The Northern Lights & Lapland

Your Scandinavian vacation begins today when you arrive in the capital of Norway, Oslo.

Your four-star hotel is directly outside the station and only a short distance from Oslo's famous 17th-century cathedral. Used for state occasions, it is encircled on three sides by the beautiful Romanesque Revival curved arcade. Built in the mid-1800s to house butcher stalls, they now contain independent stores and cozy restaurants.

After checking in, you are free to relax or familiarize yourself with the neighbourhood and dine independently this evening. Overnight Oslo.

• Dinner

Today, you have a free morning to explore Oslo before a short internal flight to Trondheim. Situated beside a fjord and surrounded by forest-covered mountains, Oslo is called "The Green Capital" because of its beautiful parks. Wander past colorful buildings, cafés and shops, and look out for the many statues dotting the city's green spaces. For lunch, you can choose from Oslo's wide range of international cuisines and local fare.

In the afternoon, make your way back to Oslo Airport to join the Tour Manager and fellow travelers to board our flight to Trondheim.

Separated from eastern Norway by the mighty Dovrefjell Mountains, Trondheim was founded by Olaf Tryggvason, a Viking king, more than a thousand years ago. On arrival in this fascinating city, we transfer by coach to our hotel in the stylish harborside, just a short distance from the historic center. There is time to look around our new surroundings before dinner at the hotel this evening. Overnight Trondheim.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Leaving Trondheim early this morning, we join the spectacular Nordland Railway. Known as the Polar Express due to the route's picture-book snow scenes, the train makes its way across the Arctic Circle to Bodø - a 453-mile route that passes through some of Norway's most amazing landscapes.

We witness sunrise over wintry northern Norway, passing frozen lakes, snow-covered mountains, tranquil fjords and frosted forests as we cross the Arctic Circle. En route, look out for reindeer in the mountains or elusive sea eagles soaring over the picturesque coast.

As the train reaches Fauske, it turns west along the shimmering shore of Skjerstad Fjord before arriving in Bodø - known as the city with the world's most beautiful coastline. Transferring to our hotel, we enjoy dinner together. As we're situated above the Arctic Circle, there's a chance of viewing the magnificent Northern Lights, although our best opportunities are still to come. Overnight Bodø.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, we take a scenic coach journey of around four hours, travelling from Bodø to Bognes. From here, we catch the ferry to Lødingen on the Lofoten Islands.

With a deep connection to the Viking Era, Lofoten is known for its abundant fishing, which is why people have settled here for millennia. The Lofoten Islands are tethered to mainland Norway by a series of bridges that resemble spiky, wired teeth and we stay in this surreal landscape for two nights. Set beneath the auroral oval, the Lofoten Islands are one of the world's best locations to see the Northern Lights.

After dark, we venture out by coach to seek the wondrous yet elusive spectacle, before returning to our Stokmarknes hotel for dinner. If the weather is clear, after dinner we have another chance to experience their spectral swirling dance for ourselves on a Northern Lights hunt. Overnight Stokmarknes.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A scenic drive with a local guide takes us to one of Norway's oldest and best-preserved fishing villages, Nusfjord.

Huddled around its fjordside harbor, we find a scattering of colorful wooden cabins, known as rorbu, painted mustard, cream and crimson. Contrasting beautifully against the craggy peaks and deep blue waters, this makes for a picture-postcard scene of Norwegian coastal life. Once home to cod fishermen who used to hang their catch outside their homes, this seafaring heritage is still visible in Nusfjord today, with former community buildings such as the old fish oil factory and smokery having been lovingly renovated.

We continue our drive amid the Lofoten scenery to Vestvågøy. This spellbinding island is renowned for its agriculture, but it is the sandy beaches, snow-capped mountains and enchanting landscapes that capture the hearts of visitors. Dinner is served back at our Stokmarknes hotel tonight, after which we can venture out once again to look for the Northern Lights. Overnight Stokmarknes.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Saying goodbye to Stokmarknes after breakfast, we set out by coach for the return journey to the Norwegian mainland. On the drive, soak up the region's natural majesty on one of the most scenic routes in Europe, with views stretching down to magnificent fjords in the valley below.

On arrival in Narvik, we check in to our hotel and have some free time to explore. This ice-free seaport is located 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle and has lots of fascinating attractions, including the Red Cross War Memorial Museum, which documents the occupation of this vital port in World War Two. Also worth a visit is the Ofoten Museum, with its exhibits relating to local history and the construction of the Ofoten Railway.

This evening, we gather back at our hotel for dinner together. Overnight Narvik.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A highlight of the vacation awaits today as we travel on one of the world's most northerly railway lines, the Ofoten Railway, aboard the Arctic Train. Waking up in Narvik, we have breakfast in this city that was originally a hub for exporting iron ore mined near Kiruna. With miles of icy tundra and wilderness between the two, the Ofoten Railway was built to transport this valuable commodity from Sweden to the Norwegian port.

Twenty-seven miles of this route were painstakingly carved out of the mountains in an incredible engineering project, largely undertaken by hand. Our rail journey takes us across the Swedish border, where it continues across barren plateaus and alongside steep mountains to Kiruna, Swedish Lapland's largest city.

On arrival in Kiruna, we transfer to our accommodations. There is free time this afternoon to relax or enjoy the spa facilities before we have dinner. Overnight Kiruna.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We discover the lives and culture of Scandinavia's indigenous people today with a special Sámi experience.

We travel to a Sámi village where a local guide introduces us to the reindeer. These animals are very important to the Sámi way of life as many people are involved in semi-nomadic reindeer herding. We also get the opportunity to feed these beautiful animals. As we learn more about life in the picturesque camp, we enjoy a Sámi-style lunch in a traditional tent called a "lavvu" and listen to age-old folk tales.

In the afternoon, we visit Kiruna's world-famous Ice Hotel. This spectacular monument has been constructed afresh every year since 1989 from huge, hand-sculpted blocks of ice sourced from the nearby river. We tour the hotel's frozen rooms with a guide before visiting the Ice bar for a chilled drink served in ice glasses. We are then transferred back to our hotel for an evening at leisure. Overnight Kiruna.

• Breakfast, Lunch

During breakfast, we look forward to an amazing excursion this morning - a unique husky safari experience. With a pack of energetic huskies at the helm, steered by an expert guide, we set out on a large sled through the snowy scenery.

Our trip takes us through a winter wonderland on a ride that's been part of Scandinavia's snow-laden culture for generations. As well as enjoying atmospheric views during the husky ride, we also take part in a traditional Swedish "fika," gathering around a campfire with a hot drink.

Around midday, a coach transfers us back to hotel, where there's an afternoon to unwind. This evening, we enjoy a farewell dinner together at the hotel. Overnight Kiruna.

• Breakfast, Dinner

From Trondheim to Kiruna, this Scandinavian vacation has showcased the culture and heritage of the vast northern regions of Norway and Sweden - after exploring the Viking capital, the Lofoten Islands revealed jaw-dropping views and idyllic fishing villages, while the scenic Ofoten Railway carried us across the border into Swedish Lapland. We discovered the culture of the Sámi people, embraced the glistening beauty of the Ice Hotel and enjoyed an amazing ride on a husky-drawn sled.

After breakfast at our hotel this morning, your vacation draws to a close. We check out and transfer by coach to the airport for our flight to Stockholm airport where the tour concludes.

• Breakfast