Savour the Northern Lights - South

Welcome to Helsinki, where our adventure begins. Depending on when you arrive, there may be time to do a bit of exploration if you feel like it. Your tour manager will be at the hotel to meet and greet you.

Helsinki is a vibrant and charming city blending modern design with a rich history. Its picturesque waterfront, lively squares, and unique architecture create a welcoming atmosphere. Perfect for a stroll, you can enjoy a scenic walk and experience the city's lively spirit, all within a few hours.

In the evening there will be a welcome dinner at the hotel, giving you the perfect chance to get to know your fellow traveler

We kick off our adventure through Finland by getting to know its charming capital city a little better.

After breakfast you’ll meet with an English-speaking local guide for a sightseeing tour. Learn about local culture, history, and traditions as you pass landmarks such as Helsinki City Hall, Market Square, Senate Square with its Cathedral, and the Temppeliaukio Church (Rock Church, entrance included). Weather permitting, we’ll also visit the Sibelius monument, an unusual sculpture commemorating the life of the composer Jean Sibelius.

The tour concludes at the hotel, leaving the afternoon free for further exploration. Why not take the opportunity to try some local dishes, such as silakat (small Baltic herrings) or mustikkapiirakka (blueberry pie).

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then take a private transfer to Helsinki Railway Station for your train to Kemi. The scenic journey takes you  from Finland’s capital into the Arctic’s wilderness, offering incredible vistas of forests, lakes, and rugged landscapes – with the last section travelling beside the Baltic Sea.

We’ll arrive in Kemi around 3:30pm. Lunch is at your own expense, with food available on the train. Afterward, transfer privately to your accommodation, where you'll spend the night in a unique Glass Villa at the Experience 365 winter resort. Here, you’ll witness beautiful scenery all around, and with glass ceilings you’ll be able to look up directly into the heavens from your bed!

This morning we’ll travel to the Ajos pier located on Bothnian Bay, where the sea freezes over during winter. It’s time to board Sampo, a real-life Icebreaker (conditions permitting) for an incredible adventure. It’s a thrilling experience as the icebreaker ploughs powerfully through the frozen sea. If you’re brave enough, take a refreshing dip in the icy waters while wearing a full-body waterproof survival suit.

After this adventure, you’ll be free to take lunch at your own arrangement in Kemi. A private coach will then collect us and transfer us to our next destination, Levi, via the Santa Claus Village at Rovaniemi.

At Levi, we’ll enjoy two magical nights in private glass igloo accommodation, offering again the chance to marvel at the Northern Lights from the comfort of your bed. Located on the outskirts of the resort of Levi, the hotel is far from light pollution, making it an ideal spot for Northern Lights spotting.

Please note: For Sep 25, Oct 9, Oct 23, Nov 6, 2026 and Mar 26, Apr 9 2027 departures, the Icebreaker ship will not be sailing due to expected sea conditions. Instead, you’ll be given a tour of the ship and will still be able to do the Arctic dip in a survival suit.

2026/27 Season

Travel by private coach along the scenic Sweden–Finland border to the resort town of Levi, where you’ll spend two nights in a private Aurora Cabin (glass igloo). These unique accommodations are located away from light pollution, offering clear night sky views and the chance to spot the Northern Lights right from your bed. After check-in, enjoy a delicious dinner at the hotel.

Husky Safari: In the daytime, embark on a 1-hour Husky Safari through Levi’s snowy forests (weather permitting). Each sleigh seats two guests, and you’ll glide over the snow with an eager team of huskies, enjoying the winter landscape.

Aurora Expedition by Snowshoes: Based on guest feedback, the evening Heated Sleigh Ride has been replaced with a 2-hour Aurora Expedition by Snowshoes. Trek through peaceful, snow-covered forests and past deep snow drifts under the moonlight and a star-filled sky. A cozy hut along the trail provides a place to warm by the fire while enjoying warm berry juice, cookies, and marshmallows. Watch for the Northern Lights as they illuminate the night sky — an unforgettable experience.

