Start: Svolvær after ferry from Bodø
End: Å bus to Moskenes and ferry to Bodø
Season dates: 1 August to 18 September 2025
Length: 7 days' walking, 8 nights
Typical walk: 10km, 510m ascent
Highest altitude: 621m (Blåtinden)
Grade: Purple 3 (Walking grades)
Group size: 2 or more trekkers
Hiking in the Lofoten Islands is an unforgettable experience that combines dramatic landscapes with a vibrant local culture. This trip features jagged peaks, white sandy beaches, and charming fishing villages, creating a picturesque backdrop for our hikers. Popular routes such as the Mannen summit and Haukland beach walk reward trekkers with breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and turquoise waters, while the less-traveled paths provide a true sense of adventure and remoteness.
The remoteness of the islands means that we are unable to arrange a point-to-point trek, and instead we have put together a series of exciting day hikes across the islands for you. You'll be staying in three villages: Svolvær, Leknes and Å, and taking the local bus between each place during your trip.
The terrain of the hiking trails in the Lofoten Islands is incredibly diverse, with everything from steep boulder fields to well-maintained steps and boardwalks. Some of our day hikes feature steep ascents with rocky outcrops and exposed ridges that require good footing, a head for heights and use of your hands for scrambling. The hikes are not long in terms of distance, but the terrain can be challenging and it's best to take your time!
Discover Norwegian culture and the local landscapes at your own pace with our self-guided walking holiday. We will arrange your accommodation in the villages and will provide you with our detailed routecards and the maps needed, leaving you free to complete the day hikes under your own steam. Alternatively, if you'd like to walk accompanied by an International Mountain Leader, please email us for more details of our privately guided trips.
Map
Alternative trip options
Looking for other trips in Scandinavia? Try our: Jotunheimen Tour - Mainland Norway in catered huts Kungsleden (King's trail) - Swedenish lapland in mountain huts
Arrival day: Arrive into Svolvær
The evening ferry leaves Bodø at 6pm and takes around 3.5 hours to reach Svolvær, your home for the next 3 nights. This picturesque town, with its vibrant harbour and rugged mountains, makes for a memorable stay. Hotel (breakfast)
Svolvær: Day hikes (3 nights)
Svolvær is an excellent base for hikers and we describe 4 different day hike options in the area. As standard you will have 2 full days and 3 nights in Svolvær and we leave it up to you to choose which hikes best suit your ability. There are also plenty of other activities in Svolvær such as boat trips to Trollfjord, kayaking excursions or simply relaxing in the sauna. Please let us know if you'd like to add an extra day here. Hotel (breakfast)
Leknes: Day hikes (3 nights)
After Svolvær, we take the 1.5 hour bus to Leknes, a much quieter, more residential village, where transportation is needed to reach the nearby hikes (around 10-15km away from the village). We offer 3 different day hikes in the region all connected to Leknes by bus, bike or taxi. As standard, you will have 2 days and 3 nights in Leknes. On the way to Leknes on the bus, you may also like to travel back in time and visit the vibrant Viking Museum en-route. Hotel (breakfast)
Å: Day hike (2 nights)
After Leknes, we take the 2-hour bus to the village called Å, the most Southerly village in Lofoten. A preserved fishing village, Å is a popular spot for tourists during the day. At night, it feels much quieter and it's nice to have the place more to yourself. From Å we describe 1 day hike from nearby Moskenes, and we include just 2 nights here, one day for travel and visiting, and one day for hiking. Hotel (breakfast)
Departure day: Departure from Moskenes
After breakfast at your hotel in Å, take the 10-minute bus to the ferry port in Moskenes for the return journey via ferry to Bodø on the mainland.
Svolvær
Svolvær, known as the gateway to Lofoten, is an excellent base for hikers. Surrounded by mountains and the sea, all of our day-hikes are accessible by foot from Svolvær town centre. These 3 day hikes options range from 4-6 hours depending on the one you choose. For a longer hike, it is possible to combine Option 2 with Option 3 to complete the 3 ridges walk above Svolvær: Fløya, Blåtinden and Tuva, which takes around 8 hours. Alternatively, it's also possible just to hike part of the day-hikes if you'd prefer a shorter walk. Our routecards give you all the options to help organise your day.
The quiet town of Leknes is a great place to stay while you explore the surrounding areas. Most day hikes are situated around 5-10km outside of Leknes itself. You can take a local bus, taxi, or rent a bike to access these hikes. We will provide you with all the necessary travel notes to help you with your plans. Our day hikes in this area range from 4-5 hours depending on the one you choose.
