Main Info
The Grand Winter Tour, The Ultimate Journey
| Price | price range from EURO 3000-4550 Per Person on a Twin / Double Sharing. Prices need to be recalculated based on exact dates. |
| Season | DEC-MAR |
| Duration | 14 Days / 13 Nights |
The Grand tour takes you through Norway’s most breathtaking UNESCO-protected fjord, mountain scenery and on Europe’s top scenic rail journeys. Your journey is Grand because this 14-day tour will take you from the Arctic wilderness to the UNESCO City charm. You begin your Journey in the capital of Norway, Oslo and travel to Kirkenes, located at the top of Norway near the Russian border. After your winter adventure here and a stay at the Snow hotel, you will begin your Southbound cruise journey in the famous Hurtigruten cruise often referred to as the ultimate journey. You see some of the world´s most beautiful islands and coastal mountains when you cross Tromsø, Lofoten Islands, North Cape and Helgeland. After the sea voyage, the grandness of the tour continues as we club road and rail journey with Fjord cruise experience. The scenic Bergen Railway, the breathtaking Flåm Railway, the Aurlandsfjord, the narrow and dramatic UNESCO-protected Nærøyfjord, everything is handled in one easy Grand Winter Tour.
PS: Northern lights is a natural Phenomenon, and no one can guarantee its occurrence.
| Tour Departure & Return | The Tour has been recommended from the Capital of Norway, Oslo. |
| Departure Time | Please arrive by the time provided in the itinerary |
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| Days | Nights | City | Activities |
| DAY 1 | 01 | Oslo | Arrival Oslo, stay at Airport hotel |
| DAY 2 | 01 | Kirkenes | Breakfast ; Departure Oslo-Arrival Kirkenes. |
| DAY 3 | 01 | Snow Hotel- Kirkenes | Breakfast ; Transfer to Snow hotel ; 2 Hour Husky tour ; 3 Course Meal ; Overnight at Snow hotel. |
| DAY 4 | 01 | Hurtigruten-Cruise | Breakfast and embark for 6 days Cruise- Southbound to Bergen. All meals on Board. |
| DAY 5 | 01 | Cruise via Tromsø | Cruise via Tromsø- All meals onboard |
| DAY 6 | 01 | Cruise via Lofoten Islands | Cruise via Lofoten Islands- All meals onboard |
| DAY 7 | 01 | Cruise via Helgeland Coast | Cruise via Helgeland Coast- All meals onboard |
| DAY 8 | 01 | Cruise via Trondheim | Cruise via Trondheim- All meals onboard |
| DAY 9 | 01 | Arrival Bergen | Breakfast and Lunch ; Arrival Bergen |
| DAY 10 | 01 | Bergen | Breakfast ; day at leisure in Bergen |
| DAY 11 | 01 | Flåm | Breakfast ; Train-Buss-Boat-to Fjord Village Flåm ; Overnight in Flåm |
| DAY 12 | 01 | Oslo | Breakfast ; Train from Flåm to Oslo ; Arrival Oslo ; Overnight in Oslo |
| DAY 13 | 01 | Oslo | Breakfast ; Explore the city at your pace. |
| Day 14 | – | Departure | Breakfast ; Departure day with fond memories. |
| TOTAL | 013 |
Itinerary
Day 01 Arrival in the city of Nobel Peace Prize- Oslo.
- Arrival in Oslo, the Capital city of one of most Peaceful countries on earth. We will book an airport hotel today as tomorrow you will be required to catch an early morning flight for your Arctic adventure.
- If you wish to go to the city center, the Airport Express train will take only 20 minutes to take you there.
- Enjoy your day at leisure in Oslo. Overnight in Oslo
Day 02 Fly to Kirkenes -Arctic Experience Begins
- Wake up early for your transfer to Oslo airport. Today we set off for the Arctic experience with our early morning flight to Kirkenes. (We can assist in booking the flights. The flights can cost between Nok 500-2000 depending upon the price booking mechanism or as per availability).
- Arrival in this Cold Town of North Norway, Kirkenes. Kirkenes, in northern Norway is a city located in Finnmark county and shares borders with both Russia and Finland.
- Take a Transfer to your Hotel in Kirkenes.
- Add on : We recommend you to book a 4-hours ‘Hunting the Northern Lights’ Snowmobile safari (2100 hours). You will be transferred from your hotel in Kirkenes to an Old Norwegian farmhouse where you will be given warm clothing and instructions as to how to handle snowmobile. One snowmobile will have two people and drivers will change places with passengers so that all get the opportunity to drive the machine. You will have short photo stops and will also be served Picnic meal made from local ingredients. For this tour you need to have a valid driving license.
