Anywhere Campers Rental company category:Standard
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Anywhere Campers KirkenesKirkenesView map
Hiring a campervan in Kirkenes starts your trip at the very end of Norway, on a peninsula of the Bøkfjord, a few kilometres from Russia and less than an hour from Finland. This is where the Hurtigruten coastal express turns around. From Kirkenes run the Varanger National Tourist Route to Vardø and Hamningberg, the forested Pasvik valley and the road to Inari, in Finnish Lapland; the North Cape is a few stages away to the west. One partner company offers its vehicles here: Anywhere Campers, from a van for two to a six-berth motorhome.
Little traffic and no big city to cross: as soon as you leave town, the road follows the fjord and the tundra.
1 rental partner
Where to pick up your vehicle in Kirkenes?
Observed prices
Rental prices observed in Kirkenes
| Vehicle | Winter January | Spring April | Summer July | Autumn October |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campervan | from €430/day median €433/day | from €452/day median €455/day | from €498/day median €501/day | from €438/day median €440/day |
| Low-profile motorhome | from €441/day median €459/day | from €457/day median €473/day | from €509/day median €520/day | from €449/day median €460/day |
| Large motorhome | from €447/day median €450/day | from €463/day median €465/day | from €509/day median €512/day | from €455/day median €457/day |
Daily prices observed on October 26, 2026 for a 15-day rental: CoolDrive selling price, mandatory fees included, 1 rental companies compared. 100% of offers with unlimited mileage. Median excess: €1,500.
Road trip ideas
Road trips from Kirkenes
1 Varanger National Tourist Route to Hamningberg
- Kirkenes
- Varangerbotn
- Vadsø
- Ekkerøy
- Vardø
- Hamningberg
- Kirkenes
The E6 skirts the head of the Varangerfjord to Varangerbotn, where the Várjjat Sámi Museum tells the story of the fjord's inhabitants. Then the Varanger National Tourist Route begins: Vadsø and its Kven houses, the Ekkerøy peninsula and its kittiwake cliffs, then Vardø, the easternmost town in the country, linked to the mainland by an undersea tunnel. There, the Steilneset Memorial recalls the 17th-century witch trials, near Vardøhus Fortress.
The last road, narrow and closed in winter, winds between bare rocks and shingle beaches to Hamningberg, a fishing hamlet spared by the war.
- Distance
- about 600 km
- Recommended vehicle
- Campervan or compact motorhome
2 The Pasvik valley and Finnish Lapland via Inari
- Kirkenes
- Svanvik
- Øvre Pasvik
- Neiden
- Sevettijärvi
- Inari
- Utsjoki
- Tana bru
- Kirkenes
To the south, a dead-end road runs up the Pasvik valley, a tongue of taiga where pines and bogs line the river separating Norway from Russia; Øvre Pasvik National Park is home to brown bears and birds from the east. Back towards Kirkenes, you enter Finland after Neiden and its small Orthodox chapel of the Skolt Sámi, then follow the lakes of Sevettijärvi, a Skolt village, to Inari, seat of the Sámi Parliament and the Siida museum.
The return trip follows the Tana, a border river famous for its salmon, down from Utsjoki.
- Distance
- about 850 km
- Recommended vehicle
- Low-profile motorhome
3 The North Cape one way to Tromsø
- Kirkenes
- Tana bru
- Ifjord
- Lakselv
- Honningsvåg
- North Cape
- Alta
- Tromsø
Heading west, the E6 leaves Varanger at Tana bru; a plateau road then crosses Ifjordfjellet, a desert of stones and lichens, before reaching Lakselv at the head of the Porsangerfjord. Honningsvåg, a fishing port on the island of Magerøya, comes before the cliff of the North Cape.
The trip continues via Alta and along the fjords of Troms to Tromsø, a departure city of our partners, 428 km away as the crow flies but nearly three times as far by road.
- Distance
- about 1,250 km
- Recommended vehicle
- Campervan or low-profile motorhome
Weather and seasons
When to go in Kirkenes?
Best time
Arctic summer, June to August
June to August
highs 13 to 18 °C, lows 6 to 10 °C
The only truly mild season in Kirkenes, and that of the midnight sun, which does not set from mid-May to about the end of July. July reaches an average high of 18 °C, while June stays cool on the shores of the Barents Sea. Varanger's campsites open and seabirds nest on the cliffs; August, the wettest month, already brings back twilight.
September and October
September to October
highs 4 to 11 °C, lows 0 to 6 °C
A short autumn: in September, dwarf birches and blueberry bushes turn the Varanger tundra red, the Pasvik valley turns yellow and dark nights bring back the northern lights. October has only three hours of sunshine a day on average; the first snow whitens the plateaus and several campsites close until spring.
