When to go to the North Cape?
→ The detailed month-by-month page, with real weather records
Best time: June to August (midnight sun: mid-May to late July)
At a glance
Why go to the North Cape?
The North Cape is an end-of-the-road destination in the literal sense: the E69 stops on a plateau 307 metres above the Barents Sea, at latitude 71°10', 2,100 km from the Pole. It is neither the northernmost point of Europe nor even of its island, but it has been the symbol of both ever since travellers began climbing up here, the first in 1664, a future King of France in 1795. You come to stand facing the void, in the wind, and for the sun that circles above the horizon without setting between 14 May and 29 July.
Around it, Magerøya is a treeless tundra island with four fishing villages, herds of reindeer that Sami herders bring over from the mainland every spring, swimming or by barge, and some of Norway's most crowded bird cliffs at Gjesværstappan. King crab, which arrived from Russia, is caught and eaten on the quayside. Honningsvåg, population 2,400, welcomes the Hurtigruten every day and, in summer, around a hundred cruise ships, which gives the harbour a surprising buzz for such a place.
The journey matters as much as the cape. From Alta or Tromsø, the road crosses the Finnmark plateau, runs along the Porsangerfjord for 130 km and dives under the sea through a 7 km tunnel. From Bergen, the Hurtigruten takes six days to get here. Many also come by motorbike, bicycle or campervan, as a kind of secular pilgrimage. In winter, the plateau is reached in convoy behind a snowplough, in the polar night, for northern lights over the Barents Sea.
Map of the North Cape: what is where?
The map shows the 6 places covered in this guide, to picture the distances and plan your route.
- North Cape plateau
- Honningsvåg
- Skarsvåg
- Gjesvær
- Knivskjellodden
- Kamøyvær
How much does a trip to the North Cape cost?
The North Cape costs Finnmark prices, with a surcharge for the remoteness: connecting flights, a hire car and sea excursions make up most of the bill. The plateau itself remains affordable, and the walks, the villages and the road are free. Cabins with a kitchen lighten the bill.
| Style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | €90-140/day | Cabin or campsite, supermarket shopping, plateau on foot or by bus, Kirkeporten and Knivskjellodden |
| Comfort | €180-260/day | Hotel in Honningsvåg, shared car, king crab safari, plateau by car, one restaurant meal a day |
| Premium | €400+/day | Private rorbu or hotel with a view, private guide, bird and crab safaris, king crab dinner, RIB transfers |
The Norwegian krone can be paid by card everywhere, right down to the plateau car park and the cabins. Allow about 11.5 kroner to €1. No cash machine is needed, but mobile coverage disappears on some stretches of the E69: download tickets and maps before you set off.
Is the North Cape safe?
The only danger at the North Cape is the climate. On the plateau, the wind often exceeds 20 m/s and the wind chill drops below 0°C in high summer; the cliff is protected only by a low wall, and fog can cut visibility to a few metres. On the Knivskjellodden trail, with no shelter over 18 km, a change in the weather quickly becomes serious: set off well equipped, tell someone where you are going and turn back if the fog comes down. When driving, reindeer cross the E69 without warning, even in the tunnel. In winter, the plateau can only be reached in convoy behind the snowplough, at fixed times, and Finnmark's roads close for several days during storms; leave a margin before a flight. The medical emergency number is 113, with a health centre in Honningsvåg and the nearest hospital in Hammerfest, 170 km away.
What to see and do in the North Cape
- North Cape plateau
- Knivskjellodden
- Honningsvåg and the Nordkappmuseet
- Bird safari to Gjesværstappan
- Skarsvåg and Kirkeporten
- King crab safari
- Kamøyvær
- The E69 along the Porsangerfjord
North Cape plateau
The plateau at 307 metres, its metal globe from 1978, the hall carved into the rock with a panoramic film, a chapel and a north-facing bar, and the Children of the Earth monument, seven medallions sculpted by children from around the world in 1988. On a clear day you can see the Knivskjellodden headland to the west and, to the north, nothing but sea all the way to the pack ice. Fog covers the site one day in two in summer; the ticket, valid for 24 hours, lets you try your luck again. Cruise-ship coaches fill the plateau from 10:00 to 18:00; independent travellers come at night. The midnight sun reaches its lowest point around 00:50.
