Guide to the best hiking in Lofoten – 15 best Lofoten hikes!

The Lofoten Islands, an archipelago in Norway that lies within the Arctic Circle, is a beautiful place that’s famed for its hiking, climbing, kayaking, and outdoor adventures.

Lofoten hiking is often steep, rocky, and muddy but it’s also incredibly beautiful.

From the summit of many of the hikes in Lofoten, you’ll glance down onto turquoise waters, islands, and fjords and see hundreds more mountain peaks all around you.

We spent 6 weeks living in Lofoten as part of our extended honeymoon. We got married in Tromso and drove to Lofoten from there, stopping off for hikes in Sommaroy and ticking off some of the best Senja hikes along the way.

If you’re a keen hiker (like me!) then check out this list and guide to the best hiking trails in Lofoten Islands Northern Norway.

These hikes include a mix of easy hikes in Lofoten Islands and strenuous hikes, busy and well-known hikes to less well-known hikes, and everything in between.

These are undoubtedly some of the best hikes in Lofoten and I’ve included links to all my Lofoten hiking guides which go into more detail about each hike.

Things to know before hiking in Lofoten

Before you go hiking in the Lofoten Islands, you should bear in my the following tips and advice to ensure the trails stay open and can be used by others after you.

• You need to be a member of DNT if you want to go in or stay in, the DNT cabins in Lofoten. Learn more here.
• Always practice leave no trace ethics. Not sure what those are? Get a refresher here.
• Remember to respect the terrain, environment, and other users while you are enjoying the trails.
• Follow the three Ts—trip planning, training, and taking the essentials.
• Don’t leave home without your 10 essentials. They could save your life!
• Do not walk off the trail – this damages the environment which is very fragile and leads to trail closures being put in place.
• Read up on the Lofoten Code of Conduct to minimise your impact.
• You cannot fly drones in Lofotodden National Park
• Trails in Lofoten are often steep and have exposure or require scrambling. Don’t push yourself if you’re not comfortable.
• Lofoten Islands hiking is often very muddy so wear good hiking boots or shoes and gaiters. Do not stray from the trail to try and avoid the mud as this just makes the muddy area even larger.
• Short distances, steep trails: Many of these best trails for hiking Lofoten Islands are quite short (under 10 km), but they’re very steep so don’t underestimate them!
• I use hiking apps like AllTrails as my Lofoten hiking map

AllTrails is my go-to hiking app for finding, planning, and navigating while I’m out on the trails. With offline maps on AllTrails+ you can be confident you’re still on the right track, even without mobile signal.

Guide to the Lofoten best hikes

1. Fløya hike, Djevelporten hike and the Svolværgeit

• Distance: 5.6 km
• Duration: 3-5 hours
• Difficulty: Hard
• Elevation: 532 m
• Trail map on AllTrails

The Fløya, Djevelporten, and Svolværgeita hike in Svolvær, Lofoten can all be hiked in one trip (with the exception of Svolværgeita which needs climbing knowledge and experience).

It’s a steep trail up the sherpa steps from the trailhead to Djevelporten; a rock that lies horizontally between two rock faces.

If you continue onto Fløya then you’ll get incredible views of Svolvær and the surrounding scenery as well as of Svolværgeita down below.

This is one of the best things to do in the town of Svolvaer.

2. Matmora hike + Delp

To Matmora

• Distance: 9.5 km
• Duration: 4-5 hours
• Difficulty: Hard
• Elevation: 826 m
• Trail map on AllTrails

Matmora in Lofoten is a hike towards the east of the archipelago and is a great point-to-point or loop trail with stunning views.

After a steep hike up, you arrive at the plateau on Delp where you can look down at the incredible colors of the water below you.

From here, there’s a gorgeous rocky ridgeline that takes you up to the summit of Matmora.

3. Kvalvika beach hike and Ryten hike

To Ryten:

• Distance: 7.2 km
• Duration: 3-4 hours
• Difficulty: Hard
• Elevation: 586 m
• Trail map on AllTrails

The Kvalvika Beach hike takes you to one of the best beaches in Lofoten. You can also combine it with a walk up to the top of Ryten which looks down onto the beach and I’d highly recommend doing this.

This beach is hike-in only which means you’ll have to put in some effort to get there, but you can also camp on the beach which is a magical experience. It’s a great way to enjoy a Lofoten multi day hike too.

While the beach is stunning (and one of the best places for camping in Lofoten) you can also hike up to Ryten for a stunning view of Kvalvika Beach down below you.

