It’s an honour to present some of the very best you can experience on a mountain bike in Northern Norway: The Alta Valley, the Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau, Skaidi and the North Cape! Join us on a mountain biking adventure filled with weather, nature, reindeer, the Midnight Sun and wonderful cycling!
We can’t promise temperatures of +25 degrees and sun all the way. We can’t promise that you won’t get dirty, wet, tired and hungry either. However, we can promise that you will change as mountain biker after this tour!
Double and single tracks
On the first day, we will take advantage of the many opportunities in the Alta Valley, while a lot of the remainder is along the Sami people’s quad bike tracks, which means there are a lot of double tracks. The majority offer excellent cycling, while some sections are stony and relatively demanding. The trip also includes a series of marsh and river crossings, which involve carrying your bike. There are no major mountains to climb, but the mountain plain is by no means flat! This means you may climb 750-1,000 m in a day, which you will feel in your legs!
On our Skill and Fitness – scale this is a S5/F6 trip.
Much of the route is also used for the Offroad Finnmark and Skaidi Extreme mountain bike races.
Demanding and challenging
This is a challenging trip involving long days, up to 5-7 hours including lunch and at times demanding terrain. The distance per day varies from 25 to 40 km, while the average speed varies from 10 – 18 km/h. The combination of relatively long distances and difficult terrain means all participants must be in relatively good shape and experienced mountain bikers.
Cool accommodation
All accommodation is included. You will stay in the Aurora Canvas Dome or the Pine Forest apartment in Alta, at the Jotka Fjellstue (mountain lodge) and in Honningsvåg.
Meals
All meals are included, from soup and bread on first evening to lunch on day 7. Beer/wine and soft drinks are additional.
King Crab Safari
We head out on a King Crab Safari with Destinasjon 71˚ N near Honningsvåg. This marine aristocrat has added a new dimension to the sea off the North Norwegian coast after migrating westwards from Russia. It tastes heavenly! You will get to experience this first-hand by enjoying fresh, self-caught King Crab for lunch.
North Cape
You will end up at the northernmost point of mainland Europe, the North Cape plateau. Weather permitting, you will be able to experience the Midnight Sun. Anyway, it will be light 24/7.
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 2.2″ or more.
If you do not have a full suspension bike but would like to try this trip, you may rent a suitable bike from us! Click here to read more about mountain bike rental. Price NOK 3 300 for one week.
Repairman 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 being well acquainted with the Finnmarksvidda mountain plain after several 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. Our guides are also hobby gourmets and it is not out of the question that a delicacy or two will be prepared on an open fire at lunch time!
Support
Partly support is included on this trip (North Cape). In other words, your bag containing your personal belongings will be available in the evening. This may be subject to change if changes to the route are necessary.
If you require extra accommodation before or after the tour, we will gladly help you to arrange this.
Day 1
Arrive Alta
We pick you up at the airport.
Check-in Aurora Canvas Dome
Meet the group, assemble/adapt the bikes, finalise plans and enjoy soup and bread in the evening.
Day 2
Paths in the Alta Valley
We enjoy mile after mile of natural trails such as Sonja Kristin’s Cocktail, Jorra Jungle, Baddomella, Sandfallet, Kaffemokka, Cover Trail and Dollarsvingen. We take a break round an open fire on the banks of the Alta River. Enjoy our famous and tasty moose burger for lunch back at Glød HQ.
A day of 100% mountain biking joy.
Dinner
Stay overnight in Alta
30 km, 500 vm
Day 3
Up on the Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau
The Sami reindeer migration routes go in many directions. Using GPS and a knowledgeable local guide, we choose the best routes and will arrive in the afternoon at Jotka Fjellstue – a wonderful mountain lodge, which is an oasis on the mountain plateau. These wilderness lodges provide exactly what we want: shower/sauna, great food, bike washing facilities and a comfortable night’s sleep.
Dinner and accommodation at Jotka Fjellstue
40 km, 600 vm
Day 4
After a delicious breakfast, we head northwards and ride back to Alta. This is a fantastic leg, which will leave a lasting impression. Enjoy the fantastic views of mountains and fjord and amazing mountain biking in beautiful terrain that leads gradually down to Alta. And when you think things can’t get better, we reach the eastern part of Alta with 10 km of best natural single track imaginable. This leads us back to Glød HQ, where dinner will be served.
Stay overnight in the Aurora Canvas Dome
50 km, 200vm
Day 5
After breakfast we drive for about an hour via Sennalandet to Skaidi, where we will be met by Mr. Skaidi himself – Odd Peder Wang-Norderud. Odd Peder takes us out in his paradise of paths and tracks where the famous races Skaidi Extreme and Skaidi Fatbike are held each year. We will test these routes today.
This area is also the summer playpen of the indigenous Sami people, so we are virtually guaranteed of seeing reindeer during the day.
We take a lunch break along the way.
After the biking, we continue to Honningsvåg.
Dinner and accommodation in Honningsvåg.
30km, 500 vm
Day 6
After a relaxing breakfast and a little sightseeing in Honningsvåg, we head out on a King Crab Safari with Destinasjon 71˚ N. This marine aristocrat has added a new dimension to the sea off the North Norwegian coast after migrating westwards from Russia. It tastes heavenly! You will get to experience this first-hand by enjoying fresh, self-caught King Crab for lunch.
In the afternoon, we set off again for an epic ride combining natural terrain, roads, the Sami people’s quad bike tracks and reindeer tracks. You will end up at the northernmost point of mainland Europe – the North Cape plateau – which is 300 m above sea level.
Weather permitting, you will be able to experience the Midnight Sun above the sea at this spectacular, extreme outpost of civilisation.
Night bike ride beneath the golden rays of the Midnight Sun back to Alta, arriving between 01:00 and 03:00 (1 a.m. and 3 a.m.).
35 km, 800 vm
Day 7
After a late and relaxing breakfast, it’s time to ride the Masi circuit, which is a brilliant 40 km/ 500 vertical metre MTB loop on Finnmarksvidda west. Much of this route was used during the Offroadfinnmark MTB race in 2018. We stop along the way for a lunch break around an open fire.
If you plan to return home today, make sure you book a flight after 18.00 (6 p.m.) and we will have you at the airport on time. However, we recommend staying an extra night and returning the following day. If you want to see more of our fantastic region, we will gladly help you arrange accommodation, etc.
35 km, 300 vm
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. However, you need to take care of progress and balance.
Moreover, you need to bring a helmet, gloves, cycling shoes, shorts with padding, woollen underwear, extra pack (approx. 25 litre, preferably a hydration backpack) for rainwear, a thin sweater, helmet cap, an energy bar or two and spare parts.
The bag containing your personal belongings will be transported to the various places we stay.
A complete equipment list will be distributed when your booking is confirmed.
This tour will be arranged on demand. If you and your friends are interested in this epic adventure – be in touch!
Price (twin share)
NOK 27,100 per person if four people
NOK 25,500 if group of seven or more
Minimum 4, maximum 8 people
The tour price includes all transfers (including pick up/drop of at the airport), support (baggage transport), guide, meals and cool accommodation.
Rental bike
NOK 700 per day. Electric MTB NOK 900 per day. (NOK 3,395/4,365 for the whole tour)
Additional
Extra night in the Aurora Canvas Dome: NOK 1,475 pp (twin share) per night including breakfast
Dinner day 7: NOK 570