Right to roam free - wild camping in Norway
Have you wondered why we mention freedom and flexibility to camp anywhere you want so often? Because here in Norway you can pitch a tent or sleep in a campervan you rented almost everywhere you like. The right to roam free has been in Norway’s Outdoor Recreation Act since 1957.
After you wave goodbye to the campervan rental staff, you might wonder where your first night is going to take place and where to camp with the campervan in Norway. If you have chosen a campervan road trip as a social distancing option in pandemic times, a campsite wouldn’t be your choice number one. Good, nature is all around you, only pick the spot that is going to be your million stars hotel. Wild camping in Norway is the best kind of holiday. However, let’s set some rules, so we preserve nature.
Rules for wild camping in Norway
Yes, you can camp with the campervan wherever you want to. Norway’s Outdoor Recreation Act or the right to roam free is, shortly said, the right to travel the land, stay on the land, and gather from the land. What are the rules though?
- camp at least 150 meters from the nearest inhabited house or cabin
- don’t camp in places where it’s forbidden to do so
- campfires are prohibited from 15th April until 15th September if set close to a forest
- you may pick wild berries, mushrooms and wildflowers for your use only
- you may fish saltwater fish freely, although you need a license for freshwater fishing
These written rules for wild camping in Norway are the base. Be a mindful adventurer and clean up the place you have camped on. Leave your spot as you found it, or even nicer. Pay respect to nature that offers the mind-blowing views, smells and tastes.
How to find wild camping spots in Norway?
Finding a wild camping spot for your campervan isn’t that complecated in Norway! You can park your campervan by the lakes, forests, fjords, under the high mountains, waterfalls or even glaciers that Norwegian nature offers. It’s only up to you if you get a mountain view or sea view for the night.
Park4night
If you need some help finding a nice and safe place to camp in the wilderness, the park4night app might help find the right spot for a night.
We recommend signing up, to open all the shared spots. The whole app is free and they don’t send any annoying newsletters. Feel free to share your reviews of each spot or even add new places that you found!
Nortrip
Have you ever heard of Espena Discovery Travel in Spain, Agri Camper in Italy or Brit Stops in the UK? These platforms including Nortrip in Norway associate hosts from agriculture with motorhome travellers.
“Experience our 197 hosts from Agder in the south to Finnmark in the north, and park for free until the next day. Our hosts are local farm sales, dairies, micro-breweries, cideries and much more. ” (Source: nortrip.no)
Nortrip is an experience guide where you get to know locals and taste their products while they let you park for the night for free at their premises. Purchasing their products is not mandatory, however, highly recommended.
The cost of the membership in the app is 499 NOK. It’s about the same price as one night at a camping ground in Oslo.
Conclusion
We hope this blog post helps you to enjoy your trip around Norway at the most stunning places for the night! If you rented a campervan from our campervan rental, don’t hesitate to ask for recommendations! We love to wild camp in Norway too.
