Writing over a hundred years ago about Norway’s remote northern provinces, Karl Baedeker observed that the route through them “possesses attractions for the scientific traveller and the sportsman, but can hardly be recommended to the ordinary tourist” (Baedeker, 1882, p. 269). Modern Norway is fully on the map as a popular destination for tourists, particularly those interested in nature, the outdoors, and adventure. Many parts of the country, from cosmopolitan Stavanger in the far south to remote Kirkenes in the High Arctic, have some level of tourist infrastructure to accommodate visitors. Yet, certain areas remain decidedly difficult to access by public transport, a fact that perpetuates the remote characteristics of the country and remains a draw for some visitors.

Norway stretches north in a long, slender ...