Norway by Motorhome – We finally reach the North Cape
Some destinations are just places on a map. Others have been in your head for a long time, keep coming up in conversations, and eventually become a real dream. For us, the North Cape was exactly such a destination.
On September 19, 2023, we started northeast of Jokkmokk and made our way towards Finland. Behind us was a rainy night, ahead of us a long drive through the far north. We didn't yet know what awaited us along the way: changeable weather, a huge herd of reindeer, a dangerous moment on the road, a night in the highlands, and finally the last kilometers through a landscape that felt almost like another world to us.
On September 20, the time had come: After six days of travel, we reached the North Cape in our camper van. We were proud, happy, and simply grateful. A dream had come true.
📍 Table of Contents:
- Start near Jokkmokk and drive towards Finland
- Border crossing at Karesuando
- Continued journey through Finland
- Back in Norway
- A reindeer narrowly escapes a truck
- Thousands of reindeer in the tundra
- Our overnight spot in the highlands
- Finally at the North Cape
- Visit to the North Cape Center - A dream comes true
- A special evening with northern lights
- Our conclusion on the trip to the North Cape
Start near Jokkmokk and drive towards Finland
Our stage began at a spot northeast of Jokkmokk. It had rained heavily during the night. The sky was gray, temperatures were around four degrees, and even in the morning, it didn't look like the weather would improve quickly.
Normally, we like to take our time for the landscape, for small stops, and for the many things you spontaneously discover along the way. But on this day, we consciously decided to cover ground. The rain was expected to stay with us for a while, and it made more sense for us to use the wet weather for continued travel.
With coffee in hand, we started the new travel day. Despite the weather, the mood was good. On long journeys, such days are simply part of the experience. Not every section consists of sun, perfect views, and ideal conditions. Sometimes it's precisely the uncomfortable days that are remembered most vividly later on.
The journey continued north. The landscape became increasingly calm, vast, and sparsely populated. Even here, we felt ourselves moving deeper into the far north.
Our Scandinavia Highlights as a Video 🎬
Border crossing at Karesuando
At Karesuando, we reached the border between Sweden and Finland.
Of course, we stopped there briefly. For us, such border stops are part of a journey. They mark a new section and give you the feeling of having come a bit further. We took some souvenir photos and also left a small Wickie sticker at the Finnish border.
At the border near Karesuando, we reach Finland with our camper van and make a short photo stop.
We didn't stay long, however. The rain was still with us, and we wanted to get as far as possible that day. So we soon continued through Finland.
Even though the stop was brief, this moment remained special. Within a few days, we had already crossed several countries, and each border crossing brought us closer to our big goal.
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Continued journey through Finland
The drive through Finland was marked by rain, deep clouds, and long roads. The weather at times reminded us more of a car wash than a pleasant travel day. Nevertheless, this stage also had its charm.
The landscape seemed vast and quiet. The autumnal colors were clearly visible, and the gray weather gave everything a unique atmosphere. It was cool, wet, and rugged, but that fit perfectly with this journey through the north.
We continued on the E45, focusing on covering kilometers. On long drives, it's important to remain attentive despite having a destination in mind. Especially in this region, an animal can appear on the road or suddenly emerge from the landscape at any moment.
At this point, we didn't yet know how important this thought would become shortly thereafter.
Back in Norway
After driving through Finland, we reached Norway again.
Shortly after the border, the landscape noticeably changed. Everything became more open, wilder, and barer. The roads stretched through vast expanses, and again and again, we felt as if this landscape extended to the horizon.
It was precisely this vastness that particularly impressed us. There was little distraction, little traffic, and few towns. Instead, tundra, mountains, gray skies, and the endless road dominated the scenery.
Then the first reindeer appeared. At first, there were only a few animals by the road. We were already delighted and convinced that we had a special experience. But a few kilometers later, it became clear that this was just the beginning.
On our way through the North, we repeatedly encounter reindeer directly by the roadside.
Our Highlights as a Video 🎬
A reindeer narrowly escapes a truck
There's one scene from this journey we won't soon forget.
A reindeer calmly crossed the road in front of us. Suddenly, a truck approached from behind. The driver used the airhorn, and the reindeer leaped to the side at the last moment.
On the roads in the far north, you must always be prepared for reindeer.
For a brief moment, our hearts stopped. Fortunately, there was no collision.
This situation showed us very clearly once again how attentively one must drive in the North. Reindeer move freely and can appear on the road at any time. Especially in poor visibility, rain, or on long, straight stretches, one should never lose concentration.
Our most important lesson from this moment is: drive slowly and proactively, expect animals on the road, and don't be fooled by the seemingly empty landscape.
Thousands of reindeer in the tundra
After that moment of shock, our journey continued. Then, to our left, we spotted a huge herd of reindeer.
It wasn't just a few dozen animals. The entire landscape seemed to be filled with reindeer. From our perspective, there were hundreds, maybe even thousands.
From the air, the massive reindeer herd looks almost like a gathering of tiny dots in the autumnal tundra.
We immediately got out our cameras and also launched the drone. From above, the herd looked almost like a large cluster of ants moving through the landscape.
This sight was a real highlight for us. The combination of vast tundra, rugged weather, and this enormous reindeer herd was exactly what we associate with a trip through the far north.
The footage was captured, among other things, with the DJI Mini 3. For the regular video recordings, we used the DJI Osmo Action 3 and the Canon EOS R7, as throughout the entire trip.
Our overnight spot in the highlands
In the evening, we found a free overnight spot up in the highlands. The spot is listed on Park4Night under the number #87978.
The amenities were basic. There was an outhouse on site, but we didn't need anything more for that night.