Winter
November to February
November to February
highs -6 to -2 °C, lows -13 to -6 °C
The heart of winter: polar night from late November to about late January, highs below zero and average lows of -13 °C in January, lower still inland. It is the season of the northern lights, sled outings and king crab fishing under the fjord ice, but you then drive almost always in the dark, on snow or ice.
Bright spring, March to May
March to May
highs -3 to 8 °C, lows -9 to 0 °C
Spring comes late: in March, snow still covers everything, but the sun shines seven hours a day on average, and eleven in May. Steller's eiders, ducks from Siberia, winter in Varanger's harbours until early spring, to the delight of birdwatchers; the May thaw then soaks the tundra.
Climate in Kirkenes, month by month
Most pleasant months: July.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -6 °C | -13 °C | 38 mm | 0 h/day |
| Feb | -5 °C | -11 °C | 34 mm | 2 h/day |
| Mar | -3 °C | -9 °C | 39 mm | 7 h/day |
| Apr | 2 °C | -5 °C | 37 mm | 9 h/day |
| May | 8 °C | 0 °C | 54 mm | 11 h/day |
| Jun | 13 °C | 6 °C | 59 mm | 12 h/day |
| Jul | 18 °C | 10 °C | 67 mm | 12 h/day |
| Aug | 16 °C | 9 °C | 88 mm | 8 h/day |
| Sep | 11 °C | 6 °C | 63 mm | 6 h/day |
| Oct | 4 °C | -0 °C | 51 mm | 3 h/day |
| Nov | -2 °C | -6 °C | 37 mm | 0 h/day |
| Dec | -5 °C | -10 °C | 46 mm | 0 h/day |
Averages 2016–2025 computed from Open-Meteo data (ERA5 reanalysis).
Practical tips
Everything to know before hitting the road
Arriving by plane or by coastal express
Kirkenes-Høybuktmoen Airport is about fifteen kilometres west of town, served notably from Oslo and Tromsø; a bus or taxi takes you to the centre. Coastal express ships dock at the port terminal, close to the centre. Tell the rental company how and when you are arriving, as ship arrivals depend on the sea.
Russian border: caution and strict rules
Storskog, about fifteen kilometres from Kirkenes, is the only road border crossing between Norway and Russia. Crossing conditions have been severely restricted in recent years: do not plan Russia into your trip, check the authorised countries in the offer and find out about the rules in force.
Along the border, in Pasvik as at Grense Jakobselv, it is forbidden to cross the line, to throw anything across it or to make any provocative gesture towards the other side.
One hour ahead in Finland
Finland is one hour ahead of Norway: when crossing the border at Näätämö or Utsjoki, put your watch forward, especially for the opening hours of the Inari museum, campsites and petrol stations. You pay in euros on that side and in Norwegian kroner in Kirkenes, and bank cards are accepted almost everywhere.
Overnight stays in Varanger
Varanger has few campsites, around Vadsø, Vardø or Varangerbotn, and several open only in summer. Elsewhere, rest areas and car parks without a no-overnight sign often tolerate one night, away from houses. Respect nature reserves such as Ekkerøy, where birds nest, and never settle on a reindeer grazing track.
Exposed plateaus and winter convoys
To leave Kirkenes heading west, several roads cross shelterless plateaus, such as Ifjordfjellet or the roads to Båtsfjord and Berlevåg: in storms, they close or open only in convoy behind a snowplough, sometimes for the whole day. Check Norwegian road information before each winter stage and keep some slack in your schedule.
What travellers ask
Your questions about a road trip in Kirkenes
Where can I pick up a campervan in Kirkenes?
Our partner Anywhere Campers hands over its vehicles at its Kirkenes depot, the only one in town in our records. The exact meeting point, handover time and documents to bring are in your booking confirmation. If your arrival changes, because of a delayed flight or a shifted ship call, let the company know as soon as possible to adjust the appointment.
How much does it cost to hire a campervan in Kirkenes?
The price varies with the season, the length of hire, the category and the gearbox, from a van for two to a family motorhome. In Kirkenes, demand is concentrated in the short summer and the northern-lights winter, while a single company's fleet remains limited. Run a search with your dates to see real offers, mandatory fees included, and compare them.
Can I do a one-way trip from Kirkenes?
Tromsø, Bardufoss, Nordkjosbotn, Narvik and Evenes are also departure cities of our partners, all more than 400 km away as the crow flies and at least two or three days' drive. Only the combinations offered by the rental company appear in the results; any one-way fees are added to the displayed price as soon as you enter the return city.
