8 Nights in the Lofoten Islands: Solo Campervan Road Trip
“Know Before You Go Guide”
Travel Dates: September 12–20
After going about six months without taking a trip—Patagonia in March being my last one, which is pretty unheard of for me since I like to travel as much as possible—I was itching to get out of the country again.
This trip was going to be a little different because I didn’t have a travel buddy available to go with me. I had to decide whether to wait until someone could join me or just go for it and take my first solo trip.
I knew I couldn’t wait any longer, so I went for it.
After researching places that were safe for a solo female traveler, campervan-friendly, and had plenty of hiking and campsites, I decided on the Lofoten Islands in Norway.
I spent 7 nights exploring Lofoten and one night in Bodø before my early flight home. Lofoten ended up being an amazing choice for my second solo adventure, even though the trip definitely didn’t start out smoothly!
My very first solo trip was 5 nights in Ireland.
8 Night Lofoten Islands Itinerary Summarized
| Day | Itinerary |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Bodø → Svolvær — Ferry to Svolvær, pick up campervan, stay near Svolvær |
| Day 2 | Storm Day — Drive to Lofoten Camp Storfjord and relax at the campsite |
| Day 3 | Offersøykammen + Mannen Hikes — Hike both, then drive to Lofoten Beach Camp |
| Day 4 | Ryten Hike + Kvalvika Beach — Explore the area and stay at Lofoten Beach Camp |
| Day 5 | Drive to Reine — Scenic drive south, explore along the way, stay at Moskenes Camping |
| Day 6 | Reine — Explore Reine, visit Reinefjord Sjøhus, and take a Saga Adventure kayak tour |
| Day 7 | Reinebringen + Henningsvær — Hike Reinebringen, drive north, hike Festvågtind, stay at Lofoten Bobilcamp |
| Day 8 | Svolvær — Drive to Svolvær, hike Djevelporten, return campervan, fly to Bodø, stay at Radisson Blu Hotel |
| Day 9 | Bodø → San Diego — Fly home |
When to Visit Lofoten Islands
The most popular time to visit Lofoten is generally July and August. This is when you have the best chance of summer weather, but it also means peak crowds, busier roads, full parking lots at popular trailheads, and needing to book accommodations and campsites ahead of time.
The shoulder seasons of June and September offer fewer crowds and more flexibility. The tradeoff is more unpredictable weather, and June can still have snow on higher mountain trails. September can bring more rain and storms, but you also have the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights, which are visible in Lofoten from around September through April.
I chose September because I wanted complete flexibility. I didn’t want to pre-book my entire itinerary and wanted the weather to determine what I did each day.
It ended up working out really well.
There was a major storm with extremely strong winds on my first day, which had me worried about how the rest of the trip was going to go. Luckily, after that first day, the weather was surprisingly good. I only had one other full day of rain during my seven days on the islands, which actually worked out perfectly because it gave me a chance to relax at the campsite after two full days of hiking.
How to Get to the Lofoten Islands
The main airports used for reaching Lofoten are Bodø, Evenes, and Tromsø, along with Lofoten’s smaller airports in Svolvær and Leknes.
From Bodø
You have several options:
- Ferry from Bodø to Moskenes: approximately 3.5 hours and allows vehicles.
- Express boat from Bodø to Svolvær: approximately 3.5 hours and is passenger-only.
- Flight to Svolvær or Leknes: around 30 minutes.
- You can also drive from Bodø toward Lofoten, but you’ll still need to incorporate a ferry depending on your route.
The Bodø–Moskenes ferry is the main vehicle ferry into Lofoten, while the Bodø–Svolvær express boat does not have a vehicle deck.
From Evenes
Evenes is another convenient option, especially if you’re renting a car. Svolvær is roughly a 2.5–3 hour drive away, and there are also bus connections into Lofoten.
From Tromsø
You can fly onward to Lofoten or drive approximately 6–7 hours to reach Svolvær.
What I Did
I flew from San Diego to Bodø, which was a very long travel day involving two layovers.
I had about six hours to explore Bodø’s main center, which was convenient because the ferry terminal is nearby, before catching the 6 PM ferry to Svolvær.
Unfortunately, I got extremely seasick and ended up throwing up in the bathroom for the final hour of the ferry ride. It was awful.
Because of that, I canceled my return ferry and booked the 30-minute flight from Svolvær back to Bodø instead. It ended up being only about $30 more than the ferry, and for me, it was absolutely worth it.
