Follow the Northern Lights.
Norway to Finland by rail, fjord and Arctic sea — an eighteen-day journey chasing the aurora from Chicago to the edge of Lapland.
October 1 – 18, 2027
An overnight flight, and the journey begins.
Friday, October 1 — depart Chicago for Oslo. You touch down the next morning, ready for sixteen days along the Norwegian coast and into Finnish Lapland.
Two countries, one long pursuit of the light.
You will ride the legendary Flåm Railway into Norway's fjordlands, then sail six nights up the Arctic coast aboard the MS Kong Harald, through the Lofoten Islands and past the North Cape. From Kirkenes the journey turns overland, into Finnish Lapland — ice fishing, a husky safari, and a night beneath a glass roof, watching the sky above.
Five specialty excursions are woven through the route, chosen for the two of you.
Norway
Rail through the fjords, then six nights north along the coast beneath the aurora.
Arrive in Oslo.
Settle into your centrally located hotel and take the city at your own pace — the independent cafés of Grünerløkka, the Munch Museum's collection, including The Scream. That evening, meet your guide and fellow travelers over a welcome dinner.
The next morning, a guided introduction to the capital.
A three-hour city tour, with an English-speaking guide
Vigeland Sculpture Park, the Opera House, Holmenkollen.
Past the 200-plus sculptures of Vigeland Sculpture Park, the Opera House's glacial white lines along the waterfront, and sweeping views from Holmenkollen Ski Jump. The afternoon and evening are yours to explore further.
Norway in a Nutshell.
From Oslo Central Station, train through farmland and climbing mountain scenery to Myrdal, then onto the Flåm Railway — one of the steepest standard-gauge lines in the world — for a dramatic descent to the fjord.
Myrdal to Flåm
The railway drops nearly 2,800 feet in twenty kilometers, past tumbling waterfalls and snow-dusted peaks, into the small village of Flåm on the fjord below.
Nærøyfjord
The next morning, cruise the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord, one of the narrowest arms of the Sognefjord, where waterfalls thread down sheer rock walls before the train continues into Bergen.
A harbor built of wooden gables.
A guided walk through UNESCO-listed Bryggen's colorful wooden warehouses, past St Mary's Church and Håkon's Hall, then the Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen for sweeping views over the city and its seven surrounding peaks.
That evening, you board the MS Kong Harald and set sail northbound.
Six nights aboard the MS Kong Harald.
Life on board is comfortable, informal and close to the coast — a Polar Outside cabin, full board in the main restaurant, and an Expedition Team sharing stories of the places you pass. Sailing north from Bergen to Kirkenes, through glacier-fed fjords and past tiny fishing villages glowing beneath the aurora.
Hjørundfjord — tastes and traditions.
Ålesund's Art Nouveau harbor, rebuilt in pastel after an 1904 fire, is the morning's backdrop before today's included excursion: the vintage 1949 motorship MS Bruvik, into one of Norway's most untouched fjords.
6 hours 30 minutes · Moderate activity level
A scenic cruise into the Hjørundfjord, ringed by the Sunnmøre Alps, to the village of Sæbø. A local guide shares the history and traditions of the area, followed by a four-course meal made from local ingredients at a historic farm-turned-guesthouse, before returning to Ålesund by boat.
Kayaking on the River Nid
2 hours 30 minutes · Challenging activity level
Paddle the Nid River as it winds past Trondheim's Old Town, gliding beneath colorful wooden wharf buildings with views of Nidaros Cathedral and Kristiansten Fortress along the way. No previous kayaking experience required.
Somewhere north of Bodø, the sea turns Arctic.
The Arctic Circle crossing is marked by an onboard ceremony. Today also brings Saltstraumen — the world's strongest tidal current, where up to 14 billion cubic feet of seawater rush through a strait just 492 feet wide.
Tromsø, the Arctic Capital.
A cable car ride to the top of Mount Storsteinen for panoramic views across the city, fjords and islands, then the Arctic Cathedral, its glass mosaic windows inspired by the Arctic landscape. A final stop at Full Steam, the world's northernmost coastal museum, for a look at the region's maritime and Sea Sámi heritage.
3 hours 30 minutes · Easy activity level
Sámi Culture
2 hours 30 minutes · Easy activity level
Depart Kjøllefjord by bus across the Nordkyn Peninsula to meet a Sámi reindeer-herding family at their summer pasture. Gather inside a traditional lavvu, taste dried reindeer meat, and listen to joik — the Sámi people's ancient, deeply personal form of song.
