Camping in Norway – real story of wild camping with a campervan

Want to go camping in Norway?

Much has been written about Norway being a paradise for campers and day trippers from all over the world. It’s not just because of Norway’s incredible and wild nature, but also because of Norway’s friendly laws about camping, spending time in nature and, during the summer, the endless daylight. Another important factor why camping in Norway is so popular is the financial aspect. If you really want to explore and travel the country, you’ll need to come up with a hefty sum of money, as it is one of the most expensive countries in Europe. Of course, camping reduces travel expenses considerably, making it an appealing destination even for travellers on a tight budget.

All of this convinced us that we would go on such a trip with our modified van. The trip from Prague to Nordkapp and back took us 2 months, and we spent most of the time in Norway. In this article, we’ll share with you our experiences of (mostly) wild camping. We not only bring you information and tips that you may find useful on a trip like this, but also inspiration, because if you decide to do Norway in a van, you won’t regret it.

Why is it different in Norway?

We owe the opportunity for wild camping in Norway to Allemannsreten, which could be translated into English as “public access to the countryside”. It is a unique concept that defines access to nature and the rural environment. This basic principle, deeply embedded in Norwegian culture, allows people to freely explore and enjoy the natural beauty of the land, even on private land, with certain restrictions and obligations. Allemannsretten allows everyone to actively recreate in nature, as long as doing so does not violate the law and does not harm nature or the interests of others.

Allemannsretten in practice

So you can camp almost anywhere in the wild, except on cultivated land and pastures, for up to 48 hours at a time. You should also be at least 150 metres from the nearest occupied house or cottage. If you want to stay in the same place longer or are near an occupied house or cottage, you must get the landowner’s permission.

In our experience, we recommend camping/parking more than 150 metres away, not only to maintain privacy for everyone, but also because you can actually afford it in Norway. Forget about dense housing developments, endless bordered private land or the inability to turn off the main road and into the forest. The truly generous natural space that Norway offers allows you to park in complete privacy, without worrying if you’re shining a light into someone’s living room.

Wildcamping – how to do it

1. Free parking at the idyllic Silsanden beach

2. Parking at the Bøyabreen viewpoint and glacier

3. Wild parking on the Lofoten Islands

Wild camping etiquette and the “leave no trace” policy

The wildcamping ethic and the “leave no trace” principle are key to ensuring that the beauty and biodiversity of nature is preserved not only for us, but also for future generations. These principles are the basis for minimising the impact on nature when camping in the wilderness and promote a sustainable and respectful approach to outdoor activities.

How to minimise the impact on nature?

• Plan ahead and prepare. Appropriate preparation means minimising the need to interfere with nature. Inform yourself about where you are going, the expected weather and local rules.
• Watch out for unpaved roads. Avoid camping on fragile vegetation or in areas where your stay could cause erosion or other damage. Existing campsites or hard, durable surfaces are ideal.
• Remove all waste. Any waste you bring in, you must also take out. This includes organic waste such as food scraps that can disrupt local ecosystems.
• Keep what you find. Don’t remove plants, disturb wildlife or collect souvenirs from the wild.
• Minimize the use of fire. Use cooking stoves for cooking and avoid open fires unless necessary or local rules specifically allow it. If fires are allowed, use existing fires (quite common in Norway) or portable fires and make sure the fire is completely extinguished before you leave.
• Respect wildlife and other visitors. Don’t make unnecessary noise and don’t play loud music to avoid disturbing animals or other people in nature. Observe the principles of respectful behaviour.

The main idea behind the “leave no trace” policy is to leave the place as you found it, or even better. This means not only taking away trash, but also minimizing the physical and visual impact of your presence. The goal is to make it impossible to know you were in the place after you leave.

How to find suitable places for camping

If you don’t want to leave anything to chance and want to see your place in advance, we recommend using the Park4night app. There you can find places added by other travellers and you can also see their reviews and a description of the services you can expect at the place. We used this app daily, not only to find a place to spend the night and take a shower, but also where to park in big cities with a motorhome. However, nothing is perfect and some places may no longer be suitable for camping or occupied. Thanks to the size of the database of places, and specially in Norway, you’re sure to find the right one. We recommend looking at reviews and ratings, but above all go see for yourself. You are on an adventure trip after all!

If you don’t feel like planning, Norway in particular is the perfect candidate to be a bit spontaneous again. Stop wherever you like. The best places are off the main roads and drives, so you’ll need to bring out your inner adventurer if you want to experience something truly unique.

On our trip we looked for suitable places according to our mood. If we had time, we looked for ourselves, or we let ourselves be surprised by what we encountered on the way. Sometimes, for example, we needed to work or refill water, and we planned our stops carefully. It’s entirely up to you.

Tip: Norway has changed our idea of rest areas. Norwegian “rasteplass” has not so much in common with the Czech one. Most of the time it is a very nice place with a beautiful view, picnic benches and often public and clean toilets with water. Even though they are sometimes next to the road, at night the traffic usually dies down and you can sleep in the pink. Unless otherwise indicated by signs, you can easily spend the night here, pull out your grill and have a good dinner. You’ll usually run into other campers with whom you can share your experiences or travel tips. Just to give you an idea, the Fjærlandsfjorden lookout is right on the rasteplass where you can park and wake up to such beautiful views.

