- Route
- Tromsø – Ersfjordbotn – Grøtfjord – Tromvik – Kattfjordeidet – Sommarøy – Brensholmen – Hella – Tromsø (fv. 862, fv. 7768, fv. 7766, fv. 7764 and fv. 858)
- Length
- about 200 km around, including the road from Henrikvik to Tromvik and back (31 km each way). Returning the same way from Brensholmen instead of along the south coast makes it about 190 km.
- Driving time
- Around 4–5 hours on the road, but allow at least two days
- Recommended number of days
- 2–3
- Best season
- June–August for beaches and the midnight sun, which stays above the sea from around 20 May into July. September–March for northern lights, but expect winter road conditions from October; the polar night lasts from late November to mid-January.
- Difficulty
- Moderate. Short legs, but narrow roads, old single-car-width bridges and a traffic-light-controlled bridge to Sommarøy. No length limit that prevents motorhome access. Avalanche risk can close roads in winter.
- Last checked
- October 2026
Why this route?
If you collect your motorhome in Tromsø, Kvaløya is just across the bridge. Norway's fifth-largest island takes you to its outer coast in under an hour: fjords with peaks rising straight from the water, pale sandy beaches and small fishing villages where the road ends.
The loop suits a long weekend. Legs are short, and no ferry is needed. In midsummer the sun never sets. In winter the fjord heads are dark, far from city lights — good places to wait for the northern lights. To continue, take the ferry from Brensholmen to Senja.
Stops along the route
1. Tromsø — stock up before the island
Fill the tank and shop in town — there are few shops on the outer coast. Sandnessundbrua, 1.2 kilometres long and opened in 1973, takes you to Kvaløysletta.
Motorhome tip: The centre's parking garages are too low — Fjellet takes vehicles up to 2.20 metres. An ordinary paid space is possible if the motorhome fits within the lines; the centre has no dedicated motorhome spaces. Tromsø Lodge & Camping in Tromsdalen has pitches all year; book in summer. YX at Kvaløysletta sells fuel around the clock and propane.
2. Ersfjordbotn — at the head of the fjord
Fv. 862 follows Kaldfjorden to Henrikvik. Continue on fv. 7768 and after a kilometre and a half turn towards Ersfjordbotn, 23 km from Tromsø. Ersfjorden stretches 12.5 km inland from the sea, with settlement only here at its head.
Don't miss: The view down the fjord on a clear winter evening, with white mountains and a dark sky.
Motorhome tip: Park in the large car park at the turn-off and walk just under a kilometre down to the shore.
3. Kaldfjorden — across to the outer coast
From the turn-off, fv. 7768 follows the west side of Kaldfjorden north. Above stands Store Blåmannen, 1,044 metres high, Kvaløya's highest mountain. Before Bårdsvik the road starts climbing; at Bårdsvik it turns west and crosses to Grøtfjord.
Motorhome tip: The road is often less than five metres wide. Its narrowest part is at the foot of the climb towards Grøtfjord, with a short section under four metres. The climb itself has a signed 6% gradient. Use passing places.
4. Grøtfjord — the sandy beach facing the sea
Grøtfjord, 38 km from Tromsø, faces the open sea, with Vengsøya offshore. The beach is long and pale, with shallow water extending far out — but even in July the water is ice-cold. People also surf and paddle here, with the ocean just beyond.
Don't miss: The midnight sun over the sea, or a short walk up Smørstabben north of the village.
Motorhome tip: Keep the road and driveways clear, and use marked parking spaces. Beach parking costs money — pay the village association by Vipps — and fills quickly on warm days. There is a toilet by the beach.
5. Tromvik — where the road ends
From Grøtfjord the road follows Grøtfjorden to Tromvik, 15 km — a little over 50 km from Tromsø. Near the mouth of the fjord are Åsheimstrendene, with a summer toilet. Tromvik is a small fishing village at the head of a bay, with steep peaks on three sides. The road onwards over the mountain to Rekvik is a municipal gravel road outside this route.
Motorhome tip: Over the last half-kilometre into the village, the road is only around four metres wide; parking at the turning area at the end is forbidden. Park at the old school site beside the bridge over Storelva, where the municipality has a toilet.
6. Kattfjordeidet and Kattfjorden — the narrow bridges
Back at Henrikvik, fv. 862 takes you southwest over Kattfjordeidet, a low saddle between the mountains, then along Kattfjorden towards the sea.
Motorhome tip: Several of the loop's tightest points are here: old bridges, the oldest from 1938, signed with clear widths of 3.9–4.3 metres. Two motorhomes cannot pass there — look well ahead and wait. Oterviktunnelen at Sandneshamn, 607 metres long, is signed at 4.4 metres, the route's lowest clearance. Parking is forbidden at the western tunnel entrance towards Otervika.
7. Sommarøy and Hillesøya — white beaches
Just before Brensholmen you pass Sandvika, one of Tromsø's most popular beaches, then fv. 7766 turns towards Sommarøy, just under 60 km from town. The bridge across is a little over half a kilometre long, from 1978, and only one car wide. The fishing village on the islands has quays and fish-processing facilities, surrounded by white sandy beaches and shallow turquoise water. Hillesøybrua takes you to Hillesøya, itself once a large fishing village.
