Are you travelling to Alta (Norway) in wintertime and looking for some things to do here with your better half? Worry no more! Alta’s big speciality is all sorts of winter activities, so you’ll for sure find something suitable for you two!
Winter activities in Alta
Just for the record: this is not an advertisement for any of the companies I’m going to mention in this post. And neither of them is paying me money. I’m just a photographer who lives here and loves to capture awesome adventures of the awesome couples who choose to travel to Alta in the wintertime. And here I’ll be sharing my own experience with different winter adventures you can do in Alta, as well as what I’ve learned from the couples I’ve worked with.
For some couples, even just seeing snow and mountains is a pure magic itself, and I totally get it. Maybe you travel from overseas, maybe from a place with a tropical climate, and suddenly you arrive in a winter wonderland. How cool is that? But you can make your trip even more special if you try out some of the cool winter activities Alta has to offer.
Things to do in Alta in wintertime
Visit igloo hotel or even sleep in the room made of ice
Sorrisniva (20 min drive from Alta sentrum) offers different winter acitivities, and one of them is their amazing igloo hotel. You can rent a room made of ice for the night and sleep there. Or you can drive there just to see the ice hotel. And hey, how about a romantic photoshoot there? While outdoors it can be freezing cold, the temperature in the igloo hotel is stable around -4 -7 degrees Celsius. Anyone can handle that, right!?
Take a dogsledding tour
Dogsledding with huskies is a superfun activity! Take a nice tour in the forest and enjoy riding a sled while admiring beautiful winter scenery! You can do it at Trasti & Trine or Holmen Husky.
Go reindeer sledding
If you want a nice ride in the beautiful surroundings, but prefer something even more special and true to Northern Norway, try out reindeer sledding combined with other sami experiences! This activity can be done here and here.
Northern lights chasing
Of course, you can pick one of the regular guiding tours for the Aurora borealis chasing. But I encourage you to choose a private photo-tour with your better half (and with me onboard, of course)! This way, not only will you have a chance to see the beautiful Aurora Borealis show (alone and in piece, without other tourists swirling around), but you may also get some beautiful and unique photos of you two under the northern lights. We’ll drive to some of the spots where we’ll have good chances to see the northern lights, and I’ll do my best to capture you two under the Aurora Borealis.
However, there is one thing to know about Aurora borealis chasing. As with all the natural phenomenons, it’s impossible to predict the chances of seeing the northern lights long-term, so it’s good to have a few days flexibility if photos under the northern lights is your priority number one.
But you know, even if all else fails and Aurora won’t show, we can do a star-gazing photoshoot instead or do a regular couple session the day after the aurora chasing. Star gazing is a pretty magical experience as well!
Whale safari
Want another exotic experience? How about a private whale and fjord cruise?
Snowmobile tours
There are many companies that offer snowmobile tours outside of Alta, and here are a couple of links:
- Snowmobile tour with Æventyr and Gargia lodge
- Sorrisniva offers a few different snowmobile tours
Snowboarding & Slalom skiing in Alta
If you love snowboarding or slalom skiing, remember to visit Sarves resort!
Winter hikes in Alta
You can either wander around in snowy forests or along the sea shore, or you can hike up the hills and get to see some beautiful fjord views. But be aware that some hikes would require snowshoes, otherwise you’ll drawn in the snow.
Accomodation in Alta
Besides the regular hotels in the sentrum of the town (like Thon hotel or Scandic), there are plenty of more special lodges and hotels outside of town. Here is the list of some interesting places:
- Aurora Canvas Domes
- Trasti & Trine
- Bjørnfjell mountain lodge
- Gargia lodge
- Sorrisniva arctic wilderness lodge
- Holmen Husky
No matter what you’ll end up choosing to do in Alta in wintertime, remember to capture some of these activities! These will be some precious memories for your future!
Contact me to book your adventure winter couple session in Alta!