Fjord tours and road trips from Narvik

7 min read Updated October 2026 Compare all tours

Narvik lies on the Ofotfjord, with mountains rising on every shore. Two main roads meet here: the E6, Norway's main north–south route, and the E10, which heads west towards Lofoten and east over the mountains into Sweden. North of the town the E6 crosses the fjord between Karistrand and Øyjord on the Hålogaland Bridge, a suspension bridge 1,533 metres long with a main span of 1,145 metres, opened on 9 December 2018. It shortened the road north by 18 kilometres.

Most fjord tours from Narvik are guided drives with stops for photos rather than boat trips. They run all year. In winter the guides pick the route on the morning itself, following the light and the wind.

A fjord day with a reindeer farm

The fjord day tour picks you up at your hotel in Narvik or in Harstad, and cruise passengers have been collected from the pier and brought back to it. The guide drives along the fjords with photo stops, for example at a stone church, and spends time at a Sámi reindeer farm, with the entry ticket included. Depending on the programme there is also a small local boat museum, and in the right season the guide looks for moose or birds. Whether the tour is shared or private depends on the number of guests; most reviewers travelled privately in an electric car.

The tour page gives four hours, and several guests were out for closer to five. Reviewers are very positive about the guide and call the tour easy with children. The two points of criticism are the reindeer farm, which some found small with only one or two animals, and food: water, juice and snacks are listed as included, but one guest in 2026 received no refreshments at all, so bring something to eat. Take cash if you want to buy anything at the farm.

A minivan road trip to the side fjords

Arctic Moments runs a four-hour road trip every day at 10:00, all year. It starts from its office at Dronningensgate 51, or from a pickup point of your choice in Narvik; one guest was collected straight from the ship. The guide decides on the morning whether to head for Tysfjord, Efjord or Skjomen, depending on weather and light. A vehicle takes at most six guests, and a minibus for up to 15 can be arranged for larger groups. Warm drinks and snacks are served outdoors, the guide helps with photography, and children from three can join.

Wind is the main risk on the coast. One reviewer's trip was shortened because of it, and the same guest found the price high for a drive of about four hours. In December daylight is short: on 1 December the sun rises at 10:44 and sets at 12:34, and from 6 December 2026 to 6 January 2027 it does not rise at all, so a 10:00 start uses the bright hours around noon.

Town viewpoints and the gondola

A shorter Arctic Moments tour stays close to Narvik. It leaves at 11:00 in a minivan for up to seven guests, stops at the Minikraftverket viewpoint, the Hålogaland Bridge, the beach at Ornesvika, the harbour and marina and the glass cabins of Camp 291, and ends with a gondola ride to the upper station on Narvikfjellet. The ticket is included, and the tour promises cruise passengers a return to their ship.

The timing needs checking. The old gondola is closed, and the operator of the new one gives January 2027 as its opening. The tour page does not say clearly in which months the tour runs, so check the available dates. One reviewer in April 2026 had the gondola ride cancelled because of strong wind and was offered another date. Read the current details on the tour page before you book, and see our Narvikfjellet page for the mountain itself.

Over the border into Sweden

East of Narvik the E10 climbs to the Swedish border at Bjørnfjell and continues to Kiruna, 178 kilometres away by road. A guided coach trip drives this way along the railway corridor into Swedish Lapland and stops for Nordic food and coffee. The tour page does not say where at the border the coach stops, and it gives no reliable length for the trip, so check the details with the operator before you plan your day. If you would rather go by rail, our page on the Ofoten Railway explains the train options.

Snowmobile and Arctic floating

The snowmobile ride listed for Narvik does not start in Narvik. The meeting point is Solbakken Camping in Bardu, in Troms county, and transport is not included, so you need a car. After practice on easy ground the group rides forest trails up to about 800 metres above sea level and finishes in a cabin with sausages grilled over the fire. The tour lasts two hours, starts at 12:00 or 14:00 and is aimed at first-time riders and families. Outer clothing, boots and mittens are lent; wool or fleece underneath is your own. The tour page suggests combining it with a visit to Polar Park.

Arctic floating takes place in Narvik Harbour itself. You put on a survival suit and lie back in the sea for about an hour, with no swimming needed, and afterwards warm up with coffee or a hot toddy. It runs daily at 10:00 and 12:00 all year for groups of two to 15, from 12 years. Wear thermal underwear under the suit.

Puffins under the midnight sun

In summer the light changes everything. The sun stays above the horizon from 25 May to 20 July 2027, and a private boat tour from the Harstad area goes out by fast boat to look for puffins, whales and dolphins. Up to four guests take part, with hotel pickup, and from Narvik that means a long drive before the three hours on the water. The boat is open, so you sit outside. It only sails in good weather, with a full refund if it is called off, and it is not suitable for people prone to seasickness, wheelchair users or babies. One reviewer in May found the sea too rough to spot dolphins, and no tour can promise wildlife.

Driving yourself

With a hire car you can follow the same roads. From 16 October to 30 April tyres must have at least 3 mm of tread, on snow or ice you need winter tyres or chains, and the Norwegian road authority gives conditions and closures by phone on 175. Regional buses run to Svolvær in Lofoten (route 300) and to Tromsø (route 100). Our page on getting around Narvik has the details.

The E10 continues west to the islands; lofotentourism.com covers tours there.