10 Days: Tromso – Alta – Kirkenes – Saariselka – Santa´s Igloos – Rovaniemi

Tour Overview: Experience this unique journey to lapland and be amazed by a blend of first-class travel, with the most fascinating and invigorating winter activities in the region. A 3-hour guided tour will take you around the city of tromso. The award-winning alta museum is also on the list of memorable visits. In kirkenes choose to try one of the delicacies of the north on a king crab safari. You will stay in saariselka with its dazzling white landscape as well as in rovaniemi, with one night in the extraordinary arctic glass igloos. Weather permitting, you will see the breath-taking northern lights from your bed. Experience santa claus village and visit the home of santa claus in rovaniemi. The highlight of this winter adventure is the ‘sampo’ icebreaker safari where you have a chance to take a swim in the fresh arctic waters of kemi.

Day 1 – Thursday – Tromso
Arrival to Tromso airport. Upon exiting the airport, please proceed to the Flybussen bus stop (regular airport express bus) and present your voucher to the driver. Your voucher is valid for both the arrival and departure transfers so please be sure to keep it safe. The Flybussen will transfer you the 5 km distance to the center of Tromso and drop off is within walking distance of your hotel. Check-in at your hotel (guaranteed from 15:00). The rest of the day is at leisure. Please consult the Via Hansa & Borealis welcome letter, which you will receive upon check-in to your hotel, and kindly note where and when to meet your Tour Director.

Optional: Tromso Cable Car
A short transfer will take you from the hotel to the Cable Car Station. Board a gondola, and in just four minutes you will be transported 421 m above sea level to experience Tromso’s best view. Enjoy spectacular panoramic views of Tromso and the surrounding islands, mountains and fjords. If we are lucky the northern lights will show up and top off this already impressive experience. PRE-BOOKING AND IN SITU.
Duration: Approximately 2 hours (20:00 -22:00)
Meeting Time: 19:45 in the hotel reception
Includes: Transportation, Lift Ride & Guide

Day 2 – Friday – Tromso
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we depart by private coach for a 3-hour city sightseeing tour and perfect introduction to Tromso. Tromso enjoys a subarctic climate, its location corresponding to the northern coast of Alaska. Learn about the indigenous Sami people, their traditional culture and recent history. Following this, you will continue a tour around the island, passing Lake Prestvatn where the Meteorological Institute is situated. Travel across the bridge to the Arctic Cathedral for a visit to this masterpiece by Jan Inge Hovig. Built in 1965, the cathedral reflects north Norwegian nature, culture, and faith with a monumental stained-glass window. Afternoon at leisure. (B)

Optional: Polaria Museum & Tromso University Museum
Polaria is the world’s most northerly aquarium and looks as though the world’s largest dominoes have been knocked over. This arctic aquarium which opened in 1998, focuses on educating visitors about the exotic, freezing waters of the Nordic North. The museum portions of the aquarium feature display on the Svalbard region as well as simulated permafrost, while the aquarium proper contains rare specimens of cold-water fish and other arctic marine life from the area. The main attraction is a large pool that houses several large-bearded seals that visitors can get remarkably close to thanks to viewing bubbles in the tank wall. Maybe the most remarkable aspect of the aquarium is the building itself. It was designed to evoke massive ice flows that have pushed up against one another, breaking and stacking into a slanted fringe. In effect, the structure looks almost as though a series of building toppled into each other like a dominoes cascade. The Arctic University Museum of Tromso offers diverse and insightful exhibitions from northern culture, including everything from Norway’s oldest chewing gum to the northern lights and Vikings. Located in Tromsø, a city Nylund describes as The Port to the Arctic Ocean, the museum is a place for cutting-edge research in subjects ranging from mosquitos and Vikings to fossils, Polar exploration, and the indigenous Sami people. The museum offers three different attractions: Tromsø Museum, the Polar Museum and the Arctic-Alpine Botanic Garden.

Duration: With Tour Leader
Coach at disposal for 2:30 hours
Entrance – Tromso University Museum
Entrance – Polaria

Optional – Aurora Husky Visit
Be ready for a pick-up right outside your hotel at 18:30 where you will be met by a representative from Tromso Villmarkssenter and taken on a 25-minute bus ride to the Aurora Camp. At the camp you will be equipped with thermal overalls and boots to keep you nice and warm all evening. 300 friendly Alaskan huskies are waiting to greet you and enjoy some cuddles, followed by an affectionate and playful visit to the puppy enclosure. Once you have filled up on puppy love, it is Time to enjoy a traditional Norwegian dinner in our cosy Gamme-hut (turf home). You will be served Norwegian Bacalao, prepared with locally sourced cod and tomato sauce, and for dessert their savoury signature chocolate cake. As it is impossible to predict when the Aurora will appear during the evening, your guide will keep a close eye on the sky for you and the program will be adjusted accordingly. For those of you who wish to sit outside and wait for it to appear, a bonfire will set the mood and keep you toasty.

