Escape to Norway for a long weekend. Discover snow-capped mountains and crystal-clear fjords. Sail alongside humpback whales and explore colourful fishing villages.
During our classic short breaks in Norway, you experience a wealth of cultural and natural wonders — in places like Tromsø, Svalbard and Lofoten. You also have an excellent chance of seeing the Northern Lights, in a region renowned for its Aurora sightings.
Our tailor-made trips combine your choice of winter activities and hand-picked accommodation. So — with Aurora Nights — it’s easy to create the Northern Lights holiday you’ve been dreaming of.
Explore our Classic Short Breaks in Norway
Credit Roger Brendhagen
Northern Lights & Marine Giants
A 3-night adventure in Norway that merges the breathtaking Northern Lights with the majestic world of whale watching. Travel on an overnight voyage along Tromso's stunning Norwegian fjords, capturing the beauty of Norway and seeing whale breach the surface...
Price per person (excl. flights)
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from £2,000
Credit Marcela Cardenas
The Aurora Nights Svalbard Adventure
This 4-night trip will first take you to Oslo before heading further North - almost 1500km away from the Northern Pole in a place called Svalbard, the perfect place to hunt for the Northern Lights.
Price per person (excl. flights)
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from £2,000
Credit Yngve Olsen Saebbe
The Aurora Nights Tromso & Svalbard Experience
This 5-night trip pairs Tromso and Svalbard - a perfect aurora hunting combination! Enjoy winter activities from your boutique hotel.
Price per person (excl. flights)
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from £2,500
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The Northern Norway Lodge Experience
Lyngen Experience Lodge, located in Northern Norway, is a boutique lodge that offers a unique Arctic experience. Situated in the picturesque Lyngen Alps, the lodge provides a stunning natural backdrop of mountains, fjords, and Northern Lights.
Price per person (excl. flights)
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from £2,000
Credit Fjellheisen
The Paris of the North Aurora Break
Spend 3 nights exploring Tromso, The Paris of the North in Northern Norway, and a great base for Northern Lights adventures and a short break in this beautiful city.
Price per person (excl. flights)
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from £2,000
Short breaks in Norway: FAQs
When is the best time of year to book a classic short break in Norway?
You have the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights if you travel to Norway between September and March. During autumn and winter, the nights are long and dark, which makes it much easier to see the Northern Lights.
On a winter break in Norway, you can enjoy snow-based activities, like dog sledding and snowmobiling. You can even choose to celebrate Christmas or New Year here.
Unsure when to book your weekend break in Norway? Just get in touch with the Aurora Nights team. We’ll be happy to advise you on seasonal weather conditions and activities.
Read more: The Northern Lights: Season by season
How long are your short breaks to Norway?
Our short breaks in Norway are between three and five nights long. Most are based across a long weekend, departing on Friday and returning home on Monday or Tuesday.
We can tailor these tours to include your choice of northern Norway destinations. You can stay in beautiful Tromsø or get closer to the North Pole on a Svalbard tour.
Of course, if you’d like to book a longer break, you can extend your trip to include our other Northern Lights destinations:
What can you see and do during a weekend break in Norway?
Here are some of the sights and activities you can experience on a Norway short break:
- Take an overnight voyage through Tromsø’s fjords. Then, start your day whale watching, looking out for majestic orca and humpback whales.
- Fly north to the remote island of Svalbard, a land of dramatic mountains, glaciers and icebergs.
- Mush a team of huskies through snowy landscapes before exploring the magical ice formations of an ice cave.
- Take a catamaran cruise around Tromsø Island at night. Sample Arctic cuisine and keep your eyes on the skies to see the dancing colours of the Northern Lights.
- Explore Tromsø. Visit the Polar Museum, the Arctic Cathedral and Mack Brewery. Or take the cable car up Storsteinen Mountain for panoramic city views.
- Travel deep into the Arctic wilderness on exhilarating Northern Lights excursions. Warm up by the fire as you wait for the aurora borealis to appear.
- Experience the thrill of snowmobiling or a ride in a snow-cat truck. Or soak in the serenity of the Arctic on a snowshoeing excursion.
- Relax in the sauna or hot tub back at your hotel. Enjoy fine dining cuisine. And why not head up to the rooftop terrace for warming drinks and spectacular views?
Our short trips to Norway are tailor-made. So just tell us if there’s anything else you’d like to do on your Norwegian Northern Lights break. We’ll do our best to make it happen.
Where will I stay?
Boutique hotels in Tromsø and Oslo. A remote lodge on the island of Svalbard. A cosy glass igloo. A stylish residence with a fine dining restaurant, nestled among mountains and fjords.
There are lots of comfortable and memorable accommodation options to choose from on our Norway weekend breaks. Whether you’re travelling as a couple, family or large group, we’re confident of finding the perfect place for you to stay.
What’s included in your Norway Northern Lights packages?
Our Norway Northern Lights breaks include the following as standard:
- Accommodation
- Transfers
- Half-board or full-board dining
- Arctic clothing for activities
- Your choice of guided Arctic activities
Please note that flights are not included in our Northern Lights holiday packages. But if you’d like advice on the best airports and airlines to use when travelling to Norway from the UK or the US, just let us know. We’ll be happy to help.
