The Northern Lights and Lapland

We fly from London Heathrow to Trondheim, via Oslo, our base for two nights. A city separated from eastern Norway by the mighty Dovrefjell Mountain Range, the city boasts incredible views over Sunndalsfjella National Park. One of the oldest cities in Norway with a rich Viking heritage, we explore Trondheim on a guided tour on Day 2. We wander the narrow streets of the Old Quarter, known to locals as Bakklandet, before crossing the Old Town bridge on our way to Nidaros Cathedral, the northernmost medieval cathedral in the world. With free time in the afternoon, you may like to visit 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 go shopping in one of the quaint shopping districts or stop at a restaurant or café to try some local specialties.

• Day 1 - Dinner
• Day 2 - Breakfast

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 before turning west for the final short section of the journey to Bodø, which claims to be 'the city with the world's most beautiful coastline'. As Bodø sits beneath the auroral oval, if the weather is clear, tonight could be our first viewing of the magical Northern Lights and, after dinner, we drive away from the city and aware from the glare of any light pollution, maximising our chances of seeing the spectral dance of the Northern Lights.

• Breakfast, Dinner

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. With free time here, you might like to go on a guided snow shoe walk or embark on a sea eagle-spotting safari.

• Breakfast

We enjoy a scenic drive to one of Norway's oldest and best-preserved fishing villages, Nusfjord, also stopping in the traditional district of Vestvågøy. After dinner, we embark on another excursion by coach for a chance to see the Northern Lights.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We leave Svolvaer by coach this morning, 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

• Breakfast, Dinner

We enjoy a journey on one of the world's most northerly railway lines, the Ofoten Railway today. 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.

• Breakfast, Dinner

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 local folk tales. Visiting Kiruna's famous, annual Ice Hotel this 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. Following dinner, we leave the lights of the city behind, heading into a beautiful landscape of frozen forests and mountains to try and view the captivating Northern Lights once again.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner