Narvikfjellet Ski Resort Norway
Narvik is one of the gateways to the Arctic in Norway & Narvikfjellet ski resort is in a prime position overlooking the coast above town. It has the best lifted ski terrain & facilities in the region.
Narvik is linked by train to the Swedish ski areas of Riksgränsen, Björkliden & Abisko, but with Narvikfjellet’s lifts extending right from downtown & ski trails seemingly ending near the city centre, it is worthy of a few days’ exploration in its own right. Also of interest is Narvik’s proximity to the stunningly beautiful ski-touring delights of the Lofoten Islands; the wilds of Swedish Lapland (beyond Riksgränsen etc) and, a few hours to the north, the amazing Lyngen Alps. In fact, it would be churlish (criminal even) of any avid skier to visit Narvik and not at least venture out to the Lofoten Islands.
Pros & Cons for Narvikfjellet Ski Resort
Pros
- Spectacular location overlooking the fjord, city & surrounding mountains
- Fantastic intermediate groomed & ungroomed piste trails all over the whole resort with even the beginner ones being best for intermediates.
- Long skiable vertical of 885m on the piste, with potentially over 1,000m off-piste & sidecountry.
- Incredibly quiet slopes and no lift lines during the week with fresh groomers for hours after lunch.
- Interesting terrain diversity (including tree-skiing)
- Great snow quality & daylight conditions during March & April.
- Selection of new ski-in ski-out accommodation, plus budget lodgings nearby.
- Good value lift pass price if the chairlift is running.
- Night skiing every weekday and through the dark of winter!
Cons
- Despite what the trail map may indicate, there is very limited novice/beginner terrain.
- Top chairlift usually only runs for the later part of the season, late-March at the very earliest but more usually in April.
- Aside from the gondola, all other lifts are slow.
- All parking requires payment, by the hour! (But there are sneaky ways to avoid it - read the 'Where Is' section below)
- Relatively limited overall length & number of groomed runs (<20km), but it feels like more when you have it all to yourself.
- The wind can seriously impact the alpine off-piste terrain, and the operation of the Stolheis chairlift.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- On-mountain food offerings are simple; there is no standout restaurant.
- Sunny weekends attract a few local skiers, but it is still not what one would call busy.
- Late starts during the week, lifts start turning at 1pm.
- Narvik is quiet after dark, and beer/sprits are relatively expensive (depending on where one originates from!).
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
Whilst not a huge ski area, the splendid location of Narvikfjellet is coupled with a modern access gondola, several super-fun piste trails, a diverse off-piste & a lifted skiable vertical of over 885m. There may only be around 20km of piste trails on the mountain, but the real reason to visit is for the off-piste offerings, the views, ski-touring fitness opportunities, and the long ski season running from late Nov/early Dec to early May. World class, wild freeride terrain can be accessed directly from the top of the chairlift. Surprisingly good tree-skiing can be explored from the lifts, and more expansive backcountry freeride options are only a short walk/skin further up the mountain off the summit of Tredjetoppen (1,272 m). The Mørkholla ski route is a backcountry classic on the mountain, and there are lots of variations on that theme. Ski-touring up the whole way without using any lifts is allowed and provides a great way to get 'Arctic Fit' for ski-touring in the nearby Lofoten Islands or Swedish Lapland. Note the higher ridge may be icy and require crampons for safe approach.
On the piste, there are some wonderful fast and steep groomers. On a weekday, if you start when the lifts open, you will have perfect powder or corduroy all to yourself for a few hours before anyone else arrives. For beginners, the novice area near the gondola base is small but adequate for a first timer, however the long winding trail from the gondola top is probably beyond most progressing beginners & better suited to intermediates.
Narvikfjellet has one the world's best looking ski trail maps, and its depiction of the ski resort matches reality. It should encourage anyone to go for a visit. Check out the ski trail map for Narvikfjellet below.
Ski Lifts
The ski resort has been steadily improving its facilities in recent years. A new 10-person gondola replaced the old pulse gondola in 2018, vastly improving access up the mountain. And a new gondola, called the Narvik-1, is being constructed from the centre of town up to the current ski area base in the coming seasons. We will keep an eye out for when it opens.
Once up the hill there is a short conveyor for novices, and a series of 3 T-bars that cover all of the lower mountain terrain, down to the ski-in supermarket at 118m above sea level. Above the surface tows, the Stolheis double chair rises 350m to the Linken summit at 1,003m altitude. The chairlift does not usually commence operation until after mid-March. Skinning is required to gain the summit and long off-piste descents prior to that.
When to Visit
For the best balance of quality snow, open lifts & terrain, longer daylight hours, access to the backcountry and tolerable temperatures, we recommend visiting Narvikfjellet from mid-March to mid-April.
Where is Narvikfjellet Norway?
The Narvikfjellet ski resort is 220km north of the Arctic Circle, perched above the city of Narvik on the Ofotfjorden - a typically deep, long Norwegian fjord where the water goes down to 500m deep & the surrounding mountains go straight up to over 1,700m elevation. Narvik can be reached overland from Oslo, but unless one is keen on a road trip of several days, the tyranny of distance & time-consuming ferry crossings force most travellers to arrive by air.
Flights to the region arrive at the Harstad-Narvik airport at Evenes (EVE), 57km to the west of Narvik. All flights are via Oslo (OSL) & flight times are around 2hr. Search & book flights to Evenes airport.
