Norwegian TV director Maria's top locations:

Behind the scenes in Norway

Maria Simone Emdal Otterlei
Photo: Matti Bernitz

I'm Maria, and I've travelled across Norway thirteen times with 71° nord – one of the world's longest-running adventure reality shows. As a director, I've watched celebrities get pushed to their limits in some of the country's rawest landscapes. Beyond the TV drama, these are the places that took my breath away. I hope they'll do the same for you.

1. Nordfjord: Ålfoten

I want to start with this incredible landscape that absolutely blew my mind. The nature around the Ålfoten Glacier in Nordfjord was one of the last areas in Norway to be explored and mapped. Rivers have carved out a series of rock shelves, some of which are up to a hundred metres high (!).

We started the hike in Ålfoten and followed Førdedalen to Hylle 7 (Ledge 7). From there we continued to the top of Plogen, 1,357 metres above sea level. The hike takes about eight hours and offers a great view of the layered landscape.

Gjegnen

We stayed in the same area to climb the tallest mountain there. Gjegnen rises to 1,670 meters above sea level. Compared to the jagged peaks of Sunnmøre and Lofoten, the mountains here are rounder and more massive than any others I’ve seen along the Norwegian coastline.

We spent the night at a cabin called Gjegnabu – a welcome shelter if you can’t sleep outside, which is quite likely, as this is one of the rainiest places in Europe, with an estimated 5,500 mm of rainfall per year.

The nearest town is Nordfjordeid, where you can ride a robust fjord horse at the Norsk Fjordhestsenter and see the largest Viking ship in Norway, the Myklebust. You could climb the via ferrata at Hornelen, Europe's tallest sea cliff, or swim at some of Norway's most beautiful beaches out by the coast, like Vetvika, Refviksanden, and my favourite: Hoddevika – where I go to surf!

2. The Sunnmøre Alps

What’s funny is that I grew up in Ålesund and lived there until I was 19. When I returned with the production of 71° nord, we stayed in Ørsta – about an hour and a half south of Ålesund – to get easier access to the Sunnmøre Alps.

We were heading out on a randonee trip to Klovtindane from Kvistaddalen. The weather was cloudy and rainy, and I remember feeling a little sad because I wanted Sunnmøre to show itself at its best. A colleague even said that the trip was doomed and we might as well turn around and go home.

We started walking slowly, ready to turn back if needed. But the weather kept improving as we ascended the mountain. As we rose above the clouds, we were rewarded with one of the most breathtaking sunsets I’ve ever seen. I still get goosebumps writing about it.

We stopped for a moment to take it all in, and one of the guides turned to me and asked, 'How could you ever leave this place, Maria?'. I didn’t have a good answer. In that moment, all I wanted was to move back home.

This is a demanding trip, and with 71° nord we always travel with experienced mountain guides. The surrounding area is full of peaks suitable for both beginners and experienced skiers. Always go with a guide and make sure to read up on winter mountain safety before heading out.

If you want to enjoy skiing without the avalanche risk, there are ski resorts in Ørsta, and the biggest one in Sunnmøre is not too far away at Stranda Ski Resort, renowned for its powdery slopes!

3. Finse: A surreal and icy planet

What a crazy place! I visited Finse on the Hardangervidda mountain plateau in 2017 during my first season working on 71° nord. I had never seen anything like it. Everything was covered in snow, as far as the eye could see. For a moment, I felt like I had stepped into a scene from Star Wars – which isn’t surprising, since Finse was the location used to film the icy planet Hoth.

Another fun fact about Finse is that it’s completely roadless, so you have to take the Bergen Railway to get there. Northern Europe's largest mountain plateau is a playground for winter activities like dog sledding, kiting, cross country skiing, and ski touring. Seing the pictures, I bet you can guess what my favourite part was?

You can stay at the hotel, Finse 1222 or Finsehytta, run by the Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT). In summer, you can also reach Finse by hiking or cycling along Rallarvegen, the Navvies’ Road, which is ranked as one of Norway’s most beautiful cycling routes.

4. Rosendal: From fjords to glaciers

This part of the Hardangerfjord is lush and varied. There are fjords here that are perfect for swimming and water activities, and impressive mountains ranging from Skålafjell at 501 metres above sea level, to Malmangernuten at 890 metres, and the more dramatic Melderskin at 1,426 metres. Just above it all lies the Folgefonna glacier.

We’ve visited the area several times with the show. Most recently, we climbed Skålafjell in one day and tackled the more demanding Indre Laurdalstind the next, neither of which requires any climbing equipment. On another trip, we hiked through Uskedalen to Ulvanosa, where there’s a great climbing wall with accessible routes for experienced climbers. Since I’m not a expert climber myself, I left the contestants in the capable hands of our guides and headed back down the valley. It was nevertheless a stunning hike!