Can I book a Tromsø city break package?
Absolutely. The city of Tromsø is known as the gateway to the Arctic. So it’s a great place to experience Norwegian culture and the Northern Lights.
On a Tromsø package holiday, you’ll stay in the city, with restaurants, galleries, and sights like the Arctic Cathedral on your doorstep.
But because the city is surrounded by fjords and mountains, you’re never far from nature. Look out for sea eagles and seals — or escape the city to experience Arctic scenery at its finest.
As part of our city breaks in Norway, you’ll also go searching for the Northern Lights. You’ll sail out into the fjord, away from city lights. Or travel by snowmobile to remote and scenic locations that make a beautiful backdrop for your Northern Lights photographs.
What about a city break in Oslo?
We offer Norway city breaks in Oslo, too. But bear in mind that Oslo is much further south than Tromsø — so it’s not the best place to see the Northern Lights.
However, if you’d like to explore Norway’s capital city, we can plan a longer itinerary. You can spend some time in Oslo before heading north in search of the Northern Lights.
What should I wear on a Northern Lights short break in Norway?
During winter, northern Norway is very cold. There aren’t many hours of daylight and temperatures rarely rise above freezing. So people dress for comfort and warmth.
We recommend bringing thermal base layers, a middle layer and a warm jumper. A warm, winter coat, walking boots and waterproofs are essential. You should also pack a hat, gloves and warm socks.
For night time excursions and fjord cruises, we provide Arctic outerwear. This includes a snow jacket, thermal overalls, snow boots and Arctic gloves.
Read more: What to wear on a Northern Lights trip
Will I definitely see the Northern Lights on my short break to Norway?
The Northern Lights can be unpredictable. Their visibility depends on both solar and weather conditions. But we do everything we can to maximise your chances of seeing the Northern Lights on your Norway short break.
We pick accommodation within easy reach of the best Aurora locations. And we pair you with an expert Aurora guide.
Our guides are skilled at tracking down the Northern Lights. They’ll take you on exciting nighttime excursions, finding clear and cloudless skies where the aurora is most likely to make an appearance.
Why book your Norway Northern Lights short break with Aurora Nights?
When you book any Northern Lights holiday package with Aurora Nights, you can count on:
- Tailor-made trips — we tailor our short breaks in Norway to include the destinations, accommodation and activities you have on your wishlist
- Hand-picked experiences — with in-depth knowledge of northern Norway, we offer the very best activities and excursions the region has to offer
- Expert local guides — our experienced guides know Norway inside out — and they’re great at tracking down the Northern Lights
- A hassle-free holiday — we take care of transfers, accommodation and your itinerary — so you can sit back, relax and enjoy your Northern Lights adventure
How do I book my Northern Lights classic short break?
Choose from the list of tours above and click Enquire Now. We’ll be in touch to chat about your trip and any bespoke requirements.
Can’t see a tour you like? Then, take a look at our other Norwegian Northern Lights holiday packages:
Or get in touch with the Aurora Nights team. We’ll be happy to design a long weekend in Norway just for you.
Reviews
See what our clients say
We did the aurora nights break and had a great time overall. Everything related to flights, hire car, and hotels ran smoothly. There were a few issues largely relating to the weather and driving conditions (we travelled in mid March), but what we did manage to do was amazing.
The blue lagoon was easy to access from the airport and was a brilliant experience. We booked the standard package and it came with a free drink and face mask. Facilities were clean and organised with free toiletries in the shower rooms, which helps if you’ve gone there straight from the airport.
The drive to Hotel Ranga afterwards was long but fine (check out the road on google streetview to know what to expect). The hotel and staff were great. We were limited to one option as vegetarians on the bar and a la carte menus, but the food was lovely and if you are a meat eater you will see options of unusual dishes like puffin and reindeer.
Our northern lights super jeep trip was cancelled on both nights due to a poor forecast, but we were lucky enough to get an aurora wake up call from Hotel Ranga the first night. We couldn’t use the hottubs as there are only a few and they were always taken in the limited time we spent at the hotel, so don’t go expecting to get lots of time in one and you won’t be disappointed. View them as an add on if you can time it right. We were travelling with an 11 year old, so we didn’t stay up really late. If you are a couple you probably have a better chance of getting one later on.
The glacier/volcano super jeep trip was outstanding. Our driver, Íbí was excellent. She went above and beyond and gave us such an awesome experience. We were also super lucky with the weather the first two days and had great views across Iceland.
The ice cave tour was also incredible and the guides running it were excellent. The group size was much bigger than expected (especially after the more exclusive volcano super jeep tour), but it was broken down into smaller groups that were managed well, with plenty of time factored in for photographs. There were several unexplained delays getting to the cave during the tour that meant we weren’t able to ‘mini tour’ the rest of the South Coast afterwards, so if you plan to do the ice cave don’t overplan for the afternoon as you may not have much time. Not a huge disappointment for us as we got to experience the cave, but I imagine someone who planned a full itinerary afterwards might be frustrated by the estamiated timings not always being right and subject to change with the weather (which was wicked that day).
