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The Northern Lights and Lapland

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You are viewing the 2024 itinerary. Select your departure year
20242025
11 days From $3,695 $3,495 per person
4.4 stars(21 reviews)
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Explore Norway, Lapland and the Northern Lights

Travel among a group of like-minded travelers led by a professional tour manager
Save up to $300pp

Save up to $300 per person on 2024 escorted rail vacations. Seats are filling up quickly, so book online or call a rail specialist today!

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2024 Tour code: NLW24

About the tour

On this remarkable adventure we explore Norway and Swedish Lapland, journeying north far into the Arctic Circle where we seek out the magical Northern Lights, all whilst travelling on some of Scandinavia's most scenic railways.

Highlights

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - Oslo

Fly to Oslo and transfer on your own to your hotel with the remainder of the day at leisure. Overnight Oslo.

Day 2 - Oslo to Trondheim

Return to Oslo airport to meet your Tour Manager and the rest of the group before your connecting flight to Trondheim, where your wonderful journey in search of the Northern Lights begins. A city separated from eastern Norway by the mighty Dovrefjell Mountain Range, Trondheim boasts incredible views over Sunndalsfjella National Park. Overnight Trondheim.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 - Exploring Trondheim

As one of the oldest destinations in Norway with a rich Viking heritage, we explore Trondheim on today's guided tour. We wander the narrow streets of the Old Quarter, known to locals as Bakklandet, before crossing the Old Town bridge and ending our guided explorations at Nidaros Cathedral. With free time in the afternoon, you may like to make your way the Ringve Museum. Set within a charming 18th-century manor house, it hosts a fascinating collection of musical instruments from all over the world. Alternatively, you might like to pick up some mementos in one of the quaint shopping districts or stop at one of the many restaurants or cafés to try some local specialties. Overnight Trondheim.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 4 - Trondheim to Bodø on the Nordland Railway

We leave Trondheim early this morning and travel north on the Nordland Railway, also known as the Polar Express, making the 452-mile journey to Bodø for the night. The route takes us through the beautiful and varied landscape of northern Norway before crossing the Arctic Circle at 66 degrees north. The train reaches Fauske, then turns west for the final short section of the journey to Bodø, which claims to be 'the city with the world's most beautiful coastline'. Overnight Bodo.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 - The Lofoten Islands and Northern Lights

We transfer to Bognes for the ferry to Lodingen, in the Lofoten Isles. After disembarking, we enjoy a scenic drive up to Svolvaer, 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 amidst its wild landscapes for two nights, exploring our impressive natural surroundings. Sat beneath the auroral oval, the Lofoten Isles are one of the best Northern Lights spotting areas in the world. And, if the weather is clear, we could experience their spectral dance for ourselves as we hunt the Northern Lights with an expert local guide. Overnight Svolvaer.

Sightings of the Northern Lights are dependent on weather and overall conditions.

 

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 6 - Nusfjord and Vestvågøy

We enjoy a scenic drive to one of Norway's oldest and best-preserved fishing villages, Nusfjord. Centred around its fjordside harbour, here we find a handful of wooden cabins, known as rorbu, once home to cod fisherman who used to hang their catch outside their homes. This sea fairing past 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 to the traditional district of Vestvågøy, a farming district known for its sandy beaches and mountainous terrain. After dinner, we embark on another Northern Lights hunt. Overnight Svolvaer.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7 - Svolvaer to Narvik

We leave Svolvaer by coach, returning to the Norwegian mainland. Our journey once again offers a wonderful opportunity to soak up the region's breathtaking beauty, with views from the coach stretching down sheer bluffs to the majestic fjords in the valley below. We check into our hotel in Narvik ahead of some free time to explore. This ice-free seaport is located 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle and has a number of fascinating attractions, including the Red Cross War Memorial Museum, which documents the wartime occupation of Narvik by the Germans in World War II. Also worth a visit is the Ofoten Museum, which features exhibits relating to local history and the construction of the Ofoten Railway. Overnight Narvik.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8 - The Ofoten Railway to Kiruna

We take a trip on one of the world's most northerly railway lines, the Ofoten Railway. Narvik was originally built as a hub to export the iron ore mined near Kiruna, and the Ofoten Railway was built to be a link between the two. The railway's route was painstakingly carved out of the mountains in an incredible engineering project that was largely undertaken by hand, and we travel across the Swedish border, crossing barren plateaus and traversing steep mountainsides as we make our way to Kiruna, Swedish Lapland's largest city. On arrival, we check into our hotel for two nights. Overnight Kiruna.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Days 9 - Sami experience and Ice Hotel

Our day begins with a Sami experience, during which we discover the lives and culture of Scandinavia's indigenous people. We travel to a Sami village where we meet the reindeer, enjoy a Sami style lunch in a 'lavvu' (Sami tent) and listen to age-old folk tales. Visiting Kiruna's famous, annual Ice Hotel in the afternoon, we tour the cold rooms before donning our warm weather gear to visit the Ice Bar for a chilled drink served in ice glasses. Overnight Kiruna.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10 - Kiruna and huskies

After a free morning, we enjoy a unique experience at a local husky farm. After meeting these enthusiastic and hard-working creatures, we set out on a sled ride with a pack of huskies at the helm, leading us through the winter wonderland landscapes for a thrilling ride that's been a way of navigating Scandinavia's snow-laden countryside for generations. Afterwards, we warm up around the fire in one of the local wooden chalets, enjoying a well-deserved Swedish coffee and cake break, known as a 'fika'.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11 - Return Home

As your tour comes to an end, you'll be transferred to the Kiruna airport for your included return flight to Stockholm. From there you can depart for home.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Departure times

Departure times vary based on selected rail vacation. This information will be provided in your final documents. For more information please speak with your rail specialist.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular vacation with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotels

Thon Hotel Nordlys, Bodø

Thon Hotel Nordlys, Bodø

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Camp Ripan

Camp Ripan, Kiruna

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Scandic Narvik Hotel, Narvik

Scandic Narvik Hotel, Narvik

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Thon Hotel Lofoten, Svolvaer

Thon Hotel Lofoten, Svolvaer

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Clarion Hotel, Trondheim

Clarion Hotel, Trondheim

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Trains

Nordland Railway
Ofoten Railway

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Reviews

4.4 stars4.4 / 5 · 21 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (11)
  2. 4 stars
    (8)
  3. 3 stars
    (2)
  4. 2 stars
    (0)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

GOLDSTEIN, DANIEL FREDERICK

5 stars

Submitted 29/Mar

An exciting adventure! Great tour director who was able to adjust things we had planned due to weather conditions.

Collected by Trustpilot

Bonnie Diciacco

4 stars

Submitted 28/Mar

This was a very fun trip!!! We felt lucky to get to see the Northern Lights which was the main reason for going. Some of our accomodations weren't quite up to par, but our tour guide was great!

Collected by Trustpilot

SEIDEN, LORI ANN

5 stars

Submitted 27/Mar

Our trip exceeded our expectations, and our tour manager, Angie, was awesome!

Collected by Trustpilot

Doug

5 stars

Submitted 24/Mar

This was a super trip. One of our top favorites !!

Collected by Trustpilot

MEYER, MICHAEL

5 stars

Submitted 22/Mar

Excellent experience (albeit cold). Visited several locations in Norway and Sweden, and of course always on the lookout for the Northern LIghts....and we saw them!! Other excursions (Sami village and dogsledding) added to the adventure.

Collected by Trustpilot

KEIM, RICHARD LEE

4 stars

Submitted 20/Mar

The hotel on Lofoten Island was terrible and needs to be replaced on future tours

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