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Peregrine Travel Centre

Northern Scandinavia in Winter

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Northern Scandinavia in Winter

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Description

Make the most of the cold season and take a trip to Lapland in winter – this is Northern Scandinavia blanketed in white! Over eight days, you’ll travel through Finland, Sweden and Norway to see a hotel carved from ice, bake bread the traditional Swedish way, visit the UNESCO-listed church town of Gammelstad and search for the Northern Lights. Take a tour at night with a local expert in Abysko National Park and give yourself the best opportunity to see the sky light up, then meet the local Sami people and soak up their history, way of life and resident reindeer. Wander around beautiful cities and small towns, like Rovaniemi (Santa’s official hometown), Lulea, Narvik and Tromso – all with a local leader by your side to give you all the insights.

Trip Name
Northern Scandinavia in Winter
Last Updated
1970-01-01
Days
8
Capacity
12
Highlights
  • Journey through Lapland – the home of Santa Claus – in winter. During this harsh but incredibly beautiful season, there are far less tourists and you’ll be treated to a new perspective of Northern Scandinavia.
  • Learn the traditional break-baking techniques and surrounding folklore during a fun workshop in Lulea. Then, walk through the UNESCO World Heritage site of Gammelstad Church Town by lantern light with a local guide.
  • Discover the fascinating culture and traditions of the Sami people – Europe's only Indigenous people – and meet a local reindeer herder in the village.
  • Take a Northern Lights tour as nightfall descends in the scenic Abysko National Park – this is one of the best places in the world to spot the colourful displays of the Aurora Borealis!
  • Travel to new cities you’ve never seen blanketed in snow – like Narvik, where you can visit the war museum, and Tromso, where you can walk along the picturesque streets packed with colourful houses.

Itinerary

ITINERARY CHANGES Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. It's important that you review this information prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays, political unrest or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in-country. Your group leader or local representative will keep you up to date with any such changes once your trip is underway. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES A selection of optional activities that have been popular with past travellers are listed in the day-to-day itinerary. This isn't an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only for some of what might be available. Prices are approximate, are for entrance fees only, and don’t include transport to and from the sites or local guides unless indicated. All activities are subject to availability, and maybe on a join-in basis. It may not be possible to do all the activities listed in the time available at each destination, so some pre-planning for what you are most interested in is advised. When it's recommended that travellers pre-book these activities, look for a note in the Special Information section of the day-to-day itinerary. For most, they can either be organised independently on the day, or let your group leader or local representative know you are interested at the Welcome Meeting and they can assist. Where activities are considered medium or high risk, we work with operators whose safety and credentials we have sighted and assessed. Although it is possible that you may find the same activity cheaper with another operator on the ground, we cannot vouch for the safety or quality of that operator. Medium and high-risk activities not listed above have not been assessed by us and as such our staff and group leader or local representative are unable to assist you with organising these activities. Activities that contravene our Responsible Travel policies are also not listed. Please remember that the decision to partake in any activity not listed is at your own discretion and risk.

