Iceland, Northern Lights & Norwegian Experience

Our Escorted Escape begins today as we fly from Australia to Oslo. Tonight will be spent in the air en-route to Norway.

Today we arrive in Oslo, Norway’s capital which is also known as the capital of culture with is cutting-edge architecture, modern cuisine and arts. Due to the long travel day, the rest of the day is at your leisure.

Accommodation: Hotel Savoy Oslo

Today we’ll discover this unique city with a full day tour, which includes the Opera House and Vigeland Sculpture Park. We also admire the views across Oslo from the Holmenkollen Ski Jump. Viking culture comes alive with a visit to the Viking Ship Museum. We then make our way to the Kon-tiki Museum. This evening get acquainted with your fellow travellers at our welcome dinner.

Accommodation: Hotel Savoy Oslo

Today is a free day for you to explore Oslo in depth with your “Visit Oslo City Pass”. This gives you free entry to 30 museums and attractions, free travel on all public transport, free walking tours and special offers in restaurants, shops, entertainment, and leisure venues.

Accommodation: Hotel Savoy Oslo

Our search for the Northern Lights begins today as we fly to Kirkenes. On arrival we’ll be transferred to the Snow Hotel to stay in “Gamme Cabins”, inspired by the traditional cabins found in the wilderness of Lapland. Designed with the best view of the aurora in mind, each cabin features a large floor to ceiling window that offers panoramic views of the night sky. There are also resident reindeer and huskies waiting eagerly to greet you.

Accommodation: Snow Hotel Kirkenes, Gamme Cabins

This morning we board our Hurtigruten ship. As the ship starts its
voyage south, you can enjoy lunch with views of the surrounding Arctic landscape as we head to Vardo.

Accommodation: Hurtigruten ship

We stop in Mehamn before we continue on to Hammerfest and enjoy an optional tour of the world’s most northernmost town. The ship then arrives in Tromsø in the late evening, where you can choose to partake in an optional midnight concert at the Arctic Cathedral.

Accommodation: Hurtigruten ship

The island groups of Lofoten and Vesterålen offer some of the most stunning scenery you will see during the entire coastal voyage. The Lofoten region is renowned for its natural beauty with steep mountains, wild nature, and small, picturesque fishing villages.

Accommodation: Hurtigruten ship

With a myriad of islets and steep granite walls, the Helgeland coast provides more spectacular scenery. We cross the Arctic Circle and sail past the famed peaks of the Seven Sisters as well as the towns of Sandnessjoen, Bronnoysund and Rorvik.

Accommodation: Hurtigruten ship

Today we stop in Trondheim, a lively cosmopolitan city with an array of handsome civic architecture. You can uncover the city’s rich history on an optional walking tour or join a guided visit of the Nidaros Cathedral, Scandinavia’s largest medieval building. We then continue sailing south to Kristiansund past the jagged peaks of the Romsdal Alps.

Accommodation: Hurtigruten ship

Soak up the last few miles of coastal scenery as we sail towards Bergen, the capital of the Norwegian fjords. We disembark from our cruise this afternoon and transfer to our hotel. The afternoon is at your leisure – you may wish to rest and relax or further discover Bergen.

Accommodation: Clarion Admiral Hotel

Today we enjoy a half day sightseeing around beautiful Bergen. We drive past St. Mary’s Church and Haakon’s Hall. We will stroll around the colourful and picturesque fish markets and old Hanseatic wharf at Brygge. We then visit Troldhaugen, the home of Norway’s most famous composer Edvard Grieg. After our tour of Bergen, we will ride the funicular railway to the top of Mt Fløyen where you can enjoy the beautiful view and admire the fjords surrounding Bergen.

Accommodation: Clarion Admiral Hotel

This morning we take the train to Voss, where we begin the amazing Norway in a Nutshell tour, taking us through Norway’s most breathtaking UNESCO protected fjord and mountain scenery. On arrival we transfer to Gudvangen where we begin our cruise to Flam. Experience one of the most beautiful fjord areas in Norway; the narrow and spectacular Nærøyfjord is surrounded by steep mountains that stretch up to 1800 meters above sea level.

Accommodation: Flamsbrygga Hotel

This morning we board the Flam Railway, considered one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the world. The train journey takes us from sea level up to Myrdal, 863 meters above the ocean. Enjoy the trip through the steep mountains, past breathtaking waterfalls and through 20 tunnels. We then rejoin the Bergen Railway and continue on to Oslo for the evening.

Accommodation: Radisson Blu Oslo Airport Gardermoen

This morning we fly to Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. Commonly known as the “Land of Fire and Ice”, Iceland is home to some of the largest glaciers in Europe, and some of the world’s most active volcanoes. Upon arrival you can enjoy some leisure time at our hotel.

Accommodation: Icelandair Marina Hotel

Today we visit the Northern Lights Centre in Reykjavik, then travel onwards to Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Continue to the geothermal fields of Geysir and explore the bubbling mud pools and high spouting Strokkur hot spring. Last but not least, we visit the dramatic two-tiered Gullfoss waterfall before returning to Reykjavik.

Accommodation: Icelandair Marina Hotel

This morning we depart the city and explore the South Coast, with a visit to the Lava Centre. We will stop to view the spectacular waterfalls at Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss before making our way to the remote sea-side village of Vik.

Accommodation: Icelandair Hotel Vik

Today we explore Vik, including a visit to the famous Reynisfjara beach. Reynisdrangar are basalt sea stacks situated under the mountain Reynisfjall, framed by a black sand beach that was ranked in 1991 as one of the ten most beautiful non-tropical beaches in the world. From here we travel to Kirkjubæjarklauster.

Accommodation: Icelandair Hotel Klaustur

We pay a visit to Vatnajökull National Park in Skaftafell, one of the largest national parks in Europe, and home to Europe’s largest glacier of the same name. We visit Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon whose stunning blue waters, dotted with icebergs, are up to 180 meters deep in places.

Accommodation: Icelandair Hotel Klaustur

Today we travel from Kirkjubæjarklauster to Hveragerdi stopping by the Strandarkirkja Church. We then head to the Blue Lagoon, a unique wonder of nature with pleasantly warm, mineral rich water in the middle of a black lava field. This evening we will gather for a farewell dinner.

Accommodation: Northern Lights Inn

Today we farewell the “Land of Fire and Ice” and travel to the airport
to begin our journey home.

Today is spent travelling.

Our Escorted Escape ends. On arrival, farewell your new friends and tour host as you head home.