Arctic Post Road

The Old Gravel Road Lost in the Arctic

Providing you a great break from the hustle and the bustle of the big lorry roads in the north, the last stretch of the old Copenhagen-Alta post road takes you south from Alta to Kautokeino and further towards the Finnish border (or in the opposite direction). Picture a fine and friendly gravel road that lingers through open, rolling, and gentle Lapland terrain with views spanning far over the open Finnmark plateau.

The road was built in 1798 as part of the (then) newly established, and Finnmarks first land-based postal system connecting Torneå – Karesuando – Lepåpäjärvi – Kautokeino – Gargia and Alta. Nowadays, the road is mostly used by reindeer herders to access their lands, meaning it’s a wide and good 4×4 gravel road, however, with next to no traffic. You’ll be biking through a few of these herding areas, where it’s important you show respect to the local reindeer tradition – but might get a peek into the indigenous cultural traditions of the Sami.