From Finland to Nordkapp, Norway: Our Road Trip to the North Cape

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Living in Finland has opened a completely new side of traveling for our family.

Before moving here, many of the places we now see on maps felt so far away.

Norway was one of them.

So one day, we packed our bags, loaded everything into the car, and started what would become one of our longest and most memorable road trips so far:

From Finland all the way to Nordkapp, Norway.

And yes…

It was a loooong drive. 😂

But we were not traveling alone.

We went with our friends, which made the long hours in the car much more enjoyable.

There were conversations, food stops, photo stops, beautiful views, children getting excited about reindeer, and plenty of moments when we simply looked outside the car window and thought:

Wow. Norway is beautiful.

This trip became another part of our Nordic adventures since making Finland our home.

And reaching the North Cape, far above the Arctic Circle, made it even more unforgettable.

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Traveling From Finland to Norway by Car

One thing we appreciate about living in Finland is how possible it has become for us to explore neighboring European countries.

For this trip, we simply drove from Finland into Norway.

Because we were already legally residing in Finland with valid residence permits, we did not need to apply for a separate visitor visa for a short trip to Norway. A valid residence permit from a Schengen country generally allows short visits to other Schengen countries for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Source: UDI

During our road trip, we also did not experience routine immigration checking when we crossed the land border.

That made the journey feel almost like simply driving from one region to another.

However, Norway still has customs rules for travelers entering the country, so anyone planning the same road trip should always check the current requirements and bring valid travel documents.

Source: Tolletaten

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Where We Stayed: Hytte Camp Nordkapp – BaseCamp

For our accommodation, we stayed at:

Hytte Camp Nordkapp – BaseCamp

It is located in Skarsvåg, close to Nordkapp.

We booked our cottage through Booking.com.

And based on our own experience?

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 out of 5!

We really liked it.

Our cottage was cozy, clean, and comfortable.

It was a little expensive, but considering the location and the facilities we had, we were happy with our stay.

Our cottage had its own:

kitchen,

bathroom,

and toilet.

That was very convenient, especially when traveling as a family.

It meant we could prepare some of our own food, use the bathroom whenever we needed to, and simply relax inside the cottage after spending hours on the road.

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Different Ways to Stay at the BaseCamp

We also noticed that the BaseCamp had different types of accommodation.

Some cottages were simpler and had beds inside but used the shared bathroom, toilet, and kitchen facilities of the campsite.

There were also areas for people traveling with camper vans and caravans.

According to its current accommodation information, the BaseCamp offers cabins with and without private bathrooms, as well as camping spaces and shared facilities.

Source: Booking.com

That made me realize how many different ways people travel to Nordkapp.

Some come by car like us.

Some arrive in camper vans.

Others travel by motorcycle.

There are even cyclists who make their way north.

We actually saw people biking all the way from Finland toward Nordkapp.

And all I could think was:

Wow. That is a LONG bike ride.

I already thought our car journey was long.

Imagine doing it on a bicycle!

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Close to Nordkapp

Another reason we liked the BaseCamp was its location.

From there, Nordkapp was only around a 20-minute drive for us or roughly 12 kilometers.

That made it a great base for our trip.

We could rest in the cottage, prepare ourselves, and then drive toward the North Cape without needing another very long journey.

And considering how much driving we had already done from Finland…

That was definitely appreciated. 😅

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Highlights From Our Road Trip to Nordkapp

The destination itself was amazing, but the journey going there was also part of the experience.

Norway gave us so many reasons to stop the car, get out, and take pictures.

Sometimes the best travel memories are not even from planned attractions.

They happen somewhere along the road.

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1. The Mountain and Sea Views

The scenery changed as we traveled farther north.

There were mountains surrounding us.

There were stretches of road beside the sea.

There were huge open landscapes where there seemed to be nothing around except nature.

And that was exactly what made it beautiful.

We stopped several times just to take pictures.

Normally, during a long road trip, you might want to reach your destination as quickly as possible.

But here?

Sometimes you just had to stop.

Take a photo.