- Overnight in a hotel in Kirkenes.
Day 03 Kirkenes Snow Hotel and Husky Tour
- After Breakfast, you will be transferred to your Snow hotel. Your hostess will take you to a tour of this manmade marvel. Enjoy this unique experience.
- Your Huskies will be waiting for you in the afternoon at 1500 hours. You will today along with your friendly Huskies travel the wilderness of Kirkenes on a two-hour tour. Enjoy the frozen fjords and landscapes covered in snow and meet the locals. The musher will drive the sledge so that you can enjoy the ride and the Journey.
- Enjoy your feast on a 3-course meal by the fireplace at the Høyloftet Restaurant by the Snow hotel. Don’t forget to take a drink at the famous Ice Bar.
- Overnight at Kirkenes Snow hotel.
Day 04 Cruise departure with Hurtigruten
- Enjoy the morning sauna (if you get up early) and your Arctic breakfast.
- Transfer from Snow Hotel to Hurtigruten pier.
- The Hurtigruten southbound journey will begin from Kirkenes and along the western coastline of Norway. Enjoy the beginning of a magnificent journey of once in a Life time experience. Hurtigruten cruise departure:
- The ship arrives in Kirkenes approx. at 09:00 hrs
- Embarkation from 09:15 hrs
- Departure from Kirkenes at 12:30 hrs
- In the afternoon, you dock at Vardø, Norway’s easternmost port. Enjoy the view from the deck. Later the ship continues its journey heading south, cruising along the Varanger peninsula to Båtsfjord, before reaching the tiny town of Berlevåg in the evening, home to one of Norway’s most famous male choirs, consisting mainly of local fishermen.
- Enjoy your Lunch and Dinner on board sleep well on this Journey of Arctic dreamland.
Day 05 Sailing the day and arriving at Tromsø late in the Evening. Dinner onboard
- Enjoy your ‘Hurtigruten breakfast’ while you sail along snow-clad valleys, fresh winter air and small unknown towns. You sail through Honningsvåg, before stopping in Hammerfest, a city founded in 1789, and over time became Norway's polar capital, serving as a base for hunting expeditions into the High Arctic. You sail through the beautiful Lyngenfjord, surrounded by the snowy peaks of the Lyngen Alps and dock at Tromsø late evening.
Day 06 Cruise via Harstad to Lofoten Islands
- You arrive at Harstad this morning, after breakfast treat your eyes with the beautiful scenery and a selection of breathtaking sites. From your deck you can see the Trondenes Church, one of Norway's premier cultural heritage sites from the late Middle Ages. The sail continues via the Risøyrenna, a shallow 7-metre-deep channel made especially for Hurtigruten in the 1920s to provide an 'inside route' between Harstad and Sortland. The sand banks along the are visible through the clear, green water. The Cruise will make a brief stop at the small Village of Risøyhamn (a village of approx. 200 inhabitants) to deliver Passengers, groceries and mail, then continue sothwards journey to spectacular Trollfjord where the Steep cliffs hug the ship´s sides and the dramatic landscape conjures fairy tale images of an imaginary land of trolls and finally reaching Svolvær, the capital of Lofoten.
- You leave Lofoten during the evening. Enjoy your Lunch and Dinner on board and sleepwell on this Journey of Arctic dreamland.
Day 07 Cruise along the Helgeland Coast crossing the Arctic Circle
- The Helgeland coast, which also crosses the Arctic Circle, is home to home to Norway's famous 17th century poet-priest Petter Dass. This route is often singled out as one of the most enjoyable parts of the Hurtigruten sailing. The Vega archipelago, situated off the Helgeland coast, is named one of the world’s top undiscovered island gems.
- The northern lights can be seen in the night sky on dark, clear evenings from September to April. Numerous legends and stories are associated with this coastline. Perhaps you can ask the local crew about the myth of the Seven Sisters that are now mountaintops alongside each other.
- Enjoy your Lunch and Dinner on board and sleep well on this Journey of Arctic dreamland.
Day 08 Cruise to the ‘Moustache city’ of Trondheim
- Early morning arrival in the ‘Moustache city’ Trondheim. Enjoy the city for a few hours or just sip a coffee at the dock. The Ship departs around 10 am through the majestic Trondheimsfjord, which is 170 km long and up to 25 km wide. You will cross the ‘dried cod capital’ of Norway, Kristiansund to the ‘City of Roses’, Molde and enjoy the steep, snow clad, pointed peaks of the Romsdal Alps.
- Enjoy your Lunch and Dinner on board and sleepwell on this Journey of Arctic dreamland.
