While visiting Kirkenes, things to Do are going to involve mostly shopping or outdoor recreation. Kirkenes is a very small town so there is not a lot of things to do in terms of sightseeing, unless you count nature hikes in the mountains as sightseeing.

King Crabs/Fishing

Take a trip down to the coast and try catching some King Crabs. To catch the crabs all you really need is a net and steady balance on the rocks. Once you have caught a few crabs take a moment to cook them up and enjoy the taste of fresh King Crab. If catching them isn’t your style you can always visit a local restaurant to have some freshly steamed. If you are visiting during the summer you can fish for salmon on the Tana River.

Grenseland Museum

Visiting this museum will allow you to learn about the history of the area through the variety of exhibits inside the museum. Inside you will find historical and industrial memorabilia that represents the Sor-Varanger Kommune region. You will also find a large exhibit about the Sami people, who are the people who inhabited this region, but you will also learn how the area was split into four different regions by outsiders. Admission is about $7 per person.

Snow Hotel

This is truly a unique experience. While visiting Kirkenes you will need to stay at least one night in the Snow Hotel, which is a hotel made entirely from ice. You will even find artwork in your room that is made from the snow. Despite sleeping in an ice room you will be provided with a mattress and sleeping bags, so you won’t have to sleep on the frozen ground. If you find the room to be too cold at night you can sleep inside where it is heated. The bathrooms are also heated, so they are located away from the guest rooms.

Gabba Reindeer Park

If you enjoy watching animals in their natural habit or just appreciate nature this park is something that you must experience. At Gabba Reindeer Park, you will be able to observe reindeer in their natural habitat, which means you can see how reindeer really act without any human intervention. You can also wander through the park to appreciate the beauty of nature that Kirkenes provides.

Dog-Sledding/Snowmobiles

In Kirkenes you can find tour guides who are willing to train you to handle a dog sled or you can opt to go on a guided tour. No matter which method you choose this is a great experience because it allows you to travel quickly over the snow-packed grounds without getting stuck knee-deep in the snow. If dog-sledding is not your thing you can opt to rent some snowmobiles to tour the countryside.