Sommarøy doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Most visitors drive straight past it on their way to Tromsø or the Lofoten Islands, never realizing what they’re missing. We visited it as part of a road trip through northern Norway, and it immediately became one of the highlights of that trip.
The hike up Ørnfløya is the crown jewel. Short, easy, and absolutely stunning, it rewards you with a 360° panorama over the island-dotted waters of Sommarøy. If you’re short on time or want a low-effort hike with a big payoff, Ørnfløya delivers.
How to Hike Ørnfløya
Hiking Stats
Distance: 1.5 miles round trip
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: 155 meters (510 feet)
Length of Time: 2 to 3 hours
Trail Guide
Getting to the Trailhead
Ørnfløya is a large bump of rock that overlooks Sommarøy. It is located just 5 minutes from Sommarøy and Brensholmen. If you are coming from Tromsø, it is a one hour drive to get here.
There are two trailheads (from what we saw) on the road that wraps around Ørnfløya. We parked at the small carpark on Brensholmvegen, joining five other cars, maxing out the available parking here. GPS coordinates: 69°36’28.6″N 18°04’12.2″E
The trailhead is right across the road. If you see this sign, with the hard to read carving “Ørnfløya,” you know you are in the right spot.
Hiking Ørnfløya
It’s a slow and steady climb up a rocky dirt trail. Some parts of the trail can be muddy, depending upon the recent weather.
It doesn’t take long for the view to really open up.
Kara’s view over Brensholmen
The real treat comes from the top of Ørnfløya. From here, you have 360° views of the area, and the highlight is looking out over the small islands of Sommarøy. Picture perfect!
The top of Ørnfløya
It doesn’t take long to get to the top of Ørnfløya (about 20 to 30 minutes) but you need to allow enough time to linger at the top. We spent almost one hour on top of Ørnfløya, exploring the various viewpoints and taking photos and drone videos.
When you have had your fill of the view, return to your car the same way.
Ørnfløya by Drone
Want to see more? Check out Tyler’s drone video of Ørnfløya here:
Visiting Sommarøy…is It Worth It?
Many visitors to Norway skip right over Sommarøy, putting their time into Tromsø and the Lofoten Islands instead. In fact, if you drive from Tromsø to Senja, you could literally drive right past this “hidden treasure” without even knowing what you are missing.
And yes, Sommarøy is a treasure. I like to think of it as Norwegian paradise. Hiking trails, amazing views, tiny islands with white sandy beaches, and picture perfect red cabins dotting the water’s edge…can it get any better than this?
Plus, Sommarøy is very quiet. Just a handful of people live and visit here, and at times you may feel like you have it all to yourself.
Where to Stay in Sommarøy
The Sommarøy Arctic Hotel is the only game in town. They offer an assortment of traditional hotel rooms and cabins by the water.
We stayed in a two bedroom apartment on the second floor of a cabin. Our apartment had a full kitchen and 2 balconies that offered views in two different directions. Tyler and Kara slept in a bedroom with bunk beds. Tim and I shared a tiny “full-sized” bed in the second bedroom. Our bed was the base of a bunk bed and it was just a little bit larger than an American twin bed. This was cozy and too small for two adults to share. A larger bed for two adults would be much better and this is our only complaint about the hotel.
View from our cabin
Sommarøy Arctic Hotel
Drone photo of the Sommarøy Arctic Hotel
Where To Eat
Again, the Sommarøy Arctic Hotel is the only restaurant in Sommarøy. The food is expensive but these prices are typical for most of the restaurants we ate at while in northern Norway. The food is decent but nothing spectacular.
Traveling on to Senja
If you have plans to travel to Senja, the Brensholmen–Botnhamn ferry is just a 10-minute drive from Sommarøy. The crossing takes about 45 minutes, and the ferry runs a few times per day in summer.
The ferry has gotten busier in recent years. It’s now free to ride, which has increased demand, and queues can be unpredictable, especially on weekends and holidays. Before you drive to Brensholmen, it’s worth checking Svipper’s live queue tracker at ferge.svipper.no, which shows in real time how many vehicles are waiting. On a weekday, arriving about an hour early should be fine. On weekends or during peak summer, give yourself more buffer.
For the current ferry schedule, click here.
Plan More of Your Norway Trip
Ørnfløya is just the beginning. After your hike, the Brensholmen–Botnhamn ferry puts you on Senja in 45 minutes, where you can hike the iconic Segla peak for another unforgettable view. From Senja, the road continues south through the Vesterålen Islands, home to the dramatic Måtind coastal trail, and then into the Lofoten Islands, one of the most spectacular places on the planet.
If you want a framework for all of it, our 10-Day Northern Norway Itinerary strings together Tromsø, Sommarøy, Senja, Vesterålen, and Lofoten into a single road trip. Sommarøy is Day 3 on that itinerary — so the timing lines up perfectly.
For those still deciding on the bigger Norway picture, our Norway Travel Guide covers everything you need to plan your trip from scratch.
Do you have plans to visit Sommarøy or road trip through Norway? Comment below if you have any questions or want to offer advice for our readers.
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