I found Bikepacking Paradise in Lofoten, Norway

Imagine there being a place where the mountains meet the azure blue sea, where the beaches are taken right out of a postcard but it's still comfortable to ride in a mild climate. Where the days are endless, and you can basically ride your bike at any time of the day. Where you can pitch your tent at the end of the day, basically wherever you desire at no cost at all. If only such place existed it would be bikepacking heaven. What if I told you that that place actually exist, it's called Lofoten.
List of all the tunnels in Norway:
www.cycletoure...
My Gear List For My Bikepacking Trip To The North Cape
Bike:
Kona Sutra (2016)
Panniers:
Ortlieb Ultimate 6 Handlebar Bag
2 x Ortlieb Back-Roller Plus 20L amzn.to/40eKsf2
2 x Ortlieb Front-Roller Plus 12,5L
Clothes:
Adidas Adilette Flip Flops - amzn.to/40eKFyQ
Haglöfs Scree Rain Pant
Haglöfs Esker Rain Jacket
Craft Velo Convert Jacket
Amazon Basics 4 Piece Packing Travel Organizer Cubes Set - amzn.to/3Rfd3wF
Forclaz Merino Wool T-Shirt
Nike Mens Dri-FIT Short Sleeve Polo Shirt - amzn.to/3j2aq1w
Padded MTB Shorts
Helly-Hansen Men's LIFA Merino Crew - amzn.to/2YJ5bfQ
Helly-Hansen Men’s Merino Pant - amzn.to/3RhYZm9
Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Pants - amzn.to/3jalGfE
2 Pair of Socks amzn.to/40dU4H6
Merino Underwear - amzn.to/3XRU9hZ
Merino Wool Buff - amzn.to/409sYkd
Merino Wool Beanie
Giro Fixture Mips Helmet - amzn.to/3XKHsoZ
Science In Sport Water Bottle - amzn.to/3WLLsV9
Northwave Cycling Shoes
Sunglasses
Cooking Gear:
Primus Ets Express Stove + Cookset
2 Primus Gas Canisters (230g)
Sea To Summit X Mug - amzn.to/3Hg7GJ1
Light My Fire Spork - amzn.to/3Dncn2J
Thermacell Backpacker
Tools:
Lezyne HV Bicycle Hand Pump - amzn.to/3lHxnJc
Park Tool VP-1Vulcanizing Patch Kit - amzn.to/409NhOC
Crankbrothers M19 Multi-Tool - amzn.to/3j0A86D
Squirt Long Lasting Dry Lube - amzn.to/3iWqYIf
CTC Plastic Bag + packaging
Inner Tube - amzn.to/3Dq1oFP
Bike Lock - amzn.to/3HHcWqs
Toiletries:
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Shaving Gel
Mach 3 Razor - amzn.to/3j2bYsm
Contact Lens Case
Travel Schampoo bottle
Camping Equipment:
Naturehike Cloud Up 2 Tent - amzn.to/3aA1MTp
Sea To Summit Collapsible Backpack - amzn.to/3RvanLP
Aegismax UL Down Sleeping Bag - amzn.to/3BVCStv
Aegismax Nano 2 Ultralight Sleeping Bag - amzn.to/3RcZcqR
Sea To Summit Reactor Insulated Sleeping Bag Liner - amzn.to/409RLVs
Nemo Tensor Insulated Sleeping Pad - amzn.to/3Y98qGC
Nabaji Microfibre Towel L - amzn.to/3Y3KDbh
Electronics
Samsung S20 - amzn.to/3Y544jR
Dji Mavic Pro Drone - amzn.to/3FKsVBk
GoPro Hero7 Black - amzn.to/3JoetTC
Canon G7X Mark II - amzn.to/3XO7lnY
Zoom H1N Recorder - amzn.to/409ewZA
Rode Smartlav+ Lavalier - amzn.to/3RcZcqR
2 Anker PowerCore 20000 mAh - amzn.to/3JpPxvg
Bag Of Cables and Extra Batteries
DISCLAIMER: This description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! This helps support the channel and allows me to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for your support!

[@BikeTouringMike]

First of all I want to start by thanking you for the fantastic response I got for the last video. Your engagement and comments help the video reach more new viewers than I ever would have expected. Let's keep the trend going! Please comment and ask me your questions if you have any about cycling in Lofoten. Enjoy the video!

