be served at the world famous Børsen Restaurant right next to our cabins. This restaurant is well known for their excellent sea food dishes.
Day 4: Saturday June 23: Today we will board a mini-bus and drive south to the community of Borg and the Lofotr Viking museum (1,5 hours). We can stop along the road any time and take in the spectacular scenery where the Mountains meet the Sea.
At the site of the Lofotr Viking museum, archaeologists excavated the largest Viking Age house ever discovered. The farm of one of the mightiest North Norwegian chieftains was discovered during an inter-Scandinavian research project 1986-89. Today's museum is a full scale replica of the Viking settlement. This impressive 83 meter long "living museum" is designed to look like an up-side-down Viking ship. Here you'll see folks dressed in traditional clothing re-enacting the daily life of the Vikings. You can learn about traditional weaving, making rope, shoes and other necessities. You can even experience what it was like to row a Viking ship. The ship in the harbor is a replica of the 1,000 year old Gokstad ship displayed in Oslo. We will also enjoy a traditional Viking lunch complete with a mug of mead.
Onwards to Nusfjord, one of the many small fishing villages in Lofoten. Here we will check into fishermen huts that are still used by the fishermen in the winter (1 night). This means that these cabins are more “rustic” and “real” compared to other fishermen huts we are staying at.
Nusfjord is still flourishing due to the excellent winter cod fishing. Cod is the main staple in Arctic Norway and is one of Norway's greatest natural resources. The cod is caught in the mid-winter, gutted and hung to dry on large wooden drying racks along the coast. The cold, salty air dries out the cod (which at this point is referred to as "Stock fish"). It the Spring it is packed up and exported to Portugal, Nigeria and Japan. In order to make the fish edible all one has to do is put it in water to re-hydrate it. According to the experts the stock fish retains 97% of it's nutrients and minerals, and if cooked right, it is quite tasty!
In the center of the Nusfjord we'll find the old historic Trading Post. This is where fishermen and tourists alike gather to exchange thoughts on the weather and the day’s events. Tonight we will stay in the traditional rorbus of Nusfjord Dinner will either be cooked and served by our staff or at the local diner.
Nusfjord Rorbuer Phone: +47-76 09 33 78 booking@nusfjord.no
Day 5: Sunday June 24: Rise and shine! After breakfast we will pack our day packs. Load the rest of the luggage in the van and then we hike off. Our destination is Nesland village. The trail winds it way through a rolling landscape, below imposing mountains and along the open coastal waters of Vestfjord. The trail is well trod and the views are spectacular. We should be able to reach Nesland in 3-4 hours. We will enjoy a picnic lunch along the way.
The van will pick us up in Nesland and we continue our journey south along the Lofoten Islands. We might stop and visit the Fishery museum and the iron smith in Sund, where we can enjoy both history and fine art at the same time. Our destination for tonight is the island community of Reine. At Reine Rorbus will once again check in to traditional cabins (three nights). Dinner will be served at Gamelbua Restaurant.
Reine Rorbuer Phone: +47-760 92 222 Fax: +47- 760 92 225 www.reinerorbuer.no
Day 6: Monday June 25: After breakfast we pack our daypacks again and walk down to the harbor. The Reine community is surrounded by spectacular mountains. The fjord carves deeply through the mountains. We will board a small ferry boat and travel into the fjord. At the very end of the Bunesfjord arm there is a trail winding up to the mountain pass of Bunes.
Some of us might paddle across the Reinefjord in order to meet up with the group who traveled on the ferry boat. Together we will hike to the Bunes pass and beach on the outer side of the Lofoten.
From the pass we can see and smell the open Norwegian Sea. The trail continues down to Bunes beach, this kilometer long white sandy beach is excellent for beach combing. Take off your shoes and let your feet run wild. Huge waves pound this shore during winter storms leaving all sorts of treasures. In 2000 we found the full skeleton of a Sperm Whale here. We will spend the greater part of the day on this remote and wild beach. Upon returning to Reine we will have dinner together in the local restaurant.
