Scandinavian Northern Lights
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Experience Overview
Snow, Santa Claus and the fascinating culture of the Sami people await on this Arctic adventure in pursuit of the Northern Lights that dance across the dark winter skies of Finland and Sweden.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 8 Breakfast (B)
- 5 Dinner (D)
Must-see Highlights
- Explore Helsinki, Gammelstad and Stockholm
- Visit Saariselkä, Rovaniemi, Gammelstad Church Town, Kiruna and Stockholm City Hall
- View the Northern Lights (weather permitting)
- See the Sibelius Monument, the Olympic Stadium, the Opera House and Finlandia Hall in Helsinki, Riddarholmen Church and the Royal Palace in Stockholm
How You'll Travel
- Selected hotel dinners plus a locally hosted meal
Iconic Experience
- Helsinki: Join your Local Specialist to see the sights of Helsinki, a city known for its seafront setting, clean-lined architecture and Nordic character. As you explore the Finnish capital, stop for a drink and take in the atmosphere of this harbor city.
- Rovaniemi: Visit Rovaniemi, the hometown of Santa Claus, and meet its famous resident.
- Gammelstad: Visit the immaculately-preseved historic trading settlement of Gammelstad. Gain insight into the customs and development of this region as you view the wooden cottages and central stone church.
- Stockholm (Solna): With your Local Specialist, visit the Stockholm City Hall and enjoy a panoramic tour of the city with your fellow traveling companions.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
- Inari: Explore the museum’s collections showcasing the spirit and history of Sámi culture over the centuries, as well as the evolution of the Sámi languages, Northern Lapland’s unique natural environment and how this community has survived and indeed thrived in the Arctic's extremes. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Be My Guest
- Rovaniemi: Sit down to lunch with your hosts at a family-run reindeer farm and learn about life in the Arctic. Afterward, visit the farm, meet the reindeer and hear how Sámi traditions are carried through daily work in this northern landscape.
Trip Details
Product Code: 33088
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Explorer, Budget
Tour Operator:
Trafalgar (CA)
Supplier Code: 632.1719A
Starts: Helsinki, Finland
Finishes: Stockholm, Sweden
Duration: 9 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Whats Included
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Flight from Helsinki to Ivalo
- Flight from Kiruna to Stockholm
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $5451 ($606 /day)
Itinerary
Helsinki kick-starts your hunt for the mystical Northern Lights. On arrival, you'll be transferred to your hotel. There's time to freshen up before joining your Local Specialist for a city sightseeing tour and Welcome Reception.
Accommodation: Scandic Helsinki Station
Meals: Dinner
Today, take to the skies as you fly north from Helsinki, crossing the Arctic Circle to the wilderness of Finnish Lapland. From Ivalo, a short drive brings you to Saariselkä, your snowy base for the next two nights. Later, uncover the traditions and heritage of Europe’s only Indigenous people during your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at the Siida Sámi Museum, set by the edge of Lake Inari. Through thoughtful exhibitions, you’ll learn how Sámi culture, languages and customs have evolved, and how communities continue to live in connection with this remote northern landscape. As night falls, don’t miss the chance to participate in another Optional Experience—a magical Northern Lights hunt.
Accommodation: Santa's Tunturi
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Enjoy a relaxing day in the picturesque Arctic village of Saariselkä. For those looking for adventure, consider joining an Optional Experience to go snowshoeing along the scenic Aurora Path, and later opt in to feel the thrill of a snowmobiling excursion across the frozen Ivalo River.
Accommodation: Santa's Tunturi
Meals: Breakfast
Journey from Saariselkä to a reindeer farm for your Be My Guest experience, where your hosts welcome you with lunch and stories of Sámi traditions and Arctic life. Meet the reindeer, learn how the farm runs through long winters and short summer seasons, and share fika together. If conditions allow, glide across the snow on a traditional reindeer sleigh ride. Continue to Rovaniemi, the official hometown of Santa Claus, where you’ll cross the Arctic Circle and stop at Santa’s post office to send festive greetings stamped from Lapland.
Accommodation: Santa's Hotel Santa Claus
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Bid farewell to Finland, bound for Sweden. Your first stop is the historic church village of Gammelstad, a UNESCO World Heritage site, renowned for its 424 wooden houses surrounding an early 15th-century stone church. Explore the village with a Local Specialist who will bring its fascinating history to life. Afterward, continue on to Luleå, the largest city in Swedish Lapland.
Accommodation: Scandic Luleå
Meals: Breakfast
Travel from Luleå to Kiruna, deep into Sweden’s Arctic north, where wide forests, lakes and mining landscapes shape the journey. This afternoon, explore Kiruna at your own pace, perhaps visiting the striking wooden church, browsing local shops or taking in the town’s Arctic setting. Or join an Optional Experience with a Local Specialist to learn how Kiruna is being reshaped and relocated, then pause for a traditional fika.
