King crab safaris

Meet the king of
the Barents Sea!

Look at how excited you will be...

...when you're about to taste some of the world's most exclusive seafood!

Combine an epic nature experience with a delicious meal on a king crab safari in Northern Norway.

Get close to mighty creatures that roam the seabed off Northern Norway on a guided king crab safari. These exclusive crabs fresh from the sea are seriously tasty!

Let's go fishing

Hold on tight as your RIB boat speeds off from shore and out into the Barents Sea. Outfitted in a warm boiler suit, goggles, and mittens, you'll be comfortable, no matter the weather in the north.

When your boat slows down, the excitement rises to a new level. Has the mighty king crab taken the bait?

We are just off the coast of Kirkenes in Southern Varanger in Northern Norway. This is one of the main ports for harvesting king crab in the Barents Sea.

From here, luxurious crabs are exported to top restaurants all around the world, including some delicious Norwegian seafood restaurants, of course.

Enjoying perfectly prepared king crab in a luxurious restaurant is divine. But it must be said that it also tastes heavenly served fresh from the sea. Especially when you have had a hand in the catch!

“We got some! Fatty fish like mackerel and herring are perfect crab bait.”

Michael Decker

King crab guide, Snowhotel Kirkenes

You don't realise just how huge a king crab is before you have one right in front of you.

Look at those legs!

“Now, we have to check if it's male or female. On safaris, we aren't allowed to keep the females, in order to prevent overfishing.”

“There's also a minimum size. Anything smaller than 13 centimeters we kiss goodbye.”

Finding crabs big enough to keep is certainly not a problem. Look at this monster!

Tasty giants

The king crab is a relatively new arrival in Norway, and it wasn't before 1977 that the first king crab was caught here. Back then, it was known in Norway as the Kamchatka crab, named after the peninsula on the east coast of Siberia.

The king crab that now lives outside of Norway originated from the Murmansk Fjord, where they were released by Soviet biologists in the1960s. Since then, the population has expanded to Northern Norway, where they thrive in the cold water.

"There are more than a hundred species of king crab. The red one is the second biggest species and is also one of the most common to eat," says Michael, king crab safari guide at Snowhotel Kirkenes.

King crab meat is sweet and aromatic, and is often compared to lobster. According to Michael, the tastiest bit is the shoulder.

"The shoulder muscle is the filet of the king crab. It's the most tender meat on the crab," says Michael.

Do you want to have a taste? Most king crab safaris in Norway include plenty of tasting. In other words, you actually get a lot for your money, as king crabs are among the most expensive items on restaurant menus.

Now, let's get cooking!

“We steam the crab in salted water. It will be ready in exactly 16 minutes and 23 seconds.”

Michael

Look at this feast!

It doesn't get any fresher than this. Straight from the sea, prepared at the wharf, and enjoyed in a traditional rorbu, or fisherman's cabin.

If this is the first time you try king crab, the guides will gladly show you how to open the legs.

Voilà! Enjoy the catch of the day on bread with mayonnaise and a few drops of lemon.

A year round activity

King crab safaris are available all year round in Norway, including in winter, when it's a (really) cool experience! Many tours include a snowmobile ride out onto the frozen fjord, where king crab traps are set under the ice. You can also find year-round king crab boat safaris and safaris under the northern lights!

Most king crab tours includes plenty of information about the mighty crab, and you often learn a lot about the history of the local area.

PS: If you want to try more cool activities in the north, you should try dog sledding too!

Hungry for more?

Check out this tasty recipe for king crab from the Arctic, and discover more fantastic dishes you simply must try when in the north.

Arctic cuisine

Find a king crab safari

Check out all the tasty king crab tours you can join in Northern Norway.

Wildlife safaris

Discover more

Enjoy first-class seafood

Excellent seafood restaurants

Visit a restaurant that specialize in bringing Norwegian seafood to the next level. King crab, skrei, stockfish and clipfish, what do you want to try first?

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