Norway, Lofoten and Arctic Circle

We fly from London Heathrow to Oslo, transferring to a local restaurant for dinner on arrival and checking into our hotel. Day 2 begins with a guided tour. Beginning at the avant-garde opera house, we continue to the Akershus Fortress and 'Kvadraturen' - the oldest existing district in Oslo. We journey to Trondheim on Day 3, travelling by train along the Dovre Line through the picturesque Gudbrandsdalen Valley and the lofty Bovrefjell mountain range. Day 4 is free in Trondheim. Perhaps visit Nidaros Cathedral, or explore this Viking city's many museums.

Continuing our cruise northwards, we cross the 66.5 degrees North latitude, celebrating as we enter the Arctic Circle. We reach Ørnes. We drop anchor here and you can choose to join an optional excursion to Svartisen, the second largest glacier in Norway (summer departures only), visit a moose farm or take a coach tour to neighbouring Bodø. You also have the chance to go sea rafting to Saltstraumen, a naturally occurring whirlpool.

In the afternoon, we catch sight of the steep granite cliffs and silvery beaches of the Lofoten Islands. Described as Europe's most dramatic and spectacular isles, the Lofoten Islands are tethered to mainland Norway by a series of bridges that resemble spikey teeth. Home to small fishing communities, their houses built on timber piles with seawater under the floorboards and imposing cliffs, here, you have a host of excursion choices: enjoy a Viking experience with traditional food and music, tour a craft brewery, or explore Stamsund and Svolvaer, the islands' capital. Later, we navigate the strait of Raftsundet before reaching the sapphire waters of the tapering Trollfjord.

This morning we sail past Risøyhamn, Harstad, and Finnsnes, catching a glimpse of everyday life in the Arctic. We disembark at Tromsø, the largest city in northern Norway. Here you can either take a tour of the Arctic capital including a cable car ride or visit a local husky farm to meet these cute creatures. As we cruise through bountiful waters, look out for orcas, humpback whales, and Arctic birds. Departures from September onwards may also experience the Northern Lights.

Today takes us to Norway's North Cape where the icy waters of the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans mix. During summer we may chance upon herds of reindeer as the northernmost strip of land here is dotted with settlements of indigenous Sami people, whose main sources of livelihood are reindeer herding and fishing. We disembark at Havøysund and visit the North Cape Plateau before continuing to Honningsvåg, the country's most northerly city. Here, we explore the Gjesværstappan grasslands and spend some time birdwatching before heading to Kjøllefjord where we have the option to learn about the traditional way of life of the Sami people or take a ride on a snowmobile (departure dependent). On our June departure, we may even have the right conditions to admire the full beauty of the Midnight Sun.

Our cruise ends today as we disembark at Kirkenes, situated on the Finnish-Russian border. Here, we have the chance to sample some delicious seafood and choose from a couple of different excursions: either take a husky-hauled sleigh ride through the snow or enjoy a guided snow shoe walk. On Day 10 we board our flight to London Heathrow, travelling via Oslo.