Don't miss: Steinsvika on Sommarøya. The beach belongs to the municipality; from the sand you see Håja offshore and the midnight sun above it. A quarter-hour shore walk takes in Hilmarsand too. Or take the short, steep walk up Hillesøytoppen, around 200 metres of ascent.
Motorhome tip: Sommarøybrua has traffic lights: wait for green. The gravel rest area at Rørvikneset, where the bridge begins, has only one space for large vehicles and closes from October to mid-May. The islands have basic motorhome pitches with electricity and emptying facilities; check prices and season at bobilplassen.no before going. The municipality lists no parking at Steinsvika, so park legally elsewhere and walk to the beach.
8. Brensholmen — the ferry to Senja
Fv. 862 ends at the Brensholmen ferry quay, just under 60 km from Tromsø, with ferries to Botnhamn on Senja. Nearby at Austein stands Hillesøy church, a wooden long church from 1889.
Motorhome tip: Passenger cars have priority on the day's final departure, so a large motorhome may be left behind — choose an earlier ferry. Between Austein and the quay the road is only around four metres wide for a couple of hundred metres; wait there while the ferry unloads. The Joker shop at Austein sells fuel and gas.
9. Hella and Skavberget — home along the south coast
Instead of returning the same way, follow fv. 7764 east along the island's south coast, with Malangen and Straumsfjorden on your right. Towards the end is Skavberget, where people carved animals and humans into the rock faces beside the road several thousand years ago. Nearby Hella has old houses moved from central Tromsø, and fishing spots beside Rystraumen.
Motorhome tip: The southern road is wider than the outward route — no sections below 4.5 metres. Parking at Hella is free, and Skavberget has a roadside car park. From Hella it is around 32 km back to Tromsø via Eidkjosen and Kvaløysletta.
Practical info for motorhomes
Roads: All roads on the loop permit vehicle combinations of 19.5 metres (the Norwegian Public Roads Administration's road database), and there are no mountain passes: Kattfjordeidet and the climb to Grøtfjord do not reach 200 metres above sea level. Width is the challenge. Fv. 862 is wide to Henrikvik, but onwards to Brensholmen and all the way out to Tromvik the asphalt is mostly 4–6 metres, with short sections under four. Fv. 7764 along the south coast is wider. On the island you pass through one tunnel, Oterviktunnelen, signed at 4.4 metres.
In winter, avalanche risk can close roads — there are barriers at both ends of Kattfjordeidet and along the road to Tromvik. The road administration's avalanche register records many snow avalanches on Kattfjordeidet and between Grøtfjord and Tromvik, and rockfalls on the slopes towards Grøtfjord and at Oterviktunnelen. In Troms, a motorhome with a permitted gross weight up to 3,500 kg must have at least three millimetres of tyre tread from 16 October through 30 April. Separate requirements apply above 3,500 kg, and chains must be carried when roads have snow and ice. Arrange winter tyres with the owner. Check vegvesen.no/trafikk or call 175.
Parking: Spaces by beaches and in fishing villages are few, and Grøtfjord charges for parking. The rest area at Sommarøybrua has one large-vehicle space. Never park in passing places, at turning areas or along the road.
Overnight stays: Use campsites when possible. The Outdoor Recreation Act allows tent camping at least 150 metres from an inhabited house or cabin, for no more than two days in one place without the owner's or user's consent. With a motorhome, park only where allowed, follow signs and never drive into the terrain. Rest areas are for a short break, not the night.
Campsites:
- Tromsø Lodge & Camping — Tromsdalen, open all year, book in summer
- Fjordbotn Camping — on Senja, around 12 km from Botnhamn ferry quay, for those continuing by ferry
Fuel: Fill up in Tromsø or Kvaløysletta, where YX sells fuel around the clock. On the island, Joker Austein at Brensholmen sells fuel.
Waste disposal: Empty the toilet before heading out. Tromsø Lodge & Camping has a dump station and water for guests, and the motorhome site at Sommarøy marina has emptying facilities. See bobilplassen.no.
Ferries: None on the loop itself. Torghatten Nord operates Brensholmen–Botnhamn to Senja for Svipper all year except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Crossings take around 45 minutes to Botnhamn and 35 back. Cars and motorhomes cannot book — only tour coaches can. Payment is by AutoPASS: the number plate is photographed, and the fare depends on length, including rear-mounted bicycles. If renting, agree payment arrangements with the owner. Timetables at svipper.no.
Combine with
- Senja — take the Brensholmen–Botnhamn ferry and drive the tourist road in the other direction, to Gryllefjord.
- Lyngen and Lyngsalpene — also from Tromsø: two ferries and a loop beneath Troms' highest mountain.
- Ringvassøya — fv. 863 from Kvaløysletta passes under Kvalsundet to Ringvassøya and Hansnes.
Weather
Summers are cool: Tromsø's July daily mean is a little over 12 degrees. In January it is around minus three. Weather can change quickly on the outer coast. Northern lights are visible when the sky is dark enough, from September to early April. Check yr.no for Ersfjordbotn, Sommarøy and Tromvik.
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.