If you get motion sick, I would strongly consider taking medication before the ferry or just flying instead.
Getting Around Lofoten Islands
Once you’re in Lofoten, you can travel by bus, rental car, campervan, or a combination of boats and ferries. Public transportation does connect many areas along the E10, but buses aren’t as frequent once you get away from the main road, so having your own vehicle gives you much more flexibility.
For a road trip, you can start in Svolvær and work your way south toward Reine, or start in Moskenes and work north.
The total drive from Svolvær to Reine is only around 2.5 hours without stops, but don’t expect it to actually take only 2.5 hours. The roads are narrow and winding, there can be construction, and you’ll constantly want to stop for the scenery.
Some tunnel construction project near Offersøya added about 30 minutes when driving toward Reine and around an hour when heading back toward Svolvær.
My Recommendation: Rent a Campervan
In my opinion, a campervan is one of the best ways to explore Lofoten.
You can rent one in Bodø and take the vehicle ferry to Moskenes, or rent from Tromsø or Evenes and drive into Lofoten or rent directly in Lofoten Islands such as LofotenVanLife in Svolvaer. I saw other campervan rental companies located in Ramberg or Leknes.
I originally planned to rent a campervan in Bodø, but that turned into an entire nightmare of its own.
The company I originally booked, Bodø Lofoten Campervan, ended up being a scam. I wasn’t getting responses to my emails or WhatsApp messages, and on the day of my flight I finally realized something wasn’t right. After searching Google, I found several reviews from other travelers warning people not to book with the company.
I called my Capital One Venture X card, disputed the charge, and booked another van through Lofoten Van Life. This forced me to change my itinerary, but because I hadn’t pre-booked my campsites, it was actually pretty easy to adjust.
Thankfully, the original company eventually refunded me, so everything worked out.
I ended up renting an adorable old pink VW van from Lofoten Van Life for seven nights for $2,168 USD.
The van was definitely old-school. The steering wheel was huge and very stiff, so I had to use some muscle to turn it! I also had to run the engine for a couple of minutes whenever I started it or it would sometimes stall.
Then, on my second-to-last day, the van started making some very loud noises. I discovered it needed oil, so I added an entire bottle myself—which was a first for me! Thankfully, the noise stopped immediately. Yay!
The pink van became quite the spectacle around Lofoten. People seemed to love seeing it driving around, and I even met people who would tell me, “OMG, I’ve been seeing you all over!” It also made for some pretty great pictures.
Inside, it had basically everything I needed. My most-used items were:
- Electric extension cord for the campsite hookups
- Electric heater
- Electric cooler
- Water boiler
- Power bank
- Single-burner gas stove
It got really cold at night, so I ran the electric heater every night. I also cooked simple meals like eggs and grilled cheese on the little gas stove.
By the end of the trip, I had grown really attached to the little pink van and was genuinely sad when I had to return it.
Other Ways to Explore Lofoten
Tent camping: If you’re on a budget, you can hike, use buses, and camp in a tent. This is the cheapest option and can make a longer trip much more affordable. Just be mindful that Lofoten has specific areas where camping and overnight parking aren’t allowed, so official campsites are the easiest option but I did see people camping outside campsites as long as your not close to any private properties.
I also picked up some young hitch hikers that were doing a camping trip through Lofoten. I was able to drive them closer to their destination which was such a fun experience and the first time I ever did that! They were super nice and I was glad I could help them out.
Rental car + accommodations: You can also rent a car and stay in rorbuer, hotels, Airbnbs, or other accommodations along your route. Another option is choosing one home base and taking day trips, although this will add more driving.
My Lofoten Islands Campsites
I spent $358 total on campsites for seven nights.
I was concerned that many campsites would close after August, but I found plenty still open in September and was able to book every night when I arrived rather than reserving ahead of time.
| Night | Campsite | Cost | My Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamerstad Campsite | $42/night | Waterfront, clean bathrooms, paid showers, electric hookup. Convenient after arriving in Svolvær around 10 PM. |
| 2 | Lofoten Camp Storfjord | $49/night | Beautiful lake and mountain setting, clean bathrooms, showers included, free kayaks, bikes available, private sauna for about $12/hour. |
| 3–4 | Lofoten Beach Camp | $53/night | My favorite! Right on the beach with a café, lounge area, books, surf lessons, saunas ($19/hour), and great access to Ryten/Kvalvika. You must pay for the shower and its timed at 6 minutes. Provided hair dryers. |
| 5–6 | Moskenes Camping | $52/night | Waterfront location, free showers, coin laundry, kitchen, and convenient for Reinebringen. |
| 7 | Lofoten Bobilcamp | $55/night | Waterfront with mountain views, great sunset, large kitchen/lounge, clean bathrooms and free showers. |
Lofoten Travel Tips
Pack Layers for Hiking
The hikes may only take 2–3 hours, but don’t let the short duration fool you. Many are steep, challenging, rocky, and not always clearly marked.
