Lofoten, Norway Road Trip Itinerary
Norway has easily become my favourite country with its beautiful scenery and diverse landscapes. We rented a campervan in Tromso and drove to Lofoten and back over 6 days. Lofoten is truly incredible and I’ve shared my itinerary below so you can experience it's magic too.
Renting a campervan in Norway gives you the freedom to explore the beautiful country. Norway is set up really well for campervanning with accessible dumping grounds and water refills, and you can camp anywhere as long as it’s 150m from any occupied property. A useful app to download is Campercontact which shows you campsite, dumping stations and water refills on a map. Each location has reviews and ratings added by other camps which was helpful. Although it doesn’t show all available locations, the list is extensive.
Time of year:
We went in the last week of May which was a beautiful time to go as the snow is still on the mountains. The Midnight Sun also begun during this week, so we had 7 days of sunlight while in Norway. The campervans have great block-out blinds so it was easy to sleep and your body adjusts pretty quickly. Having the Midnight Sun also makes it easier to fit everything in and it’s safer when driving and camping. In May the water is cold but it is less crowded.
Peak season in Norway is between July - August when the water is slightly warmer but there are more crowds. Crowds are something to consider as the roads are narrow in Lofoten and with more campervans on the road it will be harder to drive and to find camping spots. Another thing to consider is that Norway is very expensive and renting a campervan in the peak months will be more expensive. I’d recommend travelling in the shoulder seasons if possible.
DAY 1 - Arrive in Tromso
MORNING: Travel to Tromso.
Wherever you’re coming from, it will take some time to get to Tromso because it’s so far north. You could fly into places closer to Lofoten but we found that there was limited campervan hire there. Once you arrive in Tromso, you can get the airport express bus for £8 which will drop you straight into town.
AFTERNOON: Explore Tromso
Flying into Tromso also allowed us to explore the town, which you only need half a day to do. In the afternoon, walk through the high street and along the harbour. We also booked a sauna and cold plunge through Sauna Pust Tromso. You can book a private sauna or a spot in the shared sauna which you can use for an hour. There’s also a designated cold plunge area in the harbour so you can spend your time doing hot and cold therapy which is a core part of the Scandinavian lifestyle. I would highly recommend booking this activity as it was one of my highlights of the entire trip. Book now!
NIGHT: Check into accommodation
As we were about to live in a van for 6 days, we decided to get a nice big hotel room and relax for the evening. We stayed at Enter Elisabeth St Suites & Spa, about a 20-minute walk from the town centre. The accommodation was perfect and one of the cheaper options in Tromso. To save money we also cooked dinner, but there are some nice restaurant options in town.
DAY 2 - Drive to Henningsvær
MORNING: Pick-up campervan
We hired our campervan through a third-party website called Camper Days, or you could book directly with the company in Tromso, Touring Cars. Norway is one of the more expensive places to rent a campervan but it is the best way to see the country and is definitely worth it. When hiring the van, you have to add on linen and any extras like camping chairs. I’d also recommend getting insurance through Touring Cars.
If you’re picking up your van from the airport, Touring Cars has a complimentary shuttle, otherwise, you’ll have to get an Uber to their depot, about 10 minutes outside of town. The van comes with a full tank of water, petrol, gas and an empty waste and it has to be returned like this. After the paperwork is signed and you’ve inspected the van, you can start your adventure!
On our way out of Tromso, we stopped at a Spar Supermarket to buy all our food and supplies for the week. Our shop cost about £300 which included 3 meals a day for 3 people, snacks and basic supplies.
AFTERNOON - NIGHT: Drive to Lofoten
The drive to Lofoten is longgggg - Google will tell you it takes about 6 and a half hours but that doesn’t include stops and you’re also driving a campervan so you’re slightly slower. It took us about 8 hours in total, luckily the drive is beautiful!! The road is mostly a single lane highway which starts to get narrower as you get closer to Lofoten. There are a lot of trucks and other campervans on the road, but if you take your time it’s perfectly safe (this is why the midnight sun is also very helpful).
Along the drive, there are many beautiful places to stop. I’d recommend stopping whenever you need a break or something is beautiful and you want to get out and see it. The drive is really about enjoying the journey.
