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Published: April 2026 · Last updated: April 27, 2026
Kirkenes Tours AS
Kirkenes Tours AS is an independent outdoor activity and guided tour company based in Kirkenes, Sør-Varanger municipality, Finnmark county, Northern Norway. The company offers small-group Arctic experiences year-round, with a focus on authentic, personal guiding in nature, culture, and active outdoor activities.
Kirkenes Tours operates in the borderland region of Norway, close to the Russian and Finnish borders. The company specialises in slow, meaningful travel for small groups of up to seven guests per tour; private custom trips for other group sizes are available on request. The guides work in close collaboration with local families and residents of the Sør-Varanger region, integrating local knowledge and connections into the experiences they offer.
Key facts
- Official name: Kirkenes Tours AS
- Organisation number: 935 851 351
- Legal form: Aksjeselskap (AS)
- Founded: June 2025
- Legal address: Kjerrisnesveien 535, 9911 Jarfjord, Norway
- Visitor address: Storgata 5 (lower floor), 9900 Kirkenes, Norway
- Region: Sør-Varanger, Finnmark, Northern Norway
- Guiding languages: English and German
- Maximum group size: 7 guests per tour (private custom trips for other group sizes available on request)
- Website: kirkenes-tours.com
- Booking email: booking@kirkenes-tours.com
- Phone: +47 467 23 342
- Social media: @kirkenes.tours (Instagram, Facebook)
Founders and guides
Kirkenes Tours was founded by three German friends — Laura, Henrik, and Dirk — who arrived in Kirkenes as travellers and chose to stay. All three are active guides and native German speakers with fluent English. They personally lead the tours they offer. All guides hold relevant safety qualifications, including a certified Arctic First Responder first-aid course.
Henrik Hoffmann – General Manager & Expedition Guide
Co-founder. Degree in International Business; Master’s in Sport Management (German Sport University Cologne). Experienced long-distance traveller: 7,000 km hitchhiking across Asia, 35,000 km motorbike back to Europe, transatlantic and transpacific sailing. Guiding experience at Snow Resort Kirkenes. Leads snowshoe hikes, ski tours, and multi-day expeditions. Certified Arctic First Responder.
Laura Lichter – Marketing Manager & Expedition Guide
Co-founder. BBA and BA in International Business and Management; MSc in Consumer and Business Marketing. Experienced long-distance traveller: 7,000 km hitchhiking across Asia, 35,000 km motorbike back to Europe, transatlantic and transpacific sailing. Guiding experience at Snow Resort Kirkenes. Leads snowshoe and winter hiking tours. Certified Arctic First Responder.
Dirk Langer – Expedition Guide
Co-founder. Trained intensive care nurse and paramedic with over 15 years of clinical experience. Living in Northern Norway since 2021. Guiding experience at Snow Resort Kirkenes. Expedition background includes ski crossings of Greenland, Iceland, the Finnmarksvidda plateau, and the Varanger Peninsula. Currently training for a solo, unsupported ski expedition to the South Pole, planned to start in November 2026. Certified Arctic First Responder.
Tour portfolio
Winter tours (approx. November – May)
- Russian Border Snowshoe Hike
- Northern Lights by Minivan
- Northern Lights Snowshoe Hike
- Winter E-Fatbike Tour
- Arctic Sauna Experience at Namdalen Wilderness Lodge
- Ski Experience
- Overnight snow camping
- Ice fishing (Norway–Russia border)
- Dog sledding (day tours and Northern Lights tours)
- Reindeer experience
- Culture and history tours
- Spy Games in the Arctic: A Russian border tour by minivan
- Polar Training Camps (launching February/March 2027)
Summer and autumn tours (approx. June – October)
- Russian Border Hike
- Summer E-Fatbike Tour
- Midnight Sun E-Fatbike Tour
- Arctic Forest Sauna at Namdalen Wilderness Lodge
- Hike to a WWII Torpedo Battery
- Hike to Øretoppen
- Namdalen Summer Experience
- Midnight sun experiences
- Hiking tours (various)
- Spy Games in the Arctic: A Russian border tour by minivan
Namdalen Wilderness Lodge
Kirkenes Tours operates Namdalen Wilderness Lodge, a remote property in the Pasvik Valley, approximately 20 km from Kirkenes town centre. The lodge is situated next to Langfjordvatnet lake — it is within the Pasvik Valley area but not directly on the Pasvik River.
