Above the Arctic Circle - 10 days

Self Drive Tours, start in Rovaniemi

Terms & Conditions

Booking conditions
All bookings, changes, alternations and cancellations must be made in writing. All rates are quoted in euro (EUR) per person and include taxes and VAT. Authentic Scandinavia guarantees no changes in the prices of confirmed tours. A detailed list of all services included in the tour price will be specified under each tour (please see Price Details). Any extra expenses incurred by the client during the tour, for example use of telephone, hotel mini-bars, etc. must be paid directly by the client to the hotel or other provider of such services, prior to departure.

Amendments to confirmed reservations
Changes to confirmed tours will incur a EUR 50 amendment fee. This fee will apply to each amendment made for the tour.

Refunds and unused services
Travel arrangements cancelled or amended within 24 hours of your departure or once travel has commenced will not qualify for any refunds, nor can services be substituted for alternative arrangements. Unused services are non-refundable.

Cancellation
All cancellations must be made in writing to info@authentic-scandinavia.com.

The date of the cancellation shall be when Authentic Scandinavia receives it in writing (our office hours are Monday-Friday 09:00 – 17:00 hrs, CET).

The following cancellation fees apply on Independent- and Escorted Tours:
Over 30 days prior to departure - Loss of full deposit
Between 30-15 days prior to departure - 50% of total payment
Between 14-0 days prior to departure - 100% of total payment

The following cancellation fees apply on tours including Hurtigruten & Göta Canal:
Over 60 days prior to departure - Loss of full deposit
Between 60-42 days prior to departure - 30% of total payment
Between 41-28 days prior to departure - 60% of total payment
Between 27-0 days prior to departure - 100% of total payment

Passport, visas, customs, currency and health regulations
Every participant is responsible for providing his/her own travel documents (i.e. passport, visa, vaccination certificates etc). We recommend a careful examination of the customs/duty regulations and currency regulations for the respective destination(s). Please note that your passport details are required for all bookings including cruises (overnight cruises, as well as all cruises with Hurtigruten).

Travel insurance
Authentic Scandinavia recommends that each customer has adequate travel insurance, also to include cancellation cover.

Authentic Scandinavia can not be held responsible for loss of luggage, or other personal possessions, for personal injury, accident or illness. In the event of personal injury, accident or illness, Authentic Scandinavia cannot be required to make any refunds should the tour be partially cancelled or cancelled.

Cancellation by Authentic Scandinavia
Due to reasons of higher power and reasons beyond our control, Authentic Scandinavia reserves the right to cancel the tour. Monies paid for services will be refunded, but Authentic Scandinavia will not be liable for any further claims.

Liability by Authentic Scandinavia
Authentic Scandinavia has the obligation to choose all services carefully, and to prepare the tour in the best way possible. In the unlikely event that services are not fully carried out due to an error through Authentic Scandinavia, we reserve the right to provide equivalent services in compensation. In this case, further damage claims will not be accepted. Subject to this settlement, in case a breach of contract is committed the direct liability of Authentic Scandinavia for immediate loss or injury to the client subsists, provided that the breach was not caused by Force Majeure or the behavior of the client or a tour participant, and that it is a question of the non-performance of a promised service or an alteration of services which has less value than the service agreed upon in the original agreement. The amount of this liability is restricted by the sum of the agreed cost of the tour.

Furthermore the providers of the various services are basically personally liable to the client, in case the services are not being carried out in a satisfying way or to their full extent, contrary to the expectations.

The liability of the individual coach, taxi, shipping and other transport companies contracted by Authentic Scandinavia for the purpose of organizing a tour, depends on the appropriate laws of the general conditions of business, on the contracts obligations and on common usage.

Any arising complaints must be directed to Authentic Scandinavia immediately and confirmed in writing. In case complaints cannot be solved on the spot, they have to be directed to Authentic Scandinavia in writing within 30 days after the termination of the tour. Later claims cannot be taken into consideration.

Activities
Some of our tour packages include activities such as dog sledding, and optional activities such as glacier walks, snowmobile safaris, ice fishing and similar. In this relation Authentic Scandinavia acts as an agent only for the activity providers, thus Authentic Scandinavia shall not under any circumstances be held liable for injury, damage, loss or accident caused by participation in or in connection with such activities.

