BEST OF THE LOFOTEN ISLANDS
SIGHTSEEING TOUR TO REINE FROM SVOLVÆR
Svolvær is great, we know. It’s a great base with a selection of activities, accommodations and restaurants, so it makes perfect sense why you’d booked your accommodation there. But coming to Lofoten and not taking a trip to Reine is like ordering a pizza and only eating the crust —you’d be missing the best part.
Reine, Sakrisøy and Hamnøy are the true gems of Lofoten—the places you’ve probably seen all over Instagram or on the covers of travel brochures. And trust us, these iconic fishing villages are even more breathtaking in real life.
So, what are you waiting for? Join us for a relaxed, small-group road trip to Reine and western Lofoten.
ABOUT GUIDE TO LOFOTEN
We’re an international couple with a unique blend of perspectives—Ivar, a Norwegian, can offer the local’s take on everything. At the same time, Radka, originally from the Czech Republic, knows exactly what catches the eye of visitors and can share interesting insights.
We usually guide these tours together, with Radka leading the storytelling and Ivar behind the wheel. That way, we can even tackle those spots where parking is usually a hassle.
With us, your Lofoten adventure is all about what matters to you—no stress, just a relaxed, fun exploration of our beautiful Lofoten islands.
A SIGHTSEEING TOUR TO REINE: WHAT TO EXPECT
While we can’t tell you all of our stories in advance (so you’ll have something to look forward to), it’s only fair to give you an idea of what to expect from the trip.
The truth is, each of our trips is a bit different, as we play along with the weather (there’s no point stopping at the Fredvang Bridges viewpoint if all you can see is thick fog) and cater to the group’s interests.
So, How Can a Sightseeing Tour to Reine Look Like?
We’ll pick you up at your accommodation in the Svolvær area between 08:00 and 09:30. (We do 08:00-08:30 at the darkest time of the year and 09:00-09:30 when it gets brighter). Pick-up times might vary slightly if we need to gather people from different accommodations.
Once everyone’s on board, we hit the road with a clear goal: western Lofoten! There’s so much to see on Flakstadøya and Moskenesøya islands that we usually won’t make stops until we’re past Leknes (unless there’s an incredible light for photos or someone needs a restroom break after indulging in the breakfast buffet coffee).
We won’t list every stop here, but a typical itinerary includes:
⭐ A view of Flakstadpollen/Killanpollen
⭐ A stroll along Skagsanden or Ramberg Beach
⭐ The Hamnøy Bridge, with its view of the red cabins at Eliassen Rorbuer
⭐ The yellow cabins on Sakrisøy with Olstinden Mountain as a backdrop
⭐ The classic view of Reine village from Reinehalsen
⭐ Depending on the weather, we might skip some locations on the way to Reine and catch them on the way back.
How is it to live in the Lofoten Islands?
Now, for those of you curious about Lofoten’s culture and history:
We’re not guides who recite memorized scripts filled with place names and dates. Don’t get us wrong—we’ll share stories about Lofoten’s culture and history and how these remote, weather-beaten islands helped shape Norway into what it is today through its fishing traditions.
But we also love talking about what life here is like now. We’ll share the joys and challenges of living in such a remote area: what people do for a living nowadays, how tourism has transformed the islands, and how locals deal with the stormy weather, medical emergencies, or the impacts of tourism.
CHECK OUR REVIEWS
We’ve just opened this tour from Svolvær, but we’ve been running sightseeing and hiking tours from Reine for a while already. You can read what our guests said about those experiences below — or have a look at our TripAdvisor.
CANCELLATION & REFUNDS
We’re a small, family-run local company, run by two people, offering intimate tours for up to 8 guests. We don’t operate big buses where it doesn’t matter if one person joins or not — for us, every single booking counts.
We also run tours in Arctic Norway, on weather-exposed islands where conditions can change quickly and play a major role in whether a tour can safely run. Our goal is to operate sustainably and responsibly, which also means trying to keep our schedule as predictable as possible.
At the same time, we want to be fair and transparent with you. Even when a tour is cancelled, there are still costs on our side (payment processing and booking fees) that are non-refundable for us. This is why our cancellation policy works the way it does.
👉 Life happens, we get it!
Guests can cancel up to 48 hours before departure and receive a refund minus a 5% transaction fee, which covers payment and booking costs we can’t recover.
👉 From our side, if the weather turns too rough to safely run the tour, we may need to cancel it. In that case, we will offer to reschedule, suggest an alternative plan, or issue a full refund.
👉 Life happens on our side too.
Sometimes a car breaks down, a guide gets sick, or we’re unable to reach the pick-up point due to a road closure, accident, or closed bridge. If the tour is cancelled for these operational reasons, we will of course offer a full refund.
👉 We require a minimum of 4 participants to run this tour. You can still book as a solo traveler, but if nobody else joins, we may need to cancel the tour. We’ll notify you at least 12 hours before departure, and you will receive a full refund.
⚠️ If you’re not able to join the tour because your flight was cancelled, roads were closed, you got sick, or something similar happened — we completely understand. We’re happy to provide any paperwork you need for your travel insurance. Please note that these situations are not covered by our cancellation policy and should be claimed through your insurance (make sure it includes trip interruption or cancellation coverage).