Honningsvåg
The island's town and logistics base, with the airport, the Hurtigruten port, hotels, car hire firms and excursion agencies. Burned in 1944 and rebuilt after the war around its church of 1885, it has no old quarter but a lively waterfront, a craft brewery, the North Cape Museum and bars where fishermen and cruise crews rub shoulders. A path climbs behind the town in 20 minutes for a view over the harbour and the fjord. The plateau is 34 km away, a 45-minute drive; in summer, buses go up on a timetable set by the midnight sun.
Skarsvåg
The last village before the cape, 60 inhabitants in a sheltered bay, 9 km from the plateau. Fishermen's cabins to rent, king crab to buy and the walk to Kirkeporten, a rock arch 30 minutes away on foot that frames the North Cape cliff in profile, the best viewpoint over the site itself. In winter, the convoys behind the snowplough leave for the plateau from the Skarsvåg junction at fixed times. The tiny church of 1961 is open to visitors. Sleeping here rather than in Honningsvåg saves you the 34 km drive back after the midnight sun.
Gjesvær
A fishing port of 100 inhabitants on the west coast, mentioned in the sagas as a Viking stopover on the way to Russia, 35 km from Honningsvåg by a road that crosses the island. It is the starting point for birdwatching safaris to Gjesværstappan, three islets forming a nature reserve where puffins, gannets and cormorants nest, with sea eagles overhead. Boats leave two or three times a day from May to August. The village has rorbu accommodation, a small grocery and a quay from which you can see the islets with the naked eye. The way back along the E69 passes the start of the Knivskjellodden trail.
Knivskjellodden
The northernmost point of continental Europe in the broad sense, at 71°11', 1,450 metres further north than the plateau, with no road or building. The 9 km walk out, from a car park on the E69 6 km from the North Cape, crosses the tundra, drops 300 metres to the sea and ends on flat rocks at the water's edge, facing the cape's cliff seen from the west. Allow 5 to 6 hours there and back, with no shelter and a trail of red cairns that vanishes in fog. This is the walker's version of the North Cape, free and deserted, with a logbook to sign at the end.
Kamøyvær
A hamlet of 100 inhabitants on the east coast, 12 km from Honningsvåg, at the head of an inlet between two cliffs. A tiny harbour, colourful houses, an art gallery set up by a German artist in a fish warehouse and a small hotel in former fishermen's houses. People stay here for the calm and the light, with the fjord beneath the window and reindeer in the street. A path climbs the neighbouring summit in 1 hour for a view of the Barents Sea and, in summer, of the midnight sun from a different angle than the plateau. There is nothing more to do, and that is the point.
How many days, and which itinerary?
Two nights on Magerøya are enough for the plateau, with a chance to go back if the fog rolls in, a sea safari and a walk; a third night allows for Knivskjellodden or the Gjesvær birds without rushing, and the cape can then be combined with Tromsø, the Lofoten Islands or the Hurtigruten.
🗺️ Day-by-day itinerary · 📓 Free printable North Cape guide (PDF) · 🌍 All of Norway
The cape in 3 days from Alta
Day 1: fly to Alta, pick up a hire car, drive across the Finnmark plateau and along the Porsangerfjord on the E69, through the tunnel, arriving in Honningsvåg late in the afternoon, then up to the plateau at 23:00 for the midnight sun. Day 2: king crab safari in the morning, Skarsvåg and Kirkeporten in the afternoon, Kamøyvær for dinner. Day 3: bird safari at Gjesvær or the Knivskjellodden walk, back to Alta in the evening. A format for June to August.
Tromsø and the North Cape (1 week)
Three nights in Tromsø for the city and Kvaløya, then the road east: the Lyngen Alps, Alta and its UNESCO-listed rock carvings for one night, then the E69 to the North Cape for two nights. Back to Tromsø by the same road, 8 hours, or fly from Honningsvåg. Around 1,000 km in all, on roads that are good but slow, with reindeer everywhere. Car-free alternative: the Hurtigruten from Tromsø to Honningsvåg overnight, with an excursion to the cape from the ship.
The North Cape in winter (4 days)
Fly to Honningsvåg via Tromsø, hotel in town, then up to the plateau in convoy behind the snowplough at fixed times, in the polar night from late November to late January or the blue light of February and March. King crab safari by snowmobile on the frozen fjord, dog sledding, a Sami evening with reindeer, and hunting for the northern lights over the Barents Sea. The weather decides everything; allow a spare day and clothing for a wind chill of -20°C.
Getting there and getting around
By air: from Europe, fly via Oslo, then Tromsø, then on Widerøe to Honningsvåg, 9 to 11 hours in all with connections. Alternative: fly to Alta, with 4 flights a day from Oslo, and hire a car for the 240 km drive to the cape, 3 hours 30.