Accommodation: Scandic Kiruna
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today is yours to explore Kiruna, a fascinating town undergoing one of the most ambitious urban relocations in modern history. In a remarkable feat of engineering, much of the town — including its historic buildings — is being methodically moved 3 kilometers east to accommodate the growth of the world’s largest underground iron ore mine. You might choose to explore at your own pace, or perhaps join one of our enriching Optional Experiences. Take a husky safari through the snow, or if conditions don’t allow, visit a working sled dog kennel to learn about life with these remarkable animals. Explore the Icehotel, built entirely from natural ice and snow. End the day with an evening Optional Experience to Aurora Camp, where a two-course dinner is served beside the frozen river as you watch for the northern lights.
Accommodation: Scandic Kiruna
Meals: Breakfast
This morning leave the Arctic behind to fly to Stockholm. Enjoy an orientation tour led by a Local Specialist, exploring the city known as 'beauty on the water.' Walk the cobbled streets of the Old Town, and visit the impressive Stockholm City Hall. Tonight, your journey in search of the Northern Lights concludes with a memorable dinner.
Accommodation: Elite Arcadia
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
As our journey in the snowy Arctic lands of reindeer and Father Christmas comes to an end, the memories of ancient Sámi culture and Nordic traditions in our hearts, we bid a fond farewell to newfound friends.
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Trafalgar (CA)
Family owned and run since 1920, The Travel Corporation (TTC) is the world leader in immersive travel experiences across an extensive range of travel categories. Each year TTC's 40 award winning hospitality and travel brands connect over 1 million happy travellers to the world. We give you access to the 12 DMC’s behind these brands, so you can build your business by capitalizing on the extensive experience, local expertise, and financial assurance of TTC. LOCAL EXPERTISE The world leaders in travel for over 100 years, we offer unparalleled local expertise with a global footprint. Our 12 DMCs, led by experienced in-destination teams, deliver experience rich travel solutions in more than 80 countries. Additionally, our market based teams are on hand to support across our 40 offices worldwide
In Business Since 1931
Reviews
Soon King Koh - Traveled, May 2024
Everything is good except for a slight hitch with the aurora dinner. You need the provider to be capable of managing large group. Travel director n driver are great . Great experience. Expect to travel with Trafalgar again.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/26/2024
Jennifer Watt - Traveled, May 2024
Provided great excursions for us to enjoy. Everything was planned for us and all went smoothly. The dog sledding was absolutely wonderful! The only con about the trip was the single bed situation. Couples need to know ahead that even if they choose a double bed they might still be stuck in 2 single beds. It was our anniversary trip so my husband didn't care for that. But we got over it. Perfect set up so you have plenty of time to enjoy each location and each excursion. If you have a long flight though, I would recommend giving yourself an extra day. After a day of travel, you might not be too keen on an evening sightseeing tour before eating a very late dinner.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/21/2024
Marilyn Moellendick - Traveled, May 2024
Excellent Guide for a Once-in-a-Lifetime Trip. This trip had it all - excellent, knowledgeable guide and outstanding tours - Sámi museum, reindeer sledge driving, husky ride with actual Iditarod dogs, visited Santa Claus, stood at the Arctic Circle, saw the Northern Lights, and more!!! Take warm clothing and boots because you will have many one-of-a-kind experiences from snowmobiling to a real husky ride! Extra clothes will be provided for really cold activities.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/25/2024
Nancy Brown - Traveled, June 2024
Amazing Tours. The tour contained exciting activities with interesting information about the countries we were visiting. We sampled local food items and learned about local lifestyles. The best tour I have taken so far! Tremendous activities, informative guide, and a skilled driver made the trip fun and relaxing since everything g was handled for us in a seamless fashion.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/19/2024
Lorna - Traveled, April 2024
Fantastic Scandinavia Northern Lights Tour! The Travel Director was very involved in making sure we had the very best experience (and we did). We were so impressed with the Coach Drivers, who had to negotiate icy roads and narrow streets. They were awesome. The Tour Guides spoke impeccable English and were very knowledgeable. This was our Bucket List trip. Check! This tour includes 2 flights and stays in very nice properties. The price was very reasonable.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/25/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2024
The tour director was wonderful! The bus drivers were great! The local guides were great! The Santa Claus Hotel in Saariselka was kind of rustic. Not quite up to the standard of the others. I really feel that The Aurora Hunting optional tour should have been included in the whole package since the tour is called Scandinavian Northern Lights. The fact that we had to pay extra to go on a tour with a local expert was ridiculous to me.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/21/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2024
Wonderful northern lights and more. We had the most wonderful travel leader, *personal information removed by Feefo* and a great bus driver. Between them they facilitated the best travel experience through Finland and Sweden. Our experiences were very enjoyable and ticked a few bucket list items off the list. It was good value for money.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/25/2024
Daniel Rowley - Traveled, May 2024
Great! All good services. Long driving between activities which in some cases was just overnight.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/16/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, June 2024
Veronica always had us doing something. On our northern lights tour there was an "optional" outing to go go look for the lights that we had to pay for. It should have been included.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/10/2024
Millie - Traveled, May 2024
Scandinavian Northern Lights I like how we are taken care of on Trafalgar tours. This is a more adventurous itinerary. You get to do a lot of outdoor activities. I did things I’ve never done before (snowmobiling). It doesn’t matter how old or young you are, all ages participated in these activities. I was impressed with an 80 year old couple snowshoeing.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/12/2024