[@vickaiser]

From watching your videos, Norway is becoming my dream trip. Thanks for sharing.

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you Vic! Glad to be able to share some inspiration for coming bike trips.

[@Eric-rt6tg]

Loved every second of it. What a beautiful place on earth these Lofoten islands are. Hope to go there sometime myself.👍👌

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you Eric! There are a lot more beautiful places to come on this journey, that's all I can say... Glad you've enjoyed it so far.

[@phillcubed1745]

Many thanks Mike - you have done justice to those beautiful islands with your great photos and videography, and interesting and well-researched commentary. 😊😊

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you Phil! I think I've found a nice format to work with. In my previous videos I mostly just cycled through areas without knowing that much about the background and history of them. And with this adventure I've really put in a lot of time into researching the areas I travel through. I hope it will bring some added value for the people that watch the videos.

[@maxe.8336]

I lived in Nusfjord, Lofoten for 9 months some years back. One of my biggest regrets (then and now) is that I didn't have a bike with me during my stay. You saw Lofoten right!

[@PumpkinVillage]

Beautiful country and a really good job on the video. Thank you and take care, Al

[@BikeTouringMike]

Take care Al!

[@colinwellman9480]

Filled with envy of your beautiful trip.The scenery looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing your trip.

[@BikeTouringMike]

Don't be envious Colin. There's always another year.

[@TerryW5379]

That has to be one of the top 3 most beautiful places in the world! I watched most of it with my mouth open. Thanks for the effort filming it.

[@TheSaguache]

Wow! Again, wow! Thanks for bringing along all those batteries. What an amazing place.

[@BikeTouringMike]

There's a whole lot of logistics that goes into keeping everything charged when documenting a trip like this. But I hope it's worth it in the end when I'm able to share the trip with all of you.

[@jeszcze_kawalek]

Nice trip and excelent views. Regards from Poland.

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you Jeszcze! Glad you liked the video.

[@johnleenane4571]

Paradise on earth, you picked a winner for this trip. Really enjoyed it, well done you 👍🇮🇪

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you John! Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@FlowJunkie65]

Hi, Mike. Really excellent vid, like your last one, too. Thank you - these are great!

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you Sean! Glad you've enjoyed folowing along so far.

[@livingsimplytosimplylive6817]

Love your travels, and your discussions of the places you travel.

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you! I think I've found a good format to work with. In my previous videos I mostly just cycled through areas without knowing that much about the background and history of them. And with this adventure I've really put in a lot of time into researching the areas I travel through. I hope it will bring some added value for the people that watch the videos,

[@livingsimplytosimplylive6817]

@@BikeTouringMike Yes I agret

[@marciacambraia5913]

I visited one time Lofoten, wonderful place, in a car and boat trip. We have camping in a unhabitat small island. Amazing landscape!

[@BikeTouringMike]

That must have been great, to get away from the crowds!

[@carolineray2155]

Stunning! Thanks so much for taking us along on this amazing trip.Great quality videography!

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed following along.

[@craigb1427]

Amazing looking country. Can’t wait to watch the next one.

[@BikeTouringMike]

Yeah, it's pretty great. Glad you've enjoyed the journey so far!

[@paulenright]

#1 ... Fantastic Mike! enjoyed local history and scenic vistas ... magical place beautifully captured 🎥❤

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you! I think I've found a nice format to work with. In my previous videos I mostly just cycled through areas without knowing that much about the background and history of them. And with this adventure I've really put in a lot of time into researching the areas I travel through. I hope it will bring some added value for the people that watch the videos.

[@Manu68-Simracing]

Great 1st day ! Thanks a lot for sharing your beautiful movie , but also for sharing your gear list. Very nice coming from someone like you with a lot of bike touring experience

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you Emmanuel! There will also be a gear video at the end of the series where I'll go through all the gear that I brought on the trip.

[@zanti5853]

Hej Mike, fantastic video! Exactly what I was hoping it would be :) It looks so damn beautiful, I can't wait to go there myself. Thank youn also for the tunnel info, the map at the beginning, and for giving a realistic impression of the mosquito annooyance :D

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank for the useful feedback, that way I'll know what to incorporate in future videos. Oh, and the mosquito problem was only that first night. The rest of the evenings were mostly mosquito-free. I think the 30C heat might have something to do with it.