The ship continues past Finnkirka, an ancient Sámi sacred site, and on toward the North Cape, Europe's northern edge.
Above the Arctic Circle.
From here, daylight runs short and the sky holds the stage. Every evening at sea and on land brings another chance to watch for the aurora.
Finland
King crab, ice fishing, a glass igloo, and the home of Santa Claus.
Kirkenes to Saariselkä.
Disembark in Kirkenes and continue by coach to the Snowhotel, where an included King Crab Experience pairs an expert presentation with a fresh, seasonal tasting. Cross into Finland by coach, arriving in Saariselkä by late afternoon.
A frozen lake, a line in the water.
A guided day in Inari, the cultural heart of Finland's Sámi community, beginning at the Siida Museum and Nature Centre on Lake Inari. Then onto the frozen lake by snowmobile sleigh to try traditional ice fishing, with lunch at a local wilderness hotel.
A day to yourselves, and a night under the sky.
A leisure day at your own pace on the edge of Urho Kekkonen National Park, home to wild reindeer herds roaming the open fells. After dinner, a gentle guided hike to a sheltered Aurora hut — away from artificial light, the ideal vantage point to watch the sky and learn the science and stories behind the lights.
Santa's official village.
Travel south via Sodankylä's historic Old Church to the Santa Claus Village, straddling the Arctic Circle, before continuing to the Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos in Sinettä nearby.
Then, a heated glass roof over uninterrupted views of the night sky.
Your Glass Igloo for the night — hopefully with the Northern Lights dancing above.
A husky-drawn trail through the forest.
Meet the dogs at the kennels and learn how they're trained and cared for, then set out on a guided husky safari — by sled or cart, depending on snow. A warm soup lunch follows, before continuing into Rovaniemi for the night.
A last day, in Helsinki.
By train south, the landscape shifts from Arctic forest to lakes and farmland. Gather with fellow travelers for a farewell dinner — a chance to look back over the fjords, coastline and Arctic landscapes of the past sixteen days.
After breakfast the next morning, your escorted journey comes to an end. A post-program trip to Tallinn — a return ferry and a guided walk through its UNESCO-listed Old Town — can be added as well.
More than a booking.
A trip like this feels effortless because of everything wrapped around it.
Five planning meetings
From the first consultation to the post-trip recap, five meetings by video or phone, with more than six and a half hours set aside between them.
Unlimited changes
Rework the daily agenda as many times as you like. Big changes to bookings can incur fees, but reshaping your days never does.
We book it all
Flights, hotels, transfers, cruise and excursions. We reserve it, pay for it, and time it to work together.
A trip app
Your whole itinerary in your pocket, delivered as departure gets close, with a printed copy for the fridge.
Know before you go
Packing lists, destination notes, and the small details that make arriving feel easy.
Help when it counts
If a flight runs late or a plan shifts, we are the ones you call.
Your investment.
$25,605
Total for your journey together · today's exchange rate figured in
Deposit to confirm: $4,330 · a payment plan is available for the remainder
- Round-trip flights, Chicago – Oslo / Helsinki – Chicago
- Private airport transfers in Norway & Finland
- 10 nights in 4-star hotels
- 6 nights aboard the MS Kong Harald, Polar Outside cabin
- Full board at sea, breakfast daily on land
- Bergen & Oslo guided city tours
- Flåm Railway & Nærøyfjord cruise
- King Crab Experience, Kirkenes
- Sámi culture day with museum & outing
- Guided Aurora hike & workshop
- Husky safari & Santa Claus Village entrance
- Scenic coach & train transfers throughout
- Hjørundfjord, Nid River kayaking, Saltstraumen, Tromsø Arctic Capital & Sámi Culture excursions
- Expert English-speaking tour manager
Prices, availability, and agenda can change. Gratuities are not included.
Optional enhancements.
Looking to extend the magic a little further?
Your journey is already designed to give you an incredible introduction to Scandinavia. If you would like to elevate it even further, we can explore a few optional enhancements before everything is finalized.
Add
- Extra night in Helsinki, extended into the Tallinn post-program
- Upgrade to a superior room or suite aboard the ship
- Pre- or post-tour stay in Copenhagen
- Business-class upgrade for the transatlantic flights
Optional enhancements are subject to availability and will affect the package price. Additional planning fees may apply when an enhancement requires substantial itinerary changes.
Follow the light.
Have a wonderful journey.
CUSTOM PLANS | EPIC VACATIONS