Skydiving, Arctic surfing, and ski touring in Norway’s Lofoten Islands – this trip isn’t for the faint-hearted.
But if you’ve always fancied (deep breath): skydiving from 12,000 ft into Norway’s mountains; freediving and spearfishing for your own catch of the day; surfing on an Arctic beach beneath the glow of the midnight sun (with a photographer on hand to capture your moment riding the tide); or sleeping in a tent that is quite literally suspended from the sheer face of a mountain – then consider this your calling.
Ex-special forces and expedition guides lead the experiences, and yet further heart palpitations arrive in the form of a helicopter skydive. From thousands of feet above, you circle down to land on a waiting boat that will ferry you to the narrow mouth of the 1.2-mile-long Trollfjord. Known as one of the most dramatic fjords in Norway, it slices deep into the island of Austvågøya before spilling into the Raftsundet Strait.
From here, the pace slows ever so slightly as you step onto stand-up paddle boards and glide across inky blue water, drifting between the fjord’s near-vertical walls the imposing granite cliffs reach heights of up to 3,600 ft.
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The fun continues with a hike across the Svolvær Ridge, the thin spine connecting the peaks of Fløya and Svolværgeita. Along the way lies the Devil’s Gate, a large boulder wedged between two cliff faces. The climb is steep and requires scrambling over exposed rock, but the effort is rewarded with a clear view of the town of Svolvær far below. Every step along the ridge reveals new angles of the surrounding peaks and fjords.
Next, the route takes on another climb to Svolvaergeita, also known as ‘The Goat.’ Rising just under 2,000 ft from Svolvær, the peak of the mountain has one of the most recognizable rock formations in the Lofoten Islands with two ‘horn’ shapes (hence the nickname).
The day winds down with a coastal mountain-bike ride to the small village of Kalle. A former fishing settlement, it only has a handful of buildings, mostly boathouses along the shoreline. It feels almost eerily still and isolated. Accommodation for the night is in a rustic cabin.
Keen skiers can earn their powder privileges by strapping on their skis and stomping their way to the top of some of Lofoten’s serrated mountains. There are no lifts, and heli-skiing is not permitted in Norway due to environmental impact, so this is the only way to the top. If the trek doesn’t leave you breathless, then the views sure will. The reward for the slog is carving through a vast expanse of fresh, untouched snow and breathing in the dazzling landscape.
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