[@megandavid5274]

Amazingly beautiful scenery. What a memorable day! Thanks for sharing!

[@bigd3904]

Mike Hi, thanks for the fantastic Vid on Lofoten, can't wait to experience the Islands come May. 👍

[@BikeTouringMike]

Oh, you're going there this year. That's great! It might be a little bit colder than what I experienced in this video, so make sure to bring some warm clothes. But on the other hand you'll prabably have the roads to yourself, there are a lot less tourists there in May.

[@mmad3130]

Amazing journey, Mike! Enjoyed it very much! Makes me want to travel there, so beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

[@JohnMFlores]

This is your best video yet - the video, the music, everything!

[@donaguitar]

thank you for showing us these wonderfull scenery. I definitively want to go for myself, maybe this summer. you said in the beginning that it is bikepacking paradise, well according to what you show i must agree.

[@BikeTouringMike]

There are a lot more beautiful places to come on this journey, that's all I can say... Glad you've enjoyed it so far.

[@ervinslens]

Absolutely gorgeous adventure my friend! Great film and atmosphere of this amazing place!🥾🥾

[@Rlaplante73]

This is an outstanding video, Mike! What a lot of effort you put in this to not only capture the beauty of the area but also its history.

[@fishdip]

Det är alltid ett rent nöje att titta på dina filmer!👍😀🚵‍♂🏞🏕

[@BikeTouringMike]

Tack så mycket!

[@dpierre]

Hi Mike, Thanks for this great series in the heart of France in summer. It makes us forget the rain and cold outside. So travelling alone, when it's in the slow-vélo philosophy (=at the speed of butterflies), I think it's ideal. I can stop whenever I like to admire the view and nature, pick a few wild plants for the salad and take photos. If you're a couple, even if you get on really well, you always have to tell the other person that you're stopping or you know that he/she's waiting for you further on and you can't hang around too long... I also like to soak up the birdsong and the energy in the rare places away from the noise of cars/planes. The only thing I don't like at all is going to restaurants alone. I either go with people I've met at the campsite or, ideally, when you're invited to eat with a family. Otherwise, I like the fine food at the markets, which I prepare and eat in a breathtaking location. The same goes for bivouacs, even if it means taking a shower and washing up the next day in a quiet campsite.

[@wiltsvelorider]

I really enjoyed watching this video, thank you, it looks amazing. I'm now planning my own trip.

[@VagabondTurtle]

I can imagine it is a paradise 😊 always wondered how it would be to bikepack there so thanks for the views!

[@BikeTouringMike]

It truly is. Only bad thing I can think of is the traffic. Thankfully it wasn't too bad when I was there though.

[@WheelsonaBike]

Beautiful video. Lofoten Islands look like perfect for cycling. The flies and mosquitoes, yikes! Thanks for sharing this trip with us.

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you Agnieszka! The islands are wonderful. I know I'm going to come back not to far into the future. I still have a lot more to discover. The mosquito problem was only that first night. The rest of the evenings were mostly mosquito-free. I think the 30C heat might have something to do with it.

[@frogslips]

I really enjoy your videos and narrative. This place looks amazing.

[@AndresBikeTour]

Very nice impressions! Many thanks for it 👍 Best regards André

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you André! Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@benbernard3725]

Amazing video. I can't wait to see the next one 👍

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you Ben! Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@willowwatts]

Breathing Norway.will add this route to my bucket list.Your narrative style documentary was amazing..

[@oleksiidobush]

Great! Newer though Norway is so bikefriendly

[@BikeTouringMike]

It really is! And as I talked about in the video, this part of Norway isn't that hilly either. I only had two moderate climbs during the whole day. Most of it was basically flat.

[@alafenetre81]

Great again! The colours and the light are so nice... I've read that the Lofoten were overcrowded in the Summer, but it does not look so.

[@BikeTouringMike]

If you go there during July it can be crazy. Most Scandinavians have their mandatory 4 week vacation in July, so I would avoid cycling there during the month of July. But June is a good option. Less crowds, rain and more of the midnight sun.

[@maidbloke]

Beautiful video and music! Nicely done..

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you! Glad you liked the video.

[@ianmatlock1]

Another great video. reinforces my desire to visit. Probably in the motorhome as a base for some cycling.

[@dagstur]

Once again, Mike. Great video!

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you Dag! Glad you enjoyed following along.

