NORWAY FJORDS AND NORTHERN LIGHTS
Overview
Experience Arctic adventures in a beautiful country steeped in rich culture. Expect fresh air, fairytale forests, fresh seafood, jaw-dropping fjords and enough natural beauty to take your breath away. Fly north from the chilled Norwegian capital all the way to the Arctic Circle to discover ancient Sami culture and adrenaline-rich activities. Then set sail aboard a Norwegian cruise and marvel as you float gently past mountains, valleys, glaciers and dramatic coastal landscapes in search of the Northern Lights. What could be more magical?
Included/Excluded
Day 1Start Oslo
Oslo
God dag! That’s good day in Norwegian and it’s definitely a good day for an Arctic adventure. We’ll meet our Manager and Contiki crew to say ‘Hei’ here in the Norwegian capital, Tromso (AKA the Gateway of the Arctic). Expect stunning arctic scenery, a vibrant cultural scene. Plus a chance to see the Northern Lights!
Day 2Oslo to Tromso
Oslo
Bye Oslo! Today we’re taking a train to the airport and soaring over to Tromsø, our gateway to the Arctic Circle.
Tromso
Day 3Tromso
Tromso
Day 4Tromso to Overnight Cruise
Tromso
Wake up to fresh Arctic air and a free morning. For panoramic views of the city, we’ll ride the cable car up to Mount Storsteinen. If you’re energetic this morning you could even try a polar plunge and sauna for a true Arctic experience.
It’ll be hard to contain our excitement as we board the Hurtigruten ship in the late afternoon and set sail for the next couple of days, following the wild coastline towards Skjervøy in search of the beguiling Northern Lights. Dinner is up to you this evening but you’ll be able to choose from the onboard restaurants serving authentic produce, fresh from local communities.
Day 5Overnight Cruise via Honningsvag
Honningsvag
Ahoy! We hope the ship rocked you soundly to sleep. This morning we sail through the Magerøysund sound and after an early stop in Hammerfest, we arrive in Honningsvåg.
From here, you can join an excursion to the spectacular North Cape (subject to availability), the northernmost point of Europe, which is just 2000 km from the geographic North Pole. The ship continues northward along the coast of Lapland, passing by the Finnkjerka rock formation, the old sacrificial site of the Sami people. Don’t forget to look for the lights! While there’s no guarantee of seeing the elusive and mysterious Northern Lights we are definitely in the right place at the right time. The sky needs to be dark and clear of cloud and they will most likely show between 5pm and 2am, so grab yourself a coffee and keep your eyes peeled.
Day 6Overnight Cruise to Kirkenes
Overnight Hurtigruten Cruise
The last port on our voyage northward is Kirkenes. Located at 30°E, we’re now further east than Istanbul! The Russian border is close by, and all signs are written in both Norwegian and Russian.
Kirkenes
Here in Kirkenes, you’ll have the unique opportunity to experience dogsledding with an expert musher and huskies. Afterwards, we’ll end our day in the town that brought us the very first snow hotel (made completely of snow and ice).
Day 7Kirkenes to Oslo
Kirkenes
By now you should be completely chilled. But pull on your mittens, we’re headed to the airport and hopping aboard a flight to Oslo.
Oslo
Oslo is lively at night, fuelled by the fiery local spirit akevitt. Many Norwegians go out late after a vorspiel (pre-party), so hit the town after 10pm and live it up with the locals.
Day 8Oslo
Oslo
It’s cold outside but our hearts are full of warm and lasting memories as we say our goodbyes after breakfast. The Norwegians have an expression meaning ‘see you soon’ – ‘Sees!’