Look around.

And enjoy where you were.

The views became part of the trip itself.

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2. Seeing Reindeer Along the Way

Another thing that made the road trip exciting was seeing reindeer.

The kids especially loved them. 🦌

We even saw a light-colored reindeer with its antlers growing.

Coming from the Philippines and later living for many years in the Middle East, seeing reindeer wandering around still feels special to us.

These were not animals we grew up seeing along the road.

Now we were driving through northern Norway and suddenly:

Reindeer!

Of course, the cameras came out. 😂

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3. Beautiful Roadside Waterfalls

We also passed beautiful waterfalls along the way.

Of course, coming from the Philippines, waterfalls are nothing new to us.

Our home country has so many amazing waterfalls.

But seeing them here felt different.

Maybe it was the mountains.

Maybe it was the cold air.

Maybe it was the Arctic landscape surrounding them.

Or maybe it was simply the excitement of being somewhere completely new.

Whatever the reason, we found ourselves stopping again just to admire the scenery.

There are moments when traveling when a place does not need to be famous or have a name on your itinerary.

You simply see something beautiful…

and you stop.

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4. Souvenir Stops Along the Road

Naturally, we also had to stop at some souvenir shops. 😂

We have a little tradition whenever we travel.

We bring home:

Refrigerator magnets and keychains.

Nothing complicated.

Nothing too expensive.

Just something small that reminds us where we have been.

Our refrigerator is slowly becoming a travel map of our family adventures. 😅

For Norway, of course, we needed something that would remind us of our Nordkapp road trip.

Sometimes these little souvenirs become more meaningful years later when you look at them and suddenly remember the whole vacation again.

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5. Our Search for Norwegian King Crab

There was another mission during this trip.

We wanted to eat king crab.

We had heard so much about seafood in northern Norway, and king crab was something we really wanted to try.

The North Cape region has strong connections to Arctic seafood, and king crab is offered through restaurants and visitor experiences around Magerøya.

Source: Visit Nordkapp

So naturally, we started searching.

Eventually, we found North Cape Winter & Christmas House (Nordkapp Jul og Vinterhus) in Skarsvåg.

We were excited.

Finally!

King crab!

But there was one problem.

We learned that if we wanted the king crab meal, we needed to arrange or order it in advance.

And obviously…

we had not done that. 😂

So after all that searching, we still didn’t get our king crab.

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From King Crab to a Huge Pack of Shrimps 😂

But the story did not end there.

Since we were unable to get the king crab, we eventually visited a local market.

And instead?

We bought a huge pack of locally caught shrimps. 😂

What a turn of events.

We went looking for king crab and came home with shrimps.

But honestly, that is part of traveling.

Not everything goes according to plan.

Sometimes the restaurant is full.

Sometimes something needs to be booked in advance.

Sometimes your original food plan completely fails.

And then you find something else.

At least we still got to enjoy some local seafood.

The king crab?

Maybe next time. 😅

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6. The Highlight of Our Trip – Nordkapp

And then finally…

We reached Nordkapp.

The North Cape.

This was the moment we had been driving all those hours for.

Nordkapp sits far above the Arctic Circle on the island of Magerøya and is one of the most famous northern destinations in Europe. The North Cape plateau rises about 307 meters above the sea and is home to the iconic Globe monument.

Source: Visit Norway

Standing there felt almost unreal.

I honestly had a hard time finding the right words.

It was beautiful.

It was cold.

It was windy.

And somehow…

It felt magical.

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We Actually Made It This Far North

I remember thinking:

I can’t believe we actually made it here.

We had started from our home in Finland.

We drove for hours and hours.

We crossed into Norway.

We went through mountains, coastal roads, little villages, and wide-open landscapes.

And now we were standing at the North Cape.

One of the northernmost places we had ever visited.

That feeling alone made the long road trip worth it.

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Cold, Windy and Beautiful

The weather was very windy when we visited.

And of course, the wind made everything feel even colder.

