Alta: Northern Lights and Arctic Adventures
The charming and unspoiled town of Alta is located in the heart of the Arctic, and offers a perfect blend of natural beauty, rich Sami culture, and unique outdoor experiences. Whether you're chasing the aurora borealis, exploring the wilderness, or diving into local history, Alta provides an unforgettable Arctic experience for all types of travelers.
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Northern Lights in Alta
Alta is renowned for its spectacular Northern Lights displays, making it one of the best places to witness this natural phenomenon. From September to March, clear nights provide optimal conditions for spotting the aurora borealis. Thanks to its location far from city light pollution and its stable inland climate, Alta offers some of the best opportunities for seeing the Northern Lights in Norway.
Alta’s Arctic Culture
Alta is steeped in history and culture, with strong ties to the indigenous Sami people. Visitors can explore this unique heritage through various activities and attractions. A visit to the Alta Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage site, offers a glimpse into ancient history with its famous 7,000-year-old rock carvings. You can also learn about Sami traditions through cultural experiences like reindeer sledding or visiting a Sami lavvu (tent) to hear stories passed down through generations.
The Arctic Wilderness
Alta is a paradise for adventure seekers and nature lovers. The surrounding wilderness offers a range of outdoor activities all year round. In winter, dog sledding, snowmobiling, and ice fishing are popular ways to experience the snowy landscapes. Summer transforms Alta into a haven for hiking, cycling, and riverboat tours along the majestic Alta River, which is also known for world-class salmon fishing.
If you are visiting during winter, make sure to experience the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel! This spectacular ice hotel is built from scratch every winter, and here you can stay in rooms made entirely of snow and ice.
Easy access to Arctic Adventures
Despite its relatively remote location, Alta is easily accessible with direct flights from Oslo and other Norwegian cities. Once in Alta, you’ll find it to be an excellent base for Arctic exploration. Alta's blend of modern amenities and untouched wilderness makes it the ideal destination for travelers looking to explore the Arctic in comfort.
The best things to do in Alta
Check out our selection of exciting activities in Alta!
Thon Hotel Alta
Experience the Northern Lights and Arctic nature in pleasant surroundings at Thon Hotel Alta!
- The hotel is located in the heart of Alta
- An award-winning breakfast buffet is served every morning
- The hotel offers modern and comfortable rooms
Life in the arctic
Get to know the arctic region and be inspired to plan your next arctic adventure!
Norway’s Arctic Climate
Norway’s Arctic is one of the most astounding places on the planet. From the vast untouched snowy landscape, to the breathtaking Aurora Borealis, to the unique wildlife, the Arctic is truly something incredible. Unfortunately, climate change is having a devastating impact on Arctic regions worldwide. If change doesn’t occur rapidly to repair the damage that has already been done, the results will be devastating for Arctic regions as well as the rest of the world.
Animals in the arctic
It should come as no surprise that the Arctic region is one of the toughest places on earth for wildlife to live. Humans have been able to adapt fairly well to living in this part of the world due to the ability to wear clothing and reside in heated structures throughout the majority of the winter. However, for the animals that are forced to stay outside and venture through the Norwegian fjords and other areas of the Arctic, the climate is much more inhospitable.
How to have the ultimate arctic adventure
When you book a trip to somewhere adventurous like the Arctic, you want to make sure that every second of the journey is packed with as much excitement as possible. But in order to do this, you need to know a variety of things about your destination such as where to sleep, what to do, and what to eat while you are there.
The Arctic Circle
Sitting at Earth’s most northerly latitudes, you can think of the Arctic as the planet’s hat. The main focus of this area is, of course, the North Pole, however there is so much more to it than that. Surrounding the North Pole is the Arctic Circle which stretches out into different countries, forming a line around the top of the Earth. Let’s take a closer look at this fascinating part of the world.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Is Svalbard worth visiting? In a word, yes! Svalbard has fascinated travelers for a long time. The Norwegian archipelago lies just below the North Pole and is one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas with almost 3,000 human residents. In Svalbard you will also find a fascinating building; The Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
Life in the Arctic
The majority of people who have not gone on a Norwegian cruise have likely never seen the Arctic in person. Therefore, when they picture locals living there, what might come to mind is the image of people wrapped in massive puffy winter jackets all year round and walking through roads that are covered in several feet of snow and ice.
Land of the Midnight Sun
Norway is famous for its natural beauty, and it’s also known around the world as the “land of the midnight sun”. The northernmost regions of the country experience a remarkable natural phenomenon in which the sun stays up for several months during the summer. In this article, we’ll tell you all about this interesting phenomenon and tell you how you can experience the midnight sun for yourself!
Why does the sun not rise in the Winter?
There are basically two different kinds of people in the world when it comes to sunlight. Some are classified as “morning people,” which means that they absolutely love to wake up early in the morning to the warm glow of sunlight. On the flip side of the coin, their counterparts are known as “night owls,” which means that they actually prefer the evening when the sun is on its way down.
Norway’s Arctic Climate
Norway’s Arctic is one of the most astounding places on the planet. From the vast untouched snowy landscape, to the breathtaking Aurora Borealis, to the unique wildlife, the Arctic is truly something incredible. Unfortunately, climate change is having a devastating impact on Arctic regions worldwide. If change doesn’t occur rapidly to repair the damage that has already been done, the results will be devastating for Arctic regions as well as the rest of the world.
Animals in the arctic
It should come as no surprise that the Arctic region is one of the toughest places on earth for wildlife to live. Humans have been able to adapt fairly well to living in this part of the world due to the ability to wear clothing and reside in heated structures throughout the majority of the winter. However, for the animals that are forced to stay outside and venture through the Norwegian fjords and other areas of the Arctic, the climate is much more inhospitable.
How to have the ultimate arctic adventure
When you book a trip to somewhere adventurous like the Arctic, you want to make sure that every second of the journey is packed with as much excitement as possible. But in order to do this, you need to know a variety of things about your destination such as where to sleep, what to do, and what to eat while you are there.
The Arctic Circle
Sitting at Earth’s most northerly latitudes, you can think of the Arctic as the planet’s hat. The main focus of this area is, of course, the North Pole, however there is so much more to it than that. Surrounding the North Pole is the Arctic Circle which stretches out into different countries, forming a line around the top of the Earth. Let’s take a closer look at this fascinating part of the world.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Is Svalbard worth visiting? In a word, yes! Svalbard has fascinated travelers for a long time. The Norwegian archipelago lies just below the North Pole and is one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas with almost 3,000 human residents. In Svalbard you will also find a fascinating building; The Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
Life in the Arctic
The majority of people who have not gone on a Norwegian cruise have likely never seen the Arctic in person. Therefore, when they picture locals living there, what might come to mind is the image of people wrapped in massive puffy winter jackets all year round and walking through roads that are covered in several feet of snow and ice.
Land of the Midnight Sun
Norway is famous for its natural beauty, and it’s also known around the world as the “land of the midnight sun”. The northernmost regions of the country experience a remarkable natural phenomenon in which the sun stays up for several months during the summer. In this article, we’ll tell you all about this interesting phenomenon and tell you how you can experience the midnight sun for yourself!
Why does the sun not rise in the Winter?
There are basically two different kinds of people in the world when it comes to sunlight. Some are classified as “morning people,” which means that they absolutely love to wake up early in the morning to the warm glow of sunlight. On the flip side of the coin, their counterparts are known as “night owls,” which means that they actually prefer the evening when the sun is on its way down.