Norway is Scandinavia in Extreme

Scandinavia is an amazing location for a vacation. It’s incredibly beautiful, the people are amongst the most hospitable in the world, and the food is amazing. Norway is Scandinavia in extreme: it is mountains and fjords, beautiful ocean and beaches and long summer days where the sun never sets. If you’re thinking about a vacation in Norway, and fancy something a little off the beaten track, why not try fishing king crabs in Kirkenes?

Where Is Kirkenes?

Kirkenes is a beautiful, colourful harbor town in the municipality of Sor-Varanger in the far north east of Norway, 400 km north of the Arctic Circle.

The advantage of being so far north is that in the winter you stand a great chance of seeing Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights) and in summer, you will see midnight sun as the sun never dips below the horizon.

Fishing King Crab

King Crabs (or Red Crab as they are sometimes known) are the largest crab in the world. They can reach up to 1.5 meters in width. They were introduced to Russian waters by scientists in the 1960s, and are now scuttling into Norwegian waters in the hundreds of thousands. The ecological ramifications of these crustacean invaders are still being hotly discussed but it’s widely agreed that the fishing of these crabs can only help the marine ecology of the area.

Fishing king crabs is very easy and lots of fun. You can book the King Crab Safari. Our professional guide will lead you on snowmobile on the frozen Barents sea to catch the giant crabs. There will be plenty of opportunities to pick one up for a photo.

The Taste

Once back on shore, it’s time to taste the bounty of your catch. King crab is absolutely delicious. In the town, restaurants will cook the legs whole in their shell to serve long crab sausages, which taste somewhere between a prawn and a lobster.

Sometimes, your crew will boil some crab up at the harbor in sea water and serve with bread, mayonnaise and a little white wine. Nothing else is needed – perfection!