Inclusions:

• English-speaking guide

• Thermal clothing and snowshoes

• Warm drinks and snacks (berry juice, cookies, marshmallows)

• Aurora viewing from glass igloo accommodations or along the snowshoe trail

Accommodation Notes:

• Jan 29 and Feb 26 departures: Levin Iglut Hotel (glass igloos)

• Apr 9 departure: Aurora Pyramid Glass Igloos

Experience the magic of the Northern Lights in comfort and style, with expert guidance and memorable winter scenery.

Today's Kilpisjärvi activity varies by season. The Reindeer farm visits run from Sep 25 to Nov 11 2026, while Snowmobile safaris operate from Dec 18 2026 to Mar 26 2027.

For September, October, and November 2026 departures (Sep 25, Oct 10 & 23, and Nov 6), the border is inaccessible, so you'll visit a Sámi reindeer farm instead. Enjoy meeting and feeding the reindeer, listening to cultural stories, and sampling traditional snacks like berry juice and biscuits in a cozy log cabin.

On most departure dates, you'll travel to Kilpisjärvi along the Sweden–Finland border for a 3-hour "Border of Three Countries" tour by snowmobile or sleigh, weather permitting. Journey over frozen lakes and snowy forests to Koltavuoma and visit Norway, Finland, and Sweden in a single trip. The tour includes a guide, thermal gear, photos, warm drinks, and pastries.

Today is the last day of our land trip before we board our ship. The 4.5-hour drive from Kilpisjärvi to Tromsø is a breathtaking journey through the Arctic wilderness, offering some of Norway’s most stunning scenery. Our route winds through snow-covered landscapes, passing frozen lakes and rugged tundra before reaching the majestic Lyngen Alps. These towering peaks, often blanketed in snow, create a dramatic backdrop.

Driving via the Lyngen Alps is subject to weather and road conditions, but if conditions allow the scenic coastal roads, fjords, and charming villages along the way offer perfect photo opportunities. If the weather and road conditions don't allow, we’ll drive directly to Tromsø. As we approach Tromsø, the landscape transitions from remote wilderness to a vibrant city surrounded by mountains and the icy sea.

Before you get settled into your cabin on board, give yourself plenty of time to explore Tromsø. This small city 218 miles (350 km) north of the Arctic Circle has everything from trendy restaurants and cafés to boutique shops selling local crafts and produce.

Head to the Polaria center, an aquarium home to a variety of Arctic marine species, including seals. Across the water from Polaria, you’ll find the Arctic Cathedral, standing out in the cityscape due to its striking design and impressive stained-glass windows.

In the evening, board the waiting ship and continue your journey on sea as we head north.

Note: Your tour manager departs in Tromsø.

Searching in 1553 for a northeast passage to India, British navigator Richard Chancellor came upon a crag 307 yards above the Barents Sea. He named the jut of rock North Cape, or Nordkapp. Today Europe's northernmost point is a rite-of-passage journey for nearly all Scandinavians and many others. Most cruise passengers visit Nordkapp from Honningsvåg, a fishing village on Magerøya Island. The journey from Honningsvåg to Nordkapp covers about 35 km (22 miles) across a landscape characterized by rocky tundra and grazing reindeer, which are rounded up each spring by Sami herdsmen in boats. The herdsmen herd the reindeer across a mile-wide channel from their winter home on the mainland. Honningvåg's northerly location makes for long, dark winter nights and perpetually sun-filled summer days. The village serves as the gateway to Arctic exploration and the beautiful Nordkapp Plateau, a destination that calls to all visitors of this region. Most of those who journey to Nordkapp (North Cape), the northernmost tip of Europe, are in it for a taste of this unique, otherworldly, rugged yet delicate landscape. You'll see an incredible treeless tundra, with crumbling mountains and sparse dwarf plants. The subarctic environment is very vulnerable, so don't disturb the plants. Walk only on marked trails and don't remove stones, leave car marks, or make campfires. Because the roads are closed in winter, the only access is from the tiny fishing village of Skarsvåg via Sno-Cat, a thump-and-bump ride that's as unforgettable as the desolate view.

