Lofoten: alpine landscapes at the edge of the sea
Thanks to their geographic location at 68° North, the Lofoten Islands have been shaped by glaciers in much the same way as the Pyrenees, the Alps, or even the Himalayas.
Glacial action has carved a landscape of sharp peaks, sheer vertical walls, and deep valleys, a scenery that often evokes the look and feel of the Pyrenees.
What makes Lofoten truly unique is that all of this unfolds right by the sea, combined with relatively mild winter temperatures. This is due to the influence of the Gulf Stream, which flows along Norway’s west coast and moderates the climate, making winters here far less severe than in other regions at the same latitude.
Journey Overview
The Lofoten islands
The Lofoten Islands, in Norway, are located above the Arctic Circle. Their landscape is extraordinarily dramatic, shaped by sharp mountains, deep fjords, and golden sandy beaches. The climate is milder than one might expect at such a high latitude, thanks to the influence of the Gulf Stream, which makes conditions more temperate.
The fishing villages, with their iconic red houses built on stilts (rorbuer), are deeply rooted in cod fishing and represent one of the defining cultural features of the archipelago.
Here, we encounter natural phenomena very different from those at lower latitudes: the midnight sun in summer and the Northern Lights in winter, snow-covered mountains, and a fully alpine landscape rising directly from the sea. This unique blend of wild nature, resilient fishing culture, and magical light makes Lofoten an exceptional photographic destination.
Itinerary
- Friday, 20 February 2026 · Flight Brussels/Barcelona – Evenes and transfer to Svolvær
- Accommodation in Svolvær
- Northern Lights at the Austnesfjorden Viewpoint
- Saturday, 21 February 2026 · Svolvær
- Points of interest: Sea eagles in Trollfjord, Kabelvåg lighthouse, Storvågan
- Travel to Leknes
- Accommodation in Leknes
- Northern Lights at Uttakleiv strand
- Sunday, 22 February 2026 · Route 815
- Points of interest: Henningvaer, Rørvikstranda, Gimsøya, Straumen, Eggum, Uttakleiv strand, Haukland strand, Vikbukta strand, Leitebakken
- Accommodation in Leknes
- Northern Lights at Myrland strand
- Monday, 23 February 2026 · Reine
- Points of interest: Sunrise at Avløysinga, Fredvang marsh, Hamnøy, Olenilsøya viewpoint, Olenilsøya viewpoint, Ammerskaft, Reine bay, Reine
- Accommodation in Leknes
- Northern Lights at Vik Strand
- Tuesday, 24 February 2026 · Å and return to Svolvær
- Points of interest: Sørvågen viewpoint, Sørvagen pier, Sørvagen waterfall, Høgnakken viewpoint, Utsiktspunkt Å, Å quai
- Accommodation in Svolvær
- Northern Lights at the Austnesfjorden Viewpoint
- Wednesday, 25 February 2026 · Svolvær – airport
- Return home
Activity Leaders
Marta is responsible for the trip logistics: accommodation, vehicle rental, meals, and all practical arrangements. She ensures everything runs smoothly and creates a warm, positive atmosphere within the group.
Francesc is a photographer and will help you with any photography-related questions. He will also suggest photo opportunities and lead photographic activities throughout the trip.
Sebastian is also a photographer and, together with Francesc, will assist you with all your photographic questions, proposing photo opportunities and photographic activities during the journey.
Why are we going to Lofoten?
The northern lights follow the solar cycles. When the Sun is mostly incative, we have few auroras and they tend to be weak. But when sunspots appear and there are coronal mass ejections and eruptions, so-called solar storms form and the solar wind increases, which is responsible for the polar auroras.
The activity of the Sun has cycles formed by the solar minimum —when the activity is minimal—, an ascending phase in which the activity increases, the solar maximum and the descending phase. The average of these cycles is 11.2 years and now, in 2026, it coincides with the final phase of the solar maximum of the cycle that we are currently experiencing.
That is why this year we are going to Lofoten, because it is an excellent year to see and photograph the northern lights thanks to the solar maximum that we are experiencing. And we think that the magnificent landscape of Lofoten can be an incomparable frame in which to place our photographs of the northern lights.
What are the main subjects we will find?
Dron photography
Lofoten is a great place to take photos with a drone. If you have one, bring it. If you don’t, bring a microSD card and you can take photos with ours.
What do we need?
For our comfort
Personal material that we suggest. It is not, by any means, essential.
Photographic equipment
More practical information
Accommodations:
This time we will stay in houses or apartments. This option allows us to take advantage of the night hours that we will not be taking photographs to view photos, learn to adjust them, comment on them and, also, spend time with games or reading in the common spaces. The first and last nights we have planned to spend them in hotels.
Meals:
Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world, especially services and products that are not considered basic necessities such as, for example, restaurants. For this reason, we believe that we can combine meals in affordable establishments, such as pizzerias, gas station bars, etc., with home-cooked meals or picnics at noon, to make the most of the daylight hours.
Travel:
Usually we book two vehicles: a 9-seater van and a 4-seater passenger car. This makes a total of 13 seats, ususally more than those who will be taking part in the trip, which will allow us not to have to be cramped.
Language:
The language spoken in the Lofoten Islands is Lofotmål, a dialect of Norwegian. However, almost everyone speaks and understands English.
Currency:
The official currency of Norway is the Norwegian krone. The international code is NOK. €1 is equivalent to approximately 12NOK. 100NOK is, more or less, €8.5.
Phone calls and data:
Norway is part of European zone 1 in terms of mobile telephony. This means that we will be able to use our mobile phones normally. Both for calls and for data connection.
WiFi:
Although the mobile data on our phones will work normally, all accommodations have free WiFi
Common expenses:
Common expenses that are not included in the price of the trip and that occur during the days we will be in Lofoten will be assumed collectively. We consider common expenses to be the food we make at home, gasoline, the price of the visit to Trollfjorden, if we visit a museum, etc. If we have a meal outside the home, each person will pay it directly to the establishment, as well as drinks or other consumption. We suggest using the Settle up app to control each person’s contributions.
Final note:
We will always try to make decisions by consensus. However, if in any case this is not possible, the majority opinion will prevail. And, in the last resort, if it is not possible to reach an agreement, the trip organization will make the final decision.
We consider that clarifying this issue is very important to preserve the smooth running of the trip and for the good atmosphere of the group.
Disclaimer:
Auroras are natural phenomena that we cannot control. They depend on solar activity. Although we are at the peak of the current solar cycle, this does not mean that the eruptions are constant or that they are always equally powerful. On the other hand, the visibility of the auroras depends on solar activity, but also on the weather, which we cannot control either.
From the organization we will do our best so that we can enjoy the incomparable spectacle of the auroras borealis, but we can in no way guarantee it.
Trip Price
What’s included?
What’s not included?
