Sámi Cooking Experience in Hammerfest – Traditional Lavvu & Fire Meal
By Samibooking AS
Available from: July - October
Price From
Next available date: 01 Jul 2026
Interactive Sámi cooking experience in Hammerfest – prepare traditional food over open fire inside a cozy lavvu.
Join a warm and hands-on Sámi cooking experience in Hammerfest, where you learn to prepare traditional Arctic food inside a cozy lavvu.
Guided step by step by a local Sámi host, you will bake traditional gáhkku (Sámi panbread) directly over the fire and cook reinskav (thinly sliced reindeer meat) in a hot pan over open flames. You will also brew bålkaffe - traditional fire-brewed coffee served across Sápmi.
When the food is ready, everyone gathers around the fire to enjoy the meal together while listening to stories about Sámi food traditions, reindeer herding and everyday life in the Arctic.
This 2-hour experience is relaxed, social and suitable for all ages - perfect for families, groups and company events looking for an authentic cultural activity in Hammerfest.
- Traditional open-fire cooking: Bake Sámi gáhkku bread and prepare reindeer meat using authentic methods.
- Meal in a cozy lavvu: Enjoy your handmade meal and campfire coffee in a traditional setting.
- Culture and herding: Gain insights into Sámi cultural traditions and the world of reindeer herding.
Group size: 5–25 participants. Languages: English & Sámi. Easy level and suitable for all ages. No special fitness required.
- Sámi guide with cultural storytelling
- All food ingredients
- Traditional lavvu with fire and reindeer-hide seating
- Cooking tools and equipment
- Hands-on instruction for all participants
- You are eligible to receive a full refund of the booking amount if you cancel your reservation at least 7 Days before the scheduled start time.
Meeting Point
Mikkel aslak iver sara
About Reindeer Island Hammerfest
Reindeer Island Hammerfest was founded by Mihkkal Aslat Ivvar Sara, a Sámi reindeer herder from Hammerfest in Northern Norway.
Mihkkal grew up on the islands and mountains around Hammerfest, where his family has lived with reindeer for generations. These coastal areas are traditional Sámi summer pastures, shaped by reindeer herding, seasonal movement, and close ties between people, animals, land, and sea.
Reindeer herding has always been a central part of family life. Knowledge was passed down through everyday work on the land, following the reindeer through changing seasons, weather, and landscapes. Today, Reindeer Island Hammerfest continues this tradition by sharing real Sámi life through guided experiences, storytelling, and close encounters with reindeer.
Our activities are based on lived experience and family heritage — not staged performances. Everything guests learn comes from real life, real stories, and genuine Sámi knowledge passed down through generations.
Through tourism, Reindeer Island Hammerfest creates a way to keep reindeer on the land, preserve cultural knowledge, and pass traditions on to the next generation. Our experiences are built on respect for reindeer, nature, and Sámi culture, offering guests an honest and meaningful connection to life in the Arctic.