For almost five years, Henrik Vikse and his husky companion, Akiak, have been traveling around Norway. (Henrik Vikse)

“One sleeping dog, a billion stars—there is nothing more relaxing than that,” said 28-year-old who quit his job to travel around Norway and enjoy the outdoors with his husky, Akiak. “We truly respect nature and the weather,” he told weather.com.

When Vikse decided to quit his day job, he finally had time to travel like he always wanted. “I had no flexibility to just take a day or two off just to go on a hike—I only had time off on the weekends,” he said. “It wasn’t enough for me.”

He dreamt about starting his own business for years and decided one day to simply quit. “It’s probably the best decision I’ve ever made,” he said. “Made me wonder why I had not done it sooner.”

Another “best decision” Vikse made was getting a dog. The human-husky pair met about four-and-a-half years ago. Vikse moved into his own home, and he decided it was the perfect opportunity to find a hiking companion. “My friend’s dog got puppies, so when I went to look at them, Akiak and I just found each other,” Vikse said. “So that must be what people call ‘a perfect match.”

“Akiak” is an Inuit name for brave. “He is funny, athletic, weird, kind and smart,” Vikse said. “Even though he is a really active dog, when he is inside, you don’t really notice him.”

(MORE:)

The duo has been gaining attention recently through Instagram (), where Vikse documents their travelling experiences around Norway. Many may regard Norway as a cold and wet country, but due to the westerlies, the country experiences warmer temperatures than expected at such northern latitudes. Winters, though, are frigid, with coldest areas averaging around 5 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fortunately, Akiak’s dense double-coat helps him keeps him resilient to cold temperatures, allowing him and his human to enjoy the outdoors even in the winter. “This winter, we’re just spending every day, all day, outside exploring, skiing and having a blast—for days in a row,” Vikse said.

So far, Hardangervidda, a mountain plateau in central southern Norway, is Vikse’s favorite spot with Akiak. “It is really far from civilization,” he said. “It’s like being on another planet.”

When the light is out, Vikse captures the awe-inspiring landscapes and images of Akiak with his Nikon D800, which he relies on even when temperatures drop to the negatives.

Aside from being “truly great as a foot warmer,” Akiak helps keep Vikse safe when they’re out on trails, helping him find better routes for exploration. “[Akiak] enjoys the nature as much as I do, even in bad conditions, and he has no problem of being outside,” Vikse said.

Follow the husky-human pair on or for more photos of their Norway adventures.

(MORE: )