Day 7: Tuesday June 26: If weather allows we will dress in floatation suits, board a Zodiac and venture out around the very southern tip of the Lofoten Islands. This will bring us within view of the most famous and potentially fiercest ocean current in the world – The Maelstrøm. The current offshore can run up to 20 knots accompanied by standing waves and whirlpools large enough to swallow fishing boats. Don’t worry, the captain has lots of experience and he won’t take us out into the dangerous waters.
Once around the cape we will be on the outer coast of Lofoten. Here we’ll find remains of settlements dating back thousands of years. The gigantic coastal cave in Refsvika Bay contains cave paintings approximately 3,000 year old. This is truly a remarkable spot to visit.
As usual we have many options if the weather gods don’t cooperate …. You can bike south to visit the community of Å (8 km south of Reine). The letter Å is one of the last letters in the Scandinavian alphabet, an appropriate name for the last and most southern community in the Lofoten Islands. A walk around town, a visit to the bakery and a tour of the Norwegian Fishing Village Museum make for a relaxing day in a beautiful setting.
Another activity might be sea kayaking again on the Reinefjord. Vorfjord, Kirkefjord and Forsfjord are spectacular fjords to see from a kayak.
There are also numerous great hikes to be done in this area. From the top of Reinebringaren peak you will have views that will take your breath away.
A longer trek takes us to higher elevation (500-1000 meters) and to the Munkebu cabin. We start out by traveling by boat into the fjord and then it goes up, up, up and up until we reach fantastic views. The trail is well traveled and we will stop as often as you want to take in the great scenery, drink some water and breathe the fresh mountain air. This trek is about 6 hours and we can promise you a unforgettable hike. We will all be carrying sandwiches and a thermos but our staff will have extra goodies along.
Tonight will be our last night in the Reine rorbus. Dinner will once again be served at Gamelbua Restaurant.
Day 8: Wednesday June 27: This is our last morning together. We will help you get to the ferry which will take you across the Vestfjord to Bodø. Please don’t make reservations to fly out of Bodø until late afternoon this day.
General Information:
Travel Insurance: We recommend that you protect yourself from unforeseen circumstances while traveling. The Travel Guard "Protect Assist" insurance plan protects you in the event that you have to cancel your trip for a variety of reasons. It covers you for everything from your cancellation to Trip Interruption, Travel Delay, Lost, Stolen or Damaged Luggage, Baggage Delay, Medical Expenses, Emergency Medical Transportation and more. This plan is ideally suited for adventure travel.
Pre- and post-trip accommodations: We recommend our friend "KJ" Stoulil at Travelleader in Lynnwood, WA. She specializes in travel to Scandinavia. Call: 1-800-622-3342. Email: kj@cwtlynn.com
Weather: The coastal weather of Arctic Norway can bring strong winds and rain. Count on clouds and drizzle for at least half the time. Sunny days will be a welcome exception. Here the average temperatures range between the low 50's to 70’s. At times, the elements can prohibit us from paddling or hiking but not from enjoying these spectacular places. Good rain gear and footwear will also enable us to explore the mountains, forests, coast and villages by foot. The weather in the mountains is variable like in most mountains. One day can be warm and sunny with the next being windy and drizzly, it’s even possible to see some snowfall.
Currency: Each Scandinavian country has its own currency. Exchanges can be made at banks, airports, train stations and most hotels. Scandinavian currency is not interchangeable between countries as each has a different exchange rate value. Major credit cards are widely accepted throughout Scandinavia. Sweden and Denmark are part of the European Union but have chosen not to use the Euro. Norway is not part of the EU. Travel checks are not used in Scandinavia. The banks will charge a stiff fee if you want travel checks cashed.
Language: English is Scandinavia's second language and is almost spoken fluently throughout. We encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to speak the native tongue. Phrase books and dictionaries are a great help. All our staff are bilingual and speak English as well as Norwegian or Swedish.
Last minute assistance: If you need assistance shortly before departure or while traveling to Scandinavia, you may call the following number for Crossing Latitudes in Sweden: 070-670 11 53 (within Sweden) or 46-70-670 11 53 (from outside Sweden). Please leave your name, a message and a number where we can reach you.
We are looking forward to our adventure together!
Crossing Latitudes, Inc. 420 West Koch Street, Bozeman MT 59715, USA
USA:1-406-585-5356 Europe: +46-70-670 1153 www.crossinglatitudes.com
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