Duration: 4 hours (19:00-23:00)
Meeting Time: 18:30 at the hotel reception
Included: Transportation, Guide, Warm Overalls, Traditional Norwegian Dinner

Day 3 – Saturday – Tromso -Alta (300 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. The ride from Tromso to Alta is breath-taking regardless of the Time of year. Stunning scenery and magnificent nature ensure that this trip will stay with you for a long Time. The distance between Tromso and Alta is about 300 km, a route travelled in approximately 8 hours, and include two ferry crossings. Lunch (included) en-route. Arrival in Alta and check in at your hotel. Evening at leisure. (B&L)

Optional: Sleigh ride under the northern lights
This tour offers you an evening of cozy adventure. You will be picked up in Alta and driven to a farm in the nearby countryside where you will climb aboard a sleigh and get bundled up in warm blankets. Your sleigh is then pulled by a Norwegian Fjord Horse through the forest and along the Alta River, all you need to do is sit back and enjoy the peace and beauty all around you. Near the end of the ride, you will stop at a wilderness shelter where a light dinner will be served around a warm fire. Under the right conditions you might also be able to captures some beautiful images of the Northern Lights. Requires pre-booking and subject to availability.

Duration: Approximately 4 Hours (20:00 – 24:00)
Meeting Time: 19:45 At The Hotel Reception
Includes: Transportation, Traditional Dinner Including Dried Meat Chips W/dip, Reindeer Meat, Lingonberry Sauce, Homemade Cinnamon Rolls, Bonfire-coffee And Glogg

Day 4 – Sunday – Alta
Breakfast at the hotel before departing for the prestigious EMYA award-winning Alta museum. The museum is situated at the site of early settlement of Finnmark dating from around 11,000 years ago and presents exhibitions on local culture and historic industries. A must-see for anyone visiting the area. Afternoon free at leisure. We suggest to pay a visit to the modern Northern Lights Cathedral located in the central part of town.

Alta Museum
Experience the Northern Europe’s largest and richest rock carving site, inscribed on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Here you can walk on pathways arranged around the rock carving area while enjoying a fantastic view over the Alta Fjord. The 2000 to 6200 years old rock carvings show the life of hunters and fishermen. You will have a guided tour at the museum with some free Time afterwards to walk around at your own pace.

Optional: Northern lights tour & Sorrisniva ice hotel
Meet your Tour Director in the lobby of your hotel for a 20 minute bus ride into the countryside. The family owned Sorrisniva adventure facility is perfectly located to maximize your chances of seeing the magnificent Aurora Borealis in the Time between September and March. Experience the Igloo Hotel – the worlds northernmost ice hotel, built from ground every year with different themes. Get a break from your daily life and feel the serenity and silence the Igloo Hotel gives you. Wander among handcrafted ice sculptures or take an ice drink in our bar. Everything is made from pure snow and ice.
After the visit to the Ice Hotel you will take on the Northern Lights chase in the company of a knowledgeable guide. Along the way you will have an excellent opportunity to learn more about the natural phenomenon as well as the local history of Alta. Your guide will also be very happy to help you catch some beautiful images with your own camera. Requires pre-booking and subject to availability.
Duration: Approximately 4 -5 hours (19:00-23:00/24:00)
Meeting Time: 18:30 at the hotel reception
Includes: Transportation, Guide, Sweet Snacks And Soft Drink

Day 5 – Monday – Alta -Kirkenes (465 km)
Breakfast at the hotel followed by an early departure. You will travel the 465 km east to Kirkenes by coach, an approximately 9-hour journey taking you through the beautiful northern Lapland. Your eyes will feast on breathtaking nature as you sit back and watch the landscape unfold. You will make a stop along the way in Karasjok for a 3-course lunch (included). Arrive in Kirkenes and check-in at your hotel before dinner (not included). (B&L)

Day 6 – Tuesday – Kirkenes – Saariselka (260 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning free for leisure. In the early afternoon we continue by coach towards Saariselkä. Depart Kirkenes travelling south through the northern Lapland landscape to the centre of Sami world at Inari, the capital of Lapland. Here we visit the Sajos Sami Cultural Centre and parliament set in the heart of Sapmi in a unique natural landscape on the shore of Lake Inari, serving as a centre for Sami self-governance, culture, education, and know-how. Modern conference premises, facilities and technology go hand in hand with authentic, living Sami culture. After the visit we continue onto the tiny village of Saariselkä, the centre of Finland’s winter sports. Check-in to the hotel and the evening is at leisure. (B)

Optional: King Crab Safari
“Rated one of the best 25 excursions in the World by National Geographic”
One of the highlights of Northern Norway with the chance to taste one of the local delicacies known worldwide. Heading out on the Kirkenes Fjord you will come face to face with this giant of the sea on the King Crab safari. The red king crab found in the Barents Sea can reach up to two meters from claw to claw and weigh up to 15 kilos. Depending on the weather and ice the trip might be by boat or snowmobile drawn sleigh. Once your king crab has been caught, you are transferred to a remote cabin where the crab will be prepared for a delicious lunch. All equipment and clothing will be provided. Requires pre-booking and subject to availability.
Duration: Approximately 3 hours (08:00-11:00)
Meeting Time: 07:15 At The Hotel Reception
Included: Transportation, Thermal Equipment, King Crab Lunch

