From Finland to Norway: 9-Day Northern Lights Holiday Package

Stay in cozy 3- or 4-star hotels, participate in thrilling Northern Lights hunts, and enjoy a variety of winter activities throughout the itinerary. Travel comfortably between destinations in a premium minibus or small coach, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable trip from start to finish.

We have four departures scheduled between October 2024 and January 2025, with limited seats available for each of them. For more details about this holiday itinerary, or if you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact us.

Available travel dates:

Arrival to Rovaniemi October 26, 2024 - Departure from Tromsø November 3, 2024

Arrival to Rovaniemi November 15, 2024 - Departure from Tromsø November 15, 2024

Arrival to Rovaniemi December 12, 2024 - Departure from Tromsø December 20, 2024

Arrival to Rovaniemi January 19, 2024 - Departure from Tromsø January 27, 2024

Important: you may arrive in Rovaniemi anytime on the arrival date, but plan to depart from Tromsø only after 1.00pm / 13.00 hrs on the departure date.

Your Ultimate Northern Lights Holiday itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival to Rovaniemi

Arrive in Rovaniemi by plane or by train from Helsinki. If you arrive by plane, meet your driver in the arrivals hall at the airport. The driver will hold up a name sign for your group. Your private transfer to the hotel will be parked right outside the airport entrance. If you arrive by train, simply stroll over to your hotel. It will be located only a few minutes walking distance from Rovaniemi station.

Check in to your hotel; relax and unwind. The October and November departures offer rooms in Scandic Rovaniemi Hotel or similar, incl. breakfast. The December and January departures offer rooms in Scandic Polar or similar, incl. breakfast. This first day, get acquainted with the Arctic town of Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland and a truly unique little city to explore and discover.

Day 2: Explore Rovaniemi

On day two, take part in optional activities or enjoy your day at leisure. The optional activity for the October and November departures is a Husky Safari Carting on Wheels. The optional activity for the December and January activities is a Snowmobile Safari through the Snowy Forest.

Enjoy an early dinner in one of the nearby restaurants and be ready by 20.30/8.30pm for your included Northern Lights Hunt by Minibus at the Arctic Circle. Your guide will pick you up from the reception of your hotel.

This is a Northern Lights hunt by comfortable minibus into the Arctic, far away from light pollution. Your guide will lead the way, to go wherever the Aurora might appear on your particular night.

The locations visited differ from day-to-day, but you will head in the direction with the most chance of seeing Polar Lights at work. Using their experience, the tour guide will decide where to lead the tour to have the best chance of spotting the Aurora Borealis.

You’ll not only be in search of the magnificent Northern Lights, but you’ll also be able to see some of the amazing constellations of stars if the weather is clear. Please note that Northern lights are related to weather conditions, so just like the weather, conditions can never be guaranteed.

You’ll be back at the hotel before midnight.

Day 3: Discover Santa Claus Village outside Rovaniemi

Your driver will pick you up from the reception at 10.00am and bring you right to Visit Santa Claus Village. Soak up the spirit of Christmas - any time of the year. Meet Santa and his elves, ride a reindeer sleigh and send heartwarming postcards to your loved ones with a distinctive stamp from Santa's post office. During your visit there's also an opportunity to encounter reindeer.

A highlight of the visit is the Arctic Circle line painted across the village. This symbolic demarcation allows you to officially step into the Arctic region. Commemorate this moment with the Arctic Circle Certificate, a memento to cherish for a lifetime. Your adventure in this winter wonderland is complemented with a sumptuous Lappish lunch buffet, where traditional Finnish delicacies tantalize your taste buds.

Embrace the magic of the festive season at any time of the year as we take you to the renowned Santa Claus Village situated in the Arctic Circle, just north of Rovaniemi. You’ll be back at the hotel around 2.00pm.

Spend your evening at leisure, or join in on the optional Ice Floating under the Northern Lights activity where you float in a forest lake, wearing a warm floatation suit, gazing at stars and waiting for the magical Aurora Borealis light show to appear right above your head.