Å is known to be Lofoten's best-preserved traditional fishing village with a history dating back to the early 1800s. From Å we describe 1 day hike in the area which is accessible via a 10-minute bus ride to nearby Moskenes. This hike takes around 6 hours to complete and offers spectacular views onto the nearby Reinebringen and Munken summit. The ascent to Gylltinden is very steep and is an optional part of this day hike as we grade the access to the summit as a "Black".
Our standard Lofoten trip is based on 7 days of hiking and 8 nights of accommodation, however we can shorten or lengthen this trip as suits you - please see below for more information. You will also need to take into account travel time to and from the islands.
Make the trip shorter
We could reduce the number of nights spent in Å to just 1 night. This would mean catching the early morning bus from Leknes to Å, and then doing the day-hike on the same day. This leaves little time for exploration in and around Å but is perfectly possible!
Add a night in Svolvær
We don't include a rest day as standard on our Lofoten trip. If you'd like to add in a rest day, we'd recommend taking one at Svolvær, as there are many activities to do from the town. The most popular thing to do in Svolvær is to take a boat ride to the famous Trollfjord! Other local activities include kayak tours, fishing tours, or simply a visit to the local sauna.
Add a couple of nights in Bodø
We do not include nights in Bodø as standard on your trip, however we'd be more than happy to add extra nights for you before or after your Lofoten Islands trip. Please just email us for a quote.
Hike with a leader
Hike with confidence in the company of our fully qualified International Mountain Leaders (IMLs), with the navigation, accommodation and all arrangements taken care of. You're welcome to walk on any dates within our season and we can adjust the hike to suit your needs. Please ask for more details.
Prices 2025
Lofoten
1 August to 18 Sept 2025
Classic
Self-guided
8 nights
GBP 1,830
Singles 910 Main trip
9 nights
(extra night in Svolvær)
GBP 1,960
Singles 980
Accommodation
Where we stay
On our standard 8-night trip, you will be staying in private rooms in comfortable hotels in Svolvær for 3 nights, Leknes for 3 nights and Å for 2 nights. Your hotel in Å is composed of a charming refurbished Salteriet and numerous fishermens' cabins with modern interiors. The hotel offers just 11 bedrooms with shared bathrooms, and a beautiful restaurant downstairs. The hotels in Svolvær and Leknes offer private rooms with ensuite bathrooms.
Upgrade to stay in a traditional Rorbuer at the end of your trip
In the village of Å, there is also the option to stay in the hotel's newly refurbished fishermens' cabins, also known as a rorbuer. The cabins feature a comfortable living room, bedroom, bathroom and equipped kitchen. You can still opt for breakfast at the hotel, or you can make your own using your kitchen facilities. This upgrade costs GBP 80 per person, per night and is dependant on availability. Please just let us know if you're interested.
Single Room Supplement
The single room supplement covers the additional cost of booking a double room for single occupancy at the hotels on 8 nights.
Solo Travel
Unfortunately, we do not take bookings for solo walkers on self-guided trips. If you are still interested in this trip, we can offer a privately guided trip for you and any friends you'd like to add to your group. Please get in touch for a quote.
Traditional Rorbuer accommodation in Å
Route
Our approach to the Lofoten Islands
The remoteness of the Lofoten Islands is a significant draw for many hikers, offering a sense of adventure that is hard to find elsewhere. Upon our first visit, we hoped to be able to link up the mountain huts and towns to create a neat point-to-point hiking holiday across the islands. However, we soon discovered that due to how isolated some parts of the islands are this wouldn't be possible. Instead, we have put together a series of exciting day-hikes from three unique bases in Lofoten: Svolvær, Leknes and the charming fishing village of Å.
We provide all the navigational information in the form of Routecards and GPX tracks, and leave it up to our clients to choose their preferred hiking options in each place. Each day hike varies in length and technical ability, discussed in more detail below.
Latest research on the Lofoten Islands was carried out by Alpine Exploratory's Nicky in August 2024.
The Terrain
The mountains in Norway are not to be underestimated! The terrain encountered in the Lofoten islands is predominantly steep and rocky. Most days are generally a combination of mountain paths, followed by steep, exposed, rocky sections nearer the summits. There are also short sections of scrambling where hands will be needed for stability. These sections are on the high end of normal mountain walking, but they are not climbing routes or Via Ferrata. On the rocky sections the path is less well-defined, sometimes cairns mark the way, generally visible on the horizon for navigation in poor visibility. Throughout Summer there is a good chance of some snow patches lying on the higher paths but the lower paths are likely to be snow-free.
