A 7-night break to northern Norway to search for the Northern Lights and experience some of the best coastal scenery Norway has to offer.
This Norwegian Costal Island Explorer holiday starts in Tromso, known as the Paris of the North, before heading south to the fabulous island of Senja. There you’ll take a boat trip to Svolvaer in the majestic Lofoten Islands, the most beautiful part of the Norwegian Coast.
*Prices starting from
Senja has historically had a good population of whales in the area during the months of December to mid-February, so if your journey is made in that period then you have a good chance of seeing them. Please note that the whales migration is an act of nature and cannot be guaranteed.
The Northern Lights in this part of Norway can be spectacular, especially so as they are framed by the towering peaks of the mountains that soar out of the sea.
Location
Norway
Duration
7 Nights
Available dates
Sep - Mar
Price per person (excl. flights)
£2,350*
Overview
Highlights
- 4 nights in Tromso – the ‘Paris of the North’
- 3 nights on the beautiful island of Senja
- Accommodation in sea view apartments
- Wildlife and day fjords cruise out of Tromso
- Daily day and evening guided activities in Senja
- RIB Boat wildlife safari in Trolfjord
What’s included
- 4 nights accommodation with breakfast at the central Tromso Hotel
- 3 nights accomodation on full board basis with 3 activity choices at Mefjord Brygge
- Northern Lights Dinner Cruise
- Lyngen Snowmobile Safari
- Transfers to/from the airport and Finnses harbount (boat transfer booked locally)
A note on flights
While flights are not included in the holiday price, our team will happily provide a quote and arrange them for you. Simply ask one of our Travel Experts for details of the available options.
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive into Tromso
Arrive at Tromso airport and transfer to your hotel.
Settle in and explore the local area and either choose to eat at the hotel or one of the excellent local restaurants around the quayside.
Day 2
Morning to Explore Tromso and then transfer to Senja Island
Take some time out in the morning to explore Tromso before then departing to Finnsnes in the afternoon.
Return to port in time for your onward boat transfer to Finnsnes (this is booked locally). The journey by boat takes about 75 minutes and lets you experience coastal nature.
A driver will pick you up at the boat terminal in Finnsnes and transfer you through the beautiful Senja island to Mefjord Brygge – your base. Check into your sea-facing apartment before dinner is served in the maritime-style restaurant.
After a short briefing and introduction to your activity program, it will be time to relax, go for a small walk in the evening or finish off the day in the sauna.
Day 3
Day of Seasonal Activities and Northern Lights Hunting
Breakfast will be served at 9.00am after which you will meet with the guide who will present your plan for the next couple of days with regard for current season and weather conditions.
Typically, during daylight hours you will go for an Arctic Boat Safari to see wildlife and marine landscape. Lunch will either be on the safari or upon your return to the hotel.
The afternoon might be spent at leisure or you can go for a small snowshoeing trip on your own.
Traditional Norwegian dinner will be served in the early evening and after that you will get ready for the night time session. The guide will take you to some remote spots for a Northern Lights chasing experience. You will also visit scenic vantage points where it is possible to admire the Aurora Borealis without any light pollution.
Day 4
Day of Seasonal Activities and Northern Lights Hunting
After breakfast, you will do a different activity to the day before – depending on the season and preferred activity, it may be a minibus sightseeing, snow-shoeing or hiking trip to see different types of Senja’s nature and in case of bad weather there would be a special trip to show you the harsh Arctic coast and power of the Norwegian Sea.
After dinner, you will again set out for an evening activity focusing on experiences on Senja and the northern lights. Hopefully, you will admire the beauty of the Northern Lights reflected in the sea and with mountains in the foreground while visiting some remote spots in the nearby fjords.
The creative guides will surprise you by telling some old local stories, showing you some interesting places and introducing you to traditions linked with north-Norwegian culture.
Day 5
Arrive back into Tromso
After breakfast you will be dropped back at the Finnsesn harbour and catch your boat back to Tromso where you will check in at your centrally located hotel and spend the evening relaxing after the previous couple of days’ adventures.
Day 6
Tromso Fjord Cruise
Spend the day exploring Tromso by visiting some of the local musuem or crossing over the bridge to see the Arctic Cathedral. Then get prepared for an evening out on an Aurora Dinner Cruise. As you cruise around the Tromsø fjord, you will be presented a delicious Arctic tapas dinne which is prepared by an award-winning local restaurant.
Put together with locally sourced, seasonal and fresh ingredients, the three-course dinner is inspired by traditional Northern Norwegian cuisine with a modern twist! Carefully selected local beer and quality wine are also available for purchase. As you enjoy your meal the captain will keep an eye out for the Northern Lights, the perfect way to cap off an evening adventure!
Day 7
Lyngen Alps Snomobile Safari
You will grab an early breakfast before getting your transfer out to the Lyngen Alps where you will explore this stunning location with a local guide. On this scenic, gentle and safe Snowmobile Safari, you will see nature at its very best. The area of the Lyngen Alps offers some of the most beautiful scenery in Northern Norway. It is a big wilderness playground where you will follow some approved and well-established trails. In the afternoon you have the chance to relax and if you wish to add on additional Northern Lights excursion, one of the team can pre-book this for you or this can be done locally.
