Experience the untamed wilderness of Northern Norway on a journey through the rugged Lofoten archipelago and the capital of the north, Tromsø. In both these Arctic locations, you’ll enjoy leisure time as well as northern lights tours to give you many chances of seeing the dancing lights in the night sky. This region of Norway is sure to leave an impression on you as its scenery is unparalleled.
Just a few of the majestic sights you’ll take in during your trip.
A day-by-day plan to guide your journey.
Upon arrival in Svolvær, make your way to your accommodation in the town centre. If you are arriving early in the day, we recommend taking a walk to the nearby island of Svinøya to visit its small art museum. Or take a stroll through town to catch views of Svolvær, the Svolværgeita (the “Svolvær goat”) pinnacle and the surrounding islands.
Tonight you will join a northern lights* tour to see the aurora borealis dance and flicker in the sky. On this tour, you’ll be driven to an area with clear skies and little light pollution to maximise your chances of spotting the lights.
Spend the night in Svolvær.
* Please note that the northern lights are a natural phenomenon and sightings cannot be guaranteed.
Today you will spend the day in lovely Svolvær at your leisure. If you didn’t get to yesterday, we recommend a stroll through town and then to nearby Svinøya.
For those up for a little adventure, you could consider taking an optional rib-boat safari. This way you would cruise along the placid, icy waters and take in the scenery from a different angle. We recommend ending the day with an optional visit to the Magic Ice Bar and its gallery of magnificent ice sculptures.
Spend another night in Svolvær.
Today you fly from Svolvær to Tromsø Airport. Once you land, collect your luggage and make your way into the city centre. We recommend taking the airport bus (“Flybussen”) or a taxi directly to your accommodation. After settling in at your hotel, you can spend the rest of the day exploring the charming city, also known as the "Capital of Northern Norway". There are many restaurants in the city centre to enjoy a taste of the Arctic.
In the evening, it’s time to leave the city lights behind and join another northern lights, this time in the wilderness surrounding Tromsø.
Spend the night in Tromsø.
Spend the first half of the day at your leisure in Tromsø. There are a lot of cultural highlights to visit in this Norwegian city. We recommend a stroll along Storgata, the main shopping street of the city. Then stop to visit the Polar Museum nearby. Or travel across the water to take in the striking Arctic Cathedral. For views of the city and some more outdoor adventures, take the cable car Fjellheisen up Storsteinen mountain.
In the evening, you’ll enjoy a northern lights cruise*. You’ll sail away from the bright lights of Tromsø to hunt for the northern lights at sea. Meanwhile, you’ll be served dinner on board. After the tour you will be transferred back to your accommodation.
*Please note that if this activity is not available on the date of your visit, you will be offered a similar activity as a replacement.
Spend another night in Tromsø.
After an incredible adventure, it's time to bid farewell to Norway. Your tour will conclude in Tromsø, from where you will make your way back home. We recommend taking the Flybussen, an express coach back to the airport.
Note: If you need assistance with flights to Lofoten or Oslo, or would like to book some nights in Oslo before and after your holiday in the north, then please contact us for details.
Customise your adventure with these Optional Extras.
We recommend adding your extra activities to the tour now for the best booking experience and to secure your spot, as activities are likely to sell out.
Here’s a map of your travel route, to help put things in perspective.
Don’t worry, we’ve got this covered.
We recommend that all our travellers read through the following information about what the tour includes, what to pack for your holiday and useful information about the activities that are included during the tour.
The minimum age for this tour is 7 years old.
On this tour, you’ll get to experience both independent travel and exciting excursions led by local guides to see the best of the Norwegian Arctic. All with the support and 24/7 helpline of Nordic Visitor.
You’ll be able to explore the vibrant “capital of Northern Norway”, Tromsø, at your leisure.
In between your own exploration, you’ll join some thrilling guided excursions to experience the variety of Arctic life. You’ll always be led by a local, knowledgeable guide, and all the details of your adventures will be included in your itinerary.
Due to the nature of this tour and the activities included, it’s not recommended for families with young children. That said, it is suitable for active children of 7 years or older. If in doubt, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
Please wait to book flights to Scandinavia until we can confirm your desired travel dates for this tour. This is due to varying availabilities on services included in this package.
After making a booking with Nordic Visitor, it might take a few weeks to confirm your travel arrangements. We recommend booking your flights once your personal travel consultant gets in touch to confirm your itinerary.
