The moose is regarded as Norway’s national animal, and is known as the king of the forest in Norway. While you will find moose in most of the northern hemisphere, it’s just something special about seeing the national animal of a country when visiting that country. So, where can you see wild moose in Norway?
It’s pretty common to see moose in Norway, and they are frequently met randomly when you’re hiking in the forest. They’re also common to see from your car window as they’re passing the road. It’s possible to book a guided tour to see wild moose in Norway.
The Norwegian moose is found in most of the country, but it’s very rare in the western part of Norway. It prefers forests, and the dense forests of Eastern Norway, as well as Northern Norway is perfect for the moose.
Many hikers stumble upon a moose randomly when hiking, and the moose tend to prefer to stay below the tree line. It will occasionally wander up to the mountains, but this is pretty rare. However, if it does wander above the tree line, it’s easy to see since it will be much taller than all the shrubs there.
Moose scat is a common sigh in most of Norway, and you won’t be able to walk too far on a trail before seeing moose scat at the side of the trail. This will be a sure sign that there’s moose in the surrounding area!
Book a guided moose safari
If you want to be sure to see a wild moose when visiting Norway, the best way is to book a moose safari.
A moose safari allows you to join an experienced guide in finding wild moose, then observing them trough binoculars in their natural habitat. It’s an absolutely unique and breathtaking experience!
There are several places in Norway where you can go on moose safaris. Below are some amazing options for Bodø and Dovre (the latter area also has reindeer safaris and musk ox safaris!)
These guided tours have a much higher chance of finding a moose compared to if you’re just strolling around in the Norwegian wilderness by yourself in the hopes of stumbling upon one.
Moose is actually quite easy to track if you’re experienced with it, but difficult for beginners. But it allows the guides to easily find nearby moose.
How to look for a wild moose in Norway on your own
Despite the fact that the moose prefers to live in the forest, you might actually want to look elsewhere to see a real, wild Norwegian moose when visiting Norway.
Your best bet of seeing a moose without a guide in Norway is to look at agricultural fields where the moose will be grazing, like on the photo below.
Moose, like most Norwegian deer species, love to graze on grasses and other herbs on agricultural fields. It’s also far easier to spot from a distance compared to in the forest where trees will be blocking your view.
To actually see wild moose, a good strategy is to drive your car around close to agricultural fields near large bodies of forests in Eastern or Northern Norway.
Another option is to drive along a big valley like in Halldingdal, Østerdalen or Gudbrandsdalen. The chance of a moose walking close to the road after a few hours of driving is very high.
It’s also possible to see wild moose in the forest by tracking them, but this require a certain level of tracking skills that are best left for hunters and others who know how to do it safely.