Thank you for your understanding and for supporting a small local business ❤️
PRICE
💰 from 1,790 NOK/ person
*Free cancellation up to 48 hours before departure (minimum of 4 participants). Refunds are issued minus a 5% transaction fee.
DURATION
⏰ 6-9 hours in total (shorter if you start from Leknes, longer from Svolvær)
PICK UP TIME
8:30 – 9:30 AM (The pickup time depends on the season. As we offer pickup from several locations, we will contact you regarding the exact time).
ADDRESS
📍We’ll pick you up right from your accommodation within the Svolvær area.
It is also possible to pick you up in Kabelvåg or Leknes, as these places are en route.
❗❗We do not offer pick up from: Unstad, Stamstund, Ballstad, Nusfjord, and other places that are not along the E10 route. ❗❗
WHAT IS INCLUDED
👉 Pickup and drop-off at your accommodation in the Svolvær area.
👉 Services of a funny and friendly local guide.
👉 Any parking fees
👉 Tea/Coffee
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
👉 Entrance fees (e.g., Nusfjord fishing village, Viking museum, Fishing museum in Å). We don’t usually include these places in the standard itinerary — they’re only used as a backup option if the weather turns really bad.
👉 Lunch (we can stop at a restaurant, café, or food truck based on the group preferences.)
* Usually, we go for lunch to Anita´s seafood at Sakrisøy (fish soup, fish burgers, options for vegetarians) or to Lofoten Beachcamp (bacalao, fish soup, toasts, waffles…)
WHAT TO BRING
👉 Proper Clothing (be ready for Lofoten’s ever-changing weather.)
👉 Photography Equipment
👉 Additional Snacks/Water
👉 Good Mood and Open Mind
✨
FAQ ABOUT THE "BEST OF LOFOTEN" SIGHTSEEING TOUR FROM SVOLVÆR
Our tours are designed for small groups of up to eight people, ensuring a personalized and relaxed experience.
We don’t have a child seat for small children, so we’ve set the minimum age for our tours to 12 years old. If you travel with younger kids, then we recommend booking a private tour instead.
Food is not included, but we can definitely make a stop at a restaurant, café, or food truck based on your preferences. We provide thermocups with tea and coffee.
We recommend booking in advance to secure your preferred date, but feel free to reach out for last-minute availability—we’ll do our best to accommodate you!
We cover parking fees, but entrance fees to certain attractions (like Nusfjord fishing village, the Viking museum or Å museum) are not included in the tour price. We usually do not include these places into our “Best of Lofoten” sightseeing tour, but sometimes we need to do adjustments due to the weather and then we can opt out for visiting these places as they are a bit more indoor option.
We know that tipping is common in the US, but here in Norway, it’s a bit different. While tips are always appreciated, they’re absolutely not expected, and we won’t be insulted in any way if you choose not to tip. We’re just happy you joined us on the tour and had a great time exploring Lofoten with us! We would be very happy for a review if you enjoyed the tour, though!
Sadly, no, our tour is not fully wheelchair accessible. However, we’ve had elderly guests with limited mobility join us, and they managed just fine with a few adjustments.
No — Henningsvær is not included as a standard stop on this tour.
Although it may look close on the map, visiting Henningsvær requires a detour that would add at least one extra hour to the itinerary. Our tour already runs for around 8 hours, and adding more driving time would mean less time at the scenic stops in Western Lofoten.
This tour is designed to focus on the dramatic landscapes between Svolvær and Reine — including Ramberg Beach, Flakstad, Hamnøy, Sakrisøy, and Reine itself.
If Henningsvær is high on your priority list, we recommend either visiting it independently or booking a private tour, where we can adjust the route to include it.
No — Å is not included as a standard stop on our tour.
Å is the very last village at the end of the E10 road, and while it’s charming, it requires an additional 20–30 minutes of driving one way. This would add at least one extra hour to an already full 8-hour tour.
Our goal is not to spend the day driving back and forth, but to give you time at the most scenic and photogenic locations along the way.
If visiting Å is very important to you, we recommend booking a private tour, where we can adjust the itinerary and timing accordingly.
Yes, we can drop you off in Reine or at another location along the E10 on our way back.
However, out of respect for the other guests and the overall tour schedule, we do not offer drop-offs in Sørvågen, Moskenes, or Å, as this would significantly prolong the day for everyone.
If you are planning to be dropped off somewhere along the route, please let us know in advance so we can plan accordingly. 😊
Yes — but only if you check with us in advance.
Our vehicles have limited space, and we cannot accommodate luggage for everyone on the tour. Normally, we can fit 2–3 suitcases, but we may have already reserved luggage space for other guests. For this reason, it is very important that you contact us beforehand so we can confirm availability.
If your accommodation does not allow you to store luggage after check-out, you can usually arrange storage at one of the larger hotels in Svolvær for a small fee. We recommend checking with Thon Hotel Svolvær or Scandic Svolvær, as they often provide luggage storage even if you are not staying there.
We’re always happy to help — just make sure to ask us in advance 😊
"BEST OF LOFOTEN" SIGHTSEEING TOUR GALLERY
