A two-week loop from Tromsø: the Finnmark coast via Alta and Hammerfest, the North Cape from Honningsvåg, then back through Sámi Lapland via Karasjok, Inari, Saariselkä, Levi and Kilpisjärvi. Almost empty tarmac roads, reindeer on the carriageway, the midnight sun in summer and convoys behind the snowplough in winter.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Tromsø | Start |
| Day 3 | Storslett | 229 km · 3h55 |
| Days 4 to 5 | Alta | 159 km · 2h35 |
| Day 6 | Hammerfest | 141 km · 2h25 |
| Days 7 to 8 | Honningsvåg | 177 km · 3h |
| Day 9 | Karasjok | 236 km · 3h50 |
| Day 10 | Inari | 117 km · 1h40 |
| Day 11 | Saariselkä | 70 km · 1h10 |
| Day 12 | Levi | 235 km · 3h30 |
| Day 13 | Kilpisjärvi | 258 km · 3h45 |
| Day 14 | Back to Tromsø | 169 km · 2h45 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
June to August: clear roads, and midnight sun at the North Cape from mid-May to late July. From mid-October to April, winter tyres, convoys on the E69 and over the E6 passes, and polar night from 28 November to 14 January in Tromsø: the loop is still possible, with experience and days to spare.
🚗 229 km · 3h55 of driving from Tromsø
E8 then E6 along the Lyngenfjord, facing the Lyngen Alps; city toll when leaving Tromsø.
🚗 159 km · 2h35 of driving from Storslett
E6 over the Kvænangsfjellet pass (402 m), closed by storms on 10 to 80 days each winter.
🚗 141 km · 2h25 of driving from Alta
E6 across the Sennalandet plateau (385 m), with convoys at fixed times in winter, then the Rv94 and the Kvalsund Bridge.
🚗 177 km · 3h of driving from Hammerfest
Rv94, the E6 over the Hatter pass to Olderfjord, then the E69 along the Porsangerfjord and through the North Cape undersea tunnel (6.9 km).
🚗 236 km · 3h50 of driving from Honningsvåg
Back along the E69 to Olderfjord, then the E6 via Lakselv, at the head of the Porsangerfjord.
🚗 117 km · 1h40 of driving from Karasjok
Rv92 to the border at Karigasniemi, Finnish road 92 then road 4 (E75); clocks go forward one hour in Finland.
🚗 70 km · 1h10 of driving from Inari
Road 4 (E75) south via Ivalo; reindeer often on the road.
🚗 235 km · 3h30 of driving from Saariselkä
Road 4 (E75) to Sodankylä, then roads 80 and 79 via Kittilä, tarmac all the way.
🚗 258 km · 3h45 of driving from Levi
Road 79 to Muonio, then the E8 (road 21) along the Swedish border via Karesuvanto.
🚗 169 km · 2h45 of driving from Kilpisjärvi
Start from Alta, whose airport has rental desks: Alta (1 night), Honningsvåg (2) for the North Cape, Karasjok (1), Inari (1) on the Finnish side, Kautokeino (1), then back to Alta. You leave out Tromsø, Hammerfest and Lapland from Saariselkä to Kilpisjärvi.
| Car hire in Tromsø, July (most expensive) | ≈ €98 a day |
|---|---|
| Car hire in Tromsø, September (cheapest) | ≈ €49 a day |
| Annual average in Tromsø | ≈ €63 a day (Kayak, September 2026) |
| Small car in Tromsø | €40 to €84 a day |
| Crossing into Finland (Avis) | NOK 300 a day, ten days charged at most |
| Vehicle | City car or compact: the whole route is on tarmac. Winter tyres fitted as standard in season (Avis). |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | Tromsø-Langnes Airport; the loop avoids the international one-way fee, NOK 3,125 to 62,500 at Avis. |
| Finland | Leaving Norway requires the rental company's written consent (Hertz); flat fee of NOK 300 a day at Avis. |
| Age | 19, with one year's driving experience; NOK 162.50 to 195 a day under 25 (Avis). |
| Card | Payment card in the driver's name, with enough funds for the deposit hold (Avis). |
| Tolls and fines | Recharged after the hire, plus a NOK 450 fee per toll or fine (Avis). |
⚠️ Crossing into Finland requires the rental company's consent: declare it when you book. At Avis, NOK 300 a day, ten days charged at most.
