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Arctic Winter Adventure

Travel to Northern Norway where you can experience exotic winter activities like dog sledding and snowmobile safaris. You may even see the Northern Lights! Highlights include an overnight at Kirkenes Ice Hotel and a coastal cruise with Hurtigruten from Kirkenes to Tromsø.

Duration

6 days

Transportation

Cruise

Season

Winter

Tour Type

Self-guided

Itinerary - Day by day

day 1
  • Arrival in Kirkenes according to your own itinerary.
  • Accommodation in Kirkenes.

Arrival in Kirkenes according to your own itinerary. Kirkenes is located in Finnmark county in Northern Norway, and shares border with both Russia and Finland. To get to Kirkenes you can book a flight via Oslo with either Norwegian Air Shuttle or Scandinavian Airlines (the flight from Oslo to Kirkenes is about 2,5 hours; not included in the tour price). We can offer overnights in Oslo should you wish to combine your Northern Norway Winter Adventure with the Norwegian capital. Accommodation in Kirkenes.

Add extra nights in Kirkenes - From EUR 72 per person per night

day 2
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Day at leisure in Kirkenes.
  • Pick-up for overnight at Snow Hotel (13:00 or 17:00 hrs).
  • Dinner in the restaurant by the ice hotel.
  • Overnight at Kirkenes Snow hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. This day is at your own leisure in Kirkenes. We recommend that you join one of the optional winter activities, e.g. a king crab safari, dog sledding tour or a snowmobile safari.

At 17:00 hrs (or 13:00 hrs if you prefer), a guide will pick you up at the hotel and bring you to Kirkenes Snow Hotel where you will spend the night under comfortable reindeer-hides and in warm sleeping bags. Dinner will be served in the cosy restaurant. For guests having trouble sleeping in the snow rooms, there is a lounge area with sofas by the restaurant.

Accommodation included at the Snow Hotel

Kirkenes Snow Hotel - ice room
Kirkenes Snow Hotel Silver
Overnight at Kirkenes Ice Hotel.
Kirkenes Snow Hotel Gold
day 3
  • Morning sauna, followed by breakfast.
  • Transfer from Snow Hotel to Hurtigruten pier.
  • Hurtigruten cruise departure:
    • The ship arrives in Kirkenes at 09:00 hrs
    • Embarkation possible from 09:15 hrs
    • Departure from Kirkenes at 12:30 hrs
  • Attractions along the coast:
    • Vardø, Norway’s most easterly town.
    • Vardøhus Fortification
  • Dinner and accommodation onboard Hurtigruten.

In the morning you can use the sauna to warm up before breakfast. After breakfast you will be transferred to the Hurtigruten pier for your overnight cruise to the Northern Lights city of Tromsø. A cruise with Hurtigruten along the coast of Norway is considered to be one of the world's most beautiful sea voyages. On board the ships you will find large lounges with panorama windows, giving you every opportunity to enjoy the scenery. Or why not take a walk on the docs; you may even get to experience the Northern Lights, nature's own firework. Dinner and accommodation onboard Hurtigruten. Read more about the Hurtigruten cruise.

Cabin types included during the cruise

Polar inside cabin on board Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten – Polar Inside Cabin Silver
Outside cabin onboard Hurtigruten.
Hurtigruten - Polar Outside Cabin Gold
day 4
  • Hurtigruten Cruise.
  • Attractions along the coast:
    • Hammerfest
    • Tromsø by night
  • Breakfast buffet & dinner onboard.
  • Hurtigruten cruise arrival in Tromsø at 23:45 hrs.
  • Accommodation in Tromsø.

Breakfast on-board. Today you will enjoy a day at sea, as Hurtigruten continues on its southbound cruise towards Bergen. Along the way you will call on several small ports to pick up passengers and cargo, giving you a glimpse into the Norwegian coastal life and traditions. Dinner on-board. Just before midnight you will arrive in the arctic city of Tromsø. Accommodation in Tromsø.

day 5
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Day at leisure in Tromsø.
  • Recommended attractions:
    • Arctic Cathedral
    • Polar Museum
    • Tromsø Gondola lift
    • Polaria Arctic Aquarium
    • Mack brewery
  • Accommodation in Tromsø.

Breakfast at the hotel. This day is at your own leisure. The arctic city of Tromsø is the world’s most northern university town and the largest city in the Nordic countries north of the Arctic Circle. The city lies between the sharp craggy peaks of the Lyngen Alps, and combines wild scenery with urban life. Due to the city’s location right in the middle of the planet’s Northern Light’s belt, Tromsø offers the world’s best chances of spotting the Northern Lights. During your stay in Tromsø you can choose from a wide selection of winter activities, including dog sledding, Northern Lights observations and snowmobile safaris. Accommodation in Tromsø.

Add extra nights in Tromsø - From EUR 65 per person per night

day 6
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Departure from Tromsø according to your own itinerary.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure from Tromsø according to your own itinerary, or perhaps you would like to combine your Arctic Winter Adventure with an Oslo city break? 

Tour category

Thon Hotel Kirkenes

Silver

Accommodation at good tourist class hotels equal to 3 to 3+ stars according to Scandinavian standard.

Inside cabin included during overnight cruises.

See Silver accommodation

Thon Hotel Kirkenes

Gold

Accommodation at 4 star hotels or at unique properties, like historic hotels or manor houses, selected for their atmosphere.

Outside (seaside) cabin included during overnight cruises.

See Gold accommodation

About the tour categories

Services included:

  • 3 nights hotel accommodation in a standard room with private shower/WC, including breakfast.
  • 1 night at Kirkenes Snow Hotel, including warm facilities as described.
    • Breakfast and 3-course dinner at the restaurant by the Snow Hotel.
  • 1 night on board Hurtigruten Kirkenes-Tromsø.
    • accommodation in unspecified inside cabin (twin beds).
    • 1 x breakfast onboard Hurtigruten.
    • 2 x 3-course dinner onboard Hurtigruten.
  • Electronic travel documentation, including a detailed travel itinerary and travel vouchers.
  • Additional services included for Tour Category GOLD only:
  • Category GOLD hotels (accommodation in standard rooms)
  • Unspecified outside cabin (twin beds)

Important information for winter 2019/2020:
Due to the planned docking of several ships, Hurtigruten will not have daily departures. In addition, capacity for cabins for the shorter stretches is often first bookable closer to departure. 

Changed schedule on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve:
Hurtigruten is moored in a harbour for some hours in the afternoon and evening on December 24th and until after midnight on New Year's Eve. This means that the normal schedule changes slightly and some of the following, smaller ports will be passed by to catch up on the lost time (usually stops during night time). A special Christmas / New Year's dinner will be included.