Hike Senja: An Arctic Island

WOW, just WOW, the scenery on Senja is spectacular, our expectations were high and we were still truly amazed at the stunning views round every corner, made even better by almost continuous sunshine. The hotels were all good, helpful and friendly but Hamn was certainly the stand out destination. All three hotels made significant efforts with meals to meet our vegan requirements which was a significant positive for us. Again Hamn was outstanding preparing off menu 3 course meals for us every night. The walking was wonderful and it is often possible to enjoy the magnificent scenery without climbing to the summit. Sommardalen gave fabulous views half way up Husfjellet and at Hamn the viewpoint at Utsikten was spectacular. At Mejford the short climb up Knuten gave wonderful views, while Stordalen was totally different and very quiet, and we had a lovely chat with a local swimming in the lake. We ventured out several times to experience the midnight sun, climbing Ornfloya at Sommaroy and Utsikten at Hamn for amazing views of the sun over the archipelago. We also enjoyed the midnight sun boat trip from Hamn and would definitely recommend it, the views were stunning and our captain/guide was excellent. The travel days were equally enjoyable as the scenery is always stunning and the recommended detours were very rewarding. We managed to squeeze on the early ferry to Senja, which allowed time to visit Husoy and walk up Hesten from Fjordgard for breathtaking views of Segla , before continuing on to Mejford. Worth noting, Senja is almost completely cashless, cards are expected for all transactions no matter how small and the Easypark app worked well for parking.

All of the outlandishly spectacular scenery. Walking above the clouds on Barden. The ascent of Roalden, accessible to anyone who gets up Barden comfortably, although vertigo suffers might want to stop one minute before the highest point. The Northern Lights. The Nordnorsk Kunst museum and the Polar museum in Tromso. The amazing popularity of hot tubbing then sea swimming everywhere we went, in the Arctic Circle! And the eternal twilight as the sun drops very slowly at these high latitudes.

You should talk up use of GPX files did help to have that back up.

The scenery was truly spectacular nothing can really prepare you.

Inntravel did all the research and saved us so much time and we managed to do so much. Each place was quite different.

My expectations on food and accommodations were low so they certainly execeeded my expectations at Hamn, but I think food could have been better 

The holiday is a fabulous alternative destination to Lofoten which is really busy.  Going off the beaten track is well worth it.  It's natural to want to climb high but the walk around Stordalen at mefjord was really enjoyable.

Vertigo is a possibility.  Note that Norway uses parking apps, e.g at the foot of Barden so You need internet to download.  

We loved our Senja trip with additional nights in Tromsø at the start and Oslo at the end. The Tromsø cable ride at sunset on our first day was a real highlight. En route to Sommarøy we did a detour to the Husky cafe on Kvaløya, which was a wonderful experience. The recommended walks were fabulous, despite some steep exposed sections, and the views were exceptional. The hotels were very good and the meals were outstanding. Senja was not busy, and we had time to relax in the sun and enjoy the amazing scenery. We highly recommend this holiday.

As botanists the plants exceeded our expectations. They were wonderful. The swimming, both in the sea and in upland lakes was excellent. The walk routes suggested were very enjoyable. The meals were very Norwegian and delicious. Spectacular locations for the excellent hotels.

It was the most spectacular scenery of our 15 years of Inntravel holidays. 

This was our first visit to Norway and we were blown away by the scenery and the walks. The weather was fantastic which added to the experience. Some of the walks are challenging, especially towards the top but it's always possible to stop before the summit if needed and enjoy the views and the peace and traquility. Everyone was incredibly friendly and most spoke great English.

The overall highlight is the spectacular and beautiful scenery which is there throughout the holiday. We also loved the bird life at Sommarøy and Mefjordsvaer, especially the colony of Arctic terns at Sommarøy and seeing oyster catcher chicks and seagull chicks on the beaches. The recommended detours to Husøy and Ballesvika Beach are very worthwhile. Husøy is an extraordinary place

Tips: If I was repeating this holiday I would try to take a pair of binoculars as we often found we were observing birds from qute some distance away. Also, I would say if you really want to do the big walks and have an opportunity with clear weather seize it. We missed out on Barden because we took an afternoon ferry from Sommarøy and the detour to Husøy. I don't regret this really because Husøy is well worth visiting but the clouds closed in during the evening after we got to Mefjord Brygge and did not lift till we got to Hamn i Senja so it was not worth going back to climb Barden on either of the following two days

