Best time to Visit Norway

Depending on what you want to see and do, Norway can be a great year-round travel destination. Generally, people tend to visit during the summer months (June-August), when the weather is warmest and most attractions are open or accessible. The winter months (November-March) are marked by short days, long nights, and cold temperatures; although this might seem unappealing to travelers trying to avoid the Arctic winter, it is great for seeing the legendary Northern Lights (aurora borealis) and doing winter sports like ice fishing, dog sledding, and skiing. The spring and fall shoulder months bring good discounts and a fair mix of the summer and winter conditions & activities.

Summer (June-August)
During the summer months, you will find that Norway’s landscapes blossom into beautiful colors as the snow and ice melt away. It’s a great time to enjoy warmer temperatures and activities like hikes and other outdoor activities. Other than a few pesky biting insects that can be avoided with bug repellant, it’s an ideal time to see the country in its full splendor. It is peak tourism season, meaning that the prices are at their highest rates of the year. It’s also a time when the days are long and the daylight can last past midnight, thus giving it the nickname “land of the midnight sun.”

In the northern part of the country, especially the Arctic Spitsbergen (Svalbard) archipelago and the surrounding islands, you will find that the conditions fluctuate between cold and very cold, meaning that the stunning wildlife and opportunities to trek across glaciers is present all year.

Winter (December-March)
Without doubt this is the coldest time of the year throughout the whole country, so if you’re planning a trip during this time, be prepared for frigid temperatures and bitter winds. If the climate doesn’t bother you, then it can be a very unique time to visit this isolated corner of the world, especially for some great skiing and other winter activities like dog sledding and ice fishing. This is also the best time to see the glaciers in their full majesty. On top of this, you’ll be able to see the rainbow displays of Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights) during the long, dark winter nights.

Shoulder Seasons
The shoulder seasons in the Arctic north are much shorter seasons that the three-month summer and the long winters. As the country battens down the hatches before winter and prepares for the busy summer season afterwards, many attractions, sites, national parks, and museums might be closed for the season. If you are planning to visit during this time and have a particular activity or attraction in mind, let our Adventure Life travel experts know so that we can advise you as to whether or not it will be available during your intended travel dates.

If you aren’t too particular about these details, then you’ll find that these seasons can be a good alternative to the busier months for their discounted rates and noticeably less tourist traffic. There are also several highlights that the spring and fall months offer that are unique to these parts of the year.

• Fall (September-October): Just before the country’s nature goes into a long winter hibernation from the cold, you will find good prices and deals, and the cold weather has not completely taken hold of the country yet.
   
• Spring (April-May): As the ice melts, it’s a fascinating time to cruise through the fjords that line Norway’s coast. You will see massive temporary waterfalls formed by the melting snow as it rushes over the retreating ice shelves and rocky cliffs to plunge into the Arctic Ocean in an impressive one-season display. If you arrive in early spring, you might still face the fierce temperatures of the northern winter, but that also means that you will likely have a great chance to see the Northern Lights and take part in some of the winter activities as well, like the tail end of the ski season or perhaps even ice fishing. If you come later in the season, you will see Norway blooming into its summer colors as warmer temperatures usher in a time of renewed life and vitality in the formerly frostbitten wilderness.