NORTHERN EXPOSURE ALTA KONSTA PUNKKA Less well known as a destination to view the Northern Lights than Tromsø, Alta is nevertheless growing a reputation as the connoisseur’s choice to take in the aurora borealis, well served by the airport situated on the shore of the Altafjord. Far from the madding crowd in northernmost Norway, Alta is certainly a place to take in a different culture, from staying in igloos to get an authentic experience of life in the Arctic Circle to discovering more about the Sámi people, the region’s original inhabitants. This can take the form of visiting the museums full of local artists’ work and historical artifacts, or getting in touch with nature via a journey on a reindeer sled, communing with a Sámi family and listening to the particular form of Sámi singing. This latter excursion is available through Sorrisniva (sorrisniva.no), home to an igloo hotel, and now the Arctic Wilderness Lodge, providing accommodation throughout the year. For while the temptation might be to look to the skies, the wonders of nature are all around in this remote part of the world. NetJets 59