[@willowwatts]

You deserve my subscription buddy. love from Wales 👍🏻

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thanks!

[@pertzian.sounds]

4K ftw ;)

[@alexmorgan3435]

Great video Michael. Looks a fantastic place to ride a bicycle. You give a lot of very useful information. Would the rest of Norway riding from the south say from Kristiansand be suitably warm by June ie the snow and really cold nights have gone? Would you recommend taking fly, mosquito spray in case any get inside the tent and of course repellent to rub on your skin? Are the flies and mosquitoes as bad higher up in the mountains away from the coast? Also how safe is it to camp right next to the water? Are there substantial differences in tidal heights so you could become flooded in your tent if you didn't realise? How frequent are supermarkets? Even though in the land of 24hours daylight in summer, what typically are shop/supermarket opening times? Many thanks.

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you Alex! I would say June would be a great month to start in the south of Norway. If you stay along the coast and don't head for the mountains you should be fine. I met plenty of people along my way to the North Cape that had started in the south of Norway in the beginning of June.

[@Terrierized]

A Stunning looking part of the world ! What time of the year was this? Those midges were dancing away in front of the camera !

[@BikeTouringMike]

My trip was between the 27th of June and 6th of July. This specific day was the 27th of June.

[@john-mikaeljarvenkyla]

been there once in midsummer...it was freezing cold!

[@wannagobiking9071]

Another cracking one Michael 😊 love the info about the islands and the history attached. If only someone would now ask me "why are most houses on lofoten painted red?" I'd finally have one pubquiz answer correct 😂

[@BikeTouringMike]

Haha, I'll have to do a quiz night at the end of the series!

[@Luigi13]

I am assuming that there is a lot of back and forth while filming? Norther Norway has been a great destination for photographers as well and the scenic drives are excellent, even seeing in You-Tube land. Good video cheers from Oregon. 👋

[@BikeTouringMike]

Yes, it definitely adds up. I don't want to guess how much time it adds to my day, but basically every ride-by shot takes about 10 minutes to set up. But I think it's worth it in the end. Such a lovely part of the world.

[@Azrael-xl3jl]

Instead of buying/bringing lots of GoPro batteries I suggest just bringing a 10.000mah powerbank or similar, and a USB cable. Then you have camera life for days and its easy to manage and route the cable from bag to camera. Might require some ingenuity when using it on the helmet but works great on the bike.

[@brianward7724]

Well done, Bike Touring Mike! You have produced a terrific video with great sound levels, a very steady picture and your voice is ideal for commentary. Are all the roads in Norway as smooth as those around Lofoten? Or is it that the anti-shake technology in your camera only makes it appear that way?

[@amberlfc]

Hi Mike! Awesome trip, I'm enjoying every minute. Do you have your's track on Strava?

[@atypicalnomad]

@biketouringmike - thank you for this amazing video, very enjoyable to watch! May I ask what app do you use to create the animation in '15:15' (Leknes to Borg)? Thanks

[@bolleolympus]

Hei Mike! Skulle ønske du hadde mere tid da du tok turen, for du er en fantastisk fin historieforteller og filmer! Søta bror, -du er best!👍👍❤❤👌👌😊😊

[@BikeTouringMike]

Tackar så mycket för dina fina ord!

[@Deus-Too]

What an absolutely beautiful place to cycle! I’m curious though, many of the road, so I see in this video have no cycle lane. How tolerant are the motorists there for cyclist in the road?

[@BikeTouringMike]

No, that is true, there are only bike lanes around the bigger towns, The streets are very narrow at certain points which is a good thing since it prevents the cars and RVs to drive fast. But overall I found the tolerance level of the drivers to be pretty high toward us cyclists, most of them were very considerate and a lot of people even gave a thumbs up when you met them. What I was afraid about though were people in rental cars and rental RVs, that perhaps weren't that used to operation unfamiliar vechicles on these narrow roads.

[@nigeljenner3685]

Hello Mike, How do you thank people on your travels who have offered you accommodation or food for the night, thanks for your great video. nigel

[@km3304]

Nice trip and stunning views in Lafotens!!! Can You give a small hint ;) As I understood from Narvik You took a bus to Lafotens. To witch exact town? How bikes are transported in No by busses? They are simply hanged on the back of the bus, or you need specially packed bike for luggage compartment?