Acceptance
By paying the deposit/final amount the customer has accepted the general terms and conditions listed in this document, as a part of the agreement between Authentic Scandinavia and the customer.

Privacy policy
We ask for personal information in the booking request section. This information is necessary to ensure that we are able to make and confirm your booking. This information will not be used for any other purpose, and will not be shared with any other outside parties except for necessary information given to our suppliers involved in your reservation (hotels etc.).

The personal information will not be sold or shared, and your e-mail address will not be forwarded to outside parties.

Booking & Payment Procedure

1) Reservations
All reservations will be on request; you will not receive an immediate online confirmation.

2) Confirmation of services
You will receive a confirmation by e-mail as soon as all services (hotels, trains etc.) included in the selected package tour are confirmed. The confirmation will be sent to you between 24- 48 hours after the reservation has been made (Monday-Friday).

3) Payment
Information about payment procedures will be sent to you by e-mail simultaneously with the confirmation of all services. We offer the following methods of payment:

• Secure online payment by credit card
• By credit card through our office terminal (credit card details must be sent by fax)
• Bank transfer

4) Deposit
A deposit of EUR 100 per person is due within 10 days of receiving our confirmation. For package tours including Göta Canal and longer voyages with Hurtigruten, as well as for Escorted Coach Tours and Partly Escorted tours, a deposit of 10% of the total booking price is due within 10 days of receiving our confirmation. The deposit is non-refundable. By longer cruises with Hurtigruten we refer to cruises of 3 nights and more.

5) Additional add-ons
Once we have received your deposit you can book additional add-ons, including sightseeing, city cards etc. Further information will be sent in a separate e-mail as soon as we have received your deposit. Should any of the additional add-ons be essential for your to commit to the reservation, please kindly specify the required add-ons in the remarks field when submitting your reservation (step 3 in the booking process). Examples of such add-ons may be dog-sledding, overnight at ice hotel etc.

6) Final payment
Final payment is due 45 days prior to travel. For package tours including Hurtigruten and Göta Canal the final payment is due 65 days prior to travel.

7) Last minute bookings
Bookings made less than 45 days prior to travel must be paid in full as soon as you receive our written confirmation.

8) Failure to complete payment
Automatic cancellation of your booking will occur if payment has not been received by the specified date.

9) Travel Documents
The travel documents will be sent to you by e-mail after we have received your final payment. The documents will be sent no later than 2 weeks before the start of your tour.

About Self Drive Tours

When driving your own car you can experience Scandinavia in your own pace. You have the possibility to visit places which could otherwise be difficult to reach - places such as small villages, breathtaking viewpoints and scenic roads. Our selection of self drive tours includes it all, making the journey itself part of the attraction.

Frequently asked questions about Self Drive Tours

What is included in the tour price?
Generally the tour price includes hotel accommodation with breakfast and domestic ferry crossings. When driving in Norway there are several domestic ferry crossings along the route, both along the coast and in the fjord region. We have included both necessary- and scenic ferry crossings in our self drive tours. For a complete overview of the services included please refer to “Price Details” for each tour.

Is a rental car included in the price?
Rental car is not included in our self drive tours since many travellers prefer to bring their own car. Should you require a rental car you may book this directly with i.e. AVIS (please click on the AVIS icon in the left hand menu).

What are the possible travel dates for this tour?
You can start the self drive tours any day of the week during the travel periods specified under “Price Details”. Please note however that if booking self drive tour including a cruise with Hurtigruten, not all cruise ships can take cars).

Do you provide road maps?
Road maps are not provided as part of the travel documents since many travelers prefer to use a GPS navigation system (can be included in the rental car for an additional charge). We do however provide a detailed day-by-day travel itinerary with an overview map showing each day’s drive.

How long is the driving time and distance per day?
Driving in Scandinavia, and especially in Norway, may differ from your previous driving experiences. Especially in the fjord region and in the mountains the roads tend to be narrow and winding. This means that the driving time per day may be longer than you expect just by looking at the distance in kilometres. To give you a better understanding of the driving involved per day we have therefore specified both the distance and duration per day for each tour in “Short Itinerary” on our website.

