The best time to book a Kirkenes king crab safari
Kirkenes offers its king crab safari in two forms, and each belongs to its own part of the year. When to go depends on whether you want an open boat in long daylight or a sled on the ice in the dark. There are also gaps between them when neither runs well.
Two seasons, two trips
The summer safari goes out by RIB boat, the winter one by sled across the frozen fjord. They share an operator and a menu, but the conditions on the day are close to opposite.
Picking your dates is mostly picking between them. Our side-by-side of boat and ice covers who suits which, and this guide sticks to the calendar.
Both trips last about 3 hours on GetYourGuide (Viator says about 4), plus the hotel transfer. Both also carry free cancellation up to 24 hours before, so the difference between them is mostly weather and light.
May to mid-September: the boat from the pier
The summer listing says the RIB trip starts at the King Crab pier in town from May to mid-September. This is the main boat season, when the days are long and the fjord is free of ice.
The summer RIB safari from ~$284 is our pick for most travelers. Its 50 Viator reviews average 5.0, and the 34 on GetYourGuide average 4.8. In this period you can also skip the hotel transfer and meet at the pier at 1:15 pm.
Expect cool air rather than warmth. Summer in Kirkenes is often around 10–15 °C (50–59 °F), and on a fast open boat it feels colder, which is why the operator hands out floating overalls and mittens.
Under the midnight sun
From roughly mid-May to late July the sun does not set in Kirkenes, the stretch known as the midnight sun. Kirkenes sits roughly 400 km (250 miles) above the Arctic Circle.
For a crab trip that means good light whatever your departure time, and plenty of daylight to fill around it. Pack sunglasses, since the glare off the water can be strong.
Our day plan for Kirkenes has ideas for the long, bright evening after the meal.
Go while the fjord is open
From May to mid-September the RIB trip leaves from the King Crab pier in town and ends with crab in a boathouse across the fjord. Free cancellation runs up to 24 hours before.
Autumn on the boat
Outside the pier months the boat trip does not simply stop. The summer listing says other periods start at the Snow Resort instead, and there are reviews of the RIB trip from September and October.
Autumn brings shorter days and a colder wind on the water. Storms can make a day on an open boat rough or cancel it, so look at the booking calendar for your dates before you count on a departure.
Darker evenings have an upside. From roughly September the northern lights become possible on clear nights, though you are more likely to see them after the trip than during it.
Winter: ice on the fjord
The winter safari needs the fjord to freeze hard enough to carry a snowmobile and sled. That usually happens in the coldest months, but the timing depends on each winter and the listings give no dates.
The winter ice safari from ~$376 has a short record so far, averaging 5.0 across 13 Viator reviews and 4.6 across 5 on GetYourGuide. Check its booking calendar for your dates rather than assuming a fixed season.
Cold is the price of the ice. Temperatures well below freezing are normal, and cold days reach −10 to −20 °C (14 to −4 °F), when the loaned thermal suit and boots earn their keep. Our clothing guide covers the layers underneath.
Polar night and northern lights
From roughly late November to mid-January the sun stays below the horizon in Kirkenes, the polar night. Some hours of blue twilight remain around midday, but a winter trip then runs in dim light or darkness.
Northern lights are possible from roughly September to March on dark, clear evenings. A winter crab trip in the dark months may coincide with them, but nobody can promise a display, and the trip is about the crab.
For a dedicated attempt at the lights, add an evening tour on a different night or after the meal. The full day around the safari shows how to fit one in.
How far ahead to book
Kirkenes is a small town, and only one company runs these crab trips on our partner sites. When your dates are fixed, booking early gives you the widest choice, above all if you only have one day in town.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before takes most of the risk out of an early booking. On GetYourGuide you can also reserve now and pay later.
Weather is the bigger unknown. Wind on the fjord or weak ice can change a trip at short notice, so a spare day in your plan gives you a second chance at the crab.
When to skip
The awkward weeks sit between the two seasons. In spring the ice breaks up before the boat season opens, and late autumn can bring storms before the fjord freezes.
In those gaps the calendar may show few or no dates, or a trip may start from a different place. If you are traveling then, look at the booking calendar before you plan the rest of the trip around a crab safari.
Cruise passengers have less choice, since the ship sets the date. Our guide for a cruise stop covers fitting the safari into your hours in port, and the price guide lists what each season costs.