If you have any questions about your flights and itinerary, please contact us for more details.
Yes, you should have moderate to good physical fitness to take part comfortably in this tour. This is because packages set in the Arctic are considered adventure travel due to the specific conditions you’ll experience. Arctic travel can sometimes involve extreme weather conditions as well as vigorous activity and animals (like huskies and reindeer) on many excursions.
On this tour, you’ll benefit from multiple northern lights excursions – and you can even add more if you want!
In both Lofoten and Tromsø, you’ll join guided tours to give you the best chances to spot the lights. As per the itinerary, these will be 2 bus tours as well as a cruise.
You’ll usually be taken away from the city lights to take advantage of dark skies and minimal light pollution. Don’t hesitate to ask your guides to learn more about aurora borealis or for tips on how to capture the lights for yourself.
Make sure to wear appropriate warm layers for these excursions and don’t forget your camera. Read more about the northern lights in Norway in our helpful guide.
This package includes a domestic flight in Norway between Svolvær and Tromsø. Flights usually take 2–3 hours and include a short stop in Bodø.
Your travel consultant will book the best option for your travel dates, dependent on availability. Flight times will be confirmed when we book your travel arrangements.
If your flight times impact on you joining the northern lights small group tour, your itinerary will be adjusted.
On your Norway tour, you’ll stay in accommodation that’s been hand-picked by our travel experts. We’ve partnered with local businesses and selected hotels and guesthouses based on excellent ratings, comfort and our personal experience.
During the booking process, you can select whether you want Comfort Plus or Superior accommodation. Comfort Plus usually consists of standard rooms in good quality and comfortable 3-star hotels. Superior is standard rooms in 4-star hotels combined with Superior rooms in premium 3-star hotels.
You will also be able to choose between single, double or triple rooms. Please note that in Norway room types are based on European standard sizes, which means they are smaller than in North America.
For example, a double bed often consists of 2 single beds pushed together. Twin rooms are 2 separate single beds. Triple rooms include a double bed along with an extra single bed, rollaway or sofa bed. And single rooms are often smaller than the standard double.
If you have anything specific in mind, please contact us to discuss customising your accommodation options.
Yes, you can customise this tour online. During the booking process, you can add extra nights to your itinerary as well as optional day trips, excursions and upgrades.
If you have something specific in mind, get in touch with your travel consultant and they’ll create your dream trip.
By booking with Nordic Visitor, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that there’s always someone there for you throughout your trip.
For support and advice during the day, you can call our office. And if anything unexpected happens outside working hours, you can reach us on our 24/7 helpline.
During your tour, there will always be a travel expert on call to handle any unforeseen situations, such as unusual weather or events.
If you have a passport from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand, you won’t need a visa to visit Norway. This visa-free entry is valid for up to 90 days.
Visiting from another country? You can find out whether you require a visa to enter Norway on the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. Select your home country to view details. If you do require a visa, you will be directed to your local embassy website to learn about the visa requirements.
Your passport must also be valid for at least 3 months from your departure from Norway. It’s good to check your passport expiry date early in case you need to renew it.
Because of its northerly location close to and inside the Arctic Circle, Norway has limited daylight in winter.
In the south, you can expect more daylight than in the north. For example, in Tromsø, you’ll have less than 7 hours of daylight from late October. Then from late November to mid-January, the sun never rises. This is called the “polar night”.
In Oslo and Bergen, you’ll get 5–10 hours of daylight across the winter.
The beauty of these extended hours of darkness in Norway is that you’ll have a better chance of seeing the northern lights.
Find out what the daylight hours will be during the month of your visit in this guide to time and daylight in Norway.
Yes! Wintertime is the right season to visit Norway if you want to see the northern lights (or aurora borealis). You can experience the northern lights in the north of Norway between October and March, with peak visibility from December through February.
For the best chances of seeing them, head into the Arctic Circle, to locations such as Tromsø, Kirkenes and the Lofoten islands. With Nordic Visitor, you can also pick from a selection of Norway northern lights tours.
Please note that the northern lights are a natural phenomenon, so sightings cannot be guaranteed. Even if you go out on a specific northern lights excursion, you might not see them, depending on the conditions or cloud cover.
Read our Norway northern lights guide to learn more.
Visiting Northern Norway in the winter season will reward you with snow-blanketed landscapes and a festive, cosy atmosphere. There’s not much sunlight at this time of year, so the places you’ll visit will have the enchanting atmosphere of deep winter.
