Welcome to the Gateway to the Arctic! Tromsø is a small city with approximately 65,000 permanent residents. Due to the local university, there is a liveliness to the city that is abundant even in wintertime, when the polar night lasts from November to January. 

After you get settled, bundle up and take a stroll around the very walkable city. You can take a ride on Fjellheisen cable car, which takes about four minutes to reach a beautiful panoramic viewpoint of the city and its surrounding mountains. If you have a burst of energy, you can also hike up, which only takes about 45 minutes! There is a lovely restaurant on the mountain if you'd like to enjoy a meal at the top. Alternatively, you can head back to the city center for a drink at a local pub or dinner at one of the cozy restaurants in town. 

Accommodation:

• Mid-range: Scandic Ishavshotel

Today you have freedom to explore Tromsø on your own, navigating through the city center or doing some activities in the surrounding nature. See where the day leads you. Unplanned exploration often leads to unexpected surprises!

In the evening, you will board a sailboat for an evening on the sea. Cruise the coastline of Tromsø with an experienced captain, and chase the aurora borealis in style. The hot tub on deck is a great place to warm up and scan the nighttime scenery while you hope for clear skies and northern lights. You will also be served a traditional reindeer soup in the warm saloon. You can socialize with other world travelers or your captain, or maybe sip a tea inside, or wear an arctic suit to enjoy views from the upper deck.

The trip is about four hours and usually starts around 7pm. But the captain tries to follow weather patterns and will call if there is a better chance of clear skies earlier or later in the evening, so you can sometimes choose to go out when the time is best, or stick to your organized schedule!

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Mid-range: Scandic Ishavshotel

The Lyngen Alps Landscape Protected Area stretches over 900 km (560 miles) of alpine mountains and consists of 140 glaciers. With a beautiful location on Ullsfjord, steep valleys and tall mountains, the scenic beauty is surreal in any season. With a concentration on sustainability, the Lyngen region is an ideal place for nature-based activities.

Today you will take the public bus 150 from the center of Tromsø to the Lyngen region. It only takes about two hours to arrive in Lyngen, and on arrival to the stop your hotel will provide a transfer to your final destination. On arrival, you will be served a 3-course dinner at Restaurant Solvind with a local and seasonal menu.

Afterward, take time to stroll around the waterfront, slowing down and soaking in the serenity of the alps. Tonight you will enjoy the beautiful fjordside scenery through the windows of your cozy glass igloo.  Snuggle up and enjoy your views of the open sky. Hopefully as the night becomes darker you will witness aurora borealis dancing above you!

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Mid-range: Lyngen North

Your guides at Lyngen North know the area better than anyone. Today you will follow them on a tour to their wilderness camp in the outskirts of the forest. You will begin by fitting your snowshoes and learning to use them if you have never done so before. From the hotel, you will walk through open snow fields at Spåkenes. 

Along the forested path, you might spot arctic wildlife such as moose, rabbit, fox or reindeer. Learn from your guide about the flora and fauna of the area and ask questions along the way. After a couple of hours of hiking, you will warm up inside the lavvu tent with a light lunch and hot drinks. Outside the tent is a nice slope to where you can ignite your inner child with a race down the hill on a sled!

After lunch, you'll be guided back to the hotel where you can keep the snowshoes to rent and explore on your own, or if you are chilly, warm up inside of the restaurant. You will be served another 3-course dinner today. It is best to spend two nights in your glass igloo, to raise the chances of northern lights. Take your time and feel rested with another peaceful evening in raw Norwegian nature.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Mid-range: Lyngen North

Today you will pack up and travel much further east, deep into the rugged arctic landscape. Alta's heritage and traditions derive from Sami and Kven people who have thrived here for many centuries. The vital heritage and mountainous landscape make this location easily worthy of a visit.

You will take a public bus, which is quite comfortable and makes traveling in the arctic simple so you do not need to rent a car and concern yourself with icy tundra roads. The trip is slow but steady and you can enjoy the landscapes roll by as you travel approximately 5 hours or 220 km (135 miles) to the center of Alta. 

