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. We have dinner at our hotel.

• Dinner

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.

• Breakfast

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.

• 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 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.

• Breakfast

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.

• Breakfast, Dinner

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.

• Breakfast, Dinner

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.

• Breakfast, Dinner

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.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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.

• Breakfast, Dinner

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

• Breakfast