A Bus Journey from Rovaniemi Santa Claus Village to Honningsvåg North Cape
During the planning of our honeymoon trip, there was one persistent idea in my mind — to visit the northernmost point of Europe, North Cape (Nordkapp), even though we weren’t particularly interested in witnessing the midnight sun (which wouldn’t be visible during our visit). The first part of our honeymoon took us from Helsinki to Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi. You can find plenty of information about this online, so I won’t go into detail.
Now, let’s talk about the moment we left Santa Claus Village and headed towards North Cape.
Public Transportation Options:
To travel from Rovaniemi to North Cape, the easiest way is to join a local tour or rent a car. However, due to budget constraints, we didn’t consider those options. I came across a Taiwanese traveler’s blog post from 2017 that mentioned an 11-hour bus ride, but it seemed that the bus route was no longer available.
In this modern age, there’s always a solution to every problem. So, I decided to email all bus companies and inquire about the route. Finally, one bus company suggested going to Karasjok.
Taking the Bus from Santa Claus Village:
At this traiangular bus station near Santa Claus Village, we boarded a bus bound for Karasjok. The fare was €93 per person (though it was listed as €103 on the official website, I’m not sure why it was cheaper on-site, but I didn’t delve into it). The bus was equipped with Wi-Fi (with limited use of data) and had a restroom onboard (according to my wife, the restroom was clean but lacked running water).
During the long journey, there were rest stops where you could buy refreshments at gas station or use the restroom. The advertised travel time was 6 hours, but it was actually a 7-hour trip due to the time difference between Finland (12:00) and Norway (17:45). Finland and Norway have a 1-hour time difference, so in reality, it was a 7-hour bus ride.
Arriving in Karasjok
Karasjok is a small town located between Norway and Finland and is also the seat of the Sámi Parliament. By chance, I discovered Engholm’s Husky Design Lodge on Google Maps — a husky training ground and wooden lodge, which turned out to be the most unique stop of our entire journey.
Engholm’s Husky Design Lodge
After a 7-hour bus ride, we finally arrived in Karasjok. The lodge staff was waiting for us in a jeep. The lodge was about 6 kilometers (10 minutes by car) from the city center of Karasjok, and the cost was NOK 300 per trip.
The lodge Raktu had underfloor heating, a fireplace, Wi-Fi, cooking facilities, and comfortable bed. It was a cozy and authentic experience, with each wooden lodge uniquely handcrafted, which added to the memorable atmosphere.
Husky Training and Exploration:
The next morning, we arrived at the training ground to the sound of dozens of barking huskies. The staff took 16 huskies out for training, and we were free to interact with the remaining dogs. Initially, seeing such large huskies was a bit intimidating, but they were all well-behaved and friendly. As I petted them, I couldn’t help but think how fortunate they were not to be born in Guangxi, China.
Due to the off-peak season, there was no activities provided at the lodge, especially since we were only two visitors. However, time flew quickly as we spent it patting the dogs, observing squirrels, and wandering around the wooden cabins. The short daylight hours and -10°C weather encouraged us to spend more time indoors, as the surrounding landscape consisted mostly of snowy terrain and towering trees.
Cost and Contact Information:
The total cost for a two-night stay at the Raktu lodge, including round-trip transfers, was NOK 6,600, which we considered to be great value for this Once In a Life Time experience.
The lodge offers different types of cabins at varying prices, so it’s best to inquire directly via email. Meals are not included during my visit, so it’s recommended to bring along a spouse who knows how to cook.
Contact Information:
Website: https://www.engholm.no/
Email: post@engholm.no
Karasjok -> Honningsvåg
The bus operator from Karasjok to Honningsvåg is called Snelandia. The Google Maps instructs me to take Bus 140 and then transfer to Bus 110. The bus only accepts payment through the Snelandia app and does not accept cash or credit cards.
To use the app, you need to download it in advance and complete credit card verification. Otherwise, when you arrive to make the payment, the app will ask you for a credit card verification code, and if you don’t have roaming SMS, it could be problematic.
“Hmm, honey, does your phone have roaming?”
The total cost for these two bus trips from Karasjok to Honningsvåg is NOK$370 per person. When boarding the bus, a Norwegian lady using the app advised me, “I would drive if I were you.”
Well, I assume the expense of living in Norway must be balanced by a frugal approach ?
Honningsvåg has a postcard that says, “Welcome to Nordkapp! If you don’t like the weather, just wait for five minutes…”
The scenery along the northern route lacks tall mountains and canyons. Clouds, rain, snow, and sunshine alternate within a four-hour bus journey, accompanied by a gently flowing bay. It didn’t leave a particularly stunning impression, only one phrase: “A vast expanse of whiteness, the earth is truly clean.”
If you go to Nordkapp by land, Honningsvåg is the nearest and must-pass small city. In the less busy months of October and November, this place can be seen at a glance, and it takes less than an hour to walk around. Only a few stores and restaurants were open. I have to mention Soi 9 Restaurant & Bar, which is unexpected to find a Thai restaurant at the end of Europe. The quality is on par with Asia, and a plate of Pad Thai and a plate of pork chop rice made us extremely satisfied.
The snowy terrain slows down movement, but the slower pace allows for more time for sightseeing. Fortunately, there is no rush in this place, and we even had to go to the supermarket to pass the time. The people you see on the streets are mostly elderly. Later, when talking to locals, they seemed to say that the younger generation is not willing to stay in this European edge and prefer to go to big cities.
Nordkapp
On the second day, we went to Nordkapp with a local tour, and it was just two couples, four people in total. On that day, there were cruise ships docking, plus three tour buses of cruise ship passengers.
When everyone got off the bus, they rushed to the Nordkapp Globe to take pictures, and it was crowded with people. Looking back now, the itinerary should have been to slowly visit the Nordkapp Museum, watch the small theater, read the history display boards, and visit the souvenir shop, and then take photos.
Why? Because it was too cold, people couldn’t stand being outside for too long. In the end, my wife and I were the only ones left taking photos.
From the display boards of museum, I learned that there was a naval battle between Britain and Germany in Nordkapp during World War II, and after the war, Honningsvag, except for the church, was completely destroyed. The residents of the original Honningsvag were determined to rebuild the city, so to this day, all the buildings in the city look very new.
Standing beneath the Nordkapp Globe, it wasn’t a breathtaking experience as I expected. Due to the bad weather, there was a gloomy sky, a vast expanse of white ground, and an endless Barents Sea.
I thought to myself, “If only I had planned to go to the North Pole.”
But how would I have known if I didn’t go?
When getting off the bus, the driver said to me, “We may not see each other again, so have a good life.”
Yeah. Have a good life.