Buses meet most flights arriving at the airport and will provide transport to either Narvik, Harstad, any other destinations, however if buses or rental cars are not your thing, look at a private transfer from the airport, particularly if in a group of 3 or more people. Search & book all airport transfers to Narvik.
To get out & about from Narvik, the train can be a useful way to link up the Swedish Lapland ski resorts to the east. The train from Kiruna in Sweden is also an alternative mode of transport to Narvik & provides an option for a fabulous ski safari circuit. There are two trains a day completing the 3½hr journey, one in the morning & one in the afternoon in both directions. Search & book train tickets between Kiruna & Narvik.
If travelling to the Lofoten Islands (which of course you must!) or if just wanting to be flexible with your travel arrangements, cars should be rented at Evenes airport (or possibly Narvik). All vehicles come fully winterised and with studded winter tyres. A small SUV is perfect for all road conditions.
Search & book car rentals from Evenes airport or Narvik.
With the much touted local 'ski bus' next to useless for most visitors, walking or driving to the ski area is the only option until the city centre gondola is completed. Car parking costs a small fortune but there are several ways to avoid it. There is more than enough room to park at Camp 291 or Basecamp Narvik and just walk across to the slopes for a ski down to the gondola. If you already have a lift pass or are ski-touring, you could probably get away with parking at the bottom of the hill in the Thon Hotel car park. for quick pick-ups of skiers, the Kiwi supermarket car park is 'ski-in' from the bottom T-bar! Gotta love a city-based ski area.
Note when driving in the area, pay attention to the speed limits. Traffic fines in Norway are frightfully expensive. Thanks for your understanding officer!
Narvikfjellet Accommodation
The compact city of Narvik spreads out across the foot of Narvikfjellet and provides all the accommodation for the ski area. Aside from two well-placed hotels near the lower ski lifts (Narvik Budget Rooms & the adjacent Thon Hotel Narvik), the higher part of the ski area is dramatically expanding its accommodation offerings. The new Basecamp Narvik opened for 2024 ski season and is far from a 'camp' and more like deluxe ski-in ski-our apartments. We have stayed there and whilst they have plenty of potential, some poor design features make them fine for a couple of night's stay at best. Access to the slopes of Narvikfjellet is excellent though, as are the staff, views (a free parking!). Further up still, in a ski-in ski-out location along piste 13, the relatively new NARVIKFJELLET Camp 291 cabins & Camp Lodge provide one of the quirkier lodging experiences in the city. See-through ceilings in the cabins allow for breath-taking views of the Aurora Borealis without getting out of bed.
Near the bottom ski lift (a T-bar), and just opposite the ‘ski-in’ Kiwi supermarket, the neighbouring Narvik Budget Rooms, and 4-star Thon Hotel Narvik complement each other wonderfully. If room facilities don’t interest you, save a few dollars and stay in the Narvik Budget Rooms as one still gets the benefit of unfettered access to the Thon Hotel’s absolutely fabulous breakfast buffet included in the tariff.
Down in town, the ever reliable, Scandic Narvik stands prominently looking out over the city and fjord. Nearby, the 4-star Quality Hotel Grand Royal is ok without being remarkable.
More personable lodgings can be sought at the centrally located Breidablikk Guesthouse. We have stayed in Breidablikk and thought it was great value, in a prime location, and with stellar views over the city & fjord. The most affordable beds in the city are at the utilitarian, but exceedingly pleasant, Sjømannskirken Narvik. Don’t be put off by the location at the church. For the price you couldn’t ask for a better bed & breakfast, albeit in a dormitory room with shared kitchen & toilet facilities.
With several early flights to Oslo leaving Evenes airport, an overnight hotel stay nearby is often the best plan. We used the Aiden - Best Western Hotel, located near the entrance to the airport plus next to a restaurant and handy petrol station for refuelling the rental car. The hotel is spartan, but with a very good breakfast, and was more than adequate for the task.
Search & book all Narvikfjellet ski accommodation.
Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) at Narvik
Another of Narvik’s geographical benefits are shared with much of the Arctic - its proximity to the stunning phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis (otherwise known as the Northern Lights). The Northern Lights can be viewed from September to April. You need a clear night with no light (artificial or moon!) & the right solar activity. There is a forecast for the northern lights (yep, there’s a forecast!). View the Northern Lights Forecast.
Nearby Ski Areas
For skiing of the lift assisted kind, away from Narvik, the railway into Sweden links Narvik with the Swedish Lapland trio of Riksgränsen, Björkliden & Abisko. To the west, the Lofoten Islands provides some of the world's best coastal ski touring & freeride powder descents. A few hours’ drive to the north the Lyngen Alps & Finnmark regions are rightfully renowned for their glorious sea to summit backcountry ski touring.
Review
The Powderhounds visited Narvikfjellet several times in March 2023 and returned in March 2024. We found amazing conditions both on and off piste and were lucky enough to ski the big top to bottom backcountry routes off the summit. Find your taste for 'brown cheese' and go here as part of a broader exploration of the region including the Lofoten Islands & Swedish Lapland. Driving up to, and skiing the Lyngen Alps is quite doable as well. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read the various reviews!
See the full ratings for Narvikfjellet, plus how it compares to the other Norwegian ski resorts & backcountry ski areas compare on the Norway ski resort ratings page and to the rest of the European ski resorts on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
Follow Powderhounds Europe on Instagram to see where we are currently skiing. Follow our main Powderhounds page on Facebook to stay in touch with up-to-date info, tours, and discussions.