RIB boat or frozen fjord: choosing your Kirkenes king crab season
The king crab safari in Kirkenes comes in two shapes, and the calendar mostly picks one for you. In summer you race across open water in a RIB boat, in winter you ride a sled over the ice to a hole cut above the traps. Both end with the same crab meal.
One crab, two ways to reach it
Snow Resort Kirkenes runs both trips, and both go to the same kind of crab pots set in the fjord near town. What changes is the surface between you and the crab.
In summer that surface is moving water, crossed at speed in an open boat. In winter it is a frozen fjord, crossed slowly on a sled behind a snowmobile, and the traps come up through a hole in the ice.
| Summer RIB safari | Winter ice safari | |
|---|---|---|
| From | ~$284 | ~$376 |
| Getting out | Open RIB boat on the fjord | Passenger sled pulled by a snowmobile |
| On the way | Fishing boats, WW2 battle stations, porpoises sometimes | Flat white fjord, the fisherman's ice hole |
| The meal | A rustic boathouse restaurant across the fjord | Teina, the crab restaurant at the Snow Resort |
| Ratings | 5.0 from 50 reviews (Viator), 4.8 from 34 (GetYourGuide) | 5.0 from 13 reviews (Viator), 4.6 from 5 (GetYourGuide) |
| Minimum age | 7 | 7 |
Summer on the RIB boat
A RIB is a fast, open inflatable boat with a rigid hull, and on the fjord it feels quick. You sit in floating overalls and a life vest with the wind in your face and the odd burst of spray.
The route stops by local fishing boats, where the guide explains king crab and traditional fishing. It also passes Second World War battle stations on the shore, with stories from the years when Kirkenes sat on the front line.
Porpoises are sometimes seen, never promised. After the pots come up, the boat runs across the fjord to a rustic boathouse restaurant for the meal. Our RIB safari walk-through follows the trip from pier to plate.
Winter on the frozen fjord
In the cold months the fjord near the Snow Resort freezes thick enough to carry a snowmobile. You ride as a passenger in a wooden sled behind it, wrapped in a thermal suit and helmet, and you do not drive.
Out on the ice you step off, and the fisherman opens the hole above the traps. You help pull them up, pose for photos with the catch and hear about the crab's biology and history.
Back at the resort the guide cooks the catch at Teina. The ice safari step by step has the full sequence.
Temperature and daylight
Summer is not warm here. Kirkenes often sits around 10–15 °C (50–59 °F) in the warm months, and a fast open boat makes it feel colder, so the borrowed overalls earn their place.
The light is the big summer bonus. Around the middle of the year the sun barely sets, so an afternoon trip can stretch into a bright evening without any rush.
Winter swaps spray for frost. Days on the ice are often well below freezing, and the darkest weeks bring only twilight around midday. In those dark months the northern lights are possible on clear evenings, though never part of the deal.
Pulling crab traps through the ice
Snow Resort Kirkenes' winter trip by snowmobile sled to a hole in the frozen fjord, then a crab meal at Teina. The full thermal kit and a hotel transfer are included.
Who suits which trip
Both trips take children from 7, and both suit anyone happy to be outdoors for a few hours. The differences come down to your body and your tolerance for cold.
- Back trouble rules out the boat, since Viator's listing says it is not for travelers with back problems
- Heart problems or serious conditions also rule out the summer trip, which asks for moderate fitness
- Wheelchair users cannot join the boat, per the summer listing
- If you hate getting wet, the sled is gentler, with no spray at all
- If you feel the cold badly, summer is easier, even on a fast boat
Groups are smaller in summer on GetYourGuide, up to 12 against up to 50 on the ice. Viator lists up to 36 for both.
What stays the same in both seasons
Much of the day does not change with the calendar. You get a hotel transfer in Kirkenes and an English-speaking guide on both, plus entry to the Snow Park, where you can see reindeer and huskies.
Both last about 3 hours on GetYourGuide and about 4 on Viator. You can cancel either one at no cost until 24 hours ahead, useful when the weather turns on the fjord.
The red king crab itself is the same animal in July and in February. It was brought to the region from the North Pacific, a story told on our page about how king crab reached Kirkenes.
Ratings and price side by side
The summer RIB safari from ~$284 has the longer record and the lower fare. Fifty reviewers on Viator gave it full marks with one exception, and it scores 4.8 on GetYourGuide.
The winter ice safari from ~$376 costs more because of the snowmobile and the heavier kit. With 13 reviews on Viator and 5 on GetYourGuide, it has fewer voices behind it. Our price breakdown lists what each fare covers.
Doing both
The two trips never run in the same weeks, so doing both means two visits. A summer trip and a winter trip show the same fjord as open water and then as a white plain you can walk on.
For a single visit, the dates usually decide for you, so read when each safari runs first. In both seasons the catch ends up on your plate, which makes either trip a fishing outing rather than wildlife watching.
The borrowed suits differ too, so check what goes underneath for your season. The crab meal guide covers the plate on both trips.