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Sami Reindeer Autumn Migration Experience in Northern Norway
Each autumn, Sami reindeer herding families move with their reindeer as part of a living seasonal cycle in Northern Norway. During this experience, you join a Sami family during the autumn migration and take part in real herding tasks as they unfold, sharing daily life on the land.
Life With Sami Reindeer Herders During the Autumn Migration
As the long summer ends and the reindeer return from free grazing, autumn brings a busy period of herding work. One of the most important tasks is gathering the reindeer into separation enclosures, a process you actively take part in during your stay.
You live alongside a Sami reindeer herding family, staying in traditional lavvu tents and spending long days outdoors as daily life unfolds. This is a deeply immersive experience that requires openness, flexibility, and comfort with life on the land.
On this journey, you are not just observing from the sidelines. You build a genuine connection with your host family and gain insight into reindeer herding as it is practiced today in Northern Norway.
Sami Reindeer Migration Experience in Norway
The Indigenous Sami people belong to one cultural region known as Sápmi, which stretches across northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. While reindeer herding is no longer the main livelihood for all Sami, many families continue to follow the annual herding cycle, moving with their reindeer between seasonal grazing areas. These migrations, often covering hundreds of kilometers, remain central to Sami life and identity.
After the long summer, when reindeer graze freely, autumn marks the beginning of intensive herding work. Before migration continues, the reindeer are gathered into corrals for sorting and separation, a demanding and communal period that brings herding families together and marks the start of the autumn migration season.
During this experience, you live alongside a Sami reindeer herding family during this working period. Families stay in traditional lavvu tents, spend long days outdoors, and follow the rhythm of the animals and the land. You also gain insight into Sami worldviews and spiritual traditions, and their deep connection to reindeer and nature.
This experience takes place during the autumn months of October and November. As reindeer herding follows nature rather than schedules, there is no fixed itinerary. Each day unfolds according to the needs of the reindeer, the weather, and the work at hand.
When Is the Sami Reindeer Autumn Migration?
The Sami family welcomes travelers to take part in the autumn reindeer migration preparations during the following period:
Autumn Migration Season: October to November
Groups are kept intentionally small, with a maximum of four guests per departure. Solo travelers are very welcome. You can also read our detailed guide on the best time to visit Sami reindeer herders in Norway and what to expect in different seasons.
Also available:
Spring Reindeer Migration from April to May
Nearest Airport and Pick-Up Location
The nearest airport is Alta, Northern Norway, which serves as the main gateway to the Sami reindeer herding areas in the Arctic tundra.
A complimentary pick-up and return transfer from Alta Airport or Alta city is included in the experience. From Alta, the Sami host family transports you to the reindeer herding area in Northern Norway.
For a simple overview of routes and distances, our practical guide explains how travel to inland Finnmark works via Alta.
Accommodation: Traditional Sami Lavvu Tent Stay
You stay in a traditional Sami lavvu tent alongside the reindeer herding family during the migration season. Sleeping bags and mattresses are provided by the Sami host.
This is an off-grid Arctic experience with no shower and an outdoor wilderness toilet, reflecting how Sami families live during seasonal reindeer herding in Northern Norway.
Food: Traditional Sami Home Cooking
Meals are prepared by the Sami family using traditional Sami recipes and local Arctic ingredients, including reindeer meat, Arctic fish, wild berries, bread, and other seasonal foods.
If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know in advance. The family is happy to cater to different diets.
👉 Learn more about Sami food traditions in our article Exploring the Sami Reindeer Herding Culture in Norway through Food
Price: Sami Reindeer Autumn Migration Experience
Price: €3,690 per person
Duration: 6 days, 5 nights
The price includes:
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Pick-up and return from Alta Airport or Alta harbor
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Local transport during the experience, including car and ATV
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Accommodation in a traditional Sami lavvu tent
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All meals and beverages during the stay
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A native Sami family as hosts and guides 24/7
The price excludes:
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Flights to and from Norway
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Travel insurance
Impact: Supporting Sami Reindeer Herding Traditions
This experience is hosted and guided by indigenous Sami reindeer herding families themselves. By joining the journey, you directly support the family’s livelihood and help sustain traditional reindeer herding practices that continue to shape life in Sápmi today.
You can read more about how our journeys support indigenous communities on our Impact page.
Nearest Airport and Pick-Up Location
Traveler Reviews of the Sami Reindeer Migration Experience in Norway
"This is a very interesting and unique experience! I had been looking everywhere for some place to see authentic reindeer herding, and this is the only place that responded. And I'm glad I went! I was able to see the reindeer herding as it is done naturally, and stay with a nice Sami family. They speak Sami, Norwegian, and English fluently. I even got to see them process their animals, which is something most people don't want me to see. Nils and Henry took me out on the ATVs, and Oddbjørg answered a lot of questions about Sami culture, history, practices, reasons etc regarding reindeer husbandry!"
Why Choose Visit Natives for Sami Reindeer Migration
✔ Anthropologist-Founded, Indigenous-Focused Travel Company
Visit Natives is founded by a cultural anthropologist and specializes exclusively in Indigenous-led experiences. Every journey is designed through long-term fieldwork, cultural understanding, and respectful collaboration with host communities.
✔ The Only Autumn Migration Experience Available to Travelers
Visit Natives is currently the only company offering participation in the Sami reindeer autumn migration, providing rare access to a living seasonal cycle that is normally closed to visitors.
✔ Sami-Led, Raw and Real Life Experience
All journeys are hosted and guided by Sami reindeer herding families themselves. This is not a staged visit or cultural performance, but everyday life shared during an active herding season.
✔ For Those Seeking Something Truly Extraordinary
This experience is for travelers looking beyond guidebooks and mass tourism, and for those interested in deep cultural understanding, storytelling, photography, or documenting ways of life rarely seen by outsiders.
