When to visit questions and answers

It depends on what you want to experience. Winter brings northern lights and Steller’s eiders in the harbour, spring brings the bird migration, summer has the midnight sun and festivals, and in autumn the leaves colour the trails. See Inspiration.

The northern lights can be seen from September and through the winter, on dark, clear evenings. Vadsø and Varanger are well away from light pollution, and the polar night gives some of the best conditions in Norway for the northern lights. Several operators offer guided northern-lights tours. The northern lights are never guaranteed. See Northern lights in Varanger.

The midnight sun is up from 17 May to 27 July — the sun stays up around the clock. See Inspiration.

The polar night (mørketid) is the period when the sun does not rise above the horizon — in Vadsø from 25 November to 17 January. The town is still fully active, just in blue light. The long, dark evenings give some of the best conditions in Norway for the northern lights, and you can join a guided northern-lights tour. See Northern lights in Varanger and Inspiration.

Reindeer graze at Krampenes, the leaves colour the trails, and you can still do Perletur walks in fine autumn weather. You can join berry-picking trips in summer and early autumn, and the northern lights can be seen from September. See Inspiration.

Summer has Varangerfestivalen (August), Kvenfestivalen – Kväänifestivaali (June), Varanger Saunafestival (June), Sommerbyen and the midnight sun. Winter and spring have northern lights, Julebyen, Tana-Varangerrennet (April) and Valo Rock (May). The dates are under annual events in the calendar.