After the long day of driving, we were glad to have found a quiet spot. The rain had softened the ground, and the surroundings were consequently muddy.
That evening, we hoped for northern lights. However, the clouds made it difficult. Nevertheless, we were later able to see the northern lights despite the cloud cover.
Especially in the far north, the sky can change quickly. It's often worth looking outside repeatedly, even in seemingly bad conditions.
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Finally at the North Cape – A dream comes true
The last few kilometers felt completely different to us than the rest of the journey. The landscape became increasingly rugged, barren, and vast. The wind pushed against the camper van, and at times it really felt as if we were driving on the moon.
With every kilometer, we became more aware of how close we were to our destination. We had been on the road for six days. Behind us lay rain, cold nights, long stages, the drive through Finland, countless reindeer, and always this thought: Sometime, we will really stand at the North Cape.
Then the famous barrier came into view. It was open.
From that moment on, it was only 13 kilometers. Not a great distance anymore, but for us, every single kilometer felt special. We kept looking ahead, observing the rugged landscape, and could hardly believe that our dream was about to become reality.
When we finally reached the North Cape, we were simply overwhelmed. We had really made it.
At the North Cape, we stay overnight in our camper van and enjoy the rugged landscape directly on the cliff coast.
After six days of travel, we stood at the place we had longed to reach for so long. We were proud, happy, and full of joy. In that moment, all the tension of the past few days fell away from us.
The strong wind, the snowfall, and the rough weather suddenly became secondary. All that mattered to us was that we had arrived.
When we saw the North Cape globe, a travel destination turned into a true goosebump moment. We stood there together and knew: This moment will stay with us forever.
It wasn't just arriving at a famous place. It was the feeling of having achieved a dream with our own camper van.
That's exactly why arriving at the North Cape was the emotional highlight of this trip for us.
Visit to the North Cape Center
After reaching the North Cape, we decided to also visit the North Cape Center and the museum. For us, it was simply part of the experience. After traveling so many kilometers to finally arrive at this special place, you don't just want to stand by the globe for a moment and drive right back.
After six days of travel, we stand with Don at the North Cape globe – proud, happy, and overwhelmed that our dream has come true.
We bought tickets and took our time to explore the center. For us, the visit was worth it. After the long drive, it was nice to get out of the wind and consciously experience the moment of arrival.
Don was not allowed into the center and therefore stayed in the motorhome during our visit. We can no longer clearly remember other dog rules or a possible leash requirement. Therefore, it is important for other dog owners to inquire about the current rules before their visit.
Outside, the weather remained typically Nordic. The wind was strong, and it even snowed occasionally. This very contrast between the sheltered interior of the center and the harsh landscape outside made the visit particularly special for us.
We also stayed overnight at the North Cape. Despite the wind, we didn't want to leave this place immediately. After six days on the road, we had reached our goal, and we wanted to hold on to this moment for as long as possible.
Furthermore, we continued to hope for Northern Lights. The clouds made it difficult, but we didn't want to give up hope entirely. The very fact of spending the night at the North Cape felt special to us. It wasn't just another parking spot, but the culmination of a travel stage we had long looked forward to.
A special evening with Northern Lights
After visiting the North Cape Center, we went back to the motorhome. Outside, the harsh weather was waiting for us again. The wind was strong, the air cold, and it even snowed occasionally. Nevertheless, we did not want to drive on that evening.
We had reached our big goal and decided to stay overnight at the North Cape. For us, it was clear: after this long journey, we didn't just want to visit the place briefly, but truly enjoy the moment.
In the motorhome, peace slowly settled. Behind us lay six intense travel days, long stretches of driving, rain, tundra, reindeer, and many special impressions. Now we were actually at the North Cape and could hardly believe we had made it.
Of course, we also hoped for Northern Lights that evening. The clouds didn't make it easy for us, and the sky was overcast for a long time. Nevertheless, we kept looking outside.
Despite the clouds, Northern Lights appear above the North Cape globe in the evening, making this special day perfect for us.
Then we actually saw them.
Despite the clouds, Northern Lights appeared over the North Cape. For us, they were the perfect end to this day. After the emotional arrival, the visit to the center, and the stormy weather, we received this special gift in the evening.
The Northern Lights looked particularly impressive in this rugged environment. Above us, the glowing sky, around us the barren landscape, and next to us our motorhome, with which we had driven all the way here.
In that moment, we realized again how special this journey was. We stood at the North Cape, had achieved a big dream, and were allowed to end the evening with Northern Lights.
This day could hardly have ended better for us.
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Our conclusion on the trip to the North Cape
Arriving at the North Cape was more than just reaching another travel destination for us.
We were proud, happy, and grateful. After six days on the road, a dream had come true.
The route through Sweden, Finland, and Norway showed us how varied the far north can be. We experienced rain, strong winds, snowfall, Northern Lights, vast tundra landscapes, and a herd of reindeer whose size we will never forget.
The dangerous situation between the reindeer and the truck also remains in our memory. It showed us once again how important attention is on these roads.
Our most important recommendation for a trip to the north is therefore: Drive carefully, expect reindeer at all times, and still take the time to consciously enjoy the landscape.
The last kilometers to the North Cape were like a journey through another world for us. When we finally stood at the globe, we knew: every single stage had been worth it.
You can find the full video of this trip on our YouTube channel:
Sweden by motorhome – On the way to the North Cape
https://youtu.be/5d3Khlp2yjA
If you prefer to experience our journey in moving pictures, feel free to visit our YouTube channel Wickie On Tour. There, we take you across all five Alpine passes, show our pitches, and share many other impressions and experiences that are difficult to capture in a blog.
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