You’ll probably get hot and sweaty climbing uphill, but once you reach the top and stop moving, it can get surprisingly cold. I was very happy to have extra layers and gloves in my backpack.
The Weather Changes Quickly
Lofoten weather can change incredibly fast. You can have rain and gloomy skies one minute and then suddenly have the sun come out and completely light up the mountains.
Don’t automatically cancel your hiking plans because the weather looks bad several hours beforehand.
Download These Apps
- EasyPark: Set up your payment card ahead of time so parking fees can be automatically charged.
- Campio: Useful for finding and booking campsites. I booked mine on arrival throughout my trip.
- YR.no: I preferred using the website rather than the app because clicking “Details” gave me more hourly information, including low, middle, and high cloud coverage, which was especially helpful when planning hikes.
- Reis: Useful for checking ferries, buses, and express boats.
Give Yourself Extra Driving Time
Lofoten looks small on a map, but driving can take much longer than expected because of construction, narrow roads, tunnels, traffic, and scenic stops.
The roads are often single-lane, and during the busy season you may get stuck behind slower cars stopping to take in the scenery.
Grocery Shop and Cook
Lofoten is expensive. Food, gas, parking, campsites, activities, and everything else can add up quickly.
I recommend buying groceries and cooking at your campsite whenever possible instead of eating out for every meal.
Also, most grocery stores were closed on Sundays when I was in Svolvær, except for Bunnpris, so plan your grocery shopping accordingly.
Phone Service
I had great service throughout my entire trip using AT&T’s International Day Pass for $12/day. Surprisingly, my service even worked really well at the tops of the mountains.
Check Your Campervan Company Carefully
This one is important!
Before booking, search the company on Google and read recent reviews. My original campervan booking (BodoLofoten Campervans) ended up being a scam, and I was extremely lucky that I caught it before arriving in Norway. I then booked with LofotenVanLife located in Svolvaer which turned out to be a great decision.
Lost Luggage Tip
I had a one-hour layover in Copenhagen before my flight to Bodø, and unfortunately my luggage didn’t make the connection.
I ended up wearing my airplane outfit for three days before my luggage was eventually sent to Leknes.
If your luggage gets lost, make sure you file the report through the airline’s lost-luggage system and provide an updated Lofoten airport where you want it delivered. This makes it much easier to pick it up while you’re traveling.
My Total Trip Cost
My entire 8-night solo Lofoten trip cost about $4,800 USD, including:
- Flights
- Ferry/flight transportation
- Campervan for 7 nights
- Gas
- Campsites for 7 nights
- Food
- Parking fees for all the hiking
- Hotel in Bodø for one night
- 2 Saunas
- Kayak tour
- Phone bill with ATT international day pass
Traveling solo definitely made the trip more expensive than splitting a campervan and other costs with someone else, but having the freedom to completely control my itinerary was worth it for this trip.
Lofoten in Summary
I’m not going to lie—the first couple days had me questioning some of my decisions.
First, I found out my original campervan reservation was a scam. Then I had to completely change my itinerary. My airline lost my luggage, leaving me in my airplane outfit for three days. Then I got extremely seasick on the ferry from Bodø to Svolvær. And, to top it all off, my first day on the islands had a major storm with extremely strong winds.
But then came day three.
I woke up to sunshine, I was finally getting the hang of driving my last-minute pink campervan, and I found out my lost luggage was on its way to the Leknes airport close by.
From that point on, the trip was amazing and ended up being even better than I expected.
I hiked six beautiful mountain trails, relaxed in a couple of saunas, took a kayak tour in Reine, stayed at beautiful campsites where I could wake up next to the water, met other awesome travelers and drove the incredibly scenic E10 between Svolvær and Reine.
And most importantly, I proved to myself that I didn’t need to wait for someone else to travel with me.
Sometimes you just have to go for it.
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