🏕️ Camping etiquette in Norway
Norwegian campsites are all about respect for neighbours and nature. The basics are simple: cleanliness, sorting, quiet and safety. Below are clear rules, checklists, and interactive tips: what to throw away, how to get your deposit back for cans/bottles, how to plan "quiet hours," where to drain "grey water," how to park, and what to consider "neighbourly distance."
🤝 Basic principles
● Quiet in the evenings. "Quiet hours" are usually at night. Music and loud conversations should be kept inside the cottage and at a minimum volume.
● Cleanliness without traces. We leave the place cleaner than we found it: sorting, disposing of ashes, no "secret bags" in the bushes.
● Respect for common areas. We leave kitchens/showers as we would like them for ourselves: washed, dried, and cleared.
● Safety and fire. Open flames are only allowed where permitted and safe; gas is only allowed on stone/concrete.
● Neighbour privacy. Do not look into windows, keep a reasonable distance between tents/awnings/motorhomes.
🗑️ Waste sorting: what and where
Typical waste fractions at Norwegian campsites:
● Plast (plastic packaging): clean packaging, bags, bottles without residue.
● Papir/Papp (paper/cardboard): newspapers, boxes, paper bags (without grease/food).
● Glass & Metall (glass and metal): glass bottles/jars, tin cans (without lids with sharp edges facing outwards).
● Matavfall (food waste): organic waste in bio-bags (if this fraction is available at the campsite).
● Restavfall (mixed): anything that does not fit into the above categories.
● Farlig avfall (hazardous): batteries, lamps, chemicals, gas cartridges — hand in at reception/in a special container.
● PANT: cans/bottles marked pant — do not throw them in the rubbish, but take them to the return machine (panteautomat) in the shop/at reception.
💰 Pant: how to get your deposit back for cans and bottles
The pant system is a deposit on containers (cans/bottles marked with pant). Steps:
- Collect containers separately, do not crush them beyond recognition — the barcode is important.
- Go to the machine in the shop/at the reception, scan and return.
Receive a receipt and exchange it for cash/a discount.
Tip: keep a small bag for pant containers by the door of your house or in your car — this makes it easier to collect and return them all at once.
🔇 Quiet hours and behaviour at night
● Quiet hours are usually at night (check with reception). Sound travels further over water than it seems.
● No generators. Noisy generators are prohibited at most campsites.
● Doors and boots. Close them gently; sliding van doors are particularly loud.
● Children and groups. After quiet hours begin, only quiet games and conversations are allowed inside.
🚿 Grey water, showers and kitchens
● Drainage only at service points. Grey/black water — only in designated areas, not on the ground.
● Wash dishes in the kitchen. Not in sanitary sinks and certainly not in streams/sea water at the campsite.
● Showers and laundry. Dry the cubicle after use, remove hair/rubbish, do not leave washing machines "occupied" without a timer.
🚗 Parking, speed and electricity/gas
● Speed on the premises — pedestrian (keep to 5–10 km/h).
● Parking near the house — do not block passageways or visibility, do not park on the lawn without permission.
● EV charging — only at authorised points, not from the cottage's "regular" socket without permission.
● Turn off the engine. Warm up outside the campsite or briefly during the day.
🐾 With animals
Keep pets on a short leash, clean up after them, and respect quiet areas and playgrounds. On the pier — only on a leash and under supervision.
📏 Neighbourly distance and privacy
The "don't crowd" rule: keep a few metres between tents/awnings and retractable awnings — enough for passage and fire safety. Between motorhomes — use the width of the awning + a margin as a guide.
🔥 Fire and barbecue in brief
In summer, there is a general seasonal ban on open fires in natural environments. Use equipped areas or gas on stone/concrete, keep water handy and always extinguish until "cold ashes". Dispose of ashes in a designated container, disposable grills - only after they have cooled completely.
🌿 Leave No Trace: simple rules
- Plan your route and alternatives so as not to damage vulnerable areas.
- Walk on trails and pitch tents on stable surfaces.
- Take everything with you; do not leave behind "odourless" bags.
- Be careful with fire; gas/equipped areas are preferable.
- Respect animals: do not feed them and keep dogs on a leash.
- Respect people: be quiet at night and respect your neighbours' privacy.
Defecate and wash only in designated areas.
✅ Check-in and check-out checklist
Upon arrival: map of the territory, "quiet hours", sorting scheme, where the kitchen/laundry/drainage is located, where the grill area is, how the Wi-Fi works, where the parking is.
Upon departure: dishes are clean, floor is dry, rubbish is sorted, pant is returned, keys/cards are returned, cottage is inspected together with the administrator (if required).
🟢 On arrival
🔵 Before departure
FAQ
Cool it down to a "cold" state, place it in a designated container for ash/metal or in mixed waste if there is no other container. Never leave a warm grill on rocks or near bushes.
Usually at night. The exact times depend on the campsite — check with reception and plan your showers/dishwashing in advance. Sound travels across water, so even a simple conversation at the pier can disturb your neighbours.
Pant is a deposit for containers. Cans/bottles with a pant mark are returned to a machine. Don't crush them too much: the barcode is important. The receipt can be exchanged for cash or a discount at the shop/reception.
No. Dishes should only be washed in the camp kitchen. Bathrooms are for hygiene, not for grease and food scraps. Outside, drains go into the soil/water, which is harmful and often prohibited.
Put organic waste in a tightly sealed bag and throw it away in the "mixed" (Restavfall) bin. Do not leave food outside — the smell attracts birds and foxes.
On the campsite grounds — only on a leash. Clean up after your pet and do not allow it to bark at night. On the pier — increased control: it is slippery and there is water nearby.
Only in designated areas and when there is no wind/restrictions. Not on grass/peat. Keep water nearby and cool the coals completely.
Only if the administration allows it and the socket is designed for long-term use. Otherwise, use the official charging points on the territory or nearby.
Keep a few metres away so that there is a passageway and you do not interfere with privacy. If it is cramped, ask the administrator for another sector.
First, gently ask them to lower the noise/move the barbecue. If that doesn't help, contact reception: the staff know the rules and will quickly resolve the situation.