4. Festvågtind Hike and Heia in Henningsvær

To Festvagtinden

• Distance: 2.4 km
• Duration: 2-3 hours
• Difficulty: Hard
• Elevation: 500 m
• Trail map on AllTrails

The cute town of Henninsgsvær is best viewed from the top of the Festvågtind hike or Heia (slightly lower down and easier to get to).

The hike is one of the best things to do in Henningsvaer Lofoten.

It starts from just north of Henningsvær and starts with some climbing over very large boulders before taking you up a steep, rocky trail.

The views from up here are beautiful from both Heia and Festvågtind. You’ll also get to visit a little lake up here and it’s such a good place for a view of Henningsvaer.

5. Reinebringen hike Lofoten

• Distance: 5.8 km
• Duration: 2-3 hours
• Difficulty: Hard
• Elevation: 553 m
• Trail map on AllTrails

The Reinebringen hike is one of the most famous hikes in Lofoten and gets very busy.

It’s a challenging hike that’s definitely a bit of a grind on the way up as you trudge up the sherpa steps that make up the trail.

Once you reach the top of the steps, you get an incredible view of Reine and the islands around it, as well as off to the mountains and fjords which take you to Bunes and Horseid beaches.

The view from the top is what makes it the best hike Lofoten has to offer in many people’s eyes and it’s definitely unique and such a Lofoten view.

It was one of my favorite hikes we did in Lofoten (the favorite is below) and we somehow got it all to ourselves! Perks of visiting Lofoten in winter and off-season I guess.

6. Tjeldbergtind hike

• Distance: 4 km
• Duration: 1-2 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Elevation: 319 m
• Trail map on AllTrails

This was one of my favorite hikes in Svolvær that we ended up doing twice during our trip to Lofoten in winter.

On our second trip, as we hiked Tjeldbergtinden, we got the most incredible pink sky colors during Polar Night in Lofoten that I just couldn’t stop staring at.

This relatively easy hike has two viewpoints. I think it’s hands down one of the best easy hikes in Lofoten Islands Norway.

There’s the peak of Tjeldbergtind and then a lower-down viewpoint which has an awesome view of Svolvær and the Fløya/Djevelporten/Svolværgeita area.

7. Nøkksætra

Also near Svolvær is the DNT Nøkksætra cabin which you can access by hiking the Nokksaetra trail from Svolvaer, or near the Svolvaer Alpineklubb.

You can both hike and ski up to this cabin depending on the season and along the way, you’ll walk alongside two separate lakes, pass the Svolvær Alpinklubb ski hill, and then head up into the mountains.

We saw no one for the whole time we were on this hike which was really special and the views on the way back down were incredible!

8. Eggum Lofoten to Unstad trail

• Distance: 7.1 km
• Duration: 1-2 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Elevation: 112 m
• Trail map on AllTrails

Eggum and Unstad are two beautiful beaches in Lofoten.

Unstad is known for the Unstad Arctic Surf cafe and accommodation and the waves which are ideal for surfing.

Eggum is well known for the amphitheater and the Eggum head statue along the coastal trail.

You can walk from Unstad to Eggum along a rocky and narrow coastal path that gets steep in places.

If you do the whole trail then you’ll pass by a lighthouse too.

The trail is easier from Eggum and there’s more to see on that end too.

9. Haukland beach to Uttalkiev beach

• Distance: 8 km
• Duration: 2 hours
• Difficulty: Easy
• Elevation: 229 m
• Trail map on AllTrails

If you’re looking for easy hiking in Lofoten, then check out the coastal trail between Haukland Beach and Uttakliev Beach.

These two beaches in Lofoten are some of the prettiest beaches in Lofoten and are great for both seeing the Northern Lights in Lofoten in winter and the midnight sun in summer.

They’re also some of the best beaches for camping in Lofoten.

You need to pay to park at both beaches so it’s best to visit both by walking between them on the flat and easy coastal trail.

Walking from Haukland Beach to Uttalkiev Beach is one of the best easy hikes Lofoten has to offer visitors to the area.

10. Horseid beach

• Distance: 9.7 km
• Duration: 3-4 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Elevation: 453 m
• Trail map on AllTrails

To get to Horseid beach you first need to get a ferry from Reine.

Once you arrive it’s about a 2-hour hike from the ferry to the beach.

This hike is best done as an overnight camping trip since you’ll have to match your hike times up with the ferry schedule and this trip shouldn’t be rushed!

11. Bunes Beach

• Distance: 6.3 km
• Duration: 2 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Elevation: 190 m
• Trail map on AllTrails

Bunes Beach is another beautiful place for hiking in Lofoten that requires you to take a ferry to start with.

