69° 40’ 50” N – 30° 22’ 43” E No 6 King Crab Safari /
Kirkenes

Gigantic crabs

The king crab is a giant that can weigh 14 kg and become over two metres long. It is outstandingly tasty and will probably become a household name in the near future since the population has exploded in the Barents Sea, located north of Norway.

The king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus), which is actually native to the Pacific Ocean, is also called the Stalin crab, Russian crab or Kamchatka crab because of the Soviet Union’s massive stocking efforts in the 1960s. 

Right by the Russian border, you crawl into a survival suit and ride a snowmobile out on the sea ice together with a diver, who quickly fishes up your lunch. Back on land, a crab specialist explains more about the crab while it’s being cooked.

If you have a diving certificate, you are allowed to go fishing along with the guides. They can also point the way to ship and airplane wrecks from World War II and can arrange a wall drift dive down to a depth of 150 metres.

Arctic Adventure’s king crab safari was named the best international experience at the world’s second-largest tourism fair – Fitur in Spain.

No 6 KING CRAB SAFARI / KIRKENES

GOOD TO KNOW

  • Activity: King crab safari
  • Location: The tour starts in Kirkenes
  • Season: The winter season is January-April.
  • Degree of difficulty: Everyone is welcome. If you have a diving certificate, you can also join the guides in fishing for king crabs.
  • Other facts: During the safari, you can see other animals such as reindeer, sea eagles and seals. To round off the safari, the crabs are cooked and you get a taste of the world’s freshest crab!

Pocket-sized guide

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