When in Rosendal, you should definitely take a stroll through the beautiful gardens and tour the historic Manor House at Baroniet Rosendal, which dates back to the 1600s. In the summer, it also hosts concerts and cultural events.

Rosendal is also home to the Salmon Eye – the world’s largest floating art installation, which houses the Michelin-starred restaurant Iris Expedition Dining. I’d love to come back here on vacation one day!

5. Vesterålen: Under the northern lights

I tried to sleep, but I couldn’t close my eyes as the aurora borealis kept dancing across the sky above me. Green, purple, and pink. It was the first time I had seen the northern lights on such a grand scale, and I couldn't miss a second of it.

Eventually, the show passed, my eyelids grew heavy, and I fell asleep. I’m grateful we came here late in September as it’s the perfect time to experience the northern lights before the cold sets in.

I stayed in the village of Myre. Fom there, you can take a pleasant, not-too-challenging hike to the mountains Myrtinden at 350 metres above sea level and Skipet at 519 metres.

Further out toward the sea lies quirky Nyksund, an inspiring village and a creative haven, perfect for a workation!

Between the fishing villages of Nyksund and Stø, you can hike the circular trail Dronningruta, The Queen’s Route, named after Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway, who is also a great admirer of this spectacular landscape. From Stø, you can also go whale watching!

6. Grip and Ona: Island hopping

For the season finale in 2022, the show's contestants kayaked, while the production crew travelled by boat from Kristiansund to the fishing village of Grip. Along the way, one of the production assistants suddenly began to cry. When we asked what was wrong, she said she had grown up inland and had never seen the open sea before. “It’s so beautiful,” she said, overcome by emotion.

The last full-time residents left Grip in 1974, but the 47 charming, colourful houses and the old stave church remain in excellent condition and are now used as holiday homes. During summer, the Gripruta boat offers daily trips to the island.

Back on the mainland, you can follow the impressive Atlantic Road southwards to explore yet another unique island.

Off the coast of Molde lies Ona, known for its iconic lighthouse. Around 16 people live here year-round. You can stay at the local hotel and enjoy a good meal at the island’s cosy restaurant. Kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, fishing, and boat rides offer a peaceful contrast to the dramatic mountain landscapes I mentioned earlier.

7. Jæren: Football and waves

What amazes me most about Norway is the great variety in the landscape. In Jæren, south of Stavanger, the terrain is flat and open, with green fields and endless beaches stretching along the coast.

The beaches here are some of the friendliest and most accessible places to surf and kitesurf in Norway, with gentle conditions for beginners, and more demanding waves for experienced surfers.

But while surfing draws people here, this region is perhaps even more famous for another sport: football. The town of Bryne, located in Jæren, is where one of the greatest footballers of our time grew up: Erling Braut Haaland. When I see the flat, wide landscape, perfect for football fields, it suddenly makes a lot of sense that this amazing talent grew up right here.

The open terrain also makes Jæren ideal for cycling. You can bike or drive parts of, or the entire, 41-kilometre-long Norwegian Scenic Route Jæren.

11 reasons to go to Jæren

Svalbard

8. Svalbard: Next level

I already told you how in awe I was when I visited snow-covered Finse for the first time. Well, Svalbard is next level. The landscape is Arctic, wild, and untamed – while the town of Longyearbyen is a warm and welcoming international cultural hub.

As mentioned earlier, we always travel with guides when filming. In Svalbard, your life truly depends on it. Once you leave the safe zone of Longyearbyen, you must be accompanied by a professional guide to stay safe. That’s because polar bears rule the wilderness out there, and we need to respect that.

We had spent the day skiing and were camping in tents that night. We took turns staying awake to keep watch for polar bears. In the morning, just as I was about to wake the contestants, I suddenly heard a loud bang! I turned around and then came another bang, followed by two more! The contestants and crew leaped out of their tents and stared at me. I had walked straight into the polar bear alarm system, accidentally triggering three out of four deafening blasts.

We all burst out laughing – partly because of my stunned expression, and partly out of pure relief that it was just me, and not an actual polar bear in our camp.

We didn’t encounter any polar bears on the trip. I’m grateful for that, both for my own safety and for that of the bears. But even without them, the wildlife was breathtaking: whales, reindeers, seabirds, seals, and some truly persistent huskies who thrive in the Arctic. I’d highly recommend trying dog sledding while you're there – it’s an unforgettable experience.

Back in Longyearbyen, there are more than 15 restaurants to fuel your next adventure and to satisfy your social cravings in the middle of the Polar silence. Huset and Gruvelageret even offer some extra fine dining!