Call to book01904 521 936
Tour Search
#Favourites

The Northern Lights and Lapland

Save
4.5 stars(75 reviews)
Gallery

Experience the magic of winter in Norway and Lapland and seek out the wondrous Northern Lights

You are viewing the 2024 itinerary. Select your departure year
20232024
10 days From £2,495 £2,395 per person
Booking Offer

Save up to £300pp on selected 2023 and 2024 Worldwide holidays when you book before 14th April 2023.

View terms and conditions

2024 Tour code: NLW24

About the tour

On this remarkable adventure, we explore Norway and Swedish Lapland, aboard Scandinavia's scenic railways. We also take a husky-hauled sleigh ride into the Arctic Circle where we seek out the magical Northern Lights.

Highlights

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 – London and Trondheim

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. We have dinner at our hotel.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 - 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 a free afternoon, you may like to make your way the Ringve Museum which houses a fascinating collection of musical instruments from all over the world. Alternatively, you could browse the quaint shopping district or visit one of the many restaurants or cafés to try some local specialties.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 3 – The Nordland Railway and Bodø

We leave Trondheim early this morning, joining the Nordland Railway, affectionately known as the Polar Express, for a long but scenic journey north to Bodø for the night. We experience sunrise through the beautiful wintry landscape of northern Norway, passing frozen lakes and frosted forests, enjoying a glass of Cava as we cross the Arctic Circle at 66 degrees north. The train reaches Fauske, then turns west for the final short section of the journey to Svolvaer, where we transfer to Bodø, known as 'the city with the world's most beautiful coastline'. We check in and enjoy dinner in our hotel in Bodø.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 - The Lofoten Islands and Northern Lights

After breakfast we take a scenic coach journey of around four hours, travelling from Bodø to Bognes where we catch the ferry to Lodingen, in the Lofoten Isles. After disembarking, our scenic drive continues 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 in this wild landscapes 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 lights, stopping for dinner then continuing our hunt for the wondrous yet elusive Northern Lights. If the weather is clear, after dinner we have another chance to experience their spectral dance for ourselves on our guided Northern Lights Hunt.

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

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 5 - 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 have another opportunity to seek out the Northern Lights.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 - Narvik

We leave Svolvaer by coach after breakfast, setting out on our return journey to the Norwegian mainland. The scenery is dramatic and we have a chance to soak up the region's breathtaking beauty, with views from the coach stretching down to the majestic fjords in the valley below. We check into our hotel in Narvik then have some free time to explore before dinner. 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 Narvik 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.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7 – The Ofoten Railway to Kiruna

Today we travel on one of the world's most northerly railway lines, the Ofoten Railway. Narvik was originally a hub to export iron ore mined near Kiruna, and the Ofoten Railway was built to link the two. The railway's 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. From Kiruna our adventure really starts - we leave the city lights behind when we join the Arctic Circle Railway for a short trip to Camp Ripan Hotel, a good place to view the lights, where we spend two night in individual cabins. After some free time this afternoon we have dinner.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8 – Sami experience and Ice Hotel

Our day begins with a special 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. In the afternoon we visit Kiruna's famous, annual Ice Hotel, touring the frozen rooms before donning our warm weather gear to visit the Ice Bar for a chilled drink served in ice glasses. We are then transferred back to Camp Ripan Hotel, before heading into the beautiful landscape of frozen forests and mountains to look out for the captivating Northern Lights again.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9 – Kiruna and Husky Safari

After a morning at leisure at our hotel, we head out for a unique experience in Kiruna - a Husky Safari. We set out on a large sled, with a pack of huskies at the helm, steered by our guide. 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 warm up at a scenic spot for coffee or tea and a sandwich over the campfire (Swedish Fika). A coach transfer takes us back to Camp Ripan where, a little later, we have dinner.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10 - London

We transfer to the airport after breakfast, flying back to London Heathrow via Stockholm.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Departure times

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.

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 holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotels

Thon Hotel Nordlys, Bodø

Thon Hotel Nordlys, Bodø

View hotel

Camp Ripan

Camp Ripan, Kiruna

View hotel

Quality Hotel Grand Royal, Narvik

Quality Hotel Grand Royal, Narvik

View hotel

Scandic Narvik Hotel, Narvik

Scandic Narvik Hotel, Narvik

View hotel

Thon Hotel Lofoten, Svolvaer

Thon Hotel Lofoten, Svolvaer

View hotel

Clarion Hotel, Trondheim

Clarion Hotel, Trondheim

View hotel

Scandic Bakklandet

Scandic Bakklandet, Trondheim

View hotel

Trains

Nordland Railway
Ofoten Railway

Enhance your holiday

Upgrades

London Hotels
UK rail connections

Reviews

4.5 stars4.5 / 5 · 75 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (44)
  2. 4 stars
    (25)
  3. 3 stars
    (4)
  4. 2 stars
    (0)
  5. 1 star
    (2)

Carol Collinson

5 stars

Submitted 05 Apr 2022

This was 4th GRJ trip we’ve done. Everything is well organised and you feel safe while away. We must admit it’s the Tour Guide that either makes or breaks it. Kate was absolutely brilliant on this trip.

Collected by Trustpilot

roger chatterton

1 stars

Submitted 04 Apr 2022

Disappointing

from Great Rail Journeys
Hello Mr Chatterton, thank you for taking the time to speak to me just now. As promised, I shall send you a voucher over by email shortly. Kind Regards Victoria
1 comment

Collected by Trustpilot

L Kelly

5 stars

Submitted 01 Apr 2022

Great holiday and experiences. Very busy but well worth it!

Collected by Trustpilot

Mrs Carol.A. Margrie

3 stars

Submitted 31 Mar 2022

Not impressed

Collected by Trustpilot

G Mankin

4 stars

Submitted 31 Mar 2022

All in all an excellent tour but we would have benefited from a local guide in the Lofoten Islands.

Collected by Trustpilot

Sally

5 stars

Submitted 30 Mar 2022

Excellent holiday.Not for anyone who wants to relax.Its an adventure.Plenty of excursions and thanks to our excellent tour manager Kate Leigh who made it all happen and stress free.

Collected by Trustpilot

Show 6 more reviews
Worldwide Holidays by Rail 2023/2024

Worldwide Holidays by Rail 2023/2024

Long haul rail holidays to Scandinavia, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Australasia.

Download brochure

Tailor made for you

Customise this tour with Great Rail Journeys Independent

TailormadeEnquire
The Northern Lights and Lapland

Experience the magic of winter in Norway and Lapland and seek out the wondrous Northern Lights

Call

Enquire
Jo Jones
Jo
Lynne Broadley
Lynne
Related inspiration from our journey blog