Day 7 – Wednesday – Saariselka -Santa’s Igloos (280 km)
In the morning after breakfast, the adventure continues as you make your way to Rovaniemi, located right on the Arctic Circle. Rovaniemi capital of Finnish Lapland, home of Santa Claus counts with more than 60.000 inhabitants. We will be welcomed to the Lappish capital by our Finnish hosts, reindeer herders. (B&L)

Sami Reindeer Farm Visit & Sleigh Ride
Meet the traditional Sami farmers who will tell you about the reindeer, and its importance to the Sami culture. Sitting in a two-person sleigh, pulled by your reindeer, you will experience a short ride in this traditional and peaceful way of moving through the white landscape where the only sound you will hear is the melody of reindeer bells. A typical local three course lunch is included at the farm.
Duration : approximately 2 -2,5 hours (12:00 -14:30)
Included: a traditional 3-course lunch, reindeer sledge ride, Arctic Circle Crossing Certificate

Optional: Aurora borealis safari by snowmobiles
Drive through the wilderness and discover the phenomena of the northern sky at our Northern Lights base. Experience the Arctic night by driving through the snow-covered forest and on the frozen river. With a little luck, you will travel under a bright sky lit by the moon and the stars. Perhaps the Aurora Borealis -the Northern Lights -will appear to show you the way. Sip warm beverages and savor a snack by a campfire and learn more about the Northern Lights and the beauty of Lapland. Requires pre-booking
Duration: Approximately 3 hours (18:00 -21:00)
Meeting Time: 17:20 at the hotel reception
Included: Transportation, Thermal Outfit, Guide

Overnight In A Glass Igloo
The journey continues to Santa´s Iglus following the winding roads through the snowy forest and arriving at the unique Arctic Snow Hotel, where you will check-in to your private Glass Igloo. Enjoy the warmth of your Glass Igloo and weather permitting you will have the opportunity to marvel at the amazing Northern Lights (Aurora Boreal) and the millions of stars from the comforts of your bed. Evening at leisure.

Day 8 – Thursday – Santa’s Igloos -Santa Claus Village -Rovaniemi
Breakfast at the hotel and depart late in the morning for the next step on the winter adventure. Heading towards Rovaniemi, you stop on the banks of the Kemi-joki river to enjoy one of the most idyllic Husky Safaris of the region. (B)

Husky Farm & Safari
The barking of enthusiastic dogs will welcome you to the most genuine Husky farm in Rovaniemi. The head musher will talk about the life and training of these Arctic animals and you will also have the chance to take some great photos. After brief instructions you embark, riding in pairs, on a run through the forest behind your pack of huskies (3 km). After the ride there is Time to visit the farm and enjoy a traditional outdoor lunch of Lappish sausage grilled on the campfire followed by Lappish pancakes & coffee.
The day continues with a visit to the world-famous Santa Claus Village, built right on the Arctic Circle and home to Santa Claus. Stop by his busy post office where you can ask Santa to send a letter to your loved ones just before Christmas. Take a step into the magical world of Santa´s home and meet Santa himself. No words can describe the emotions of this fairy-tale-like moment. It is something you will always remember. An absolute must for any visit to Lapland. After the visit to Santa Claus Village, enjoy a 15 minutes ride by bus to Rovaniemi. The rest of the afternoon and evening at leisure.
Duration: Approximately 2 hours
Included: Picnic in a Sami Kota

Day 9 – Friday – Rovaniemi -Kemi (Ice-breaker Cruise) – Rovaniemi
Breakfast at the hotel and meet up at 08:45 in the hotel. Time for a swim as you head to the town of Kemi for a full day of activities. First a visit to the Snow Castle* with its special snow slide. Enjoy the snow sculptures and complex. Later you will experience one of the highlights of your winter adventure as you board the Sampo Icebreaker and spend 4 hours on this unforgettable vessel breaking though the ice of the northern Gulf of Bothnia. (B&L)

Sampo Ice Breaker & Ice Swimming
This extraordinary experience includes a guided tour of the ship with its massive engine room, communications room and bridge, ice swimming and a three-course meal at the on-board restaurant. In the middle of the largest ice field in Europe, you have the opportunity to jump in the sea and float! You will of course be fitted with a warm survival suit and those of you who dare will receive a certificate by the ship authorities to attest your courage. An unforgettable experience.
Duration: Approximately 3,5h (13:00-16:30)
Included: Guided tour of the ship, ice floating event, 3-course lunch or buffet

Day 10 – Saturday – Rovaniemi-Departure
Breakfast and the rest of your day at leisure until your regular transfer to Rovaniemi airport in good Time for your departure flight.

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