Responsible activities in Norway: What to do and what to look for

Anyone visiting Norway wants to experience it the right way and use activities that are unique to the country. Below are some of the classic experiences, along with our tips on how to do them in a way that respects the landscape and the people who live here.

5 min readUpdated: Aug 5, 2026By: The Fjord Tours team

Norway in a Nutshell® - Nærøyfjord Cruise

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Fjord experiences

The fjords are best seen from the water, and some ways of doing that have a much lower impact than others.

Electric boat tours are the cleanest choice. They produce no direct emissions, they're far quieter than a diesel boat, and they make less wake, so they're gentler on the shoreline. It also makes for a more peaceful trip: on a silent electric cruise, you hear the waterfalls instead of an engine.

Kayaking has an even smaller footprint, and it lets you reach quiet corners a large boat never could.

How can you tell if a fjord operator is responsible? Look for a few simple signs: electric or hybrid boats, certified guides, small groups, and local ownership that keeps jobs in the community.

A few of ours: the silent electric fjord cruise through the Oslofjord and guided kayaking in Flåm.

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Three climbers on glacier, connected by rope, celebrating on icy surface with fjord and mountains in the background.

Hiking with a lower impact

Norway has a huge network of trails, and allemannsretten (the right to roam) gives you the freedom to explore it. That freedom works because people use it with care.

Stick to marked trails in fragile places, such as mountain plateaus, coastal areas, and high alpine ground, where plants recover very slowly. In national parks and protected areas, check the rules before you set off.

Both guided and independent hikes have their place:

A guide adds local knowledge and keeps the group to a sensible size, which matters on popular routes.
Going on your own gives you more freedom if you already know the terrain or if you’re an advanced hiker.

A good example: the guided hike to the Rimstigen viewpoint above the Nærøyfjord.

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Dog sledding team prepared for guided winter tour in Tromsø Norway with mountain backdrop and fresh snow

Animal experiences

Seeing wildlife in Norway is special, but the animals’ wellbeing comes first.

Responsible whale watching safaris

For whale watching, look for clear rules: a set distance from the whales, engines off when they're close, limits on group size, and certified guides. Avoid any operator whose boats chase the whales, approach them head-on, or take out groups that are too big. A good operator will happily tell you how they work before you book.

On the silent whale-watching cruise from Tromsø, for example, the electric boat lets you watch orcas and humpbacks without the noise of an engine between you and them.

Bird watching

At seabird colonies, keep to the posted distances and don’t fly drones, especially not during nesting season. The disturbance is real, even when it looks harmless.

Responsible reindeer and Sami experiences

Reindeer experiences with the Sami communities are special in a different way. But there's an important difference between a genuine, Sami-led experience owned by the community and a commercial one that only looks traditional. Choosing the real thing supports the people whose culture it is. It's usually the more meaningful visit because you hear the stories from the people who lived them.

Dog sledding in the winter (and summer)

For dog sledding, the welfare of the dogs is the thing to check. Look for licensed operators, welfare-certified kennels, and sensible group sizes. The dogs should be worked with care, not run to exhaustion. It’s completely fine to ask about this before you book.

Some operators also run dog sledding tours in the summer, using wheeled carts instead of sleighs through the snow. It’s worth checking whether these operators continue their tours if the temperature rises above 15 degrees Celsius. A responsible tour operator will tell you they head out with the dogs only in the early morning and only when the temperature is below a certain threshold.

Polar bears on Svalbard

Svalbard is one of the few places on Earth where you might see a polar bear in the wild, but this is not an activity you book, and no responsible operator will promise a sighting.

Polar bears are protected, and it's against the law to seek them out, disturb them, or approach them.

Where you do see one, it's from a safe distance, usually from a boat or an expedition ship, and most of the time: very briefly.

Polar bears are wild, vulnerable animals whose sea-ice habitat is shrinking, and the responsible way to share their home is to watch quietly and leave no trace of your visit. We do not recommend booking any activity promoting polar bear sightings, and if you do, book one that follows Svalbard’s wildlife rule to the letter.

Kayaking on the water by the Folgefonna glacier is truly an adventure

Winter activities

To see the Northern Lights, some activity providers tread more lightly than others. A snowshoe hike or a small, guided walk has a far lower impact than a large snowmobile group.

Snowmobiles are a grey area here. They're a fun thrill, and for some Arctic trips, they're the practical way to cover ground, but they can be noisy, and they use fuel. For this reason, they're regulated inside Norway's national parks. If a snowmobile safari is on your list, the responsible choice is a licensed operator that keeps groups small and routes limited.

A few of ours: the Aurora minibus safari and dog sledding tour from Tromsø.

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