By Michele Devlin and Mark Grey
We have always been the kinds of people that love to go looking for adventures off the beaten track. This time though for spring break, we didn’t just go off the beaten track; we turned around on the less traveled path and went all the way north to the Arctic Circle. It might seem surprising that we would go to a polar climate for vacation, but we were curious to see the Arctic in its snowy environment. After years of vacationing in tropical locations in the spring to warm up after long, cold Iowa winters, we were amazed and thrilled with the impossible beauty and unimaginable majesty of the Arctic, and it turned out to be the trip of a lifetime for us as outdoor enthusiasts in northern Norway.
One of the most remarkable activities to do in the area of Scandinavia above the Arctic Circle is to “chase the Northern Lights.” Much of far northern Norway, Sweden, and Finland are in the area historically known as Lapland, and sit directly under the Northern Lights arc around the northern polar region. For visitors, this means that the Northern Lights can often be seen at night on most evenings, if the sky is clear. On our trip, a knowledgeable local guide drove us to a remote area off the Norwegian coast outside of the charming town of Tromso. Our five hours spent outdoors in 10-degree weather paid off. We saw excellent views of the green and purple Northern Lights dancing next to the full moon like shining liquid silver on the inland fjords. Most outfitter companies will provide free color photographs of visitors looking at the Northern Lights, as well as complete cold weather clothing, hot chocolate, snacks, and even bonfires for warming up afterwards in the woods.
Our next adventure in northern Norway was spent dogsledding along the Arctic fjords, or rugged narrow inland bays. We love to go mushing and have done so multiple times in the Uppder Midwest of the US. This was our first time dogsledding in the Arctic, though, and it was a remarkable experience unlike any other. The sheer beauty of the jagged mountains, crystal clear fjords, and snow-covered forests made for an unspeakably beautiful and exhilarating adventure. The huskies loved running in the snow, and each visitor was able to drive their own traditional Norwegian sleds covered in reindeer hides. Again, outfitting companies will provide all the warm clothing you need, as well as hot drinks, snacks, and excellent guide service.
Our most enjoyable cross-cultural outdoor activity, though, was visiting with the Sami indigenous people in the Arctic, who are the legendary nomadic reindeer herders formerly called “Laps”. Some of these families are now running small agri-tourism operations, and provide unique opportunities to visit their local reindeer herds, learn about their traditional practices of reindeer migrating, enjoy reindeer stew inside a Sami “lavvu” hide tent, and drive a traditional Sami pack sled with reindeer. It was a quintessential arctic adventure right out of National Geographic, and one that can easily be ranged through different outfitter companies with guides in northern Norway.
The north pole region is one of the least visited but most spectacularly stunning areas on earth, and it is filled with the history of famous arctic explorers like Roald Amundsen and Robert Perry from earlier centuries. In sum, we found that visiting the Arctic Circle, especially during spring break, provided unparalleled off-season outdoor adventures that are affordable, family friendly, and rich in cultural heritage. Best of all, the temperatures were in the high 30s, and no colder than Iowa!
If you are interested in taking an outdoor adventure trip in the Arctic, please visit the many websites that are available for polar regions in Scandinavia, Greenland, Russia, and Canada, such as https://www.visittromso.no in Norway.