Day 8
Returning Home
After breakfast you will get your standard transfer back to the airport for your flight home. There are plenty of opportunities to extend your stay, with options to cross over the border to Sweden or Finland. You might like to spend some time in Norway’s capital city, Oslo – just let our team know and they can build that into your itinerary.
Where You'll Stay
Scandic Ishavshotel Tromso
The Scandic Ishavshotel is on a picturesque waterside location in Tromsø, which is often referred to as the Paris of the North, and offers stunning views of the harbour and city. It is located only 50 metres from the Hurtigruten ferry and 4 minutes from the Polar Museum. It has easy access to the pier where most boating trips depart from.
Almost all rooms at the Scandic Ishavshotel are located at the very end of the quay and provide panoramic views whilst there are excellent Restaurant and Bar facilities.
For a relaxing drink visit the Roast Bar, located right by the water and offering views of the Tromsø Bridge and a famous architectural landmark, the Arctic Cathedral.
Mejford Brygge
Mefjord Brygge is surrounded by mountains in the picturesque fishing village of Mefjordvær on Senja Island. Accommodation is in modern style cabin apartments which face out to the sea and offer plenty of space.
A well-equipped kitchen, private bathroom and a balcony or patio feature in all apartments and cottages at Mefjord Brygge. They also include a seating area and flat-screen TV. All cabins are en-suite.
Relax options at Mefjord Brygge include a sauna, hot tub and solarium.
The guides at Mefjord Brygge run a daily programme of activities for clients which focus in Autumn and Winter on the sea and the northern lights. They have their own boat which is ideal for whale watching.
Meals are served in a very traditional and atmospheric marine style restaurant a short walk from the cabins.
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Find out what our customers say
Northern lights tour reviews
What a fantastic trip! I booked this for myself and my husband to celebrate my 40th birthday and it didn’t disappoint! Booking was simple and we were kept up to date with all the details from the office team in the UK.
From the moment we arrived at Kiruna airport all the staff we encountered were so friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. We opted for the upgraded room at the Abisko Mountain Lodge which I would highly recommend. The cold weather clothing which was supplied was fantastic and kept us really warm in the sub-zero temperatures. The dog sledging, snowmobiling and the Northern Lights photography were all superb and the staff leading the trips were really friendly and so knowledgeable. Even though we weren’t able to do the sky station trip because of the weather, there was a lovely alternative evening organised for us which included a traditional dinner and a walk to the lake where we were able to see the lights. The food at the lodge was also exceptional and showcased some lovely traditional dishes using Moose and Reindeer which were wonderful to try.
I would like to send a massive thank you to all the staff at The Abisko Mountain Lodge as well as the guides we used for our guided walks, dog sledging and snowmobiling. I’d highly recommend the trip, it was our first visit to Sweden and we would definitely return. Thanks again to everyone (including the huskies) who made it so memorable!
Carly Webster
Overall very good. Staff excellent and helpful. Accomodation basic but was what we expected. Tour guides very good (nature walks, snow mobiles, dog sleighs). Sky station disappointing as we never got to go up due to the weather and this seem to be a recurring feature.The alternative walk at night and meal was a let down as a result.Overall would recommend to others.
John Kirby
We had a fantastic 4 nights that included glaciers, waterfalls, geysers, the aurora borealis and more! Lovely hotels, especially Hotel Ranga. We filled every moment and felt thoroughly invigorated on our return.
Frances Harrington
My wife and I had an awesome and memorable trip to Iceland thanks to Alex at Aurora Nights. Alex tailored the itinerary to exactly what we wanted to see and chose excellent hotels to stay at. We totally enjoyed the city of Reykjavik and the many beautiful waterfalls. He went above and beyond to not only recommend sights to see around the Golden Circle and Ring Road, but also mapped it out so we were prepared to drive through the country during unpredictable weather and road conditions. And we were especially pleased to see the Northern Lights on our visit. Alex was very flexible to make changes to our plans and choosing the wonderful Sky Lagoon to replace our tickets for the Blue Lagoon due to the closure from the volcanic activity. We highly recommend Alex and Aurora Nights.
Lisa Kovens-Harris
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
Superb holiday to Iceland, well organised, advice regarding trips informative and far exceeded our expectations (Glaciers and ice Cave) run by South Coast. Hotel Ranga is a lovely hotel, perfect to see Northern Lights (which we did see on our 3rd night), very comfortable, food excellent, staff helpful and informative. SouthCoast Adventure tour company were excellent, guides knowledgeable, and clearly very experienced.
Helen Middleton
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 enjoyed both the hotels that were arranged by weekend a la Carte Aurora nights. The Porsmork trip was very enjoyable, both guides were fantastic and informative.
The Northern Light hunt trip out of Reykjavik with Superjeep was an adventure and we got to see the lights, worth braving the cold at -6.
David Rogers