Beautiful nature in the fertile and sheltered Alta Valley and the low rolling Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau landscape with rivers and lakes, cloudberries, the Midnight Sun and reindeer! And not least wonderful single and double tracks leading to the traditional mountain lodges on the mountain plateau. On arrival at the lodge, we enjoy a relaxing sauna followed by good food accompanied by a glass of wine after hours on the bike seat!
The Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau covers a huge area, so we need to count on relatively long days of up to 6-7 hours including a lunch break, in at times demanding terrain. In brief, we need to cross some stones, marshlands and many creeks. In general, this trip is suited for people who have ridden in such terrain before.
On the Skill and Fitness – scale this is a S5/F6-tour.
If you choose an electric mountain bike, you will complete the stages slightly quicker.
Cool accommodation
Accommodation during the trip is included in the tour price and will be in the Aurora Canvas Dome in Alta and at the Jotka Fjellstue (mountain lodge). You will experience the best of both worlds – unique glamping in the pine forest in Alta and the historic Jotka Fjellstue mountain lodge, which was built in the mid-19th century to enable state officials to travel year-round before the road network was developed. If you want to sauna to soften up your muscles after a long day, this is also possible.
Meals
All meals during the trip (from lunch on day 1 to lunch on day 3) are included. Beer/wine and soft drinks are additional. Our guides are also hobby gourmets, so it’s not out of the question that a delicacy or two will be prepared on an open fire at lunch time! The common denominator for the meals you will be served is that they will give you a taste of the best Finnmark has to offer and the ingredients will be locally sourced. What more can you wish for?
Beer/wine and soft drinks are additional.
Bike and equipment
A full suspension bike is preferable, ideally a 29er. The tyres should have relatively thick tread pattern and reinforced sidewalls, a la Schwalbe Hans Dampf and Maxxis Ardent, with good volume like 2.25″ or more.
If you don’t have a full suspension bike, but would like to try this trip, you may rent a suitable bike from us. Read more about bike rental here.
MTB or e-MTB
Whether you choose to ride a regular or electric full suspension bike is completely up to you. Both options are fine. If you want to rent a bike from us, please notify us when you book what type of bike you prefer.
Repairs and local guide
You will be joined on this adventure by a local cycling guide who has the main responsibility for safety and navigation. In addition to knowing the Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau well after many trips there, the guide is also a technically competent mountain biker and can repair many of the eventualities that can occur on such an expedition.
If you require extra accommodation before or after the trip, we can help you to arrange this.
Day 1
Arrival in Alta
Pick up
Check in Aurora Canvas Dome
Lunch
We spend the first day of biking taking advantage of the countless opportunities on offer in the Alta Valley! You will discover flow paths and more technical challenges in perfect harmony. If we are in good form, we will use the chance to try the first leg of OffroadFinnmark in a swing up on the mountain plateau southwest of Alta. Good alternatives are trails such as Sonja Kristins Cocktail, Jorra Jungle, Baddomella, Sandfallet, Sandfallet, Kaffemokka, Cover Trail and Dollarsvingen.
This will be a great day and we will take along the kettle too! A day of 100% pure mountain biking joy.
Back at Glød HQ, there will be time for a shower and sauna. We will og through the plans for the next two days before dinner.
Biking: 3 hours, approx. 30 km
Dinner
Day 2
After breakfast, we drive south to the Sami village Masi, where the ride over the Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau starts. The start is quite challenging with a relatively steep ascent and serpentine turns, but nevertheless quite rideable. The terrain eventually flattens out and we can enjoy the typical Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau landscape with low rolling terrain as far as the eye can see. Ahead of us is brilliant biking on quad bike tracks, trails and paths towards the north. We stop along the way and grill lunch on an open fire. After lunch, we will eventually start to see the mountains on the coast of Finnmark to the north before we head east to today’s destination – the incredibly cosy mountain lodge Jotka Fjellstue!
This leg is identical to one of the legs during OffroadFinnmark.
After a long day on the bike seat, our welcome beer tastes quite OK!
At Jotka we enjoy a sauna and a delicious dinner. We stay in the mountain lodge’s cosy cabins.
Biking: 6-8 hours, 50 km
Day 3
After Lisa’s wonderful breakfast, we head north towards Alta. We also follow a route used for the OffroadFinnmark mountain bike race, as well as the Finnmarksløpet sled dog race in March.
The terrain is easy to ride in and, if we have the wind at our backs, it will be a real delight with one flow after another!
The day concludes with a fantastic single track down to the Alta Valley and along the eastern banks of the Alta River to GLØD HQ.
Biking: 6-8 hours, 45 km
If you are planning to leave Alta, any departure after 18.00 (6 pm) will work. We will get you to the airport on time. However, we recommend spending an additional night in Alta so you can enjoy a relaxing evening with the rest of the group, a delicious dinner and a good night’s sleep before you set off. We can help you to arrange this.
This tour can be arranged on your preferred dates in the period from 15 June to 1 October
Dates we know we will run the tour:
July 15-17
Prices
NOK 9,950 per person (in double room in Aurora Canvas Dome and at Jotka Fjellstue)
This price is based on a minimum of four participants.
The tour price includes airport transfers, guide, sauna, meals and accommodation.
Bike rental
NOK 1,400 for the whole package (regular full suspension MTB)
NOK 1,800 for full suspension e-MTB
Additional
Extra night, dinner day three
This adventure requires a proper mountain bike. We recommend a full suspension bike.
If you are in doubt about whether your bike is suitable, you can rent a full suspension 29er that will take your happily over most technical cycling challenges you will encounter on the Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau.
Choose between a regular and electric full suspension mountain bike. The rental price includes a helmet.
Moreover, you need to bring a helmet, gloves, cycling shoes, shorts with padding, woollen underwear, extra socks, backpack (approx. 25 litres, preferably a hydration backpack) with space for rainwear, a thin sweater, helmet cap, an energy bar or two and spare parts.
A complete equipment list will be sent when you book this tour.