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 cosy restaurants.

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

After breakfast, make your way back to Oslo airport to join the Tour Manager and fellow travelers for a short internal 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, we make our way to our hotel in the stylish harborside, just a short distance from the historic city center. After checking in, there is time to get acquainted with your new surroundings and start to soak up the history that envelops this city. You might like to make your way to the waterfront for your first taste of this nation's beauty.

Return to the hotel this evening to meet the Tour Manager and your group of fellow travelers and enjoy dinner together in the hotel's restaurant. Overnight Trondheim.

• Breakfast, Dinner

 This morning, we meet our expert local guide for a sightseeing tour of Trondheim. At the Old Quarter, known to locals as Bakklandet, we admire traditionally painted wooden houses, cobblestone streets and colorful waterside buildings. Our guide also shows us the impressive 18th-century Baroque Stiftsgården, the largest wooden building in northern Europe.   

For the rest of the day, you are free to continue sightseeing at your own pace. You could explore famous attractions, such as the Nidaros Cathedral, the world's northernmost Gothic cathedral, built in the 13th century and is an architectural masterpiece. Its remarkable rose window, which depicts the day of judgment, is a true highlight. You could also visit Archbishop's Palace, a museum whose grounds held Norway's largest and most comprehensive archaeological excavations.

Trondheim also has an impressive range of restaurants where you can dine independently this evening. Overnight Trondheim.

• Breakfast

 Leaving Trondheim early this morning, we join the spectacular Nordland Railway. Known as the "Polar Express" due to picture-book snow scenes, it 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, celebrating as we cross the Arctic Circle. En route, look for reindeer in the mountains or the elusive sea eagles soaring over the coast.     

As the train reaches Fauske, it turns west along the shore of Skjerstad Fjord before arriving in Bodø, known as the city with the world's most beautiful coastline. Transferring to our hotel overlooking the idyllic marina with views across to nearby islands, we enjoy dinner together. Since we are situated above the Arctic Circle, we could witness the majestic Northern Lights this evening, although our best opportunities are still to come. Overnight Bodø.

• Breakfast, Dinner

 After breakfast, we take a scenic coach journey from Bodø to Bognes. From here, we catch the ferry to Lødingen on the Lofoten Isles, where, on arrival, our scenic drive continues to Svolvær, the tiny capital of these stunning islands, described as Europe's most dramatic and spectacular archipelago.   

The Lofoten Isles are tethered to mainland Norway by a series of bridges that resemble spikey, wired teeth, and we stay in this wild landscape for two nights. Set beneath the auroral oval, the Lofoten Isles are one of the world's best locations to see the Northern Lights. We venture out by coach to seek the wondrous yet elusive spectacle before returning to our Svolvær hotel for dinner. If the weather is clear, we have another chance to experience their spectral dance for ourselves on a Northern Lights hunt after dinner. Overnight Svolvær.

• Breakfast, Dinner

 Setting out into the Lofoten Islands after breakfast, 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 against the craggy peaks and deep blue waters, this makes for a picture-postcard scene of Norwegian coastal life. Once home to cod fisherman who used to hang their catch outside their homes, Nusfjord has a seafaring heritage that is still visible today. Former community buildings, such as the old fish oil factory and smokery, have been lovingly renovated. 

  We continue amid the Lofoten scenery to Vestvågøy. This spellbinding island is renowned for its agriculture, but the sandy beaches, snow-capped mountains and enchanting landscapes capture visitors' hearts.

Dinner is served back at our Svolvær hotel tonight, after which we can venture out once again to look for the Northern Lights. Overnight Svolvær.

• Breakfast, Dinner

 Saying goodbye to Svolvær 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 before dinner at the hotel. This ice-free seaport is located 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle and has many fascinating attractions, including the Red Cross War Memorial Museum, which documents the occupation of this vital port in World War II. Also worth a visit is the Ofoten Museum, which has exhibits relating to local history and the construction of the Ofoten Railway. Overnight Narvik.

• Breakfast, Dinner

 A highlight of our trip 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 and then transfer by coach to the station to take our seats for the journey. With miles of tundra and wilderness between the two destinations, 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, continuing across barren plateaus and alongside steep mountains to Kiruna, Swedish Lapland's largest city.   

On arrival in Kiruna, we transfer to our accommodation in Camp Ripan on the edge of the town. 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, which we have an opportunity to feed. These animals are very important to the Sámi way of life, as many people are involved in semi-nomadic reindeer herding. 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 freshly constructed yearly since 1989 from huge, hand-sculpted blocks of ice sourced from the nearby river. We tour its frozen rooms with a guide before visiting the Icebar for a chilled drink served in ice glasses. We are then transferred back to Camp Ripan for a relaxed evening in our private cabins. 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 and 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 and a Swedish sandwich. 

  Around midday, a coach transfers us back to Camp Ripan, where there is an afternoon to unwind or wander through the birch forests of the Midnattssolstigen (Midnight Sun Trail) that passes by our camp. This evening, we enjoy a farewell dinner together at the hotel. Overnight Kiruna.

• Breakfast, Dinner

 From Norway's capital to Swedish Lapland, this journey has showcased the rich history and culture preserved in Scandinavia. We discovered the colorful buildings and long history of the Viking capital and traveled to the Lofoten Islands, where we explored the jaw-dropping views and idyllic fishing villages by day and hunted for the Northern Lights at night. After the Ofoten Railway carried us across the border into Sweden, we discovered the culture of the Sámi people, embraced the beauty of the Ice Hotel and enjoyed an amazing ride on a husky sled.  

After our final breakfast at Camp Ripan, there is some time to marvel at the scenery before we transfer by coach to Kiruna airport for our flight to Stockholm. Your vacation concludes here, and you are free to continue your onward travels home.

• Breakfast