from $131 Kirkenes: sightseeing at the Norwegian–Russian border
A guided drive to the frontier viewpoints and the Storskog crossing, with the history of the borderland from the war to the present.
Russian Arctic: tours & tickets
We do not list tours inside Russia. These are the closest responsible alternatives, on the Norwegian shore of the same sea.
Our picks
Russian Arctic: top tours & tickets
GetYourGuide showed no Murmansk or Russian Arctic products when we checked, and we would not promote them at present in any case. The picks below are all in Norway’s eastern Finnmark, where the landscape, the sea and much of the history are shared with the Kola Peninsula across the frontier: guided drives along the border itself, the taiga of the Pasvik valley wedged between Russia and Finland, king crab from the same stock that was first released near Murmansk, and the seabird coast at Vardø, long a trading partner of Russia’s Pomor merchants.
from $131 
from $246 Pasvik valley and national park visitor centre
Into the narrow strip of Norway between Russia and Finland, where Siberian taiga begins and the border follows the river.
from $165 Vardø: whales and seabirds by RIB
The outer Barents coast from Norway’s easternmost town, historically the hub of the Pomor trade with northern Russia.
from $275 Kirkenes: summer king crab safari with crab meal
Haul and eat red king crab — a species introduced to the Barents Sea by Soviet scientists near Murmansk in the 1960s.
Prices are indicative “from” prices in US dollars and ratings are as shown on GetYourGuide when we last checked; both change often.
GetYourGuide
Live availability in Kirkenes, Norway
Real-time tours and tickets from GetYourGuide for Russian Arctic and its gateways.
Booking tips
- A border sightseeing tour from Kirkenes shows you Russia from a few metres away, legally and with context.
- Follow Norwegian border-zone rules exactly: no crossing the line, no photographing Russian personnel or installations.
- In Svalbard, ask operators whether trips to Pyramiden or Barentsburg land and what is visited; practice has varied since 2022.
- Be sceptical of websites selling Russian Arctic cruises or North Pole voyages from Murmansk without mentioning advisories, payment or insurance.
- If circumstances change, look for operators that state clearly how permits, payment and evacuation cover are handled.
Destinations
Combine it with
Norway & Svalbard Kirkenes
The end of the Norwegian coastal route, a few kilometres from Russia and Finland: king crab, a year-round snow hotel, border history and the bird cliffs of Varanger.
The Pole & Russia North Pole
90° north: a point on drifting sea ice above four kilometres of ocean, reached only by icebreaker or by ski-plane and helicopter — the most exclusive journey in the Arctic.
Norway & Svalbard Svalbard
Norway’s high-Arctic archipelago, halfway between the mainland and the North Pole: glaciers, polar bears, walrus and the world’s northernmost town.
Plan your trip
See the Barents borderland from Norway
Compare real-time prices and availability on GetYourGuide. Most tours can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours ahead.