After you get off the ferry, it’s around an hour to get to Bunes Beach and this area is perfect for backpacking Lofoten Islands.

The beach is larger than you’d first think; almost a km across and 0.5 km wide.

The mountains behind you as you stare out to see are very impressive and you can get a great sunset here in late summer and early autumn.

12. Munken and DNT Munkebu cabin

• Distance: 10 km
• Duration: 4 hours
• Difficulty: Hard
• Elevation: 613 m
• Trail map on AllTrails

Near Reinebringen is Munken and DNT Munkebu hut.

The hike starts from Sørvågen near Å and takes about 2.5-3 hours each way (5-7 hours round trip).

There is some scrambling on this hike but chains are provided in some instances.

This is great as an overnight hike since there’s a cabin and opportunities for camping.

However, you will need to be a DNT member and get the key to the cabin from Sørvågen Commerce with your membership card to access the hut.

13. Håen on Værøy

• Distance: 5.6 km
• Duration: 3 hours
• Difficulty: Hard
• Elevation: 602 m
• Trail map on AllTrails

The Håen hike, also known as Håheia, is on the island of Værøy in Lofoten.

To get to the trailhead for the Haen hike, you’ll need to take a ferry and then you can hike up Håen Norway for incredible views of some unique mountain formations.

The hike is relatively easy and the views are well worth the effort!

14. Mannen + Veggen

• Distance: 4.2 km
• Duration: 2 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Elevation: 363 m
• Trail map on AllTrails

Mannen and Veggen are two hikes near Uttalkiev and Haukland Beach. It’s one of the Lofoten top hikes that you’ve likely heard of before or come across while planning your trip to Lofoten.

Mannen is an easy hike that gives you great views of Haukland Beach from above. Veggen, on the other hand, gives you incredible views of Uttakliev beach.

Of the two, Veggen is quieter than Mannen and harder.

15. Elofttuva

• Distance: 4 km
• Duration: 1-2 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Elevation: 319 m
• Trail map on AllTrails

The Elofttuva hike was one of my favorites from all our hiking in Lofoten.

It’s a relatively easy hike that’s much less known than some of the other Lofoten hikes on this list.

The hike climbs up to the summit of Elofttuva where you get incredible views of Himmelstinden in front of you as well as the lakes and fjords below.

Where to stay in Lofoten Islands Norway

Booking accommodation in Lofoten in winter is much easier than in the summer.

In the summer, Lofoten is a busy, busy place, and accommodation prices can be sky-high or booked up months in advance.

In the winter, however, many places have spare rooms with last-minute availability and prices are generally cheaper.

Especially if you’re visiting in November and December before ski tourism has kicked in.

While we stayed in Airbnbs so that we could have access to a bit more space, and a full kitchen, if I was visiting for a shorter period of time, these are the Lofoten Islands hotels I would book for tackling the best hikes in Lofoten Islands.

• Nusfjord Arctic Resort: Beautiful fishing cabins right on the water with mountain views and access to a wood-fired hot tub.
• Trevarefabrikken: Lofoten’s coolest hangout spot in trendy Henningsvaer with stylish rooms and access to a beautiful sauna.
• Svinøya Rorbuer: Set in Svolvaer, this hotel has both hotel-style rooms as well as 1-bedroom Lofoten cabins all with beautiful views.
• Rostad Retro Rorbuer: This beautiful fishing cabin in Reine is right on the water. It’s super cozy with beautiful views and a kitchen.
• Skårungen Hotel: Tucked away between Svolvaer and Henningsvaer, the Skårungen Hotel is in a picturesque area where guests have access to a restaurant and cafe and a spa, hot tub, and sauna. It would be a lovely place to spend a trip in Lofoten in winter!

How to get to Lofoten Islands, Norway

We drove to Lofoten from Tromsø. The whole journey takes around 6 hours from Tromsø to Svolvaer, and around 8 hours if you’re going from Tromsø down to Å at the southern tip of the Lofoten Islands.

We broke this journey up by visiting Senja and Sommarøy on the way down to Lofoten, which I’d highly recommend if you’re visiting Lofoten in winter too.

We rented a car for our whole 2 months in Norway from Europcar at the Tromsø airport and it came with studded winter tires which are a must if you’re driving a lot in Lofoten in winter – it gets icy and snowy!

To do the best hikes in Lofoten Islands I highly recommend having a car since it makes it much easier to get to the trailheads.

I use comparison sites like DiscoverCars and RentalCars to book my car rentals as it’s easy to check prices and compare the best deals!