Can I drive to Finland with a campervan hired in Kirkenes?
Finnish Lapland begins after Neiden, at the Näätämö border post, and can also be reached via Utsjoki. Crossing depends on the rental company's conditions and the countries covered by the insurance: check them before planning Inari. Both countries are in the Schengen area, but Norway remains outside the European Union: its customs limit the alcohol, tobacco and meat you bring back.
Which motorhomes are available in Kirkenes?
Our October 2026 records cover the Van for 2, sleeping two, the Carado T-447 for four, the Adria Matrix M670SL and the Sunlight T 68 for five, and the Sunlight A70, with six seats and six berths. Most come with a manual or an automatic gearbox; the Sunlight T 68 was only recorded with an automatic.
Where can I see the northern lights around Kirkenes?
From September to March, leaving the town lights behind is often enough: the more continental Pasvik valley has drier skies than the coast, and the shores of the Varangerfjord offer an open horizon to the north. Watch the cloud cover as closely as auroral activity, and stop in a car park or rest area, never on the road.
Verified customer reviews
They rented in Kirkenes with CoolDrive Nomad
4.3
818 reviews
Initially, the camper offered online was not available, but a good alternative was quickly provided. The communication regarding the various steps to be taken is clear. The camper was from 2025 and was clean and complete. The pick-up in Norway took longer than expected (4 hours), but in the end, it became a vacation to never forget. Highly recommended!
C.
Norway · Oct 2025
Trustpilot
No unpleasant surprises
Laurent F.
Norway · Oct 2025
Avis Vérifiés
The whole booking, communication, and actual rental experience has been smooth, effective, and enjoyable. Not sure how that could have been any better, at least in our experience, other than perhaps a final communication just before the start of the rental (but really, we had all info and details already). Collection and return of the motorhome was smooth and friendly staff (from iCaravan). All in all, very positive and after our first motorhome adventure being such a joy, we will do this again next year(s), and will check out Cooldrive/Nomad first for options and prices.
M.
Norway · Sep 2025
Trustpilot
Frequently asked questions
FAQ — Campervan and motorhome hire in Kirkenes
What licence do I need to drive a motorhome in Norway?
A category B licence is enough for vehicles under 3.5 tonnes, which covers most rental motorhomes. A licence issued outside the European Economic Area may need to be accompanied by an international driving permit. The minimum age and years of driving required depend on the rental company and are shown in the offer conditions.
Is the motorhome equipped for the Finnmark winter?
Ask the rental company before booking: in winter you need tyres suited to snow and ice, powerful heating, frost-protected tanks and a battery in good condition. Plan to plug the vehicle into mains power at night, at one of the few campsites open all year, and keep warm clothes and supplies on board.
What is there to see in Kirkenes before hitting the road?
Kirkenes, almost entirely destroyed during the Second World War, keeps the Andersgrotta underground shelter, where residents took refuge from the bombing. The Grenselandmuseet, the Borderland Museum, tells the story of this land of three borders, and the snow hotel, open in winter, also keeps reindeer. Street signs in Norwegian and Russian recall the long-standing ties with the neighbour.
Where can I refuel and shop?
Kirkenes and the Hesseng shopping area, at the entrance to town, have supermarkets and petrol stations: this is the main supply point in eastern Finnmark. In the Pasvik valley and on the road to Hamningberg, shops are rare or non-existent. Leave with a full tank, water and food, and empty grey water and toilets at the designated points.
When should I book a campervan in Kirkenes?
With a single company and a single depot, the choice runs out quickly for July and early August: book several months ahead, especially for a family model or an automatic gearbox. A one-way trip to Tromsø requires the same planning. For autumn or late winter, a few weeks are often enough, but check the winter equipment.
About us
Why start a motorhome trip from Kirkenes
Kirkenes is the end point of the E6, the road that runs the whole length of Norway, and the heart of a region where three countries and several cultures meet: Norwegians, Sámi, Kven and Russians have all left their mark. Starting here rather than in Tromsø saves several days for exploring eastern Finnmark, its Barents Sea coasts and fishing villages, the Pasvik taiga and the lakes of Finnish Lapland.
Anywhere Campers, our local partner, offers everything from a van for two to a six-berth motorhome. Tromsø, Bardufoss, Nordkjosbotn, Narvik and Evenes, other departure cities of our partners, let you reach the North Cape and finish the trip further west without retracing your steps. July, with an average high of 18 °C, is the mildest month; in winter, the polar night makes Kirkenes a base for the northern lights.
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