A new travel concept invites visitors to experience Norway’s far northeast not through attractions, but through encounters. “Stories from the Far North” follows a five-day route from Kirkenes to Bugøynes, uncovering the layers of history, culture, and daily life that define Finnmark — a region shaped by resilience, contrasts, and human warmth.
The itinerary begins in Kirkenes, the historic gateway to the Barents. Once a mining hub and one of Europe’s most bombed towns during World War II, Kirkenes today welcomes travellers with Arctic experiences such as the famous Snowhotel and its pack of 160 huskies. Visitors can join hikes or dog-sled tours and learn how locals live comfortably in one of Europe’s most extreme climates.
From there, the journey continues by Hurtigruten to Vardø, Norway’s easternmost town, where history meets creativity. The Steilneset Memorial tells the story of the 17th-century witch trials, while today’s community spirit thrives in cafés, cultural events, and the legendary Nordpol Kro, the oldest bar in Northern Norway.
The Varanger National Tourist Route from Vardø to Hamningberg opens up a cinematic landscape — tundra, cliffs, and the abandoned fishing village of Hamningberg, preserved as if time stopped. Overnight stays at design cabins like Varanger View combine modern comfort with Arctic silence.
Further west, the route visits Ekkerøy, Vadsø, and Varangertunet, each place telling its own story. At Varangertunet, hosts Siren and Jan Egil Jankila share family histories around the fire, offering travellers a rare chance to experience northern hospitality in its purest form.
The journey concludes in Bugøynes, known as “little Finland.” Here, guests join local families for king crab safaris, traditional sauna sessions, and stories that capture the essence of life by the Barents Sea.
Rather than sightseeing, “Stories from the Far North” focuses on encounters — between travellers and locals, landscape and history, silence and storytelling. The new travel guide positions eastern Finnmark as a destination of authenticity and connection, ideal for tour operators seeking deeper, culture-based experiences in Northern Norway.
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