The Kirkenes RIB king crab safari, from pier to plate
The summer crab safari is our pick in Kirkenes, and it runs about three hours from hotel door to hotel door. You suit up at the pier and cross the fjord in an open boat. Then you help haul the pots before the crab is cooked in a boathouse. This page follows it step by step.
Pickup or meet at the pier
The trip starts with a transfer from your hotel in Kirkenes. If you would rather walk, GetYourGuide's listing gives a 1:15 pm meeting time at the King Crab pier on Johan Knudtzens gate, in the middle of town.
From May to mid-September the boat leaves from that pier. Outside those months the listing says trips start at the Snow Resort, about 15 minutes' drive away, so check the meeting point when you book.
Suiting up on the pier
Before anyone boards, the crew kits you out in floating overalls and a life vest. Mittens and a balaclava come with them. The overalls go on over your own clothes and keep both wind and water out.
A safety briefing follows on the pier. It covers how to sit and where to hold on, since an open RIB moves fast and bumps on the chop.
Wear something warm underneath even on a mild day. Our clothing guide lists the layers that work under the suit.
Fishing boats and wartime sites
The first stop is among local fishing boats. The guide explains how king crab is fished here, alongside the older traditional fishing of the fjord.
Next comes a run past Second World War battle stations along the shore. Kirkenes was one of the most bombed places in Europe in that war, and the guide tells stories from those years as the boat idles below the old positions.
Porpoises are sometimes seen on the way, though no one can promise them. On a calm day the fjord is flat and grey-blue, with low hills on every side and the Russian border only a few kilometers off.
All hands on the crab pots
The pots sit deep on the seabed, so pulling one up takes several pairs of hands. Everyone on board can take a turn on the line, and the guide steers the job.
When the cage breaks the surface you see a red king crab up close, its legs folded under a spiny shell. There is time for photos holding one before the catch goes into a box for the meal.
The operator sets the pots, so crab on the plate is the normal outcome, but no catch is ever guaranteed. The crabs you hold for photos are the same ones that end up on your plate.
Out on the summer fjord
About three hours out among the fishing boats and wartime sites before the pots come up. Then you eat king crab in a boathouse across the water. Hotel transfer and floating suit included.
The boathouse meal
With the catch aboard, the RIB crosses the fjord to a rustic boathouse restaurant. Coffee or tea is served while the crab cooks, which warms your hands after the wind.
The legs arrive Northern Norwegian style, on white bread with butter and mayonnaise, plus lemon on the side. The guide shows how to crack them open, which helps, since the shell is hard and spiky.
Drinks beyond the coffee are sold at the restaurant. Our page on how much crab you eat covers the portion and how to handle a shellfish allergy.
What to bring on the boat
The crew lends the outer layer, so your own bag can stay small. Pack for wind rather than rain, since the overalls deal with water.
- A wool or fleece layer under the overalls, even in July
- A warm hat that fits under the hood
- Sunglasses for the glare off the water on a bright day
- A phone on a strap or in an inner pocket, so it does not go over the side
- Lip balm, since the wind dries skin quickly
Large bags are awkward in a RIB. Leave anything you do not need at the hotel, and ask the crew where to stow a camera when the pots come up.
Back to town and how long it takes
After the meal the boat runs back and the transfer drops you at your hotel. GetYourGuide puts the whole trip at 3 hours, and Viator says about 4, so leave the rest of the afternoon open.
Group size depends on where you book. GetYourGuide caps it at 12 people, while Viator lists up to 36 for the same trip. If a small group matters to you, compare both booking pages before you pay.
Fitness rules and the catch of this trip
The listings ask for moderate fitness. The trip is not for travelers with heart problems or other serious medical conditions, and Viator adds back problems to that list.
- Children under 7 cannot join, and the boat does not suit wheelchair users
- The RIB is open and exposed to wind and spray, cold even on a sunny day
- The meal is simple crab on bread with mayonnaise, and drinks cost extra
- The crabs are killed for the meal
Reviewers back it up. GetYourGuide shows 4.8 across 34 reviews, and Viator a perfect 5.0 across 50. The RIB safari starts at ~$284 per person, and our price breakdown shows what that covers.
If summer does not fit your dates
The boat trip needs open water. In the coldest months the same company takes guests out over the ice instead, described in the winter ice safari.
Our summer or winter comparison weighs the two shapes against each other. For the months in between, the best time to go explains when each trip runs.