Day 09 Cruise arrival in the Viking City-Bergen
- Today is the last day of this world’s most beautiful voyage. The ship calls at Ålesund, Torvik, Måløy, at night before the ship docks and you disembark in Bergen. Bergen is called the ‘Gateway to the Fjords’. From Bergen, you take a taxi transfer to your hotel located in the city center. Enjoy your day at leisure in Bergen.
- Overnight at a Hotel in Bergen.
Day 10 Discover Bergen
- After your ‘Viking’ breakfast, enjoy the offerings of the city at your pace.
- Bergen is the Viking City of Norway. The city has many beautiful and historic sites. You will notice how the city has preserved the charm of a small town. The recommended attractions that you can visit are at walkable distances. Don’t forget to get a good pair of walking shoes.
- Bryggen Wharf- a UNESCO World Heritage site
- Edvard Grieg’s home Troldhaugen
- Old Bergen Open Air Museum
- Not so smelly but vibrant fish market
- Fragrance full flower market
- Flöibanen cable cars
- Overnight in Bergen.
Day 11 Scenic Train from Bergen to Voss- Magnificent Bus journey from Voss to Gudvangen- Beautiful fjord cruise from Gudvangen to Fjord Village of Flåm
- (Everything is sorted, you don’t have to rush to take your bus or train-Its right there waiting for you)
- After your ‘Viking’ Breakfast at the hotel. You need to reach the Bergen Train station (you can either walk or take a taxi). Your train will depart from Bergen and you need to get off at Voss, from where you will continue by bus to Gudvangen.
- From Gudvangen you will board the 2-hour fjord cruise and pass through the many of the unknown small towns on your way to the small fjord village of Flåm. Flåm is a picturesque fjord Village surrounded by stunning marvels of nature. This thinly populated fjord village will capture your imagination, don’t forget to a walk and enjoy the tranquility that Flåm has to offer during winter.
- (Add on :We recommend that you pack an overnight bag for your stop in Flåm and book luggage transfer from Bergen-Oslo. You will receive your luggage on arrival in Oslo. This service will cost Nok 450,- additional)
- Enjoy your stay in Flåm (In case your accommodation is not available at Flåm due to non availability, then your accommodation will be booked at the Mountain Village of Vatnahalsen)
- Dinner at Hotel.
- Accommodation at Flåm or Vatnahalsen.
Day 12 Scenic ride- Bergen Railway back to Oslo
- After your ‘Fjord’ breakfast at the hotel, enjoy your morning at this picturesque town. Around noon, you will continue your winter adventure by boarding the Flåm Railway to the mountain Village station of Myrdal. Your train will pass through the magnificent Sognefjord, picturesque frozen waterfalls and wild and beautiful steep mountains. From Myrdal station you will board the Bergen Railway to Oslo (Crossing Finse- the highest train station at 1222 meters above sea level).
- After a 5-hour train journey you will arrive in capital city, Oslo. The Nobel Peace Prize host city has maintained a very good balance between urbanization and eco friendliness. Oslo has been judged as Europe’s green capital city and perhaps the only capital city that has the magnificent Fjord on one side and forested ridges on the other.
- Accommodation in Oslo in a Hotel/Apartment.
Day 13 Explore Oslo
- Enjoy your Scandinavian buffet breakfast. After breakfast, enjoy the city at your Own pace. We recommend the following attractions (Add on : We can arrange for a 3 Hour Guided sightseeing tour of Oslo with Transport service) :
- Vigeland Sculpture Park
- Viking Ship Museum
- Oslo Opera House
- Kon-tiki Museum
- Holmenkollen Ski Jump.
- Oslo fjord Sightseeing
- In the afternoon, you can choose from many of the restaurants located in the city. The Nobel Peace Prize host city has maintained a very good balance between urbanization and eco friendliness. Oslo has been judged as Europe’s green capital city and perhaps the only capital city that has the magnificent Fjord on one side and forested ridges on the other. The city has excellent locations and offers unique photo opportunities.
- After your Local Norwegian Dinner, Enjoy the night life of Oslo and Overnight in Oslo.
Day 14 End of the Journey but a beginning of a new relation with Norway. Departure from Oslo.
- As they say, that the first hello and the last goodbye is the most difficult part. Departure with fond memories as per your own itinerary.
- Enjoy your ‘Scandinavian’ Breakfast and take the airport express train to Gardermoen airport (If you want our assistance in booking the airport transfer, please do let us know)
- IF YOU WANT DETAILS FOR THIS TOUR PLEASE SEND US A QUERY- IF YOU HAVE CERTAIN SPECIFIC NEEDS, PLEASE DO LET US KNOW. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.
