Alta in Summer: What to Know Before Visiting + Things to Do

Until recently, I had only visited Alta, Norway during the colder months. But I finally had a chance to drive up there and experience Alta in summer!

I’m a winter lover at heart, but I do think that summer in Alta is worth the trip and offers plenty of things to do.

And even though winter may be the high season for Alta, it definitely gets a little tourism during the summer months with camper vans passing through, cruise ships stopping at port, and the famous Alta rock art showing after being covered under snow much of the year.

In this guide, I discuss some of the best things to do in Alta in summer, including where to eat, stay, and play. I will also shed some light on weather, daylight info, and more.

If you have any questions about visiting Alta in summer, please leave a comment below (or send me a message). Thanks!

Summer Weather in Alta

Alta’s summer is short, but gorgeous. Here are the average temperatures during the summer months:

• Alta in June: highs of 13C (56F), lows of 7C (44F)
• Alta in July: highs of 17C (63F), lows of 10C (50F)
• Alta in August: highs of 15C (59F), lows of 9C (47F)

Spring is the ‘drier’ season in Alta, with April and May coming in with only 5 days of rain per month. Which means, the beginning of June is a fantastic time to visit! June sees around 6 days of rain in total, with July at 8 and August at 7.

Midnight Sun in Alta

If you are visiting Alta during the summer months, congratulations… you will get to see the midnight sun (most likely). From May 16 to July 27, there is midnight sun. This means that the sun will always be over the horizon. After July 27, Alta will experience twilight.

Civil twilight will be present until around August 16 and then nautical twilight is present until September 2. This means that there will be a sunset, but it will still be rather light outside at night. It will progressively get darker as the summer carries over into autumn.

How to Get to Alta

There are a few ways to get to Alta. You can fly, drive, or take a boat there. I have previously flown there (in the winter) but I drove there from Senja during my summer trip to Alta. Driving will always be my favorite way to reach anywhere in Norway, as every single drive is an epic one. There are no trains to Alta.

Here are some of the driving and flying distances from other popular places in Norway (and the region):

• Tromsø to Alta (drive time): 5 hours, 30 minutes
• Tromsø to Alta (flight time): about 35 minutes
• Hammerfest to Alta (drive time): 2 hours, 10 minutes
• Nordkapp to Alta (drive time): 3 hours, 30 minutes
• Kautokeino to Alta (drive time): 1 hour, 45 minutes
• Rovaniemi to Alta (drive time): 6 hours, 45 minutes

Getting to Alta by car is pretty easy, but it can be far more challenging during the winter months. For the sake of this guide and its coverage of summer travel, there should be no issue reaching the city from any of the places above.

Things to Do in Alta in Summer

See the UNESCO Alta rock art.

The main reason I was keen to return to Alta during the summer was to see the rock art in Alta! Behind the Alta Museum is a somewhat short loop trail that features tons of carvings on rocks.

These were only exposed in 1973, and there are over 6,000 of them! And some of them date back 7,000 years. Most of them depict hunter-gatherer scenes, but it is so cool to see the reindeer and moose highlighted in the art.

Inside the Alta Museum, they have a few that you can see year-round, but you can only see the ones outside during the months without snow (so pretty much just in summer!).

Enjoy a little summer hiking in Alta.

One of the best things to do in Alta during the summer is to go hiking! While I didn’t have a chance to head out on any trails during my recent stay, I will definitely be heading back to do the Alta Canyon trek next summer. Here are a few popular trails in and around Alta:

🥾 Alta Canyon: A 12.8 km (8 mi) out-and-back of moderate difficulty. It can be marshy in areas but it will take you to a view of the canyon that has the Alta River (Altaelva) running through it. The river is one of the world’s best salmon rivers.

🥾 Alta Rock Art Loop: A 2.9 km (1.8 mi) double loop trail with world-famous rock art. Located at the Alta Museum (must purchase a ticket inside before embarking on the trail).

In and around Alta, you will also find several moderate (but easy by Norwegian standards) hikes that will take you to viewpoints that overlook the Altafjord.

And if you’re looking for something guided and pretty easy, this trip to Altabakken offers pickup from 15+ locations and an adventure to one of the best vantage points in Alta. You will need to walk 174 stairs (both up and down); however, so make sure you’re equipped to do so.

Visit a summer cafe.

During the afternoons, a couple of spots open up for coffee and tea. These places are on the outskirts of Alta, so you will need a car or transportation to get there, but it is worth it!

• Holmen Husky summer cafe: 11am until 2pm (Wednesday to Sunday)
• Trasti og Trine summer cafe: 12pm until 3pm (Saturday and Sunday)

Both Holmen Husky and Trasti og Trine are places that offer dog sledding during the winter months. But they offer these summer cafes during the low season, as well as accommodation options.

Something to note is that when you see husky farms offering low-season activities like hiking trips, cart tours, or summer cafes, they are trying to compensate for the loss of income in these months. Dog-sledding farms can only run tours for a few months of the year and still need to feed dogs and take care of their staff in the off-season, so it is critical to support them if you can.

Where to Eat

Alta has plenty of year-round food options that you can enjoy on your trip. Here are a few of my top recommendations:

🥘 Trasti og Trine: Easily my favorite spot to eat in Alta. You will need a car to get out there, but they have fine dining in a comfortable setting on a property that offers husky tours in winter, amongst other activities. They also have an on-site bakery and will pair their bread with the seasonal dishes they serve. Reservations are required.

🥘 Sámi Siida: This is the Sámi cultural center in Alta and they have lunch and dinner options (kitchen is open from 1pm until 9pm). Reservations are suggested but you can likely get in without one.

🥘 Erica mat og vinbar: A cozy restaurant in downtown Alta. They have lunch and dinner and the menu is pretty international.

You will find a few grocery stores in Alta (in the city center and the second ‘city center’ closer to the fjord) if you’re looking to make something on your own.

What to Wear During Summer in Alta

Honestly, it depends on what you’re getting into! If you’re on a hiking trip, your packing list will look very different than that of someone merely passing through. But, here are a few safe bets:

• light jacket (that is waterproof)
• a sweater (always good to have just in case)
• hiking boots or trail shoes
• mosquito repellent (they tend to arrive in mid-June and last until the end of July; there are also horseflies to look out for)
• water jug (Norwegian water is the best!)
• sunscreen (24 hours of daylight can be brutal)
• eyemask (if you have trouble sleeping when there is a lot of light)

Places to Stay in Alta (and Nearby)

I have an entire guide dedicated to where to stay in Alta, but here are two places I have personally stayed and recommend:

Holmen Husky’s forest lodges: These were unveiled in November 2024 and are incredible. I recently stayed in one during the summer and was so surprised at how great of value they were. And… they go for like 4-5 times the price during the winter months, so staying there in summer felt like luxury for a fraction of the price.

Thon Hotel: Your standard chain hotel in Alta’s city center. They had a great breakfast and amenities, but I definitely preferred staying in nature, as prices were affordable during the summer months.

Do you have any questions about visiting Alta in summer? Let me know in the comments. Thanks!

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