We were definitely reminded that we were in the Arctic north. 😂

The North Cape is known for rapidly changing conditions, and strong wind is part of what visitors can experience in this exposed landscape.

Source: Visit Nordkapp

But the weather did not ruin the experience.

Actually, I think it became part of it.

Standing there with the wind blowing around us somehow made the place feel even more dramatic.

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Travelers From Everywhere

Nordkapp was also quite busy when we visited.

There were tourists taking pictures.

There were road trippers like us.

There were camper vans.

There were motorcyclists.

There were cyclists.

It was interesting seeing how people had arrived there in so many different ways.

Some probably drove for days.

Some traveled by motorbike.

Some came as part of organized tours.

And some adventurous people had traveled there on bicycles.

Everyone had taken a different route.

But eventually, we had all arrived at the same place.

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A Place That Makes You Stop and Look

Nordkapp was not the kind of place where I felt we needed to do so many activities.

For me, the experience was simply:

being there,

taking pictures,

looking at the sea,

feeling the wind,

and realizing how far north we had traveled.

Sometimes that is enough.

Not every destination needs a long list of things to do.

Sometimes the destination itself is the experience.

And Nordkapp was exactly that for me.

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Was the Long Road Trip Worth It?

Definitely.

Would I say it was tiring?

Also definitely. 😂

Long road trips are not always easy.

You spend hours sitting inside the car.

You need breaks.

You need food.

Children can get tired.

Adults can get tired too.

And sometimes you start wondering:

Are we there yet?

But this trip reminded me that road trips are not only about reaching the final destination.

The journey itself becomes part of the story.

The reindeer.

The mountains.

The waterfalls.

The souvenir stops.

The search for king crab that turned into shrimps.

The cottage.

The laughs with our friends.

And finally standing at Nordkapp.

All of those little experiences made the trip what it was.

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Norway, We Hope to See You Again

Our Nordkapp trip gave us only a small glimpse of Norway.

And it made us want to see more.

Norway is such a beautiful country, and there are still so many places we have not explored.

We would love to visit more Norwegian cities, fjords, mountains, villages, and coastal areas someday.

Living in Finland has made places like this feel much closer than they once did.

So hopefully, Nordkapp will not be our last Norwegian adventure.

Norway, where should we go next?

If you have a favorite place in Norway, we would love to hear your recommendations!

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More From Our Journey to Finland

This road trip became possible because Finland had already become our new home.

But getting here was an adventure of its own.

You can also read:

Moving to Finland: Why It Wasn’t Part of Our Original Plan

How We Actually Got to Finland: Our Recruitment and Residence Permit Journey

From Dubai to Finland: Our Adventure in Migration

From leaving the Philippines, spending almost a decade in Dubai, starting over in Finland, and now exploring more of the Nordic north, our family’s journey has taken us to places we never imagined we would someday see.

And hopefully, there are still many more roads ahead. 💚

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Important Note: This blog is based on our personal travel experience. Accommodation facilities, restaurant menus, opening times, Nordkapp entrance arrangements, border requirements, road conditions, and travel regulations can change. If you are planning your own road trip from Finland to Norway, always check current travel documents, customs requirements, road conditions, accommodation details, and Nordkapp visitor information before leaving.

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“Sometimes the best part of a journey is not only where the road takes us, but the memories we make along the way.”

“The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”

• Psalm 121:8 (KJV)

Looking back, reaching Nordkapp was more than simply arriving at another destination. It was another reminder of how far our family journey has taken us – both literally and in life. 💚

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Sources & Useful Links

🔹 Visit Nordkapp – Official Destination Website
https://www.nordkapp.no/

🔹 Visit Norway – The North Cape
https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/northern-norway/the-north-cape/

🔹 Hytte Camp Nordkapp – BaseCamp
https://www.booking.com/hotel/no/kirkeporten-camping-as.html

🔹 Norwegian Directorate of Immigration – Visitor Information
https://www.udi.no/

🔹 Norwegian Customs – Travelling to Norway
https://www.toll.no/en/travelling-to-and-from-norway/travel-to-norway/