CAMP SPOT: Henningsvær
Our aim was to get to Henningsvær the first night and we started looking for places to camp after we left Svolvær. Once you take the turn to Henningsvær there are a lot of shoulders and parking lots you can stay at although we got there late so it was pretty full. We ended up staying in the Festvagtind parkering, which is the parking lot for the Tursti Festvågtind hike. It wasn’t the most beautiful spot but it was practical and empty. We almost stayed at Rørvikstranda beach but there’s a sign that says you can’t stay in the parking lot between 12am - 6am, which is something to look out for. If it’s available there is a beautiful spot just down from the parking lot which is a perfect camp spot.
I’d actually recommend finding a spot to stay before Svolvær so you’re more in nature and less in a town. There are some paid campgrounds before Svolvær but here are some free camp spots I’d recommend:
DAY 3 - Haukland Beach
MORNING: Henningsvær
You’ll need about 2 hours to explore the small coastal town of Henningsvær. Walk through the streets and head to Henningsvær Stadium, the most beautiful football field in Norway. We also got a really good coffee and cinnamon scroll from Trevarefabrikken, a hotel and cafe with amazing views. You can also do an ocean sauna at Trevarefabrikken.
AFTERNOON: Haukland Beach
It’s a 1 hour drive to Haukland Beach from Henningsvær. On the drive we stopped at Rørvikstranda beach and Leknes to pick up wine. Wine is hard to find and one of the only places that sell it is Vinmonopolet. Vinmonoplet is in a big shopping complex so you can also pick up any supplies you’ve missed.
Huakland Beach is Norway’s most beautiful beach and for good reason. Nestled below the mountains, the beach is calm with white sand and crystal-clear, blue water. You’ll drive to Haukland Beach on a narrow road with some blind corners. It’s a very popular beach and a popular road so just drive carefully. There is a parking lot and cafe at Haukland Beach (although it was under construction in May 2024). You have to pay for parking which is NOK 40 (£3) for up to 6 hours and NOK 160 (£12) for overnight parking. Because it was so beautiful, we decided to stay here overnight and I’d highly recommend doing the same.
After relaxing on the beach and trying to swim in the cold water, we decided to do the Haukland - Uttakleiv Hike. This is an 8km circular hike with 219m elevation around the Mannen headland, to Uttakleiv and back along the base of Mannen. This was an easy walk to do in the afternoon and the sun will be behind you which won’t “blind your view”.
NIGHT: Mannen Hike
As we were staying at Haukland Beach during the Midnight Sun, we were able to hike Mannen at midnight. After the first hike, we relaxed on the beach, drank some wine, ate cheese and enjoyed the beautiful beach as the day crowds left. After dinner, we decided we should hike Mannen to see the Midnight Sun which was magical. The Mannen Hike is 4.2km there and back with a 363m elevation - much harder than the earlier hike.
The route starts directly behind the parking lot at Haukland Beach. Walk through the cattle gate and up the old road taking a left off the road when you’re under the powerlines (you should see the path). It is a short but intense climb here, with most of the elevation done in the first 500m. The track is made of loose dirt and rocks, so make sure you have appropriate footwear. After the first climb, it levels out and you can make your way up the mountain to where you feel comfortable. The path goes close to the edge in parts and may not be suitable for people with a fear of heights. If you can make it up there, you’ll be rewarded with insane views of Haukland Beach and Uttakleiv.
DAY 4 - Reinebringen Hike
MORNING: Unstad
Waking up at Haukland Beach means you’ll beat the day crowds and we started our morning with another “swim” while having the beach to ourselves. We then drove 27 minutes to Unstad for the '“World’s Best Cinnamon Bun” from Unstad Artic Surf. The drive was beautiful past coastal towns surrounded by huge mountains. The road is well maintained but you will go through 2 single landed tunnels (as always, drive slowly). The cinnamon buns definitely earned their title and they were the best cinnamon buns we’ve ever had!! They are huge so you probably can do 1 between 2 and cost £10 each (still worth it!!).
Unstad is also famously known for arctic surfing, and it’s where Chris Hemsworth surfed in his Disney+ show, Limitless. It was cool to go to Unstad just to watch the surfers and see the beautiful town.
