ALTA
This is arctic living
Do you want to see what Arctic living is all about?
Head to this town off the beaten path in Northern Norway!
A hotel that melts away in spring?
It's true. Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel is a luxury hotel situated beside the Alta River. Both the interior and exterior of the hotel are made of snow and ice. It even has ice glasses in the bar.
Say good night and crawl into your warm sleeping bag. It feels like being on a genuine Arctic expedition!
Or maybe you just want an ice drink in the bar?
Spending the night at the Arctic Wilderness Lodge can be just as exotic.
Here, you have panoramic views of the Alta River and the surrounding forests and plateau (where the kitchen sources many of its ingredients).
Go outside. Look up.
In Alta, you can marvel at the northern lights in autumn and winter, and bask in the midnight sun in summer.
A visit to the Northern Lights Cathedral, the city's architectural landmark, is also a must.
Did you know that the world's first permanent northern lights observatory was built here in Alta at the end of the 1800s?
Get close to nature on a dog sled in Finnmarksvidda, Norway's biggest mountain plateau.
Go on a snowmobile adventure over several days. Stay in a cabin or lavvo, a traditional Sami tent, which indigenous people have been using for over 2,000 years.
Alta has been a meeting place for multiple indigenous communities since the Stone Age. Learn more about the Sami culture.
If you have never spent the night in a dome before, you can try this wonderful style of glamping at Glød Explorer's Aurora Canvas Domes.
If you're really lucky, you can watch the northern lights dancing across the sky from your bed.
Visit The World Heritage Rock Art Centre, Alta Museum, and see some of the roughly 6,000 UNESCO-listed rock art paintings and engravings at the Hjemmeluft World Heritage Site. Some of the works are as much as 7,000 years old.
See how many animal species you can recognise in the art!
Hike or ride on two wheels to get to Northern Europe's biggest canyon, Alta Canyon.
A fun way to experience the canyon is on a traditional river boat. Bring your friends or the entire family!
A guided tour with a canoe is also a great way to see the area. You'll may spot a fish in the water, since the Alta is one of the world's best salmon rivers. Just remember that fishing is restricted to those who hold a fishing license for the river.
There are campfire and barbecue areas along the riverbank.
There are many small, family-owned businesses that would love to take you out on an adventure in nature.
Experience the peace and tranquility of the forest at Trasti & Trine Boutique Hotel. Wake up to the scent of freshly baked bread from the bakery, before joining some happy and enthusiastic dogs on a trip into Finnmark's fantastic nature.
Alta offers both Arctic adventures and a city break in a single destination.
The view of the surrounding nature is amazing, even when you're in the city centre with its hotels, restaurants, and shops.
When in Alta, you're not far from another Arctic city, Tromsø.
You can get there in 35 minutes by plane, while Norway's capital Oslo is less than 2 hours away.
Alta has achieved the certification Sustainable Destination. Although this does not mean that the destination is completely sustainable, it has made a commitment to work systematically to reduce the negative effects of tourism, while strengthening its positive ripple effects.
This was just some of what you can experience!
Scroll below for more top tips on accommodation, activities, and restaurants.
Haldetoppen
At Haldetoppen, also called "Sukkertoppen", there are two historical buildings, observatory building, led by Kristian Birkeland in 1899 and used for northern lights research, as well as a residential building built in 1912 - 1915, which was used as a residence for those who worked there. The residential building is not furnished and use must be agreed directly with the owner of the municipality of Alta. The observatory building is now operated by Alta and omegn turlag as an unmanned DNT cabin. It is only the observatory that is arranged for accommodation. An overnight stay in the old observatory building is an exotic experience, even to be in Finnmark. On fine days there is a wonderful view from the top, both inland and beyond Altafjorden.Northern lights activities
Northern Lights Safari Pæskatun
Join us in the hunt for the Northern Lights! Our experienced Northern Lights hunter will bring you along, leaving the light pollution of the city, into the areas where the probability for spotting the Northern Lights are the best. We pick you up at your hotel and spend the night chasing the Northern Lights. Hot beverages and snacks included in price. Photo and camera instruction. The journey will last 5 hours (+1 if needed).
Food and drink
Where to stay
See it for yourself
Getting here and around
Get in-depth travel information on Alta’s official website.
Plan your trip to Alta with Entur.
By plane
Alta Airport has direct connections to Oslo, Tromsø and several towns and communities in the region.
From Oslo, the flight time is less than 2 hours. From Tromsø, the flight time is 35 minutes.
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By bus
Careful planning is essential when travelling by bus in Finnmark. There are buses connecting most communities in the region, but departures may be infrequent.
From Hammerfest to Alta there are 1–3 daily departures, and the travel time is 2.5 hours. From Honningsvåg, there are 1–2 daily departures, and the travel time is 4 hours.
Kirkenes to Alta will take 11 hours by bus, and there are 3 weekly departures. From Tromsø to Alta there is one daily bus, which takes 6 to 7 hours.
By car
All roads are open year round, but some mountain passes may close for short periods in winter.
From Tromsø, follow the E6 to Alta.
From Hammerfest, follow RV94 to Skaidi and then E6 to Alta.
Check out more information on driving to Northern Norway.
Plan your trip and buy tickets for public transportation with Entur, Norway's national travel planner.
Seasons and climate
Due to the temperate waters of the Gulf Stream, Alta has a much milder climate than other parts of the world at the same latitude, such as Alaska and Greenland.
Alta has good climatic conditions – little precipitation, pleasant winters and relatively warm summers.
January and February are the coldest months, with an average temperature of -8°C.
July and August are warmest with an average temperature of 13°C.
April and May are the driest months, with an average 19 mm of rainfall. July is the wettest month.
Strong winds can occur.
Get the latest weather forecast on yr.no. Read more about the northern lights.
Travel through Northern Norway
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