Short expedition 4 hours
Season: Daily, 15 August – 15 November
€ 245 per person
Group size: Minimum 4 – maximum 10 guests

Historical Adventure

Step into the history of Norway’s far northeast – from the walls of Vardøhus Fortress to a small Arctic island with centuries-old ties to the fortress.

Your journey begins in the heart of Vardø, at historic Vardøhus Fortress. Here, your guide will introduce you to the fortress, its origins and its role in the long history of this remote Arctic town. When conditions and access allow, there may also be an opportunity to enter the fortress grounds.

From the fortress, we walk down to the harbour and continue by boat across the water to Reinøya. The island has long been connected to Vardøhus and was traditionally used for gathering some of the natural resources found in the Arctic landscape, including seabird eggs and cloudberries.

On Reinøya, we explore the island on foot and visit two historic gammer, Trygga and Hygga, both connected to Vardøhus Fortress. Trygga dates from before 1874 and is associated with the traditional gathering of eggs, down and cloudberries on the island. Hygga was built in 1896 and was used by officers during visits to Reinøya and as a place for recreation away from the fortress.

We step inside one of the historic gammer, where we sit down and enjoy a light meal while your guide shares stories about Reinøya, Vardøhus and the relationship between the fortress and the surrounding Arctic landscape.

Surrounded by sea, open landscape and traces of the past, this is a chance to experience Vardø’s history beyond the fortress walls – in the places where people actually travelled, gathered resources and spent time more than a century ago.

Highlights
¤ Discover the history of Vardøhus Fortress
¤ Travel by boat from Vardø to historic Reinøya
¤ Explore an Arctic island with centuries-old ties to the fortress
¤ Visit the historic gammer Trygga and Hygga
¤ Discover how Reinøya’s natural resources were traditionally used
¤ Enjoy a light meal inside one of the historic gammer
¤ Experience Arctic history in the landscape where it unfolded

Duration: 4 hours
Season: 15 August – 15 November
Price: €245 per person
Group size: Minimum 4 – maximum 10 guests