Flights to Lofoten airports

There are two small airports in Lofoten, plus a third on the island of Røst. The two main Lofoten Islands airports are Svolvaer and Leknes.

These airports are domestic airports only so you’ll need to transfer to a larger airport before boarding your plane to Lofoten.

There are a few direct flights between Svolvaer and Oslo in the spring and summer months.

In fact, you’ll usually have to transfer a couple of times. Flights from Oslo to Lofoten usually stop at Bodø before traveling onwards to Svolvaer or Leknes.

If you’re flying from outside of Norway to Lofoten, that means changing at Oslo and again at Bodø.

You could also fly to Harstad or Narvik, both of which are cities close to the ‘entrance’ to Lofoten.

Skyscanner is what I use to find cheap flights.

Ferry to Lofoten

There are a couple of ferries to Lofoten. The most well-known one is from Bodø to Moskenes. This is a car ferry service and possibly the most comfortable.

Alternatively, you can take the Hurtigruten coastal ferry from Bodø to Stansund and Svolvaer. This is a more expensive option and not all Hurtigruten ships take cars.

If you’re not taking the ferry with a car, the Bodø to Svolvaer ferry might be a great option for you. It’s passenger-only and an express boat so gets you there quicker than the Bodø – Moskenes ferry.

If you’re looking to limit your flights a little, you can fly to Bodø, rent a car and then take the Bodø to Lofoten ferry which arrives at Moskenes in the south of Lofoten.

The ferry to Lofoten can get very busy in the summer which is a downside to visiting Lofoten in summer in general: crowds.

However, in winter in Lofoten, things are much quieter. But you will need to make sure you get to the ferry terminal in time as there are only two sailings a day to Lofoten in winter.

You can check the timetables for the ferry to Lofoten from Bodø here.

The ferry to Moskenes from Bodø takes about 3 hours and, on a clear day, you’ll get incredible views of the mountains as you approach Lofoten.

However, the journey can be rough so not the best idea if you’re someone who gets seasick!

Train to Lofoten

There is no train to Lofoten. Bodø, or Narvik, is the end of the line depending on which direction you’re coming from.

If you’re traveling from Norway or Sweden to Bodø or Narvik, it’s best to book in advance. That way you can get cheaper tickets.

From Bodø you can take the ferry to Lofoten. From Narvik, you can take a bus, or drive to Lofoten.

You can book trains online in advance by using TheTrainline.com which makes it super easy to plan your journey ahead of time!

Bus to Lofoten

There is no direct bus to get all the way to Lofoten from Oslo. The easiest way is to take the train to Bodø then take a bus if not driving or taking the ferry.

If you’re coming from the north, such as Tromsø to Lofoten, then take a bus to Narvik and then switch to go to Lofoten.

The bus from Narvik to Lofoten goes all the way to the end of the road at Å, though you may need to change in Svolvaer or Leknes; especially with reduced service in winter.

Bu information for buses to Lofoten can be found here: reisnordland.no

Getting around the Lofoten Islands

The easiest way to get around the Lofoten Islands is if you have a car. Getting from city to city is easy enough by bus, but if you want to get to trailheads for the Lofoten hiking trails and backcountry skiing in Lofoten, then you really will need a car.

Bus schedules in the winter are a bit reduced and in some cases, there’ll only be one or two buses a day.

We rented our car in Tromsø and drove it down from there. If you’re travelling through Narvik or Bodø then it might be best to hire a car there as it can be cheaper than renting a car in Lofoten.

I use comparison sites like DiscoverCars and RentalCars to book my car rentals as it’s easy to check prices and compare the best deals!

We also found ‘Rent a Wreck’ which is in Lofoten and other towns across Norway. While the reviews for them weren’t the best at the Tromsø location, we did see quite a few of these around Lofoten and they didn’t look too much like wrecks!

Their rental prices are a lot cheaper so might be worth the risk.

FAQs on these Lofoten Islands hikes

Final thoughts on best hikes Lofoten Islands has to offer

Hiking the Lofoten islands is a bucket list experience for keen hikers. The hikes here are generally quite short but steep with exposed ridge lines and absolutely stunning views.

You’ll remember hikes like Reinebringen, Kvalvika, and others for the rest of your life. From Lofoten easy hikes like the beach walks, to strenuous hikes like Svolvaergeita and Djevelporten, you’ll have so much fun exploring these hikes in Lofoten Islands.

The best hiking Lofoten has to offer is found throughout the archipelago and wherever you’re staying in Lofoten, you won’t be far from beautiful trails.

Last Updated on September 15, 2023 by Hannah