20 Day Follow The Lights
This tour includes return international airfares. See the Fine Print section for further details.
This tour is categorised as 3 out of 5
Balanced exploration with walking tours: Our most popular style, this tour offers a good mix of planned activities and free time. Expect moderate daily walking tours, so pack comfortable shoes.
As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.
Experience a superior level of comfort. Our Small Group tours have been crafted for Inspiring Vacations travellers exclusively, with personal and unique experiences in mind. Travel with no more than 26 people, allowing for a more personalised and immersive experience. Please see the Important Information on your selected tour for the exact group size.
This tour is fully escorted by a dedicated tour leader who will accompany you throughout the tour. If your tour includes multiple countries, you will be met by a new tour leader in each country and any internal flights included will be unescorted.
✓ Includes Return International Airfares
✓ Incredible sightseeing, including the southern Fjords of Norway with a memorable night at Flam. Cruise the Norwegian coastline from Bergen to Kirkenes stopping at cities and towns along the way, plus sail around Honningsvag, the most northern tip of Europe. Visit a reindeer and husky farm in Finland, plus included sled experiences.
✓ Stay 1 night in a Glass Igloo looking to the Northern Lights.
✓ Small group experience with a maximum of 24 guests
✓ Enjoy 4 star accommodation throughout
✓ 11 nights hotel accommodation (1 night in Glass Igloo) + 6 nights cruise accommodation in a Polar Outside cabin (upgrades available)
✓ Daily breakfast, 6 lunches, 11 dinners + 1 x Farewell dinner
✓ City tours in Oslo, Bergen, Helsinki and Tallinn
✓ Return ferry ticket Helsinki – