The Northern Lights and Lapland

Meeting our Tour Manager and fellow travellers at London Heathrow this morning, our sensational Scandinavian exploration gets under way as we fly to Trondheim via Oslo.

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 transfer by coach to our modern 4-Star hotel in the stylish harbourside, just a couple of minutes' walk from the historic city centre. This historic city has a relaxed centre filled with restaurants, shops and attractions - and there is time for a stroll to get your bearings before we enjoy a welcome dinner at the hotel's restaurant.

Near our hotel are some museums, including one dedicated to Norwegian pop music, as well as a statue commemorating great Norse explorer Leif Erikson - believed to be the first European to set foot on continental North America nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus.

• Dinner

After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, we meet our expert local guide who will share some of their knowledge of this historic city on a sightseeing tour.

We explore Trondheim's Old Quarter, known to locals as Bakklandet, where we admire traditional painted wooden houses, cobblestone streets and colourful waterside buildings. Our guide also shows us the impressive 18th-century Baroque Stiftsgården, the largest wooden building in northern Europe.

The rest of the day is free for to continue sightseeing at your own pace. There are many attractions waiting to be explored, such as the Ringve Music Museum and the 12th-century Archbishop's Palace - a treasure trove of archaeological discoveries. Nidaros Cathedral, the world's most northernmost Gothic cathedral was built in the 13th century and is an architectural masterpiece, with its remarkable rose window depicting the day of judgement.

Vibrant Trondheim has an impressive range of restaurants for you to try tonight, from tapas and Italian food to vegan and Asian cuisine.

• Breakfast

Leaving Trondheim early this morning with a packed breakfast, we join the spectacular Nordland Railway. Affectionately known as the Polar Express due to picture-book snow scenes as it makes its way across the Arctic Circle to Bodø, this 453-mile route 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, enjoying a glass of cava as we celebrate crossing the Arctic Circle. Enroute, look out for reindeer in the mountains or the elusive sea eagles soaring over the picturesque coast.

As the train reaches Fauske, it turns due 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 overlooking the idyllic marina with views across to nearby islands, we enjoy dinner together.

Situated above the Arctic Circle, there is a chance that we could witness the majestic Northern Lights, although our best opportunities are still to come!

• Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast we take a scenic coach journey of around four hours, travelling from Bodø to Bognes where we catch the ferry to Lødingen on the Lofoten Isles. After disembarking, 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, after dinner we have another chance to experience their spectral dance for ourselves on our Northern Lights hunt.

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

**For departures 10/03/2025 and 12/03/2025 we will stay at the Quality Hotel Richard With in Stokmarknes and have tranfers to and from the Lofoten Islands on Days 4, 5 and 6.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A scenic drive follows breakfast at our hotel, as we travel with a local guide to one of Norway's oldest and best-preserved fishing villages, Nusfjord.

Huddled around its quaint fjordside harbour we find a scattering of colourful 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 fisherman 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 amid the sensational Lofoten scenery to gorgeous 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 Svolvær hotel tonight, after which we can venture out to look for the Northern Lights.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Saying farewell to Svolvær after breakfast at our hotel, we set out by coach to make our return journey to the Norwegian mainland. The scenery is dramatic, and we have a chance to 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 into 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 a number of 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, with exhibits relating to local history and the construction of the Ofoten Railway. Narvik is also a favoured winter sports destination so there is a friendly buzz about the city during the season.

**For departures 10/12/2024, 13/02/2025 and 20/02/2025 we will stay at the Quality Grand Royal Narvik.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A highlight of our holiday 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 to export iron ore mined near Kiruna. With miles of tundra and wilderness between the two, the Ofoten Railway was built to transport this valuable commodity from Sweden to the Norwegian port. The railway's 27-mile route was painstakingly carved out of the mountains in an incredible engineering project - largely undertaken by hand - and it takes us across the Swedish border, through 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. Surrounded by forests and rolling hills, we spend two nights in individual cabins. Not only is there chance of seeing wildlife strolling by, but it's also an excellent place to view the Northern Lights. There is free time this afternoon to relax or enjoy the spa facilities before we have dinner.

**For departures 3/1/2025 and 23/02/2025 we will stay at the Scandic Kiruna on Days 7, 8 and 9.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We discover the lives and culture of Scandinavia's indigenous people after breakfast today as we embrace a special Sámi experience. We travel to a Sámi village where we 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 is constructed afresh every year since 1989 from huge, hand-sculpted blocks of ice sourced from the nearby river. We tour its frozen rooms with a guide before donning warming clothes to visit the Ice Bar for a chilled drink served in ice glasses. We are then transferred back to Camp Ripan for a relaxed evening in our private cabins.

Please note: for departures 03/01/2025 & 23.02.2025 you will be staying at the Scandic Kiruna hotel.

• Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoying breakfast at our beautiful hotel, we look forward to an amazing morning excursion - 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 thrilling ride that's been part of Scandinavia's snow-laden culture for generations. We stop midway through this fantastic trip to warm up and enjoy the atmospheric views. Here, we take part in a traditional Swedish 'fika' - another of the country's most cherished traditions. Gathering round a campfire, we enjoy 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's restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After our final breakfast at fantastic Camp Ripan, we transfer by coach to Kiruna airport for a connecting flight to Stockholm. From the capital, we fly direct to London Heathrow, where our spectacular Scandinavian holiday concludes.

Saying farewell to our fellow travellers and Tour Manager, we look back on the fantastic experiences that have enchanted us along the way from Trondheim to Kiruna. Discovering the colourful buildings showcased the long history of the Viking capital, before we travelled to Bodø and on to the Lofoten Islands. This charming archipelago revealed jaw-dropping views and idyllic fishing villages, while the Ofoten Railway carried us across the border into Sweden.

Kiruna's picture-perfect winter scenes delighted us as we discovered the culture of the Sámi people, embraced the beauty of the Ice Hotel and enjoyed an amazing ride on a husky sled. And, of course, hopefully we saw the magical Northern Lights!

• Breakfast