Clash with reality

But we have to bring some healthy realism to this fairy tale. Mainly due to the popularity and the fact that camping is almost a national sport in Norway, the number of caravans and campers, especially during the summer season, is really high. You will feel this especially on islands like Lofoten, which have not yet managed to fully prepare for such an influx of motorhomes. Parking lots tend to be overcrowded and finding a secluded place to park can be a problem. If you have a spot where you really want to spend the night and camp, we recommend arriving early, ideally around 3pm. Adding to the busyness on the roads, rest areas and car parks can be the changeable Norwegian weather, which in the event of heavy rain will not allow non-4×4 vehicles to park off the paved roads.

Norway is particularly popular with retired German campers, who you’ll meet almost at every turn. On the other hand, it’s rare to come across a Norwegian campervan at home, even though you’ll see one parked outside almost every other house.

Big cities like Bergen, Stavanger and Tromsø offer plenty of parking for motorhomes, but the parking fees can be astronomical. If you want to visit the city, we recommend parking outside the centre and taking your bike or using public transport.

Also watch out for pay and restricted areas. We recommend that you follow all the rules, as fines can make your holiday really expensive.

Expenses related to proceedings in Norway

If you want to avoid fines, it’s harder with Norwegian toll roads and ferries. Before you hit the road, read carefully how to register for digital tolls. In Norway, the system for collecting tolls and road charges is different. Instead of motorway gates and traditional toll booths, the system uses in-car toll cameras and electronic registration devices that automatically record vehicles passing through toll plazas to collect fees efficiently. Sign up for AutoPASS and worry no more. Toll sections are usually unavoidable, so you have to put up with them.

Can’t you imagine how much it’s gonna cost you? Do you like examples? Let’s do it!

We assume:

• Route: the route from Kristiansand to Nordkapp is approximately 2,500 km long and one of the longest possible routes in the country
• Type of vehicle: A van/camper with a height of 2.6 m and a length of 6 m.
• Toll Stations: we assume an estimated 20 toll stations (may vary by route and detours)
• Average toll station toll: around 5 to 7 EUR (for the calculation, we will assume 6 EUR)

The cost of a one-way trip will be:

$20\times 6\text{EUR}=120\text{EUR ~1200NOK}$

It is similar with ferries. Sometimes you can choose an alternative along the way, but most of the time it will definitely be longer and more complicated. We don’t recommend avoiding ferries, quite the opposite. It’s a nice change of pace and you’ll get a break. The average price for one ferry ride, which usually takes around 5 minutes, will be around 20 EUR ~ 200 NOK. If we repeat the example above and therefore want to estimate the total cost of ferries for the route from Kristiansand to Nordkapp, calculating 3 ferry crossings with an average charge of 20 EUR, then:

3 × 20 EUR = 60 EUR $\text{~ 600 NOK}$

More information about (not only) ferry transport can be found here.

Showers and personal hygiene

I think we can all agree that cleanliness is half the health. Although in a motorhome and on the road it can be more complicated and cleanliness will be less than half health, in Norway it is a little easier. Why? There are many public places where you can take a shower for a small fee. This fee usually doesn’t exceed more than 3 EUR ~ 30 NOK and you have privacy and plenty of hot water. You can also find showers in the least expected places, such as Joker grocery stores, which sometimes offer this service. Also look for them in private paid parking lots, called “Bobilparken”. You can usually buy tokens to use the shower or the washing machine and dryer at these facilities. If you’re assertive enough, feel free to stop by a campsite and ask about the possibility of using the shower for a possible fee, we’ve had a couple of success with no problems.

Another option is the portable showers that come with your camping gear. When you’re having trouble finding a secluded and private spot in nature, heat your shower in the sun, hang it behind a tree, use biodegradable products, and go for it! Of course, the best and cheapest option for a refreshing yet natural “shower” is to take a dip in one of Norway’s countless lakes and fjords. It’s probably no coincidence that this natural method is also so popular among campers in Norway.

And what if I want to get comfortable and take a break from moving?

Are you fed up with scheduling and rescheduling? Would you welcome a hot shower and just not worry about anything for a while? There’s no better solution than going to an official campsite. There are indeed many campsites in Norway, mainly due to the growing popularity of camping. You can find campsites even in the most remote areas where there isn’t even food. Prices for campsites are higher than in the rest of Europe, but vary according to location and facilities and can range from 25-50 euros per night for a caravan and two people. New campsite, new rules. Some campsites include a shower or even bike and boat hire. Some places, on the other hand, you have to pay extra for almost every extra service. Again, preparation and research saves money.

Our three favourite campsites were:

1. Lofoten beach camp in the Lofoten Islands, right next to Skagsanden beach

2. Oldevatn camping, next to the lake Oldevatnet

3. Hoddevik strandcamp in the surfing paradise of Hoddevik

We hope you’ve learned something useful about a fairly complex topic like wild camping in Norway. We’ve tried to bring you practical advice and tips from our unforgettable trip. Just have a great time, but remember, luck favours the prepared!

On retkee.com you can also find a complete itinerary for a week of exploring Lofoten without the hassle of your motorhome.

More practical information from our motorhome trip in Norway coming soon on our website. Sign up for our newsletter so you don’t miss anything!

Need help planning your Norwegian adventure? That’s our specialty! Fill out our questionnaire or contact us directly at info@retkee.com.