Båtsfjord Brygge

Båtsfjord harbor is Norway's largest industrial fishing port – and has a very busy harbor during fishing season. Deep sea fishing has always been the lifeline in Båtsfjord and there are professional fishermen from all over Norway fishing in our waters. Here we have access to many varieties of fish and the quality is excellent. Did you know, that most of the fish sold in fish markets in all over Norway comes from Båtsfjord?

Båtsfjord is located in Finnmark, north of Varanger Peninsula. This arctic fishing village has a tough climate with a lot of wind, without it preventing people and birds from having a good life here. The attractive sea, diving ducks, steller’s eider and prawns are easily accessible in large numbers along with eider and long-tailed ducks. If you travel here by car – it's not a rare sight to spot reindeers in the wild either.

Båtsfjord is the largest fishing village in Finnmark and has long been known as the place in Europe where you can get the best pictures of the beautiful eider species of steller’s eider and wild birds. For exceptional bird experiences, winter is the optimal time to visit. The birding season is from id-January to early April.

Båtsfjord is an exciting destination all year around - come here in the summer to experience ever lasting midnight sun, humpback- and killer whales feeding in the fjords –  or if you'll have a visit in the autumn - then the nature is wild with many colors in the tundra. If you arrive here in the winter you should be prepared for viewing the Northern Lights in the sky - and some lucky enough guest might even experience a real, arctic snowstorm while staying here.

We have a wonderful wild and magical nature, with mountains, fjords, salmon lakes and fine fishing waters just a little bike ride or drive away – and we are looking forward welcoming you here!

Varanger is located in the eastern part of Finnmark and as a destination very authentic and undiscovered.

Varanger is most famous for its beautiful and distinctive nature with cliffs, expanses, marshes and birch forest in an Arctic climate. Varanger is about the landscape, the light and the history. You will not only find striking scenery here with both the lush landscape and the forest, but also a colorful culture. The light in Varanger is special, and the fauna and bird life is exceptional.

Varanger is one of Northern Europe's richest bird areas. Here you will find bird species such as wild birds, long-tailed ducks, common murre, greater scaup and eider. Steller’s eider is overwintering in Varanger when it gets too cold in Siberia. We also find rare guests like yellow-billed loons and common loons. The distances between the continents are smaller here on top of the earth, which means that Arctic, Eastern, and North American species come to Varanger.

In Varanger we have had continuous settlements since the Stone Age until today. Today you can find houses, graves and sacrifices all the way back to the Stone Age. Varanger's history goes from Sami and Sea-Sami cultural history, faith and mythology to witch hunting and war history.

Varanger nature is varied and ranges from mountains to sea, wide, woods and rivers. There are five national parks in Finnmark where Varanger is situated. Along the coast, the landscape often has an arctic feel and the sea has a rich seabird life. The peninsulas in the east, and especially the Varanger Peninsula, have large vegetation less block fields, which can be rightly called stone dryers.

The fjords are ice-free throughout the winter thanks to the Gulf Stream. Here we find several beaches with arctic vegetation. These areas attract many wetland birds. Within the fjords, the characteristic mountain birch forest grows, and mountain plants grow right down to the beach, often along with typical beach plants. The beach vegetation also has a strong feature of Eastern plant species.

Finnmark also has some of Europe's finest salmon shrimps. In the valley leaders Tana, Alta and Pasvik we find today the most important agricultural areas. The northernmost pine forest in the world grows in Stabbursdalen National Park. The pine forest in the upper part of Tana, along Karasjok and Anárjohka, is linked to the great Finnish forests, while the pine forest in Pasvik is connected with the Russian taiga. In these areas, the moose has its most important winter areas, and here we also find core areas for bear.

There have been people in Finnmark for over 10,000 years, and there are many traces of hometowns and graves from earlier times. Alta have a World Heritage Center for rock art and rock carvings that are more than 6000 years old.

It's hard to say specifically, but we find traces of Sami culture that go back at least 2000 years back in time. Sápmi or Sameland crosses four borders; Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway. Most Sami lives in Norway. The Sami languages and dialects are of the same origin, but throughout the ages have evolved in different directions.

Finnmark has had a permanent Norwegian settlement since the 13th century. The first church was consecrated in 1307 in Vardø, at the same time as Vardøhus fortress was erected. Rich fishery resources and good market opportunities led to increased Norwegian and Northern European immigration.

Plane

We have our own airport on top of a mountain 5 minute drive away from the center of the village.

Båtsfjord Airport is a small airport having several arrivals every day. Here you can travel from Oslo, with connecting flights to Båtsfjord, usually via Tromsø or Kirkenes.

You can also fly from Helsinki to Ivalo in Finland – and rent a car and drive from there. This 4 hour long drive is very beautiful and something we can recommend for guests who would like to enjoy the finnish nature and lakes and combine their adventure with Norwegian Lapland and experiences by the sea.

Car

If you enjoy road trips and taking tings in your own tempo is car a good choice. Drive from Tanadalen on the 890 road. In the middle of Varanger Peninsula you continue straight into Gednjekrysset on the 891 road, and the road ends in the fishing village Båtsfjord. There are many scenic places along the drive to Båtsfjord - and a lot to take pictures of!

Hurtigruten and Havila

Båtsfjord has a port for cruise ships and Hurtiguten and Havila are having daily stops in Båtsfjord.

Many guests are enjoying visiting many places during one stay in Norway – and traveling the long distances is pleasant while traveling with a comfortable ship. If you visit the north - why not to start your journey in Kirkenes and then hop on a cruise ship and travel further to discover more, for example Båtsfjord and from here in to the North Cape? Finnmark has many beautiful places just waiting for you to discover them!