You’ll probably experience temperatures below freezing, around 0 to -7°C (31 to 19°F). This means you’ll want to come prepared with warm, insulated clothes and outer layers. You can read more about the weather conditions and what to pack on our Norway travel guide.
Please note that sightseeing and excursions depend on weather and road conditions. Your itinerary might need to be altered if these conditions are not favourable during your visit.
During Norway’s winter season, you can expect temperatures below freezing. For that reason, you’ll want to pack and dress with plenty of layers to keep yourself warm and dry.
Here is an essential winter packing list for your trip to Norway:
If you’re heading north and plan on taking part in winter excursions, you could also bring glove liners and heat packs for extra warmth.
Some day tour operators will provide you with thermal suits for your comfort. To find out if equipment is provided check the details of each activity before you leave for Norway, or get in touch with your personal travel consultant.
For more information, check out this Norway packing list.
When you travel with Nordic Visitor, breakfast at your Norway accommodation is always included. For the rest of your meals, the amount of spending money you need will depend on the standard of restaurants you decide to go to.
That said, we recommend budgeting between 100–400 NOK for lunch per person, each day. Dinners at casual restaurants might cost between 500–1,000 NOK. Meanwhile, at upscale restaurants, you can expect to pay 1,500 NOK or more. This does not include the cost of alcoholic beverages.
It’s best to book as soon as you can to secure your preferred travel dates. Once you have picked your tour, check the availability calendar to see which months are open for booking. Then, select the date you want and complete your booking.
We recommend waiting for a confirmation from your travel consultant to ensure your travel dates are available. You’ll then be able to purchase your flights with confidence.
If you like to plan well ahead, you’ll find that it’s possible to book many tours for the following year. And if you have any questions or need advice, you can always contact us.
After booking your tour package online, you will be contacted within 2 business days by your own dedicated travel consultant. They will be your point of contact for all your travel needs before, during and even after your trip.
We aim to complete bookings within a few weeks. During this time we take care of booking your accommodation, activities, and transport, confirming all parts of your journey. Once this is done, your travel consultant will provide you with all the details of your trip.
When we get back to you might depend slightly on how far ahead you’ve booked your travels and other tours running at the time.
No need! Nordic Visitor is already working on offsetting the estimated carbon footprint of your package. We’ve partnered with an environmental fund in Iceland to carbon offset all our tours.
Carbon offsetting your international flights is not included, but we highly recommend you look into possibilities with your airline or directly through a local environment fund.
If you have any questions before your trip, you can get in touch with our Norway travel experts. The live chat option is useful for getting a quick reply as someone answers live every day during office opening hours.
Once you’ve booked, we’ll provide you with a travel guide packed full of local tips and top attractions for your visit. You can also check out our online Norway Travel Guide where we’ve compiled useful information about topics, including:
After you have booked your tour, it will only take a few days to confirm its availability. But it may take a few weeks to create your itinerary and book everything.
Once your trip details are finalised, we’ll send you e-copies of your travel documents. This will include your personalised itinerary, our Norway Travel Guide and your service vouchers. We recommend printing your tickets and vouchers to bring with you to Norway.
When you depart may depend on the time of your return flight. Check out early if you’re heading to the airport for a morning flight. On the other hand, if you’re flying home later in the day, you might like to enjoy a leisurely day or visit one more attraction.
You will usually need to check out from your room around 10–11 AM. If you’re staying in town longer, you will be able to store your luggage at the hotel reception. Simply return later to collect your bags before making your way to the airport.
All bookings are billed in Euro (EUR). Prices displayed in other currencies are indicative only and based on the daily exchange rate. This means conversions from EUR to other currencies will fluctuate from day to day.
These pictures may be small, but Norway’s mountains & fjords are massive.
We don’t like to brag, so we’ll let our happy customers do it for us.
Perfect trip in terms of planned activities and lots of free time. Accommodation was very nice and in great locations.
Everything was wonderful! All of my questions were answered in a timely manner and my concerns were addressed. The hotel in Tromsø was a bit underwhelming compared to the one in Svolvær. Overall it was a great experience and I would definitely recommend Nordic Visitor!
Jemima was super helpful and accommodating, and pleasant to email too. Good choice of hotels, they were very nice and located at the centre of the cities we visited.
Sleep soundly, in the accommodation type of your choice, and wake up ready to enjoy another day of exploration.
Whether you have a single question or a special request, we're here for you.
