Norway

Home to famous fjords, dazzling Northern Lights, the glowing Midnight Sun and cities filled with natural wonders and vibrant culture, to say Norway has a lot to offer is an understatement. What’s more, having explored this wonderful country for over 15 years, we know that what you read in the guide book is often just scratching the surface of what you can experience in Norway. 

Take Tromsø, well-known as one of the best places in Norway to see the Northern Lights, yet its reputation as a spectacular Midnight Sun destination is often overlooked. Furthermore, when you consider the Northern Lights potential in Norway, we know that getting away from the bright city lights is where the magic really happens. That’s why our Northern Lights holiday takes you up to Kirkenes for remote landscapes and much darker skies.

If you’re after a real winter adventure, we’ve put together an outstanding three-day husky safari in Karasjok for an Arctic experience with plenty of Aurora spotting opportunities. 

For a stunning year-round destination, try Bergen. With exceptional UNESCO accolades, including ‘City of Gastronomy’ you can enjoy a cultural city break at any time of the year. Alternatively, you can visit during summer for a brilliant self-drive adventure to discover why the city is known as the ‘Gateway to the Fjords’.

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Dramatic Fjords, Midnight Sun and Aurora Hunting

Norway was at the very front of the queue when Mother Nature was dishing out spectacular landscapes. The country is renowned for its dramatic fjords and you can discover these magnificent waterways formed thousands of years ago by glacial retreat during a city break to Bergen - the ‘Gateway to the Fjords’. This vibrant city is also a wonderful feature on our self-drive itineraries that includes some exceptional nights in the heart of this incredible landscape. 

The natural beauty spills over into the skies above Norway too. During winter, there are few Northern Lights hotspots more dramatically striking than Karasjok and we’d encourage anybody with a love of the Great Outdoors to have a long hard look at it as a holiday destination, particularly if you are looking for a grand Arctic adventure.

In summer, the warming glow of the Midnight Sun means you’ll have endless days to explore destinations such Tromsø and the famous fjords. 

 

Some of our Highlights

Many of our Artisan Travel Experts have extensively travelled through Norway to research our holidays. Not surprisingly, we have a few tales to tell - here are some of our favourites:

  “I loved the king crab safari out of Kirkenes. We went out to the Barents Sea on snowmobiles and our guide plucked this huge, huge crab from the icy salt water. Our guide then cooked up a feast for us."   Alex Charlton

  "For me, Norway has found the perfect mix of vibrant cities with stunning natural beauty. Both Tromsø and Bergen offer an indescribable vibrancy full of culture but are surrounded by some of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. I loved visiting during the months of the Midnight Sun - there was an excitement in the air at all times that really added something special to my trip."  Dawn Kitson

 “Seeing the Northern Lights dancing above a black silhouette of jagged mountains on the island of Senja is very possibly my favourite ever travel memory.” Graham Hughes


Image credits: Kirkenes Snowhotel, Trym Ivar Bergsmo, northernnorway.com, Green Dog, Engholm Husky winter, Northern Norway, Douglas Bardwell, Terje Rakke,Nordic Life - Visitnorway.com, Francisco Damm

Popular holidays to Norway

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Remove the letter “r” from Norway and you are left with “No way”. We would probably add an exclamation mark too because when you start to tell folk about the country’s natural and man-made wonders, the only possible response is “No way!”.

It’s difficult to know where to start so let’s start in the south and work our way north.

The vibrant city of Bergen is the perfect base for exploring Norway’s famed fjords. Known as the 'Gateway to the Fjords' and also boasting the title of UNESCO's 'City of Gastronomy', Bergen offers the perfect mix of dazzling culture with wonderful natural surroundings. 

As you head north, the terrain becomes more rugged but no less attractive. Island after island dot the coastline of Nordland and Finnmark and the archipelagos are home to some of Norway’s greatest treasures. They are also great driving country, with quiet roads and links to the likes of Sommaroy, Senja and the absurdly picturesque Lofoten islands.

Driving isn’t so much fun in winter unless you are steering a team of sled dogs across the snowy wilds of Northern Norway. You can do that from the kennels of a mushing legend, Sven Engholm at his base just outside Karasjok.

More winter treats await further north. Tromsø is a vibrant city and the gateway to many a Northern Lights adventure (although we would suggest staying outside the city if you are solely focused on chasing the Aurora Borealis).

Even further north, you reach far-flung Kirkenes on the Russian border. It’s a fascinating Arctic town with the added attraction numerous winter activities, the Northern Lights and a Snow Hotel where you can spend the night in a room made of ice and snow. 

contact us
Speak to our Artisan Travel Experts
01670 785 085

Your words...

Kirkenes Northern Lights and the snowhotel

Where to start - what an amazing trip. We did the trip to Kirkenes and went snowmobiling across a frozen fjord, dog sleighing through the Siberian forest and looking for the Northern Lights on the frozen ocean. It is truly indescribable. It really was a once in a lifetime experience and I thank you for making it go so smoothly. We had no problems at all - all the pickups were on time and well organised, everything that they said was included was (including a lunch that we were not expecting) and all the activities were outstanding. We went for my mums 50th birthday and it really did make it unforgettable.

Chris Meigh
Travelled 14th April 2015

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