Is it for me?
If you’re a confident hiker with experience of mountain walking for 6 hours over consecutive days, then you should love the Norwegian hiking style. We recommend taking extra care when considering this trip for those with niggles in their knees and ankles that tend to get worse on uneven terrain. The terrain is consistently rocky and uneven underfoot, more so than on our Alpine trips. Good knowledge of navigation is also key. Some of the routes, such as the ascent to Fløya, have regular waymarks and signposts throughout the trail. On other routes, such as Merraflestinden and Tuva, the signposts are few and far between, and it's important to have our navigational materials on you at all times. We do not recommend this trip to hikers who have a fear of exposure or heights.
Difficulty
We grade the Lofoten Islands as Purple3 overall. The majority of the day hikes fit into the category of Red3, as the ground is consistenty steep and rocky despite the shorter distances. Then the rocky, exposed sections by the summits, and some of the steep, slippery descents, bring the grade up to Purple overall. There are also two Black sections (both of which are avoidable) at the summits of Tjeldbergtinden and Gylltinden. We provide more details on these in our Routecards.
The ascent to Fløya following the white and blue waymarksThe avoidable "Black" section at the top of Tjeldbergtinden
How to get there
To Svolvær via Bodø
The first step is to reach Norway. We recommend flying or taking public transport to Oslo, Bergen or Trondheim. From any of these cities, you can then take a domestic flight to Bodø, in Norway's Arctic circle. After reaching Bodø, the next step is to take the evening passenger ferry to Svolvær (3.5 hours). Other ferry times can work too - we will be glad to advise. It is also possible to take a domestic flight from Bodø to Svolvær instead of the ferry if this is your preference.
Bodø airport is a small domestic airport with connections to Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim among other places. It is located just a short 20-minute walk from the town centre. If you can, we suggest spending an extra night in Bodø before heading to the Lofoten islands.
Rest day in Bodø
Bodø is a fantastic place to start your trip and settle into the long daylight hours. The town centre is full of colourful murals and the bustling waterfront is a fun place to hang out in the evenings. As a day trip from Bodø, you can also head out to visit Saltstraumen (the world's strongest tidal pools), or Mjelle beach to make the most of the white sandy beach and its clear turquoise water.
Departing from Å via Moskenes and Bodø
After your breakfast in Å, take the local bus to Moskenes Kai (15-minutes) to board the ferry back to Bodø. The ferry takes 3h 45 to reach Bodø. From Bodø, head over to the airport for your onward flight to Oslo, Bergen or Trondheim.
A note on travel
Travel to and from the trip is not included in the holiday price. We take care to give the most useful notes possible about all the travel options. We supply these both on booking and in your info pack, and we offer personalised tips at any point. The aim is that our trekkers arrange their travel by the simplest and most scenic means as suits their plans.
The ferry departing from Moskenes
Included
Bespoke accommodation itinerary - tailored to your preferences
Breakfast every morning
Detailed Routecards LFT1-7 of the Exploratory system, printed on waterproof paper
The Lofoten topographical hiking maps
Downloadable GPX Tracks covering the route
Expert advice and local information
A comprehensive Season Update following our pre-season recce
Full support during your trip from the Alpine Exploratory team (9am until 9pm Scandinavian time)
Not included
Travel to Svolvær and from Å
Local transport during the trip - such as the buses to link the towns and villages
Additional nights in Bodø either side of your trip
Travel insurance
Lunches and dinners, as well as additional snacks and drinks
Got questions about the Lofoten Islands?
Feel free to ask us any questions you have about any aspects of your planning and preparations! Lucy, Steph, Nicky, Rob, Evie, Ben and Amy will reply with expert advice. We spend a lot of time walking our routes and more broadly exploring ski and hiking trails around the world so do feel free to ask anything at all.
Enquiry Form Lofoten Self-guided
If you prefer, please feel welcome to email or call us. Thanks!
Open to the world
Since Alpine Exploratory started in 2005 we have loved getting to know our clients from around the world. Along with the UK, our best-represented countries are the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Please use our national-rate numbers for a cheaper call to contact our office in Edinburgh.
The Alpine Exploratory team in Edinburgh
Keep up with us on Facebook, Instagram, and our Blog for photos and updates from our own travels and clients' trips.
Hikers stopping for a break at the top of Merraflestinden
Alpine Exploratory
Alpine Exploratory is a system of knowledge on the best mountain trekking in our areas, giving clients superb holidays based on this exploration.
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Lofoten Islands
Hikers stopping for a break at the top of Merraflestinden
Schedule 2025
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Alpine Exploratory
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