There is only one public bus daily, so you will be dropped off at the stop with plenty of time to ensure boarding goes smoothly. You will take the 150 bus the entire way to Alta from Lyngen. The bus arrives is scheduled to arrive quite late in the evening, around 10:30pm. On arrival, a taxi will be scheduled to pick you up from the bus stop and take you to your accommodation, Trasti & Trine. 

Trasti and Trine are a couple who run a boutique hotel with a variety of cabin and hotel rooms. Although quite central to downtown Alta, the accommodation is tucked away into the forest with tree and sky . All the rooms are unique and decorated with unique touches from the nature around you. Don't chase the lights, but instead let them come to you in yet another isolated and natural location. 

On arrival, you will rest up and get ready for another lovely day in the arctic.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Mid-range: Trasti & Trine

Skiing is a quintessential part of Norwegian culture! Alta has the perfect setting for the cross country trips. You can take off with a ski instructor and guide to choose a route that suits your level. Everyone from beginners to experts will enjoy themselves along the way. 

You can make your way up Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau, or ski through picturesque snowy pine forests. There are many routes to take due to the vast nature and mountainous terrain that surrounds you. You might ski anywhere between 3-5 hours during the day, depending on your request. If you have never cross-country skied before, your guide will start from the beginning and patiently show you how. Now is a perfect chance to learn!

You will stop during the trip to eat lunch, chat, and enjoy an open fire with hot drinks. They often have huskies with them who pull equipment or keep you company. The well-trained dogs add cozy atmosphere to an already wholesome setting. 

Welcome to the Norwegian outdoors!

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Lunch

Accommodation:

• Mid-range: Trasti & Trine

Today, you have free time to explore as you please!

If you prefer some downtime, try switching gears and cozy up indoors. Slow down and appreciate Norway's humble charm by digging into Alta's local cuisine and historic importance. 

Start the day with breakfast at your hotel, and bask in views of the forest from your room - embracing Alta's peaceful nature around you.

If you'd like, you can take a taxi to downtown Alta from your hotel, leaving enough time to explore the Cathedral of The Northern Lights. The structure was finished in 2013, and is a unique structure compared to most churches you might see throughout Europe.  The exterior is made of concrete titanium sheets; the interior boasts LED lights lining the walls. It is an unforgettable structure!

At Alta Museum you will discover the UNESCO World Heritage Rock Art of Alta is made up of rock carvings and paintings from 7000 to 2000 years ago. The rock art in Alta is an important source for insight to the way of life thousands of years ago, and quite a unique site to behold in Norway.

After your self-exploration, return to your hotel for a delicious tasting menu crafted by the hotel's owner and chef. The local meal consists of a 5-course menu utilizing local  resources - such as fish from the nearby fjord, potatoes from the farm next door,  and berries harvested from the forest outside of your hotel window. The flavors will tell a story of Norway's culture as you dine!

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation:

• Mid-range: Trasti & Trine

Today, you have free time to explore Alta as you'd like. Relax at your cozy accommodation, enjoy more local cuisine, or rent winter equipment to enjoy the nature around you!

In the evening, you will  get to experience the unique lifestyle of the Sami, indigenous people of the arctic. It is a good chance to learn about their culture and traditions.

You will have transportation arranged to the camp from your hotel. On arrival your hosts will show you around and teach you more about the Sami people, their historical importance in Norway and Scandinavia, and current lifestyle.

 

Reindeer are a prominent part of Sami culture, so here you will get to see reindeer and have opportunity to feed them. While the sky turns dark, you have a chance of seeing the Northern Lights again! It is a majestic view from the natural setting surrounding the Sami camp.

 

After the tour, you will be served coffee and tea with cake around a bonfire in the traditional lavvo. Your hosts will tell you more stories about Sami culture, and end their tour with a yoik performance.

You will also eat a traditional Norwegian meal at the restaurant on the property.

Afterward, you will be transferred back to your accommodation to enjoy one last night of sleep in quiet and peaceful Alta!

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner, Snacks

Accommodation:

• Mid-range: Trasti & Trine

Today, it's time to leave the mysterious beauty of the Arctic North and return home! 

Enjoy one last breakfast at your hotel before heading off.

Your taxi will be scheduled for drop off. It is only about a 20-minute ride to the airport. 

Enjoy your flight home and the memories you made throughout your winter adventure!

Meals: Breakfast