Driving around Reykjavik was a horrible experience as we arrived around rush hour and weren’t prepared for all the traffic, having only experienced quiet roads along the south coast. It was difficult finding a parking space, so be prepared to drive around a little when you arrive. If you haven’t driven on the right before and are not a confident driver this could leave you feeling stressed. Again, check out the roads into Reykjavik on Google maps to get a sense of what awaits if you aren’t used to self-driving.
We didn’t get to tour the golden circle because of road conditions/ice/road closures, so we spent the day in Reykjavik instead. This turned out okay for us as we did some of the attractions (Lava Centre and Fly Over Iceland – both hughly recommended), but it ended up being an extra expense and we missed out on the golden attractions. Again, not a big issue if you are aware this could happen. The weather is so changeable that having a plan B is a good approach.
Weekend a la Carte sent us a text warning us about the bad weather conditions, which we’d already seen on the Safe Iceland app, but we were grateful for anyway. It was good to know they were looking out for us!
All in all, a remarkable trip, with some unique experiences. If you book this in the knowledge that nature will have her own way, and you may not see everything you want (especially in winter), you will have a great time. Ranga is definitely the best place to maximise your chances of seeing the lights.
Sarah Brooks
This vacation has without without doubt, has been the best experience we have ever had. The organisation from the minute we landed in Kiruna until we departed at the close of our trip was second to none. The transition between hotels was always seamless and punctual. Everywhere we stayed was beautifully clean and the meals were top quality. Every driver was polite, entertaining and very knowledgeable, furnishing us with invaluable information about Sweden and the activities in which we were to participate. The snowmobiling was wonderful giving access via our guide, to stunning panoramic views of the mountain whilst viewing reindeer in their natural habitat.
Our guide demonstrated how to use the snowmobile safely he was pleasant and informative. When visiting the reindeer on the Sami reservation; we found the brother and sister team who hosted lovely. Again they were so hospitable and helpful and feeding the reindeer up close was a wonderful experience.
They provided additional activities for us to try and we were treated to a traditional Sami lunch in their hut. They provided us with invaluable information appertaining to their culture and caring for their reindeer. The reindeer were in superb condition and happy in their environment. Similarly, when out with the dog sleds the experience was magical. Two hours of beautiful scenery, and frozen lakes, finishing with a one-on-one experience massaging the dogs. Magic! We were so impressed with the care that was placed upon ensuring the dogs were comfortable, well-nourished and so loved by their owners/handlers.
Now to the photographic experience. A large group of us were treated to a demonstration of how to operate some serious camera equipment with tripod. Each of us was loaned the camera and given assistance setting up the camera on a frozen lake in preparation for the appearance of the Northern Lights. We were taken to this lake on large wooden sleighs pulled by a snowmobile. We cannot speak too highly of the two young men who accompanied us on this experience. They could not do enough for us. They were there to offer assistance with our cameras throughout the two-plus hours we were on this beautiful lake.
They advised where to position the camera and when the Lights appeared, what a performance. We had a two-hour display of this most breathtaking phenomenon. We were so fortunate to be able to experience this once-in-a-lifetime occurrence for which we are so grateful. We will never forget this memorable holiday and cannot thank you and everyone who assisted in making a lifetime dream come true. Karen & Andrew Adamson
Andy Adamson
We had a wonderful time! The food at the lodge was amazing and there were some great vegetarian dishes. I had the best beetroot I’ve ever had (beetroot tartare).
Everyone was really friendly and all the guides were good fun and very knowledgeable.
A special thanks to William and Petri who were really friendly and really added a personal touch to our trip. The activities were really well planned and we especially enjoyed the trip with the huskies. The area we were in is stunning and the lodge was very nice. We would definitely recommend this to friends and family.
Fiona Green
Cannot thank this company enough. Our break to Iceland was the second time we’ve let them organise everything for us and once again they didn’t disappoint. Everything ran seamlessly and the organised tours were wonderful. This company knows what they are doing. If you want to experience the geysers, the volcano, the northern lights and all the other exciting things that Iceland has to offer then this is the company to use.
Carol Wrack
A fantastic short break which fulfilled all expectations. Well organised with a polished delivery, we could not have asked for more. The accommodation was perfect for us and the guides knowledgeable and helpful. Every day was packed with adventure, each lasting longer than scheduled but we were never rushed; the guides took pride in showing and explaining their beautiful country. We would certainly use Weekend a la carte again and recommend them to others.
Carol Mumford
Brilliant short break. Hotel Ranga was lovely, excellent food. Managed to see the Northern Lights as well! Iceland on the whole was quite expensive but a lovely place to visit, the people were very friendly.
Linda Palmer
Fantastic trip with great hosts & made even more special by seeing the Northern Lights twice!!
Wendy Naphine
We had the most fabulous time and everything worked like clockwork. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and extremely competent. The food was excellent and the experiences, especially Husky Homes, were brilliant. We saw the aurora lights at the mountain top in Abisko where the photography tour will be an enduring memory of a wonderful time. I would very much recommend Weekend a la Carte as a proficient tour operator.
Mark Nicholson
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