Kirkenes Snowhotel and King Crab Safari
A snow hotel and husky lodge on the Russian border, paired with a boat trip to haul and feast on giant king crabs from the Barents Sea.
Updated 4 August 2026
In the far north-east corner of Norway, near the Russian border, Kirkenes offers a snow hotel rebuilt each winter with ice-carved rooms, a resident husky and reindeer lodge, and its signature experience: a trip out onto the frozen fjord or the open sea to haul up giant Barents Sea king crabs and eat them fresh.
What to look for
- The snow hotel - the ice-carved rooms and sculptures, rebuilt each winter.
- The king crab safari - hauling up the huge crabs by snowmobile sledge in winter or boat in summer.
- The crab feast - eating the fresh-cooked king crab afterwards.
- Huskies and reindeer - the sled dogs and reindeer of the lodge.
When to go
Winter for the snow hotel, snowmobile crab trips and aurora; summer for open-water crab safaris by boat. The snow experiences run from around December to April.
Good to know
It is a remote, premium experience, so it is expensive and reached only by a real journey to the far corner of the country. The king crab is a vast, imported-turned-invasive species, a curiosity as much as a delicacy. Winter cold here is extreme, so proper gear is essential.
Nearby
Kirkenes town and the Russian border are close; the coastal ship route ends here.
What to pack for Kirkenes Snowhotel and King Crab Safari
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Binoculars - The single best wildlife tool - even a compact pair transforms a sighting. Find on Amazon
- Spare batteries + cards - Cold and long shoots drain power; never run out at the good light. Find on Amazon
- Warm base layers - Merino or synthetic against the skin - never cotton, which chills when damp. Find on Amazon
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
