Arctic Circle Express
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You are viewing the 2019 itinerary
Itineraries and pricing may vary by departure year
Majestic mountains and heavenly fjords in Norway combine with the tranquil landscapes of Sweden on an epic journey that includes every great Scandinavian rail experience. On this exciting 16-day tour you'll visit the fascinating cities Oslo and Stockholm and travel beyond the Arctic Circle to the 'Land of the Midnight Sun.'
We fly from London to Stockholm, for two nights at the Scandic Continental. On Day 2, we enjoy a sightseeing tour of Stockholm, before you are free to explore at leisure.
Departing Stockholm we head inland by InterCity train to Östersund, nestled on the shore of beautiful Lake Storsjön. Here we spend tonight at the Clarion Grand Hotel.
We leave Östersund and head north to Sorsele travelling through some of Sweden's most glorious scenery as we head towards the untamed wilderness of Swedish Lapland Our journey on the Inlandsbanan tourist train takes us through a landscape of crystal clear lakes and towering forests, towards the 'Land of the Midnight Sun'. On arrival we make a visit to the Inlandsbanan Museum before getting a real taste of Lapland with a visit to a Sami village in Slagnas. From here we transfer to Arjeplog where we spend the night.
Today we continue our adventure through the north as we travel via coach to Jokkmokk, celebrating our crossing of the Arctic circle on the way. On arrival, we check into the Hotel Jokkmokk for a one night stay.
Today we enjoy a journey on one of the world's most northerly railway lines, the Ofoten Railway. We travel through Sweden's breathtaking mountains into Norway, traversing steep mountainsides, with sheer drops to the fjords below. We arrive in Narvik, where we stay at the Scandic Hotel Narvik. Day 7 is then spent travelling to Fauske via coach. On arrival in Fauske, we board our train to Steinkjer which takes us along the incredible Nordland Railway on the 'Polar Express', which travels past awesome fjords and bristling forests. On arrival into Steinkjer, we stay at the Scandic Stiklestad.
Today is spent admiring the rugged shores of Norway as we follow the coastline south to Trondheim on our coach. On the way, we stop at Stiklestad, the site of King Olav's death in 1030. Here we enjoy a guided tour and lunch. Late this evening we arrive in Trondheim, Norway's religious capital. The Radisson Blu Royal Garden Hotel is our home for two nights. Day 9 is free to explore the atmospheric city of Trondheim, one of the oldest cities in Norway. As well as discovering the city's broad avenues, old warehouses and pretty timber dwellings, you could visit the Ringve Museum which features a collection of musical instruments from all over the world.
Please note: Due to the Aqua Nor fishing fair taking place on these dates Departure ACJ1920 will stay at the Scandic Hell just outside of Trondheim city.
Today we join the 71 mile long Rauma Railway for a spectacular journey through magnificent, contrasting landscape. We navigate the same course as the emerald waters of the River Rauma for much of the journey, the tracks following the river as it winds around the hillsides below jagged mountain peaks. As we climb over rounded mountain peaks and smooth plateaus we are treated to awesome views across the expansive, unspoiled national parks that stretch into the distance. On arrival into Åndalsnes, we transfer by coach to Geiranger for a two night stay at the Union Hotel Geiranger. The hotel stands at the head of the Geirangerfjord. One of Norway's most picturesque sites, the Geirangerfjord is even more incredible first-hand than in photographs.
Today we enjoy the beautiful scenery of the spectacular Geirangerfjord by boat. As we cruise along the serene, deep water, the steep sides of the fjord seem to tower over the boat. In sunshine, this UNESCO World Heritage site is alive with colour and contrasts - the lush greens of the trees clinging to the rock contrasting with the deep blue water and the brilliant white of the snow-capped peaks in the distance. When it rains, countless waterfalls appear from nowhere, flowing majestically over exposed rocky outcrops and crashing down into the water below.
We leave Geiranger by coach this morning, continuing our scenic voyage through Norway's incredible fjord country. We travel through valleys hemmed in by lofty mountains and along steep-sided fjords, every bend in the road offering a new perspective, every mountain pass delivering us into a new, beautiful valley. We reach Flåm at the head of the Aurlandsfjord and stay at the Fretheim Hotel.
Today we enjoy a superb excursion on the Flåm Railway. Our rail journey takes us up into the mountains along one of the steepest lines in the world, twisting and turning regularly as the railway line does its best to accommodate the extreme terrain. We reach the end at Myrdal and return to Flåm, to board the express boat for an afternoon journey along Norway's longest and deepest fjord, Sognefjord. Navigating coastal islets and skerries, we end the day in Bergen, where we spend two nights at the Thon Rosenkrantz.
Today we are treated to a guided tour of Bergen. The town is nestled beneath seven hills and is surrounded by fjords. We see a number of sights including Bryggen, the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
We leave Bergen by train for a magnificent journey on Northern Europe's highest railway line, the Bergen Railway. The train climbs high above the tree line across some of the most remote areas of western Norway before descending to the elegant city of Oslo, where we overnight and enjoy dinner together.
We bid farewell to Norway today as we transfer to the airport for our flight to London.
Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.
An escorted experience and all travel arrangements
Comfortable accommodation in your destination
Delicious meals included
Fantastic rail experiences
Exciting excursions and free time to explore
Please note: This tour may be suitable for reduced mobility passengers, please call for further information.
of travellers would recommend this tour
Tour Rating
based on 2 verified reviews
Very well organised tour with a fantastic tour manager. Spectacular scenery and good hotels. The best thing no hidden extras we didn't have to pay for any of the excursions like the fjord cruise or the visit to the Sami village plus we never had to tip any of the drivers, tour guides etc that was all taken care of by our tour guide. The only downside was how very expensive food and drinks were in both Sweden and Norway a small glass of wine and a medium beer cost on average £20.
2 hotels not up to scratch. Specially the one in Marvin which was poor. We would have liked more time in Marvin - but not in that hotel.
I've already given my feedback twice.
I enjoyed the experience, & would recommend it, My only comment as said in the follow up questionaire is that I paid a hefty single person supplement, but most of my accomodation was in small rooms with a single bed & I feel these should not incur a supplement. I felt that the two set meals were poor and without adequate choice.
I enjoyed our journey. The hotels, trains, our tour manager, food and location stops were nicely selected. Except for luggage transportation to hotels, trains, buses for the elderly, they needed more help.
The holiday met our expectations although we enjoyed the Norway section the most. Our tour Manager was very efficient and ensured everything ran smoothly.
Porterage and storage of luggage onto trains became an issue for clients of our age group. The Flam to Bergen day needs to be reviewed as the evening hotel meal was served much too late and so my wife missed her meal.
Would have been more satisfactory to go half board throughout the trip
The holiday seemed a bit too hectic, especially having to manage ones luggage, but this was probably unavoidable given the distances covered. The hotels were mostly good or excellent but the hotel at Ostersund was not up to expectations and in Bergen the hotel was very poor. The rooms were very pokey and the dining facilities crowded and disorganised. It was not as advertised or as the itinerary and there were many better options ! Everyone was complaining and if it was done to save money then it was not worth it ! We found the buffet meals a bit repetitive in terms of food options.
Holiday well planned and we had an excellent tour guide. Scenery spectacular as expected. For us, being 80 years old, some days were rather long, but difficult to do otherwise in light of distances to travel. We note that next year is by rail only. 19 days make that a long holiday - will you suffer bookings ?
The Nordic rail adventure of a lifetime
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