Hiking Experiences

The Shelter Walk (Gapahuk)

Enjoy a guided hike to the Gapahuk in the middle of the Nordic forest that surrounds Sorrisniva. On this trip you will hear the Alta River flowing in the background, and have stunning views of the valley that Sorrisniva calls home.

• Difficulty: Easy
• Distance: 1,5 km
• Duration: 1,5 hours

Hike includes experienced local guide and packed lunch made of local ingredients.

Hammocking under the Midnight Sun

Hammocking is one of the most relaxing ways to enjoy the Arctic wilderness. In the summer, basked in the Midnight Sun, you are bound to feel a sense of relaxation. Often spending time in the great outdoors is the best way to get inspired, brainstorm ideas for the future, or to truly enjoy where you are in that moment and all that you have to be grateful for.

This experience can be done on your own, or with a guide for an added bonus to your experience under the Midnight Sun.

Hammock rental: When renting a hammock you can choose where you want to explore and set up camp to hang under the summer sun. The rental included everything you need to use the hammock, instructions on how to use it, and some recommendations as to where the best spots are in the area. The rental is for 3 hours.

With guide: On this experience your guide with bring you to a viewpoint overlooking the rolling mountains, Alta River, and local farms in the area surrounding Sorrisniva. Here you can relax with a view and the smell of pancakes cooking over the bonfire. Nothing seems much better than enjoying homemade pancakes and jam make from handpicked berries while taking in the warmth of the sun that never sets. The tour starts at 9 pm and last until 11.30 pm.

Hike to Orvvosfossen

Orvvosfossen flows into the river called Orvvosjohka. You must cross this once on the trip to the final destination. The trail follows a tree-rich and beautiful forest area until you reach the waterfall after about 2 km. You can also climb up the ridge above the waterfall and study the water masses where they flow over the rocks and surrounding nature.

• Distance: 4 km
• Duration: 2,5 hours
• Difficulty: Easy/Medium

Hike includes transfer to/from the trailhead, experienced local guide and packed lunch made of local ingredients.

Hike to Alta Canyon

This is a hike that takes you over a beautiful section of Finnmarksvidda. Within a wide open landscape you are bound to find wild blueberries and lingonberries, and if you’re lucky you might even find a patch of what we like to call “Finnmark’s gold”, or more commonly known as the cloudberry.

• Difficulty: Medium
• Distance: 11 km
• Duration: 5,5 hours

On this adventure you will explore the renowned Finnmark mountain plateau. Although this hike is relatively long, the terrain is quite manageable and easy to manoeuvre. This is our most recommended hike since it is easily accessible, gives you a sense of exploration and adventure, as well as a sense of accomplishment as you admire the view of Northern Europe’s Largest Canyon and the famous salmon fishing river – Alta River.

Hike includes transfer to/from the trailhead, experienced local guide and packed lunch made of local ingredients.

Hike to the Northern Lights Observatory

Halddetoppen is the highest of the mountain peaks in Alta and a destination for every hiking enthusiast. The hike goes up to the Northern Lights Observatory, where Kristian Birkeland spent the winter. The world’s first permanent northern lights observatory was built on the mountain top Haldde in Alta, 907 meters above sea level. The oldest observatory building was taken into use in 1899. In 1926, the government decided to close the Northern Lights

Observatory at Haldde. But the northern lights are still dancing over Alta. Alta has a stable inland climate with many clear nights which means that the northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, are visible most nights in the winter.

• Difficulty: Very strenuous
• Length: 9 km one-way
• Duration: 7 hours round-trip

Hike includes transfer to/from the trailhead, experienced local guide and packed lunch made of local ingredients.

This excursions starts and ends at Sorrisniva. A 40 minute drive from Sorrisniva will take us to a small village called Kåfjord, where we will make our way to the trailhead. The beginning of the journey up the mountain gives us views over the unique Kåfjord bridge and the surrounding fjord. Eventually you and your experienced nature guide will arrive to a flat wide open terrain after the initial stretch through the nordic forest. Here you will see remnants of WWII such as wires, scraps of metal from machinery, and a bunker. After taking a short break here, you will continue up the final part of the hike which is the most challenging of all; a steep, rocky, and winding trail will bring you to the final destination. At the top you can enjoy 306 views over Alta and the surrounding fjords and landscape. Arguably one of the best views in the area, the difficult and strenuous trip is worth it in the end.

You must show special consideration in connection with the reindeer’s calving time in the spring. Otherwise, it is important to remember that we are only guests in nature, not consumers. Always bring rubbish and waste home from the trip.