We are seasoned travellers but this was our first Inntravel holiday. We booked with them this time as we wanted to explore a new area (Senja) and thought it would be quicker and less hassle than researching and organising it ourselves. Unfortunately, their admin fell well below our expectations for many reasons, and the booking process took several weeks during which we kept having to chase for updates, we couldn't fix other arrangements and got increasingly anxious about flights increasing in price. The admin problems continued right up until our week of departure, when they sent a voucher for the wrong car hire company. I got the impression that they were understaffed and/or inexperienced. The itinerary was good and we enjoyed our holiday. The walking and driving notes were good (when they finally arrived) although as we discovered, details of many of the walks were freely available in the hotels. With hindsight, I am sorry to say it would have been quicker and less stressful to book independently.  

So many highlights - Arriving Sommaroy and taking photos in the sunshine after dinner at 2300, Barden the views everywhere, Husfjellet likewise plus the snowfields, express boat, Tromso brass band, Tromso midnight marathon, picnic on the beach Nedreneset, Slettheia the views, minkes outside the bedroom window Hamn, random people met on walks (Czech musician/carpenter, French chefs, very helpful shopkeeper on Fjordgard, Finnish waiter in Mefjord), Kon Tiki museum Oslo, breakfast at the Bristol

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our 'Senja - An Arctic Island' and 'A Journey to Å' holidays, along with stopovers in Tromso and Oslo.

We have been on several Inntravel hiking trips but this one is unique in its climbs and views. You really do feel like you are on the edge of the world with panoramic views of the ocean heading out to the horizon paired with craggy mountains at your fingertips and small islands that look like you could be in the Caribbean. The walks are different too - shorter but steeper with more scrambling but with a great payoff at the end. All these beautiful natural aspects are paired with small hotels that offer amazing facilities, great service and delicious meals. A must for any traveler!

We combined two most enjoyable holidays (Senja and Lofoten), and Inntravel's service and support was exemplary.  It worked well joining the holidays using the (early) Gryllefjord to Andenes ferry. The drive along the west coast from Andenes to Svolvaer was a delight. The only issue we had was the increased one-way drop off cost of the car, we picked up at Tromso, dropped off at Bodo. And staying a night at each end at the wonderful Hotel Bristol allowed us to explore the "happening" Oslo.

The walks and scenery on Senja out-shone the more famous Lofoten. Make sure you get the early ferry from Sommaroy to explore Senja on arrival.  Alighting the ferry do drive to Laukvik and then drive to do the fabulous walk up Barden before finnishing at Mefjord Brygge. We enjoyed Mefjord, having already walked Barden, when we had a glorious day we were able to complete all three walks (Knuten, Skoyteneset and Stordalen) - Stordalen, walking a circuit in behind the village was our favourite. 

Another memorable day was the Husfjellet walk followed by a lovely lunch on the deck at cafe in Bovaer.  The stunning views are non-stop walking up Husfellet, not to be missed.

Some walking advice - essential equipment is: a walking pole to navigate the bog and to find the rocks to step on, waterproof shoes (low cut are fine) and waterproof pants.

Altogether, it was a fantastic holiday. Personal highlights were all the scenery and the welcome from the various hotels. The best by far was Hamn i Senja.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: Customers added a 1 night stay in Tromsø before their walking trip and a stay in Oslo at the end of their walk, all booked with Inntravel.

The holiday was magical, it was an opportunity to see a part of Norway that we would not have visited in any other way. Having the car gave us the independence to explore this beautiful place and we managed most of the walks. The hotels and the food were excellent, in beautiful settings and gave us the chance to watch the midnight sun in a variety of ways. Thank you Inntravel for another wonderful holiday experience.

I worked in Norway 40 years ago and visited the Lofoten Islands then. I had always wanted to go back to that area but was a bit worried about being disappointed. But we weren't at all.   Senja is absolutely stunning, the walks were wonderful (even in some cloudy, damp weather), and the accommodation and transport arrangements were all excellent. Perhaps we were lucky to be there early in the season (6-16 June) and before the Norwegian school half-term - as that made everywhere very quiet and peaceful.  Thank you Inntravel.

The Lofoten trip was a journey of a lifetime. The scenery is beyond spectacular and changes around every corner. The walks were interesting and the views dramatic. The maps and route descriptions made everything very easy (apart from walking up the hills!). 

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined 'A Journey to Å' with 'Senja - An Arctic Island'