Car: essential for the island outside organised excursions. Hire in Alta, Tromsø or Honningsvåg, €80-130 a day, booked early for summer. The E69 is good but narrow, with reindeer on the road; the plateau can be reached freely from May to October and in convoy in winter.
Hurtigruten: the coastal express calls at Honningsvåg every day, around 11:00 northbound and around 5:45 southbound, with an excursion to the cape sold on board. From Tromsø it is one night at sea; from Bergen, six days. It is the way to get there without driving.
Bus: the Alta-Honningsvåg express runs once or twice a day, taking about 4 hours. In summer, a bus goes up from Honningsvåg to the plateau late in the evening for the midnight sun and comes back down around 1:00. The rest of the island cannot be done by public transport.
Where to stay in the North Cape?
Hotels in Honningsvåg: two or three chain hotels on the harbour, €130-200 a night in summer with breakfast, full on evenings when a cruise ship is in. Book from winter for July; it is the most practical base for sea excursions.
Cabins and campsites: Skipsfjord, between Honningsvåg and the plateau, Skarsvåg and Kamøyvær offer cabins at €70-120 a night for 2 to 4 people, with a kitchen, and pitches for tents and campervans at €30-40. The plateau itself tolerates campervans overnight in its car park.
Fishermen's houses and small hotels in the villages: Kamøyvær, Gjesvær and Repvåg, on the mainland, rent waterside rorbuer for €100-180 a night, with the light of the fjord and silence. This is the option for sleeping far from the coaches.
Wild camping: the right to roam allows tents more than 150 metres from houses. The plateau's wind and the waterlogged ground make it a serious undertaking; Knivskjellodden hikers sometimes camp at the point, sheltered by the rocks.
Our places to stay, stop by stop, at three budgets →
What to eat in the North Cape?
King crab, the island's speciality, served as boiled legs with bread and mayonnaise on safaris, or as a gratin or soup in Honningsvåg's restaurants, €40-60 a plate. The fishing season runs all year round.
Cod and halibut from the harbour's boats, as poached fillets or creamy soup, €25-40. Skrei arrives from January to April. The quayside bars also serve decent fish burgers at €18-20.
Reindeer, stewed or as a steak with berries, is on the menu in hotels and at the Sami camps along the plateau road, around €35. Bidos, a Sami stew, can be tasted at evenings organised with the herders in winter.
A craft brewery in Honningsvåg, brown-cheese waffles in Skarsvåg and two supermarkets in town, closed on Sundays, which make it possible to cook in a cabin. Expect Norwegian prices with a surcharge for the remoteness.
Entry requirements
Schengen area: an ID card or passport for EU citizens, 90 days visa-free for UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports.
Rules change: check your own government's travel advice before you go.
Frequently asked questions about the North Cape
When is the best time to go to the North Cape?
From June to August, when the road is open freely, the sea excursions are running and the midnight sun lasts from 14 May to 29 July. July is when the cruise ships cluster. September is quiet, with the first northern lights. Winter is done in convoy in the polar night, for the aurora and the king crab, with weather that can cancel everything.
Is the North Cape really the northernmost point of Europe?
No. The plateau stands on the island of Magerøya, and the neighbouring Knivskjellodden headland juts 1,450 metres further north. On the mainland, the northernmost point is Cape Nordkinn, 70 km to the east. The North Cape remains the symbol, and the only one reachable by car.
How much does it cost to enter the North Cape?
About €26 per adult, half that for children, with a ticket valid for 24 hours covering parking, the North Cape Hall, the film and the exhibition. Access to the plateau on foot is free under the right to roam. Excursions sold on board cruise ships and the Hurtigruten include admission.
Can you get to the North Cape without a car?
Yes, with constraints. The Hurtigruten calls at Honningsvåg every day and sells an excursion to the cape. A bus goes up from Honningsvåg to the plateau in summer, timed for the midnight sun. A route links Alta and Honningsvåg in 4 hours. Gjesvær, Kamøyvær and the Knivskjellodden trail, however, require a car or a taxi.
Is the midnight sun guaranteed?
No. The sun does not set from 14 May to 29 July, but the plateau is in fog or under cloud roughly one day in two in summer. The ticket valid for 24 hours lets you come back the next day, and the Honningsvåg tourist office gives the weather on the plateau. Plan two nights on the island to double your chances.
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