Alta

Rock carvings and visits to the Finnmark Plateau are on offer

The history of Alta spans from the 7000 year old rock carvings at Alta Museum to the struggle for Sami rights in the 1980s. The scenery around Alta is varied and magnificent from Northern Europe’s largest canyon, Sautso, to endless tundra on the Finnmarksvidda. Both history and nature can be experienced in summer and winter with local guides taking you on everything from snowmobile safaris and snowshoe tours to guided bus tours.

Winter’s most beautiful fairytale, dog sledding into the wilderness

Winter’s most beautiful adventure, Finnmarksløpet (Dog sledding race), starts from Alta every year in March and is a popular experience for visitors. Dog-interested guests can visit local dog farms throughout the year and even try to run their own dog sled team in the winter.

Alta’s dry climate offers cold clear winters and warm sunny summers

The Northern Lights town of Alta is blessed with a dry climate, because it lies deep within the beautiful Altafjord. In winter, temperatures can drop below minus 30, but the dry climate makes the cold a part of the experience. The light and darkness of the north is fascinating with the Arctic winter light combined with the northern lights. In summer, the midnight sun shines and temperatures are often above 20 degrees. The contrast between the exotic darkness and the long sunny summer nights cannot be described, it must be experienced.

3 fun things to do in Alta

Use Alta as a springboard to Finnmark

Alta’s airport offers frequent flights to Oslo. This means you can get discount tickets. Thus Alta becomes the gateway to the vast wilderness that is Finnmark. Here some vastly different ideas.