Camping in Norway is a great way to plant yourself right in the middle of the best thing Norway has to offer - its beautiful outdoors.
Anyone who loves the outdoors should consider camping in Norway, but especially fishermen. Many campgrounds in Norway sell fishing licenses for nearby waters, which often are located just a stone's throw away from the campground. The search feature of the interactive maps in the Fishing section of our website can help you locate campgrounds near a given fishing river or tidal current.
When planning a camping trip in Norway, remember to prepare well for low temperatures, as they are possible even in summer.
Norway has many campgrounds where you can pay for a spot for your tent, recreational vehicle, or camper, and most campgrounds also rent cabins.
Two sources of extensive information about campsites in Norway are:
NAF also publishes a printed guide to campsites in Norway, which can be purchased online.
Some, but not all, of the campgrounds listed in the NAF Camp guide require you to have a camping card (the "Camping Key Europe") - see below under the Norway Camping Guide.
To stay at any campground listed in the Norway Camping Guide, in addition to the prices charged by the individual campground you must purchase a card called the "Camping Key Europe". The card can be purchased on their website or at any of the member campgrounds.
The Norway Camping Guide website also provides a PDF version of the guide, and notes locations where a print version can be obtained.
Experienced campers who don't feel the need for the facilities of a campground may wish to take advantage of Norway's wonderful Right of Access ("Allemansretten") law and camp in the wilderness - for free.
You can pitch a tent on any land that is not cultivated, even private property, if you follow the rules defined in the law. These include keeping at least 150 meters away from the nearest occupied house or cabin, and asking the landowner's permission if you want to stay there more than two nights (except in the mountains or very remote areas).
Be sure to read the detailed guidance and rules in Right of Access, including the restrictions on open camp fires and the obligation to leave behind no trace of your presence.
Norwegian sporting goods stores carry camping gear, and include nationwide chains such as G Sport, Intersport, and XXL, each of which provides a store locator online.
For gas for camping stoves, try Statoil (click "Søk stasjon" to find a local station) or other gas stations.
For groceries, Norwegian markets include Rimi, Spar, Coop, Rema, ICA, and joker, and each of these provide a store finder (see "Finn Butikk," "Butikkene," "Butikker" or similar links) on their websites.