This trip is designed to coincide with the UK’s School’s February half-term and is the perfect family trip for all ages. Our base will be in Vesterålen, which is a fantastic location, spending the daytime visiting some of the most picturesque locations in the region, as well as travelling out to dark and scenic locations to experience the Northern Lights.
This trip also includes an eagle safari, a visit to the local Sami reindeer farm, and a specially customised visitor experience at Andøy Space and rocket range where you can learn more about the northern lights and the research that happens at the Space Centre.
The average temperature at this time of year is -2.1ºC or 28ºF. It is most likely we will have snow and ice on the ground and many photo opportunities during the day and night.
Location
Norway
Duration
4 Nights
Available dates
Feb
Price per person (excl. flights)
from £2,000
Overview
Highlights
- Maximum of 8 guests
- Award-winning trip leaders
- Scenic day-time sightseeing
- Northern Lights Hunting
- Space Centre & Spaceship Aurora
- Eagle safari boat trip
- Sami Reindeer Farm cultural experience
- Hotel accommodation
- All breakfasts, lunches and dinners
What’s included
- Maximum of 8 guests
- Award-winning trip leaders
- Scenic day-time sightseeing
- Northern Lights Hunting
- Space Centre & Spaceship Aurora
- Eagle safari boat trip
- Sami Reindeer Farm cultural experience
- Hotel accommodation
- All breakfasts, lunches and dinners
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 in Norway
Upon arrival at Harstad-Narvik (EVE) airport, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel for the evening. The journey time is approximately 2 hours. Dinner is not provided on this first evening but there will be opportunities to buy food en route from the airport to your hotel.
If weather and aurora conditions are good then we will plan to hunt fr the Northern Lights tonight. There may even be an opportunity to view them whilst travelling from airport to hotel.
Day 2
Journey to Andøya & Andøya Space Centre
Today we will drive the stunning scenic route to the top of Andøya, Vesterålen’s northernmost island. Journey distance is 100km (65 miles) and there will be the opportunity to stop for photos at lots of locations on the way and on the way back. Andøy is most famous for its weathered mountains and long sandy beaches. The island is also home to Norway’s Space Centre which is one of the most active aurora research facilities on the planet.
Andøy Space & Spaceship Aurora
We will visit Spaceship Aurora at the Andøya Rocket Range. There will be short movie presentations followed by the Spaceship Aurora experience where you will be a part of the crew on a simulated aurora borealis research mission.
If you make it back safely from space you will then meet a real-life rocket scientist for a guided tour and to ask questions about anything relating to the Northern Lights and the research carried out at the Space Centre.
After dinner at the hotel we will again plan a Northern Lights chase.
Day 3
Sami Reindeer Farm
Today is a more relaxing day for you with only a small amount of travelling. After a leisurely morning we will drive 10km out of Sortland and visit the local Sami Reindeer Farm where you will learn about Sami history and culture, enjoy a home made hot lunch and of course meet and feed the resident reindeer.
We will return to your hotel after lunch at the reindeer farm and then the rest of the afternoon is yours to choose to relax at the hotel or explore the town.
After dinner you can relax in the hotel and then enjoy the view from your hotel room or the waterside!
Day 4
Sea Eagles & Wildlife Safari
After breakfast we will head out to the far west of Vesterålen, travelling again through some of the most beautiful Arctic scenery. Today is all about the wildlife, notably the majestic White-Tailed Sea Eagle. After a presentation about the sea eagles you will board a boat and sail out amongst the smaller islands along the coast in search of sea eagles. This excursion has never failed to deliver incredible photo opportunities and is the best way to get close to the sea eagles in their natural habitat.
Upon returning to the harbour you will enjoy a tasty hot soup lunch before we make our way back to the hotel for the rest of the afternoon and evening.
This is our last opportunity of seeing the Northern Lights again so we will plan to go out once more.
Day 5
Returning Home
After an early breakfast we will travel back to Harstad-Narvik airport, arriving in time for you to meet your flight home. Journey time is approximately 2 hours.
Enquire Now
Please fill out the enquiry form below to receive a quote for this package.
"*" indicates required fields
Reviews
See what our clients say
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
We booked with Aurora for a short winter break to celebrate an event. We wanted something special and that’s what we got. Clear information was backed up with straightforward booking detail, and we had a super, holiday with no complications.
The holiday exceeded my expectations and I will use Aurora in the future. Thank you!
David Foley
1. Gourmet Cabins was excellent and Johan was a friendly and knowledgeable host. The food, cabins, hot tub and sauna were brilliant.
2. Dog sledge was a fantastic experience and we were given the opportunity to drive our own sledge
3. Snow Mobile – really got off the beaten track and into the spectacular mountains
4. Saw the Northern Lights twice in two days. There is no description that can really do them justice
Nigel Longton
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
An amazing trip and excellent service provided by all involved. Great value for money too. Food was excellent. Accommodation was wonderful and the trips booked were outstanding. An amazing trip
David Watson-Cammock
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
My daughter and I had an amazing time on our trip, we didn’t want it to end! Everything went according to plan, each excursion was well organized and everyone involved with each activity, as well as everyone at the lodge was kind, friendly, positive and happy, which makes such a difference to your whole experience. The food at The Abisko Mountain Lodge was also incredibly good. Our room was large, comfortable and well-furnished. The bathroom too was also spacious and well-equipped. The outdoor clothing provided was of very good quality which kept us warm, and the staff members are happy to change items if they are not quite the right size for you. This is my second trip with Weekend a la carte and I’m sure there will be more as I have complete trust in them. I highly recommend Aurora Nights, it was fabulous.
Jane Ashworth
We had five fantastic days in beautiful Iceland, as we had never been before Aurora Nights helped with everything and made the holiday so easy and stress free. We stayed at Hotel Ranga which was amazing, we very much enjoyed the tours and the guides were brilliant, very knowledgable and friendly. We will certainly be returning to Iceland and wouldn’t hesitate to book through Aurora Nights again, special thanks to Abigail as her experience and reccommendations made the trip even better.
Lauren Mitten