20 February 2023
Have you always wanted to see wolves, brown bears, wolverines, or even lynxes? All these impressive animals are found at the Polar Park Arctic Wildlife Centre. Wait, there is more! You can even get a glimpse of the much admired Arctic fox! But don’t worry, there are not only carnivorous animals at Polar Park. You can also experience moose, red deer, reindeer, and muskoxen.
The aim of the park is to allow people to experience these animals in their natural surroundings, which means that each species has a specific kind of space to resemble its preferred habitat. The park, which opened in 1994, prioritises the well-being of its residents by creating large enclosures for all the animals, as they require a lot of space to roam around. In fact, Polar Park is one of the animal parks in the world with the most area per animal.
The Polar Park Arctic Wildlife Centre, which is the world’s northernmost animal park, is situated in Bardu municipality about 185 km from Tromsø. We visited this fascinating and exotic place earlier this year from Tromsø using the Arctic Route, which runs from 1 December to 31 March. You can buy your tour with return transport from Tromsø here, and your admission ticket to the park here.
During the bus journey, we got to appreciate the beautiful winter scenery, which was truly magnificent! After the three-hour road trip, we arrived at Polar Park around 12:00 readyfor our visit. The bus takes you directly to the entrance of the park and from there it’s only a few steps to the main building.
We spent the day exploring the park and seeing all the beautiful Norwegian wilderness surrounding us. We were very lucky because we saw all the animals at the park! Depending on the seasons, some of the animals such as the bears may be hibernating, so keep that in mind. As the enclosures resemble their natural habitats, some of the animals may hide when they feel like it. It was such a magical experience locking eyes with a majestic lynx, which is usually a very elusive species. The most memorable moment for us was to see the pack of imposing wolves in their territory.
The Norwegian wilderness is perfectly encapsulated in this park, no matter which season you visit. Everything is created to make you – and the animals – feel like you are in the wild Arctic nature.
This day trip is a perfect weekend activity for all. We saw families, friends and colleagues visiting the park. The atmosphere there is wonderful! In the summer, you can even plan to camp in this great location, fish in the river that runs right through the park or grill a meal at one of the barbecue areas.
If you’re feeling a bit hungry, you can enjoy a nice meal at the restaurant, located near the main entrance. It’s very cosy with wooden tables and warm interior decorations. You can enjoy traditional Norwegian dinners, sandwiches and a wide range of drinks, depending on your preferences.
There is also an excellent gift shop with plenty of options to take home to your family or friends!
At 15:00, the bus will take you back to Tromsø via the same route you travelled in the morning. You will arrive back in Tromsø around 18:15.
This concludes our amazing day trip to Polar Park on the Arctic Route! We warmly recommend you follow in our footsteps and take this wonderful tour!
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