Honningsvåg – gateway to the North Cape

Birdwatching Safari & The North Cape

Excursion

Price from $352

Difficulty level

Level 2: Moderate - some mobility needed

Booking code

HRI-HVG6AC, E-HVG3, HRS-HVG3

Duration

5 hours 30 minutes

Notes

Read the practical information below

Gjesværstappan bird cliffs in Norway
  • Stand at continental Europe’s most northerly point 

  • Enjoy a boat ride to see one of Norway’s biggest bird cliffs 

  • Spot seabirds such as puffins, kittiwakes, cormorants, gannets, and shags 

From Honningsvåg, we’ll travel by bus above the 71st parallel to the North Cape. Rising 307 metres above the ocean, this is the northernmost point in continental Europe. If you’re lucky, you might spot herds of reindeer along the nearby clifftop plateaus, who graze here in the summer months. 

While here, be sure to pay a visit to the North Cape Hall, where you can watch an impressive 180° panoramic film about the region through four seasons, learn more about the area’s long history through exhibitions in the underground tunnel, and pop into the world's northernmost chapel. There’s even a small museum and a souvenir shop.   

The tour continues to the historic Viking fishing village of Gjesvær, home to just 100 inhabitants. Here, we’ll board a boat to explore the nearby islands of Gjesværstappan, a renowned paradise for birdwatchers. The confluence of warm and cold ocean currents here creates nutrient-rich waters, while the steep cliffs of the islands make great nesting sites.   

From the boat, we can observe the Finnmark region’s largest flock of puffins, together with large numbers of kittiwakes. During the nesting season, the skies here teem with life as mighty sea eagles hover above in search of prey, while guillemots, razorbills, cormorants, Arctic skuas, and northern fulmars fill the air with a cacophony of shrieks and screeches.

Practical information 

  • Please note: depending on weather and daylight conditions, the order of activities may change on the day.

  • Languages: English and German 

  • Wheelchair accessible? No

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