King Crab of Finnmark

The red king crab, a huge crab with a leg span up to nearly two metres, arrived in the Barents Sea from a Soviet experiment and spread down the coast, becoming both an ecological headache and a prized delicacy. Around Kirkenes, visitors join a safari to haul the crabs from the cold sea and then feast on the sweet, fresh meat.

What you actually see

• The giant crabs - the huge red king crabs hauled from the Barents Sea.
• The safari - the trip by snowmobile sledge in winter or boat in summer to the pots.
• The feast - the fresh-cooked crab legs eaten straight after the catch.
• The Arctic setting - the frozen fjord or open sea of the far north-east.

When to go

Winter for the snowmobile-sledge safaris over the frozen fjord and aurora; summer for open-water boat trips. Both end in the crab feast, year-round.

Honest expectations

It is a premium experience in a remote corner, so it is expensive and reached only by a real journey north. The king crab is an invasive species, so eating it is a curiosity with an ecological twist. The winter cold is extreme, so proper gear is essential.

Nearby

Kirkenes and its snow hotel are the base; the coastal ship route and the Russian border are close.