Valid in Norway (EEA) and Finland (EU), with no International Driving Permit; held for one year to hire a car. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required.
Dipped headlights on day and night in both countries, even under the midnight sun.
In both countries: 50 in towns, 80 by default on other roads, higher only where signs say so.
0.5 g/l in Finland; strict checks on both sides, so not a single drink before driving.
On the E69 to the North Cape and on the E6 (Sennalandet, Hatter), departures behind a snowplough at fixed times.
In Troms and Finnmark, with 3 mm of tread; in Finland, winter tyres from November to March depending on the weather.
Herds on the North Cape road and in Lapland; one reindeer means more are coming.
In Finland, even after a minor collision with a reindeer; warning triangle at least 100 m back.
Hand-held phone use banned in both countries; hands-free only.
No systematic passport checks, but Norway, which is outside the EU, applies alcohol and tobacco allowances.
Finland is one hour ahead of Norway: watch convoy and museum times.
Convoys and closures in Norway; road information line on +47 22 175 175.
≈ €2.75 per litre in Norway (NOK 29.63 on 21 September 2026)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 1,791 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €340 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
Finland is cheaper: €2.29 per litre. Filling stations are scarce in northern Norway; fill up before every convoy.
| Tromsø, Tenk Tromsø city toll ring | NOK 14 per pass, NOK 42 at peak times |
|---|---|
| Peak times in Tromsø | Monday to Friday, 07:00-09:00 and 15:00-17:00 |
| Finnmark and the North Cape tunnel | No tolls; the tunnel has been free since 2012 |
| Finland | No tolls |
| North Cape plateau and car park | Free; 6 hours maximum, 07:00 to 01:00, no overnight stays |
| Nordkapphallen, the North Cape visitor centre | NOK 360 per adult, NOK 100 for ages 6 to 16, NOK 820 per family |
| Pielpajärvi Church | €5 per visit |
| E69 Skarsvåg-North Cape | Convoy driving in winter, from the first snow until spring |
|---|---|
| Convoys to the North Cape, winter 2025-2026 | Five departures from Skarsvåg, between 08:30 and 19:30 |
| Convoys back from the North Cape | First departure 09:30, last 21:30 |
| E6 Sennalandet (Alta-Skaidi) | Often closed in winter; convoys at fixed times, diversion via Karasjok |
| E6 Hatter (Skaidi-Olderfjord) | Convoys in winter in bad weather |
| E6 Kvænangsfjellet | Closed by storms on 10 to 80 days each winter |
| Nordkapphallen | Closes at 16:00 out of season, at 01:00 in summer |
Allow 12 to 14 days from Tromsø. Our loop has 10 stages and 13 nights, about 1,800 km via the Finnmark coast, the North Cape and Finnish Lapland. With 7 days, start from Alta instead: Honningsvåg, Karasjok, Inari and Kautokeino, leaving out Tromsø and western Lapland.
For 14 days in July 2026: about €1,270 of car hire (€98 a day in Tromsø according to Kayak), €280 for the Avis Finland fee, €320 of petrol for about 1,800 km, a few euros of tolls in Tromsø and €33 admission to the Nordkapphallen per adult. In September, car hire drops to around €49 a day.
Not for the plateau: since a 2024 court ruling, access to the globe and the car park are free (6 hours maximum, no overnight stays). The Nordkapphallen, with its film, museum and chapel, costs NOK 360 per adult and NOK 100 for ages 6 to 16. The North Cape tunnel has been free since 2012.
Yes, but from Skarsvåg to the plateau you drive in a convoy behind a snowplough, at fixed times (five departures a day in winter 2025-2026), and only if the weather allows. Winter tyres, a full tank, warm clothes and something to eat. The Nordkapphallen closes at 16:00; a visit outside opening hours must be requested in advance.
Returning a car hired in Norway in Finland is expensive: Avis quotes international one-way fees of NOK 3,125 to 62,500. So the loop returns to Tromsø via Levi, Kilpisjärvi and the E8. Rovaniemi is about 2 hours 20 minutes from Levi, but nearly 9 hours' drive from Tromsø.
From about 14 May to 31 July at the North Cape, and from 19 May to 27 July in Tromsø. Conversely, the polar night lasts from 28 November to 14 January in Tromsø and from 23 November to 19 January in Hammerfest. From 18 May to 17 August, the Nordkapphallen stays open until 01:00.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/north-cape · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
