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.

• 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 free time in the afternoon, you may like to make your way 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 pick up some mementos in one of the quaint shopping districts or stop at one of the many restaurants or cafés to try some local specialties

• 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, then turns west for the final short section of the journey to Bodø, which claims to be 'the city with the world's most beautiful coastline'.

• 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. Sat beneath the auroral oval, the Lofoten Isles are one of the best Northern Lights spotting areas in the world. And, if the weather is clear, we could experience their spectral dance for ourselves as we hunt the Northern Lights with an expert local guide.

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 embark on another Northern Lights hunt.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We leave Svolvaer by coach, 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 take a trip on one of the world's most northerly railway lines, the Ofoten Railway. 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 age-old folk tales. Visiting Kiruna's famous, annual Ice Hotel in the 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.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a free morning, we enjoy a unique experience at a local husky farm. After meeting these enthusiastic and hard-working creatures, we set out on a sled ride with a pack of huskies at the helm, leading us through the winter wonderland landscapes for a thrilling ride that's been a way of navigating Scandinavia's snow-laden countryside for generations. Afterwards, we warm up around the fire in one of the local wooden chalets, enjoying a well-deserved Swedish coffee and cake break, known as a 'fika'.

• Breakfast, Dinner

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

• Breakfast