Day 1 - Rovaniemi
Tervetuloa! Welcome to Finland. Your adventure begins in Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland, with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. This city is an urban oasis in the Arctic wilderness, full of culture and scenic hiking opportunities. If you arrive early, maybe explore the city at your own pace, visit Santa’s workshop, or go hiking among the rapids and aapa mires. After the meeting tonight, consider heading out with your leader and fellow travellers for an optional welcome dinner.
Day 2 - Rovaniemi
Head out on a leader-led orientation walk of Rovaniemi this morning. Almost totally destroyed during World War II, this modern city is known for being the ‘official’ hometown of Santa Claus, as well as a popular spot to see the Northern Lights. After your walk, you’ll take the bus to the Arctic Snowhotel – carved differently every year and with a temperature of 0 to -5 °C, the walls and furniture inside are all completely made from snow and ice! Explore the rooms, adorned with snow art and light installations and maybe stop at the ice bar for a drink. After, return to Rovaniemi and maybe visit Arktikum – a museum and science centre that explores the Arctic region and the history of Finnish Lapland. You might like to spend the afternoon pedalling through the city on a bike, or on the Ounasvaara walking trail – here, you can wander through the forest, past a ski area to a wooden observation tower for views over the white expanse.
Day 3 - Lulea
Drive to Lulea – a coastal city in Swedish Lapland known for its cluster of well-preserved wooden houses and the stone Nederlulea Church, built in the 1400s. When you arrive, head to the open-air museum of Hagnan for a bread-baking workshop. You’ll learn about the Swedish baking traditions of kladda bread, try the techniques out for yourself and hear about Swedish folklore beliefs (it's said that the number of folds on your bread will reveal how many suitors you’ll have!). Tonight, head to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Gammelstad Church Town – unique to northern Sweden, these towns speak of the past when there were few churches and locals had to travel from far away. With no way to get home, the people built small homes around the church to stay the night. You’ll meet with a local guide who will take you on a tour of the town by lamp light. Later, maybe go in search of the Northern Lights!
Day 4 - Lapland
Travel like the locals this morning and hop on a public bus from Lulea to Kiruna – Sweden’s northernmost city. When you arrive, take a leader-led orientation walk to get your bearings, then take the opportunity to rest at your accommodation. Tonight, you’ll head out in the darkness to the incredibly scenic Abysko National Park to go hunting for the magic of the Northern Lights with a local guide. If you’re lucky, you might see the natural displays of colours – green, red and purple – light up the sky. Did you know that the Vikings believed the Northern Lights were Valkyries taking fallen soldiers to Valhalla?
Day 5 - Lapland
Today, you’ll head out on a daytrip to the Sami Village – the Sami are Europe’s only recognised Indigenous people. When you arrive in their homeland, you’ll meet with some of the locals and learn about traditional Sami culture, traditional knowledge and their relationship with nature. Meet with a local reindeer herder and hear stories about how reindeer are integral to their livelihoods. You’ll then sit down to enjoy a traditional lunch with the locals. After, head back to Kiruna for the night, where you’re free to find a good dinner spot or rug up and sit outside, in search of a sky lit up by colour.
Day 6 - Tromso
Today will be a bit of a long travel day as you head to Tromso. You’ll first take the train to Narvik, where you’ll have a couple of hours to stretch your legs and find some lunch. Narvik is an ice-free port, originally built to ship iron ore from the mines in Kiruna – Nazi Germany tried to gain control of this vital supply during World War II and the Allies tried to stop them. If you like, you can visit the war museum here and learn more about the town’s history. Then, take the bus to Tromso – this picturesque city in Norway is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights!
Day 7 - Tromso
This morning after breakfast, head out on an orientation walk through Tromso’s colourful houses, backdropped by snowy peaks. With your leader, you’ll explore some of the sights of this gorgeous city, then you’re free to choose your own adventure. Maybe go on a show-shoeing mission to help the local Arctic owls! This project aims to provide nesting sites for three species of local owls and monitor their population in response to a mission for sustainable tourism. You’ll meet with a local guide from Wild Lab Projects – this organisation partners with The Owl Team and Birdlife Troms to connect travellers with nature conservation – and, depending on the time of year, put nest boxes in trees, check existing boxes for owls and learn about these amazing birds. In the afternoon, regroup with your fellow travellers and head over to MACK Brewery for guided visit. This is the most northernmost brewery in the world and was founded back in 1877. After the tour, enjoy a final evening in Tromso.
Day 8 - Tromso
With no further activities planned after breakfast, your trip comes to an end this morning. If you’d like to extend your stay in Tromso and increase your chances of seeing the Northern Lights, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time and organise additional accommodation.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
06-12-202513-12-2025AUD $ 5,695-
13-12-202520-12-2025AUD $ 5,695-
03-01-202610-01-2026AUD $ 6,235-
17-01-202624-01-2026AUD $ 5,995-
31-01-202607-02-2026AUD $ 5,995-
14-02-202621-02-2026AUD $ 5,995-
28-02-202607-03-2026AUD $ 6,235-
14-03-202621-03-2026AUD $ 6,235-

Accommodation

Hotel (5 nights),Guesthouse (2 nights)

Transport

Train,Public bus,Private vehicle

Map

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