Tufjordfjellet: the Gjesvær seabird coast hike, Magerøya
A short coastal DNT Green hike above Gjesvær on the west side of Magerøya. 5 km, 280 metres, 2 hours. Seabird colonies on the Gjesværstappan reserve below.
Tufjordfjellet is a short coastal hike on the west side of Magerøya above Gjesvær. 5 km round trip, 280 metres, 2 hours, DNT Green. The Gjesværstappan bird reserve sits directly offshore — puffins, gannets, kittiwakes. Best combined with a morning bird safari.
Gjesvær sits on the wild west side of Magerøya. Off the coast, the Gjesværstappan islands form one of the most important seabird reserves in the Barents region: puffins, gannets, guillemots, kittiwakes, and white-tailed eagles that hunt them. Tufjordfjellet is the short coastal hike from the village that gives you the colony from above, without a boat.
The honest grade
DNT Green. Marked trail, modest gain, no scrambling. Exposed to wind from the open sea — this is the westernmost ridge on Magerøya and the wind matters. Fog is common in early morning.
The route
Trailhead. Gjesvær village, 34 km from Honningsvåg by road. Park at the signed trailhead above the harbour. Limited spaces.
Ascent. Marked path climbing open slope with sea views growing the higher you go. 280 metres of gain in 50 to 60 minutes.
Ridge. Walk the ridge north for 15 minutes for the best angle on the Gjesværstappan islands.
Descent. Same route. 40 minutes.
Combine with a bird safari
Birdsafari Gjesvær runs morning boat trips to the reserve from the village harbour (roughly 650 NOK, 2 hours, May to August). Doing the boat in the morning and the ridge hike in the afternoon gives you the colony from sea level and from 280 metres above. Book the boat the day before — they run weather-dependent.
Gear
- Hiking boots.
- Windproof, waterproof.
- Binoculars. Bring them. Puffins from the ridge are distant without glass.
- Water.
Fjellvettreglene applied
Rule 3: read the weather. The west coast of Magerøya catches weather first. Rule 4: equipment — wind on the ridge in fog is the exposure that surprises people.
Logistics
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Trailhead | Gjesvær harbour |
| Drive from Honningsvåg | 45 minutes |
| Season | June to early September (bird season) |
| Bird safari operator | Birdsafari Gjesvær, boat from the harbour |
| Emergency | 112. Nearest medical: Honningsvåg. |
Who should do Tufjordfjellet
Anyone interested in seabirds. Travellers combining the hike with a morning safari boat. Photographers with a long lens.
Who should skip it
Travellers without a car — Gjesvær is not on the Nordkapp bus route.
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