For many motorhomers, touring Scandinavia is the trip of a lifetime: Norway's fjords, the forests and lakes of Sweden and Finland, the midnight sun in summer, the northern lights, nature so vast it's overwhelming. It's a major adventure, long and costly, that requires preparation. Here's the essential guide to dreaming it with your feet on the ground.
The big draw: nature and the "right of access"
The Nordic countries have "allemansrätten", or the right of access to nature, which allows camping and overnight stays in many natural settings while respecting a set of rules (no disturbing, no damaging, leave everything clean). This gives huge freedom to sleep in incredible places, though it's worth knowing its limits well and respecting them scrupulously. [Note: check the right-of-access conditions in each country.]
What to see
- Norway's fjords: Geiranger, Nærøyfjord, the epic roads (Trollstigen, the Atlantic Road) and the Lofoten Islands.
- Southern Sweden, its lakes and cities (Stockholm), and Lapland for wild northern scenery.
- Finland, land of a thousand lakes and forests, and Finnish Lapland.
- The northern lights (in autumn-winter) and the midnight sun (in summer).
Preparing for the trip
- Huge distances: plan stages and timings with plenty of leeway.
- High cost: fuel, ferries, food... go with a budget and your pantry stocked.
- Ferries and tolls: part of the trip, especially around the fjords.
- Climate: cold and changeable even in summer; prepare well.
- Autonomy: in summer, the midnight sun charges the panels enormously; in winter, the opposite.
When to go
Summer (June-August) is the season for the fjords and the midnight sun, with milder weather. Winter, for northern lights and snow, is only for the well prepared.
In summary
Scandinavia is the great camper adventure of the north: fjords, endless nature and the right of access that lets you sleep in incredible places, in exchange for huge distances and high cost. The step you can take today: if you dream of the north, plan it for summer, go with a generous budget and your pantry stocked, and get well informed about the right of access in each country. Link it with routes across Europe.