[@putrid_swamp_juice]

You can hang your bike on the back or put it in the cargo hold, but it's rarely room in the cargo hold. The rack will fit 3-4 bikes. The most common way to cycle Lofoten along Eurovelo1 is to take the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes.

[@km3304]

@@putrid_swamp_juice thanks for recommendation! Our trip will start from Tallin :) so we will take a ferry to Stockholm and from Stockholm we are thinking to take nigh train to Narvik and then from Narvik to Moskenes with bus. As I studied there is no train from Stockholm to Bodo?

[@putrid_swamp_juice]

​@@km3304 Then I imagine taking the train to Narvik is a good idea. I drove from Oslo to Moskenes. I think Mikkel said in his other video he took the bus to Å, which is a little bit further west than Moskenes. Depending on how much time you have I would suggest taking the bus from Narvik to Finnsnes instead. That way you can hook up to the Eurovelo 1 on Senja and cycle from North to South and hop on a bus back to Narvik at almost any point of the route. My personal opinion is that the northern part of the trip, Senja, Andøya and Vesterålen are the nicer parts of that route. Lofoten is great but there is a lot of traffic, especially during summer - big buses and trucks and many do not take much care when passing cyclists. I cycled Moskenes to Senja and back this August. You can shoot me a mail at simen.ringstad gmail-com if you want som more tips or have any questions.

[@BikeTouringMike]

You could pretty much get off at any town along the E10 that goes all over Lofoten. I got off at Å, which is the end station. My bike was hung from the rear rack during the first half, and stuck in the cargo hold during the second half. I've been meaning to write a pdf all about the practical things when cycling in this region, but haven't finished it yet. There will also be a video about this somewhere down the line.

[@stefanwagener]

So far I have been there only by a car road trip but it is my favorite location and most photogenic part of the world. I plan to come back by bike as well. But how and where do you charge your devices because as you mentioned you need a lot of batteries?

[@rideswithscissors]

7:35 This might be Geranium sylvaticum, and next is some kind of buttercup. The spiky bloom at 7:10 is a mystery to me. All those fish heads just look like hjell!

[@BikeTouringMike]

I realize that I'll need your help when I will get to the Arctic Botanical Garden in Tromsö in a couple of episodes. Totally forgot to take notes about which flowers I was filming.

[@iliablend8805]

👍👍👍👍

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you Ilia!

[@keyyyyyyyyyify]

Do you think you could tow a paddleboard on a cargo trailer and leave the bike and trailer in different places on the trip to go off paddle boarding? Or do you think it would be stolen?

[@vladywashere]

Hi Mike! How do you animate the map? And your route?

[@BikeTouringMike]

Hi Vlady! I use Keynote (it's Apple's equivalent to Power Point) to animate my maps. It's pretty straightforward. I can probably do a tutorial later on showing how I make them if people are interested.

[@vladywashere]

@@BikeTouringMike it’s not the first time that I hear about keynote more animating maps, but yes, talking on a video about that would be an idea! Tusen tack

[@sdfghgtrew]

Har du något tak att lägga över tältet om det regnar? Det ser genomskinligt ut.

[@BikeTouringMike]

Jaha, jo, då bilderna i slutet av videon är bara innerdelen av tältet i bild. Jag satte på yttertältet (rainfly) senare innan jag lade mig. Om du tittar på nästa video i serien så ser du hur det ser ut när jag monterar ned tältet i början av videon.

[@FreeMansWay]

How much incline through all islands? ( in all 330km )

[@stephenconroy9283]

Hejsan Har du en GPX karta/track för Lofoten till Nordkap?

[@marksadventures3889]

Are you allowed to fish there or is a permit required?

[@giuseppepes]

Do you have the gpx track?

[@vickaiser]

What months are best for a tour like this?

[@BikeTouringMike]

In my opinion June would probably be the best month to do this trip. Even though the temperature isn't as high as in July, June is the driest month of the year. You'll get to experience the midnight sun (btwn May 27 and July 15). Tourist season is at it's peak during the month of July, so expect the narrow road to be jammed packed with RVs by then. By mid August the number of tourists have decreased a lo, but the weather isn't as stable as during June.

[@alexmorgan3435]

@@BikeTouringMike Thank you.

[@Indianoamericanorussiano]

Why Norwegian food is tasteless?

[@ein.toter.hippie]

Too many tourists😢

[@sdfghgtrew]

It looks empty lol