Summer in Snowhotel Kirkenes

If you really want to experience what it’s like to have the wilderness to yourself, Finnmark is the place. This extensive region borders on Sweden, Finland, and Russia and offers discoveries few other places in the world can boast of. The roads and inhabitants are few, but the great experiences in the summer nights are many. Here, curious wanderers can walk for days through untouched wilderness without meeting a soul – with the exception of a mosquito or seven.

In summer, salmon fishing along the region’s many waterways is a great experience for plenty of hopeful amateur fishermen. The world record for salmon caught on a rod belongs to the Tanavassdraget where a fish of almost 36 (!) kilos (79 pounds) finally met its maker. Still – with its 1100 kilometers of river it’s not exactly easy to know where the next record fish is hiding. Even though an estimated third of the world’s wild salmon population belongs to the Tanavassdraget, a hefty dose of patience and skill is required to hook a fish. Luckily, the reward for such an effort might be both an exceptional boost of adrenaline and an exquisite, self-caught evening meal.

Good tip: remember a scale to weigh the big catch!