Planning a road trip through Arctic Norway and Finnish Lapland? Join us on a mother-and-daughter adventure from Ivalo and the Sámi heartlands to Tromsø and Nordkapp, where we experienced the Midnight Sun beneath clear Arctic skies. Along the way we discovered spectacular fjords, reindeer roaming freely and the unique culture of Europe’s Indigenous Sámi people. This last part covers the part along three fjords, from the North Cape and eating wafers in the Christmas House, all the way leading almost to the Russian border and ending in Utsjoki to visit friends and swim in a lake. Slow road trip and slow reading follow below.
Wafers in the Christmas house
The Midnight Sun on the North Cape (see the Part 1 and Part 2) had quietly lived up to every expectation, it even exceeded it: we saw the sun almost touch the surface of the ocean and then rise again. The following morning we visited nearby Skarsvåg, often described as the world’s northernmost fishing village. Around sixty people live here, most of them connected in one way or another to the fishing industry. Cod hung drying outside many of the buildings, while the small harbour bustled gently with everyday life.
After breakfast and wafers at the Christmas House, we set off on a short hike behind the village for a different view of Nordkapp from the east. Soon afterwards, we continued our journey along the Barents Sea and magnificent fjords, before spending the night in Ifjord. Porsangerfjord was having a low tide and the whole bay was without any water. We were taking the longest possible, but the most beautiful road – Laksefjord was even more beautiful than the much larger Porsangerfjord. People camped next to the ocean in their tents or camper vans – there is something called ‘An every man’s right’ in all of these nordic countries. You can camp anywhere, even on a private property, if there are no fences. Once in Ilfjord, I was quite tired but we had to prepare for the night. The weather had changed once again. Temperatures rose unexpectedly, and by early morning our tent had become almost too warm to sleep in.
Swimming in the Arctic
Our next destination was Utsjoki, a small village in Finnish Lapland on the Norwegian border, where we were going to visit friends. Before crossing back into Finland, we stopped in Tana Bru to buy a swimsuit. The weather had turned unexpectedly warm, and we were planning to go swimming the following day. Fun fact: I drove nearly 3,000 km through the Arctic, crossed multiple borders, reached Nordkapp, swam above the Arctic Circle… and somehow finding a bathing suit was still one of the hardest parts of the trip.
The Arctic – 450 kilometers above the Arctic Circle. Thirty-six degrees Celsius. Swimming.
Climate change is impossible to ignore, even here. Utsjoki is a small settlement of scattered houses stretching along the border with Norway. The border itself runs across the middle of the bridge connecting the two countries. Once again, there were no visible barriers or border checks, and the only real indication that we were back in Finland was the lower price of groceries.
For the next few days we stayed with our friend Tiina, whose husband is Sámi. His family has been herding reindeer for generations and runs a small reindeer meat processing business. During winter he is also participating in reindeer races, which I have watched before and would write about soon.
Life Along Europe’s Great Salmon River
Tiina runs Aurora Holidays, offering cosy riverside cabins and guided experiences throughout the year, especially during winter when visitors come in search of the Northern Lights. Her restaurant serves local specialities, and the cabins are a perfect base for anglers, with the River Teno flowing just a few steps away.
The Teno—or Deatnu, as it is known in the Sámi language—is considered one of Europe’s richest salmon rivers and has long been famous among fishermen from around the world. It is also a natural border between Finland and Norway.
We spent several wonderful days in Utsjoki. We hiked, swam in the lake, enjoyed long conversations and gradually adjusted to Arctic time. Going to bed at two, three or even four o’clock in the morning somehow felt completely normal when the sun was still shining. You are just less tired and sleep less hours.
One of my favourite places was hiking up the sacred Sámi hill Ailigas, overlooking the surrounding valleys. Standing there in complete silence, surrounded by endless wilderness, it was easy to understand why this landscape has always held such spiritual significance.
The Arctic Virus
Eventually it was time to drive back to Ivalo and catch our flight home. On the way ‘down’, we had to stop in Kaamanen, to eat at my favourite place for Finnish Salmon Soup – Kaamasen Kievari, which also offers simple accommodation – location is stunning!
As we headed south, my daughter looked out of the window, already talking about returning one day.
From her comments, it was obvious that another ‘victim’ had fallen under what some like to call the “Arctic virus”—that irresistible desire to come back to the Arctic as soon as possible.
The Midnight Sun had been the reason for our journey north.
The Arctic itself was the reason we knew we would return.
In Ivalo we stayed in a very lovely Hotel Ivalo. Warm recommendation. For a lower budget, we noticed that Ivalo River Camping had tiny huts where it was also possible to stay.