Day 4: Broaden your horizons - from Rovaniemi to Kiruna

Enjoy breakfast and prepare to leave the hotel. Meet your driver in the reception area at 10.00am and get ready for an international, Arctic journey. Today you leave Rovaniemi and Finland behind and venture off into the wilderness. Your next destination: the lonely tundra town of Kiruna, Sweden.

Your journey continues with a scenic bus ride to Kiruna, a town known for its prime location under the Northern Lights belt, along with a few other things such as the Esrange Space Research Center, the ICEHOTEL hotel made entirely out of snow and ice, and for being the true heart of Sápmi - the traditional homeland of the indigenous Sámi people of Lapland.

Enjoy a scenic ride through lush forests and over panoramic hills. Arrive at your Kiruna hotel: Camp Ripan Cabin Hotel or a similar hotel nearby. Check in and unwind. Spend the evening at your leisure, enjoying their wonderful kitchen and later gazing at the stars to hopefully see the Northern Lights right on your doorstep. Or if you like, opt for an optional Northern Lights hunt also this night.

Day 5: Exotic Kiruna and Abisko National Park

Next morning, explore the local area on foot or join an optional excursion to visit the Jukkasjärvi ICEHOTEL located outside Kiruna. The optional excursion starts with guides picking you up from the hotel around 9.30am and taking you over to the ICEHOTEL. There, marvel at the unique ice art and architecture. ICEHOTEL 365 is open all year round, allowing you to explore ice art even in the months of October and November before the ICEHOTEL is built. The hotel construction starts in November and is typically finished by early December, subject to weather and temperatures. This means that for December and January departures, visitors should expect to be able to also visit the ICEHOTEL itself.

You’ll be back at your hotel around 12.30pm with time to unwind. At 5.00pm/17:00 hrs, meet up in the reception and prepare for the Longest Northern Lights Tour in Kiruna, with dinner at Abisko Mountain Lodge (a special recipe of reindeer or vegetarian on request).

On this evening you will be visiting Abisko National Park, maybe the best place in the world to see the Northern Lights, because of its blue hole and microclimate. This region has the most cloud-free nights compared to other places in the Arctic Circle.

Your guide will tell you many stories about the Northern Lights and Vikings and also, will take pictures and videos which you’ll receive within 3 days after the tour. If you bring your own camera, the guide will help you set it up to get the best shots. You’ll go wherever needed to be able to find the Lights on this extended, unlimited mileage tour. Depending on the weather, you might be back around midnight or finding the Auroras could take longer and you are only back later in the night.

Day 6: Go West - pass through Abisko National Park and reach Tromsø

After breakfast it’s time to leave Kiruna behind and drive westwards, once again through Abisko National Park but this time during the hours of daylight (in fall) or Arctic daytime light (in winter). This is a 7-hour stretch including time for lunch and stops underway, with plenty of scenic vistas and beautiful natural wonders to rest your eyes on underway.

Once you cross over to the Norwegian side of the border, fjord landscapes unveil and you will feel that once again you are in a completely different place than Kiruna and Rovaniemi, which you already saw. Amazingly, the Arctic countries have many things in common, but still, remain different as well.

Expect to reach Tromsø around 5.00pm / 17.00 hrs. Check in to your hotel; a Scandic or Thon hotel or similar, with breakfast included. Take some time to stroll through the main street of Tromsø, the vibrant “Storgata” with shops, cafes, restaurants and bars. Soak up the little big city vibe of this Norwegian capital of the Arctic and discover Tromsø at your own pace. Enjoy dinner at leisure in one of the many restaurants near the hotel.

In the evening, make your way to the Fjellheisen Gondola for a cable car ride. Take a 10-minute cab ride or stroll for 40 minutes over to the Fjellheisen base. From here, take the gondola up to the mountaintop of the 421 mtrs. tall Storsteinen mountain located right behind Tromsø town for a stunning panoramic view of Tromsø, including its islands, fjords, and mountains. In winter, this is one of the best spots to see the Northern Lights. There are two gondolas, named “Seal” and “Polar Bear,” which operate regularly until 11pm at night.

Day 7: Explore the Arctic Region of Tromsø

For the October and November departures, this day offers a full-day adventure at sea. Enjoy your early breakfast and join an exciting Whale and Arctic Wildlife Safari!

