There’s much more to the Alta River than its abundance of salmon. The deep and wide river is responsible for keeping temperatures in the region much milder than northern Norway would otherwise offer. As a result, a number of tourist attractions have cropped up the Alta, a riverside town with great modern infrastructure and natural beauty. Besides fishing and canoeing down the still waters and rapids of the Alta River, travelers can spend time at the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, built entirely of snow. When visiting the Alta River in summer, one can also make a short excursion to the UNESCO protected prehistoric rock carvings in Hjemmeluft.