Is parking included at all the hotels?
Free parking is offered at all the hotels with countryside location (fjord village, mountain village etc). In the cities you will have to pay for the parking on the spot (Oslo, Bergen, Ålesund, Trondheim etc.). Parking in the cities will either be in the hotels’ private parking garage or a public parking garage close by. The price per 24 hours normally varies from NOK 150 to 200 (EUR 20-25), although in Oslo it may cost as much as NOK 300 (EUR 35).

Do I need an international driver’s license?
As a tourist the following applies regarding driver’s license: People from EU/EEA countries can drive with the driver’s license from their home country as long as it is valid in the country of origin. The same apply for people from the following countries outside EU/EEC:

Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech republic, Chile, China, Croatia, Egypt, Estonia, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, San Mario, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Ukraine, USA, Venezuela, former Yugoslavia and the former Soviet states.

Can I add additional hotel nights?
Extra nights can be added when submitting the tour reservation though our website. Extra nights before the start of the tour or after the end of the tour can also be added until the due date of the final payment by sending an e-mail to info@authentic-scandinavia.com

Please note that there will be an amendment fee of EUR 50,- for adding extra nights in the middle of the tour once the tour is confirmed. The amendment fee also applies if adding an extra night after you have received the travel documents.

Can I exclude hotel nights?
Should you wish to exclude any hotel overnights included in the tour we ask you kindly to specify this in the remarks field when submitting the reservation through our website (step 3 of the booking process). The price deducted from the package price equals the costs for an extra night (please see “Add-ons” for price details).

How will I receive my travel documents and tickets?
All travel documents will be sent by e-mail. Included in the travel documents are a detailed travel itinerary, an address list, travel vouchers and ferry schedules. You will receive a travel voucher for each service included in the package tour. These vouchers are your proof of payment and must be presented during your trip. The travel vouchers for the train rides must be exchanged for the train tickets at the train station before boarding the train.

About the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)

If you are outdoors one evening during wintertime you might catch a glimpse of some flickering curtains of lights, apparently dancing across the dark sky. This is Northern Lights - Nature's own firework.

Facts about Northern Lights:

• The Northern Lights are particles that are hurled into space after storms on the sun’s surface. They are attracted by the magnetic North Pole (and South Pole) and enter the atmosphere in a ring-like zone around the poles.
• The best places to see the Northern Lights are above the arctic circle, making Northern Scandinavia ideal for Northern Lights observations.
• The Northern Lights are visible between November and March when the sky is dark and clear, depending on the Northern Lights activity.
• The best chances of spotting the Northern Lights are away from the lights of the city centres.
• The greatest frequency is between 6 pm and 2 am.
• Patience and dedication will pay off. The Northern Lights may be visible for a couple of minutes or most of the evening.
• Most of the Northern Lights outbursts visible in Northern Scandinavia are green, but large outbursts can also include other colors.
• Northern Lights observations are never guaranteed.

How to increase your chances of experiencing the Northern Lights:

• Go on a Northern Lights visit to a dark place away from the city lights. Our Northern Lights hosts provide a lavvo (traditional Saami tent) with an open fire, a hot drink and a slice of cake while you are waiting for the Northern Lights to appear.
• Participate in an evening activity like dog sledding, a sleigh ride, a trip with reindeer and sled, snowshoeing or a cross-country skiing course. This way, you can enjoy a fun winter activity whilst at the same time wait for the Northern Lights to appear.
• When in Tromsø take bus 37 to Tromsø Museum and take a long stroll along Tromsø Island’s dark western side. Use a couple of hours strolling to the bus terminal at Giæverbukta, from where there are frequent departures to the city centre right up until 11:30pm.
• Hire cross-country skis at Sportshuset in Tromsø. Go on a long ski trip in the floodlit ski tracks above the city. Good exercise, fresh air, great views and maybe the appearance of the Northern Lights as well. There are also good floodlit ski tracks across the bridge in Tromsdalen.
• Go on the popular excursion, departing Tromsø by bus at 4pm and arriving in Skjervøy in time to return to Tromsø on the Costal Express Steamer (Hurtigruten). The ship travels through utter darkness and has excellent viewing lounges, which makes it possible to sit inside without missing out on the possibility to see the Northern Lights. It is possible to check the weather forecast and book this tour at the Visitors’ Centre right up until an hour before departure.