GoNative · Bjarkøy, Norway
A private stay on an Arctic island, everything included.
The Arctic. Just for you. One private group at a time. Your own hosts, your own pace, and a stay shaped entirely around you.
The island
Welcome to Bjarkøy.
GoNative offers a few days on Bjarkøy, an island a short journey north of Harstad, well above the Arctic Circle.
The idea is simple: catch your own dinner, prepare it together and gather around the table to enjoy it. Everything is included, and nothing is rushed.
You never share your stay with other guests. While you're here, the house, the Sea Lodge, the boat and our time are yours alone.
69° North
A green island well above the Arctic Circle, between Tromsø and Lofoten, where grassy shores meet rolling hills and rugged mountains.
Dark skies
Far from city lights, you can watch the northern lights dance across the sky from September to March, right outside your door when conditions are right.
The midnight sun
From late May to late July, the sun never sets and the evenings last all night.
Viking history
Step back into the Viking Age on Bjarkøy, home to the legendary chieftain Tore Hund, who fought against King Olaf, later known as Olaf the Holy, at the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030.
Where mountains meet the sea
On Grytøya, mountains rise more than 1,000 metres straight from the sea. Take a trip to Grytøya, explore the island, and experience Arctic nature at its most spectacular.
Sea eagles and wildlife
Explore the coast and watch sea eagles soar overhead and thousands of kittiwakes nest on the cliffs of Helløya. Inland, you may spot moose among the trees.
Catch · Cook · Eat
Catch
Join us out on the fjord. We've fished these waters all our lives, and every day brings something different.
The boat · All gear provided · All year
Cook
Eat
Catching today's dinner.
Activities
Explore & experience on the island and beyond.
Most of our experiences take place right here on Bjarkøy and in the surrounding waters. Others invite you to explore a little further afield. Choose any of the 12 to see where it is, or zoom in to the island yourself.
Showing Northern Norway
Coastlines © OpenStreetMap contributors and Natural Earth.
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On Bjarkøy
Northern lights and dark skies
- Travel
- Right outside the house
- Season
- September – March
Included in your stay
There are no town lights out here, so the sky gets properly dark. On a clear night with activity in the sky, you may see the northern lights from right outside the door, with no crowds around. They can never be promised, but the dark skies give you a good chance.
12 activities
01 · On Bjarkøy
Northern lights and dark skies
Included in your stay
Right outside the house · September – March
There are no town lights out here, so the sky gets properly dark. On a clear night with activity in the sky, you may see the northern lights from right outside the door, with no crowds around. They can never be promised, but the dark skies give you a good chance.
02 · On Bjarkøy
Midnight sun
Included in your stay
Right outside the house · Late May – late July
From late May to late July the sun doesn't set. You can be out in the boat or down on the dock at midnight in full daylight, and the evening light over the sound lasts for hours.
03 · On Grytøya
Wood-fired sauna & sea bathing
Included in your stay
A short drive away · All year round
Heitlaugen is a wood-fired sauna on Grytøya, just a short drive from Bjarkøy, available for our guests to enjoy. Set on the rocks just steps from the sea, it has a large round window overlooking the water. Feel the warmth of the fire, step into the cold Arctic sea, then return to the heat. Take your time and enjoy the contrast.
04 · On Bjarkøy
Fishing on the fjord
Included in your stay
From our own dock · All year round
Step aboard our boat and head out with one of us at the helm. Depending on the season and conditions, you might catch cod, haddock or halibut. Across the water, Grytøya's dramatic peaks rise more than 1,000 metres straight from the sea, with Nona standing tall above the fjord.
05 · On Bjarkøy
Seafood dinner
Included in your stay
At the house · All year round
When you've caught your own fish, we'll show you how to clean and fillet it before preparing dinner together. On days when the fish aren't biting, we use fresh local ingredients instead. Either way, we'll gather around the table, share a good meal and enjoy the simple pleasure of eating together.
Photo: Jacob Spinks, CC BY 2.006 · On Bjarkøy
Sea eagles and wildlife
Included in your stay
From the boat and the shore · All year round
This coast has one of the highest densities of white-tailed eagles in Europe. With a bit of luck you may see them follow the boat, or even take a fish from the surface a few metres away.
07 · On Bjarkøy and Grytøya
Hiking & ski touring
Arranged on request
From the doorstep, or a short drive to Grytøya · Hiking in summer and autumn, ski touring in late winter and spring
Explore Bjarkøy on foot, with easy walks along the shore and over the low hills. For bigger adventures, head to Grytøya, where Nona rises more than 1,000 metres above the sea. Hike to the summits in summer and autumn, or explore the mountains on skis in late winter and spring. Tell us what you enjoy, and we'll help you find the right route.
Photo: Steve Nilsen, CC BY-SA 4.008 · Under an hour
Harstad · Coastal town life
Arranged on request
By tunnel and ferry · All year round
Make time for a visit to Harstad, where you'll find waterfront restaurants, a lively harbour and a taste of Northern Norwegian culture. Browse the local shops, enjoy a meal by the sea, or join the celebrations during festival week in June. Then return to the peace and quiet of Bjarkøy after a day in town.
Photo: Simo Räsänen, CC BY-SA 3.009 · On Bjarkøy and in Harstad
Viking history and Trondenes
Arranged on request
On the island, or under an hour to Trondenes · All year round
Step back in time and discover the Viking Age on the island, or explore its history at Trondenes Historical Centre, just outside Harstad. In the Viking Age, Bjarkøy was the seat of one of the most powerful families in the north, and its chieftain Tore Hund fought against King Olav at the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030.