People have been attracted to the community of Alta for thousands of years, and prehistoric rock carvings discovered in 1973 can be seen at the Alta Museum. Situated at the head of the Altafjord, it is a lush, green and hospitable shelter in the otherwise cold and windswept Finnmark landscape. Halfway between the grim, barren mountain plateau and the wet, stormy coast, Alta offers tree-clad valleys, pleasant temperatures and no more rain than the Sahara. However at 70 degrees North it is quite a different story in winter, when heavy snowfalls and sub-zero temperatures are the order of the day, and clear dark night skies become the arena for dazzling displays of the elusive Aurora Borealis, also referred to as 'the temperamental lady' by Laplanders. The world’s first Northern Lights Observatory, which played an important role in the development of geophysical and meteorological research during the first half of the 20th century, is located just 12 miles from Alta. Perched atop Haldde Mountain, it towers almost 3,000 feet above Kafjord, where the battleship Tirpitz was based during the Second World War.

At 68 degrees North, Narvik lies 140 miles inside the Arctic Circle. Its history as a settlement began in the Stone Age, and Vikings are also known to have lived in the area. The modern town came into existence in the 1870s to serve the needs of the iron industry. Iron ore is mined in neighbouring Sweden and, as an ice-free port, Narvik was chosen as the ideal export location. The LKAB mining corporation is still a major employer and landowner in the area, shipping some 25,000,000 tons of iron ore from the port annually. This industrial heritage has shaped the town and now forms the basis of some of its most popular tourist attractions. In 1883 a co-owned British-Swedish company was given permission to build a railway connecting the Swedish iron mines in Kiruna to Narvik. It opened in 1902 and the town, then christened Victoriahavn, grew up around it. Unfortunately much of Narvik was destroyed in World War II. Invaded by the Nazis on 9 April 1940, it was later retaken by the Allies, representing the first military defeat of Hitler’s troops, but was evacuated as part of Operation Alphabet when it came under German occupation again. The local war museum documents the turbulent history of this period.

A small town in Norway’s fjord country, Åndalsnes is a gateway to the rugged wilderness of the Romsdalfjord. Known as the 'village between the mountains and the fjords', it typifies Norway's striking natural beauty with its setting on a promontory lined by alps and set at the mouth of the Rauma River. The town itself is tucked under the lofty mountain peaks, backed by lush, green scenery. Nearby is the impressive Trollveggen, or 'Troll Wall', which at 6,000 feet is Europe's highest vertical cliff face and is often topped by cloud. The precipice is said to be the ultimate trial for rock climbers, who regularly flock here to accept the challenge. Åndalsnes is also the terminus of the famous Rauma Railway which runs 70 miles alongside the emerald-green Rauma river and through some of Norway’s most spectacular scenery to Dombås (2160 feet above sea level) where it then connects to the main Oslo to Trondheim line.

Embark your ship and settle into your stateroom. Bergen is home to the Hanseatic League’s only kontor (trading enclave) still in existence. Bryggen wharf, a row of timbered Hanseatic warehouses along a quaint quay, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Narrow wooden walkways are flanked by parallel rows of small, vibrantly painted buildings overlooking the picturesque Vågen Harbor. This is perhaps the most charming district of Bergen and a delight to explore, from its tight-knit community of workshops where artisans sell their wares to its cafés where freshly prepared smørbrød, or open-faced sandwiches, are on the menu.

Nicknamed "Sommerbyen" ("Summer City"), Norway's fifth-largest city has 78,000 inhabitants. Norwegians come here for its sun-soaked beaches and beautiful harbor. Kristiansand has also become known internationally for the outdoor Quart Festival, which hosts local and international rock bands every July. According to legend, in 1641 King Christian IV marked the four corners of Kristiansand with his walking stick, and within that framework the grid of wide streets was laid down. The center of town, called the Kvadraturen, still retains the grid, even after numerous fires. In the northeast corner is Posebyen, one of northern Europe's largest collections of low, connected wooden house settlements, and there's a market here every Saturday in summer. Kristiansand's Fisketorvet (fish market) is near the south corner of the town's grid, right on the sea.

Oslo is the capital of Norway and is also its largest city, situated at the head of Oslo Fjord and surrounded by hills and forests. Home to some 50 museums and full of galleries, cafés, a sculpture park and the Royal Palace, this vibrant city with its handsome 19th-century buildings and wide streets has much to offer. Its history dates back 1,000 years, and includes a rich seafaring heritage that ranges from the Viking era to Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon Tiki expedition. Discover more about this exciting city on our varied selection of excursions.