AFTERNOON: Reine, Reinebringen Hike
We then drove 1 hour 18 minutes to Reine, the famous fishing town with red cabins on the water surrounded by mountains. The whole drive is beautiful and between Vareid to Flakstad was my favourite of the entire trip. Once you arrive at Reine, you can park by the harbour and then explore the town. We also did the Reinebringen Hike which is one of the main attractions in Reine.
The Reinebringen Hike is a 7km return hike from the Reine which climbs 1,974 steps to the summit. It is a steep and tough climb but the views are incredible. You will be rewarded with an incomparable view of Reine, Sakrisøy, Hamnøy, and into the Reinefjord and Kjerkfjord. The path is made of stone steps and was very well built by Sherpas from Nepal. In saying this, the path goes around the outside of the mountain and you are exposed for much of the hike. This hike may not be suitable for people scared of heights.
CAMP SPOT: Paradise on earth
After the hike, we decided to stay overnight in the fjords rather than in Reine. We drove about 26 minutes away from Reine until we found the most incredible camp spot. It was on an extended shoulder and went out onto a headland that overlooked the ocean. With the time of year, the mountains we were looking at guided the midnight sun to the horizon and we had the most beautiful views all night. This is where we camped. If this spot is full, there are other places along the road or you can drive further on to Ramberg or Flakstad where there’s paid camp grounds.
DAY 5 - Ryten Hike
MORNING: Ryten Hike
In the morning, we enjoyed our beautiful camp spot before driving 8 minutes to the start of the Ryten Hike. If you type Ryten/Kvalvika Beach Trail into Google, it will take you to the parking lot at the start of the hike. The parking is on private land so you have to pay 50 NOK (£4) during the day and 100 NOK (£8) to park overnight. There should be someone to collect your money at the gate, if there isn’t you can pay when you leave or leave cash in an envelope. You can park for free at Fredvang school but you’ll have to walk further.
The Ryten Hike is a 7km in-and-out trail with a 586m elevation. It is another very popular hike in Lofoten and the summit has amazing views over Kvalvika beach. The hike is mostly along boardwalks before you climb the headland, which is the biggest elevation. There are some parts where you have to climb up rocks but there are chains to help you. It is a hard but manageable walk with amazing views.
AFTERNOON: Ramberg Beach
After the hike, we drove 11 minutes to Ramberg Beach. We parked at the Midnight Sun view point and had lunch (at 5pm) before walking along the beautiful beach.
CAMP SPOT:
To make the drive back to Tromso easier, we decided to drive further out of Lofoten and stay closer to Svolvær for the night. At Leknes, we decided to turn off the main road (E10) and drive along the 815. This was a much quieter road that hugged the coastline and it meant we saw different scenery to the drive-in. We ended up finding another beautiful camping spot off the road that looked onto the mountains of Lyngvær, Smorten and Henningsvær. This is where we camped.
DAY 6 - Drive to Bjerkvik
MORNING: Svolvær
In the morning, we drove 31 minutes to Svolvær for a coffee and to wander around the town. There isn’t much to see here but they do a lot of fjord cruises and boat tours from the harbour if that is of interest.
AFTERNOON: Drive to Bjerkvik
We then continued driving 3 hours to our camp spot for the night. We ended up staying 10 minutes outside of Bjerkvik at a rest stop. It was by the ocean but close to the road so it was a bit loud. When driving the next day, we also found these camp spots which would be suitable. These aren’t on Campercontact:
DAY 7 - Drive to Tromso and Fly Home
MORNING: Drive to Tromso
After our final morning in the van, we drove 3 hours and 15 minutes back to Tromso and returned the van. As a reminder, you have to return the van with a full tank of water, petrol, gas and an empty waste. There are some dumping grounds along the way and you can fill your gas and petrol near the Touring Cars depot. We struggled to find somewhere to fill the water, so I’d suggest doing this the day before. When you return the van they’ll inspect the vehicle, you have to pay any tolls and then they’ll drive you back to the airport for free. The airport is very small and you’ll most likely be flying domestic so you can arrive 1 and a half hours / 1 hour before your flight.
