Nordkapp

Why this route?

Nordkapp is the dream for many motorhome travellers — especially Germans, who have talked about “Nordkap” for years before finally driving there. There is something special about following the road as far north as it goes: across treeless plateaus, along fjords with reindeer at the roadside, and down beneath the sea to an island where the sun does not set for over two months.

But the plateau is only one evening. It is the road there that makes the trip. Take your time — distances are long and fuel stations far apart.

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Stops along the route

1. Alta — rock art and World Heritage

The rock carvings at Hjemmeluft are on UNESCO's World Heritage List, and the oldest are over 7,000 years old.

Don't miss: Alta Museum. The outdoor walkways (1.2 km or 3 km) are open when snow-free; indoors you can see rock art all year.

Motorhome tip: Solvang Camping og Leirsted, at the head of Altafjorden a few kilometres east of the centre, is open all year with electricity and a dump station.

2. Hammerfest — side trip from Skaidi

The E6 crosses the plateau at Sennalandet to Skaidi, where the Rv 94 branches off to Hammerfest, 55 km each way. From here all the way to Nordkapp you must expect reindeer on the road in summer.

Don't miss: Meridianstøtta at Fuglenes, the northern end of the Struve Geodetic Arc, surveyed in 1816–1855 and on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Also Gjenreisningsmuseet, about how Finnmark was rebuilt after the wartime burning.

Motorhome tip: Visit Hammerfest as a day trip. Skaidi has fuel and a dump station.

3. Olderfjord — where the E69 begins

Here you leave the E6 for the E69, the road ending at Nordkapp. The place has names in three languages: Leaibevuotna, Olderfjord and Leipovuono — Sámi, Norwegian and Kven.

Motorhome tip: Olderfjord Turistsenter at Russenes has motorhome pitches, water and waste disposal. Fill up at the automated fuel pump nearby — Nordkapp and back is around 260 km, plus side trips on Magerøya, and Russenes is the last reliable fuel stop on the E69.

4. Havøysund — National Tourist Route (side trip)

At Smørfjord the Fv 889 branches off the E69. From Kokelv there are 67 km of National Tourist Route through bare coastal landscape to the fishing village of Havøysund. This side trip adds around 170 km to the route.

Don't miss: Selvika rest area, designed by Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter — follow the concrete all the way down to the beach. Also Havøysund kunst on Ørahaugen, where artist Roni Horn has made two large glass sculptures.

Motorhome tip: The Fv 889 is mostly only 5–6 metres wide — take it slowly when meeting a bus. Rest-area toilets cannot handle waste emptying, so empty before heading out.

5. Nordkapptunnelen — beneath the sea

Just under 7 km long, descending to 212 metres below sea level, and steep — around 8 per cent for over two kilometres down, and just as far back up. Free since 2012. In winter you encounter gates at the entrances; they prevent ice in the tunnel and open automatically in front of your vehicle.

Motorhome tip: Change down before entering and let the engine brake. The tunnels on the E69 have over 4.2 metres clearance.

6. Honningsvåg — the last town

The harbour town where cruise ships and Hurtigruten dock. The church from 1885 survived the wartime burning, and the first people returning home in 1945 lived in it. Nordkappmuseet is right in the centre.

Motorhome tip: Nordkapp Camping in Skipsfjorden, 8 km towards Nordkapp, has paved motorhome pitches and also lets non-guests empty waste and refill water for a fee.

7. Gjesvær — the bird cliffs (side trip)

The fishing village lies about 35 km from Honningsvåg, along a county road 5–6 metres wide and narrower within the village. Offshore lies Gjesværstappan, a nature reserve since 1983, with over 60,000 pairs of seabirds — including puffins and gannets.

Don't miss: A boat trip to the bird cliffs, usually May–August. The whole reserve is protected, and landing on Storstappen is prohibited during breeding season.

8. Skarsvåg and Knivskjelodden

Skarsvåg is considered the world's northernmost fishing village. A path taking 30–45 minutes each way leads to Kirkeporten, a rock arch with views towards Nordkapphornet.

Don't miss: Set aside a full day for Knivskjelodden: 18 km there and back on a marked trail, from a car park beside the E69 6–7 km before the plateau. Your reward is standing roughly one and a half kilometres further north than Nordkapp.

Motorhome tip: Hytte Camp Nordkapp near Skarsvåg is the closest campsite to the plateau, open in summer.

9. Nordkapplatået — where the road ends

Just over 300 metres above the sea, with the globe beside the cliff edge. Parking and walking around are free; Nordkapphallen charges admission and stays open until 01:00 in midsummer.

Don't miss: The midnight sun over the Barents Sea. Check the webcam at nordkapp.panomax.com before driving up.

Motorhome tip: Overnight stays are not allowed on the plateau. Parking is open 07:00–01:00, maximum six hours. Sleep at the campsite near Skarsvåg or in Skipsfjorden and drive up in the evening. Older guides and apps may say otherwise — follow the signs.

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Practical info for motorhomes

Roads: All roads on the route are paved and open to vehicle combinations of 19.5 metres, so motorhome length is no problem. But towards the plateau and on the Fv 889 the road is only 5–6 metres wide in places. In winter, usually November–April, the last kilometres from the Skarsvåg junction can only be driven in a convoy behind a snowplough, and bad weather may close the road. Convoy driving may also apply across Sennalandet, between Skarvbergtunnelen and Nordkapptunnelen, towards Havøysund and on the roads to Gjesvær and Skarsvåg. Check vegvesen.no/trafikk.

Parking: Free on the plateau, maximum six hours. Fishing villages are tight — park outside and walk in.

Overnight stays: The right to roam allows tents at least 150 metres from an inhabited house and no more than two nights in one place without the landowner's consent. With a motorhome, stay only where parking is permitted and never drive into the terrain. Use campsites.

Campsites:

• Solvang Camping og Leirsted, Alta — open all year
• Olderfjord Turistsenter, Russenes — where the E69 begins
• Nordkapp Camping, Skipsfjorden — 8 km north of Honningsvåg
• Hytte Camp Nordkapp, Skarsvåg — closest to the plateau

Fuel: Fill up in Alta, and fill the tank again at Olderfjord. There are also unattended pumps in Skaidi and Havøysund, and several stations in Hammerfest.

Waste disposal: In Skaidi and at campsites. Nordkapp Camping also accepts non-guests for a fee.

Ferries: No ferries. Magerøya is connected to the mainland by Nordkapptunnelen.

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Combine with

• Senja — a natural stop on the way north along the E6.
• Vesterålen and Andøya — for the long journey through all of Northern Norway.
• Across Finnmarksvidda — also starts in Alta and crosses the plateau to Kautokeino and Karasjok, with Sámi culture and the Sámi Parliament.
• Varanger — National Tourist Route Varanger, for those continuing east.

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Weather

Even in July the daily average in Honningsvåg is around 10 degrees, and the wind is very noticeable on the plateau. Midnight sun from mid-May to late July, northern lights from September, polar night from late November to January. Bring woollen clothes and waterproofs. Check yr.no for Honningsvåg and Nordkapp.

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This route is part of Bobilvei's hand-picked motorhome routes in Norway. Every route is quality-checked with a focus on motorhome suitability, parking and local experiences.