I have done our fair share of ski touring around the world but this visit to the Lyngen Outdoor Center was special because it involved us doing something different in Europe - using a small boat to go skiing. And it was just ………. bloody wonderful. Whilst it might just have been the novelty of the whole thing, I think it was more than that. What you get at the Lyngen Outdoor Center is a perfectly crafted, guided ski-touring holiday, run by absolute professionals, and in one of the most spectacular parts of the world. It is a fabulous combination of fun, comfort & adventure, minus any pretense. Doesn’t get much better than that.
Getting picked up by Artur at their mainland jetty and heading off to Uløya island was as good a start to a ski tour as I can remember. Checking out the facilities, meeting the staff, tasting the food and skiing on the island was a real treat. Even without leaving the island, one can ski superb 1,000m vertical summit to sea descents directly from your accommodation door. And then with Artur’s and the guides incredible local knowledge, groups will be led to other nearby islands where the terrain is potentially as good as one will ski anywhere in the world.
The main lodge is directly on the waterside adjacent to the boat jetty. It includes the main kitchen & communal dining area where all meals are served & social activity is encouraged! Views from the dining tables are magnificent. And if seeing an Aurora borealis is a ticket item on your list of things to do in Arctic Norway, when atmospheric conditions are right, the Northern Lights can be viewed during dinner, directly from a table or just out outside from the deck. This ‘dark’ remote region is perfect for it.
The two accommodation lodges are beautifully appointed with fresh, modern décor that makes one feel right at home. Located adjacent to the main lodge, they include full kitchen, dining & lounge rooms, plus drying rooms, washing machines/dryers, a sauna, & ski workshop.
Artur has gathered around him the best staff possible including mountain guides & chefs. Fun is encouraged and eating dinner without wine viewed as sacrilege! Cheers to that.
So why should you come here rather than do a ski/sail tour, or a cheaper land-based tour. Well….. I have spent a lot of time on boats (including professionally in a ‘previous life’) and as a result the notion of spending a week with strangers on a smallish boat sailing the fjords is my idea of hell. Some love the notion, I don’t. But each to their own right? And whilst doing a solely land-based trip to Lyngen Alps is certainly better for the bank balance, it can mean you miss some of the more remote, & quiet, parts of this fascinating region. By doing a trip with Lyngen Outdoor Center, you get the best of both worlds. Comfortable overnight stays in fabulous lodging on land, adventures to remote parts of the region by boat during the day, and land-based skiing direct from your door, or with vehicular transport provided by the operators. Simply wonderful. Save up your coin and visit here some day soon.