Photo: foxypar4, CC BY 2.010 · Under an hour
Golf in the midnight sun
Extra cost · we can arrange it
Just north of Harstad · May – August
Harstad Golfklubb. In summer you can tee off at midnight in broad daylight, which is stranger than it sounds and something you can only do this far north.
Photo: Simo Räsänen, CC BY-SA 4.011 · A day trip
Kvitnes Gård
Extra cost · we can arrange it
2 – 4 hours by car and ferry · Book well ahead
The world's northernmost Michelin-starred restaurant, awarded its star in June 2026, with Halvar Ellingsen as head chef. It is in Hadsel in Vesterålen, a full day's trip from here, and a good sign of how seriously this coast now takes its food.
Photo: Buiobuione, CC BY-SA 4.012 · A day trip
Whale safari from Andenes
Extra cost · we can arrange it
2 – 4 hours by car · Strongest in autumn and winter
Sperm whales feed off Andenes on Andøya, where the continental shelf comes close to shore. The trip also passes Bleiksøya, a bird cliff full of puffins and sea eagles.
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Where you stay
Two homes. One island.
Your stay on Bjarkøy brings together a welcoming house and a Sea Lodge right by the shore. Two places to stay, each with its own character, both reserved exclusively for you and your group.
Spend your days exploring the islands, heading out on the water, preparing your catch and sharing meals around the table. Your hosts are there to make you feel at home and introduce you to the island life they know so well.
- The house: three bedrooms, with two beds in each.
- The Sea Lodge: two bedrooms accommodating up to six guests, a fully equipped kitchen and a bathroom.
With both places at your disposal, there is room to spend time together, find a quiet corner and settle into the slower rhythm of island life.
Your hosts
Raymond and Eirik.
GoNative is the two of us. We created it to share the Bjarkøy we know and love: the sea, the food, the island's stories and the places we keep coming back to.
Raymond spent much of his childhood on the island and has a way of making everyone feel welcome and at ease. Eirik knows the waters around Bjarkøy, how the weather changes and the stories the island holds, back to the Viking chieftain Tore Hund.
We are with you for the whole stay, and you are welcome to join in as much or as little as you like.
The sea decides.
We fish when the weather allows, and what it gives us becomes the meal.
Bjarkøy · Harstad · 69° North
When to come
The coast in four seasons.
Dec — Feb
Winter
The polar night, the northern lights and the quiet of winter.
Mar — May
Spring
The light returns quickly, bringing longer days and new life to the island.
Jun — Aug
Summer
The midnight sun, days out on the water and unhurried dinners stretching into the evening.
Sep — Nov
Autumn
A slower pace, crisp air and dark evenings as the northern lights season begins.
The pace out here
Come for the Arctic. Stay a little closer to nature.
Life moves differently on Bjarkøy.
The sea, the weather and the light shape the days. Your hosts take care of the details, leaving you free to enjoy them.
Head out fishing when the sea allows, prepare a meal together or warm up in the sauna. Sit by the water with a cup of coffee and watch the light change.
There's nowhere else you need to be.
Come for the fishing, the scenery and the Arctic light. Take home the memories of good company, shared meals and days with time to spare.
Getting here
From Lofoten, Tromsø or Evenes to Bjarkøy — and onwards.
Make Bjarkøy part of your journey through Northern Norway.
We can meet you at Evenes Airport or arrange pick-up in Lofoten or Tromsø, then help you reach your next destination after your stay.
No rental car or complicated connections to work out. Just share your travel plans, and we'll help arrange the journey.
Evenes Airport
Included
Pick-up and drop-off at Evenes Airport are included in every stay. We meet you when you land and drive you to Bjarkøy.
Lofoten or Tromsø
Available on request
We can arrange pick-up in Lofoten or Tromsø and onward transport after your stay. Tell us where you're coming from and where you'd like to go next.
The stay
A private stay, shaped around you.
Just you and your group, with your hosts on hand throughout your stay. No other guests and no fixed itinerary. Together, we shape the days around your interests, the weather and the rhythm of island life.
Your stay includes pick-up and drop-off at Evenes Airport, accommodation, all meals and drinks, local transport, use of the Sea Lodge and the Heitlaugen sauna, boat trips, fishing and our Catch, Cook, Eat experience.
From
€3,800
per person
Pick-up and drop-off at Evenes Airport are included in the price.
5 days · 4 nights · Our recommended stay
Based on a group of four.
Private groups of 2–5 guests are welcome. For groups of six or more, please get in touch.
Shorter stays of 3 days and 2 nights start from €2,700 per person. Your final price depends on the size of your group, the length of your stay and your travel arrangements.
Day trips further afield, such as the whale safari, golf and dinner at Kvitnes Gård, can be arranged at extra cost.
Your Arctic story starts here
Your island stay begins with a conversation.
Tell us who's coming and what you'd love to experience. We'll help you plan a private stay on Bjarkøy.
Plan your stay→- 1Share your preferred dates and a few details about your group. It only takes a few minutes. No payment is required at this stage.
- 2Within a day or two, we'll reply with availability and a suggested plan for your stay.
- 3Once you're happy with the plan, we'll confirm your booking.