Your meeting point is the harborside by Nearstranda 9 in central Tromsø, at 08.30am. From there, cruise out to the whale sighting area through the fjords of Northern Norway. Enjoy the Arctic scenery along the way and observe whales in their natural habitat. The humpback and orca migrate to Northern Norway, along the coast of Tromsø to feed on the Atlantic herring throughout the dark winter months (mid-October until end of January).

The journey provides scenic views as we cruise between islands and fjords with amazing mountain backdrops. Depending on weather conditions and whale location, your journey can take up to three hours to reach the sighting area. Once you have spotted the whales, the ship spends as much time as possible in the sighting area. You will drift along with the whales during this time, and gently follow their path with awareness of our presence in their natural environment. The duration of the tour can be up to 8 hours.

This is a spacious vessel with a comfortable, warm lounge and panoramic windows, a small kiosk, lavatories, and several outside decks. You’ll be back in Tromsø around 4.30 pm.

For the December and January departures, enjoy a quiet morning and have your breakfast in peace. Your adventure doesn’t start until 11.30am. But then again, what an adventure you have in store; prepare to meet the huskies and to ride with huskies in their natural habitat, driving a sleigh of your own shared by two people.

Arrive at the foot of the majestic Lyngen Alps, where striking mountain peaks soar up to 1,400 meters, juxtaposed against serene fjords. Here, prepare for 60-75 thrilling minutes of dog sledding across both dense forests and expansive snowy landscapes. Prior to takeoff, you'll receive a comprehensive briefing, gearing you up for an unforgettable ride where you'll steer your own team of enthusiastic sled dogs.

Share this unique ride with a partner, switching between mushing and enjoying the sled's views, creating a shared bond not just with each other but with your loyal canine team. Groups are small, ensuring personalized attention and guidance from our expert leaders throughout your Arctic expedition.

The adventure doesn't end on the trails; post-sledding, we invite you inside to bask in the warmth of a roaring fire, savoring hot drinks and cookies while delving into the world of our Alaska Huskies.

You’ll be back in Tromsø around 4.30 pm

Day 8: Venture into the Lyngen Alps and spend your night in a Crystal Lavvo Aurora Hut

By now your senses are acclimatized to the Arctic and you’re used to daily thrills. What better way, then, to conclude your Arctic journey than to venture off into the majestic Lyngen Alps region and spend your night in a Crystal Lavvo Aurora Hut with a transparent ceiling and your own fireplace.

Your adventure starts with pick-up at 11:45am. After a 90-minute scenic transfer that includes a fjord crossing by ferry, you arrive at the Crystal Lavvo Basecamp. Welcome to the Lyngen Alps, where the splendor of nature unfolds before your very eyes! Nestled amidst awe-inspiring fjords, mountains, and islands, our basecamp offers truly breathtaking panoramic views.

Upon arrival, enjoy a delicious lunch at the main villa, after which you can choose to go hiking, snowshoeing, and/or cross-country skiing (weather permitting) or simply relax in your Crystal Lavvo. Reconvene in the evening for a photography workshop and dinner. Then continue with a Northern Lights Chase photography from right outside the Villa.

In this unique location you are far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life. Here, you’ll find minimal artificial light pollution, meaning you’re in the perfect spot to witness the Northern Lights in all their glory. With clear skies and pristine surroundings, your chances of experiencing this natural wonder are high.

Marvel at the stars and the Auroras, shining through the open roof, as you stay warm in bed with a natural fireplace keeping you warm you through the night.

Day 9: Homebound from Tromsø

Spend your night in one of the six private Crystal Lavvos located close to the villa and wake up well-rested the next morning. Enjoy a delicious breakfast and a quiet morning before embarking on the return drive, which brings you back to Tromsø by 11am.

As your journey comes to an end, you’ll fly back home with a heart full of memories and stories to share. The “Northern Lights Lapland Galore” holiday package is designed to offer you the best of Lapland, from its magical Northern Lights to its charming towns and thrilling adventures.

Join us for this unforgettable journey through the heart of Lapland, where the wonders of the Arctic await. This is more than just a holiday; it’s an experience that will stay with you forever.