Vestre Jakobselv

Vestre Jakobselv

The village has a central location which provides the perfect starting point for all your experiences in Nord Varanger.
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The village has a central location which provides the perfect starting point for all your experiences in Nord Varanger.

Vestre Jakobselv

We live and work in a vulnerable and beautiful landscape. Nature sets the framework for the good experiences. The mighty and open landscape makes us feel free, protected and vulnerable at the same time.

Here we find a peace and energy we would like to share with our guests!

We want as many people as possible to experience Varanger. And care as much about taking care of the area as we do.

Vestre Jakobselv is located 20km west of Vadsø in the heart of Varanger. Our small village has about 550 inhabitants. Jakobselva flows like a lifeline through the village, and out into the fishing-rich Varangerfjord. The village is surrounded by birch forest and endless plateau landscape! 1km from the fjord. At the top of the Jakobselv valley you will find us. In the middle between the Varangerfjord, the national tourist road "the road to the Arctic Ocean" and the Varanger Peninsula National Park. A perfect base for all your Varanger experiences! With skiing and hiking trails right outside the door!

Jakobselva

The river has since 2010 been one of Norway's best small salmon rivers (if not the best).
The salmon stock is dominated by small and medium-sized salmon, but also some large salmon. The river is mostly salmon-carrying all the way. There is also a nice stock of trout, and a smaller stock of sea trout and char. Offshore char (blink) is totally protected.

In the lower part of the river there are 4 waterfalls and in 3 of the waterfalls salmon stairs have been built. The stairs were built right after World War II. Before the stairs were built, the salmon did not get further than the 1st waterfall, about 3 km from the mouth. Over the years, several repairs and improvements have been made to the stairs, which has meant that the salmon now use the entire river as their spawning ground.
Many thanks to volunteer workers and river guards who have done an impressive job for the river.

The river offers incredibly beautiful nature on its way to the fjord through open landscapes in the upper part, to canyons and beautiful waterfalls in the lower part. There is a rich wildlife that lives along the river. Eagles, falcons, grouse, moose and reindeer are some well-known species you can meet .

Other sights

Varanger National Tourist Route

Varanger National Tourist Route is considered one of the most unique travel routes. It offers a landscape full of variety, a rich historical background and birdlife that is unparalleled globally.

The Dark Ages in Varanger

Would you like to experience the natural phenomenon after dark? A magical time when the sun does not rise above the horizon. The few hours it is light the sky explodes in a fantastic play of colors and when darkness falls there is a high probability of seeing the northern lights.

The Northern Lights in Varanger

Varanger is a perfect starting point for northern lights experiences. Our location under the Northern Lights Oval. Together with the Arctic coastal landscape, little light pollution and a large horizon, you can enjoy the Northern Lights literally on the stairs.