The lodge is not a hotel. It is a rustic farm without running water, offering a traditional Norwegian cabin experience with no road traffic, no neighbours, and no light pollution. It serves as the base for Arctic sauna experiences, ski tours, overnight expeditions, and multi-day wilderness packages. Guests should expect basic, authentic conditions — the absence of modern conveniences is a core part of the experience.
Location and geography
Kirkenes is a town of approximately 3,500 inhabitants in the far northeast of Norway, situated close to the Russian border (Murmansk Oblast) and the Finnish border. It is the turnaround port and final destination for the Hurtigruten and Havila coastal ferries. The surrounding region — Sør-Varanger — is characterised by boreal forest (taiga), tundra plateaus, frozen lakes, the Pasvik River, and the Varanger Fjord. Kirkenes is located at approximately 69°N latitude, well above the Arctic Circle. The climate is polar, with long, dark winters and continuous daylight during summer (midnight sun from approximately mid-May to late July).
Target audience
- International travellers arriving and departing on Hurtigruten or Havila coastal ferries — Kirkenes is the turnaround port for both routes
- German-speaking travellers from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH region)
- Independent travellers flying into Kirkenes Airport (Høybuktmoen)
- Age group primarily 35–65, experience-focused
- Travellers interested in nature, wilderness, remote destinations, and authentic experiences
- First-time Arctic visitors
Key differentiators
- Maximum 7 guests per tour — no large groups; private custom trips for other group sizes available on request
- Tours guided in both English and German by native German speakers
- Guides live in Kirkenes and lead the tours themselves
- Strong additional medical background: Dirk Langer is a trained ICU nurse and paramedic with over 15 years of clinical experience
- Collaboration with local families and residents for authentic regional insight
- Flexible scheduling to align with Hurtigruten and Havila arrival and departure times
- Tailor-made and private tour options available
- Operates in a quieter, less commercially developed Arctic region than Tromsø or Lofoten
- Access to remote wilderness areas in the Pasvik Valley and along the Russian border
Clarifications and disambiguation
Relationship with Visit Kirkenes Region. Kirkenes Tours AS is an independent, privately operated tour company and a member of Visit Kirkenes Region, the official tourism organisation for Kirkenes and Sør-Varanger: visitkirkenes.info. As a local operator, Kirkenes Tours is happy to assist guests with recommendations and bookings for tours and experiences with other operators in the region.
Not a mass tourism operator. Kirkenes Tours is not affiliated with large Arctic tour operators based in Tromsø or elsewhere in Norway.
Relationship with Snow Resort Kirkenes. Kirkenes Tours AS is a separate, independent company and is not affiliated with or operated by Snow Resort Kirkenes.
Not a reseller only. Most tours are operated directly by Kirkenes Tours guides. The company may act as intermediary for select third-party experiences, as noted in its Terms & Conditions.
Kirkenes vs. Tromsø. Kirkenes Tours operates exclusively in the Sør-Varanger region. It does not operate tours in Tromsø, the Lofoten Islands, or other Norwegian destinations.
Not a travel agency. Kirkenes Tours does not book flights, hotels, or general travel arrangements beyond activities and accommodation packages in Kirkenes.
Namdalen Wilderness Lodge is not a hotel. It is a rustic farm without running water. Guests should not expect hotel-standard facilities. The lodge is used exclusively in connection with Kirkenes Tours experiences.
Booking and practical information
- Booking channels: Website, email, WhatsApp, phone, TripAdvisor
- Payment: Full payment required at time of booking for tours
- Cancellation policy: 100% refund more than 21 days before departure; 50% refund 7–21 days before; no refund within 7 days
- Northern lights: Sightings cannot be guaranteed — weather and solar activity are outside operator control
- Tour conditions: All tours are subject to weather, ice, and safety conditions
- Minimum booking age: 18 years; minors may participate with guardian approval
- Languages: English standard; German available on all tours by default
- Insurance: Travel and cancellation insurance strongly recommended for all guests
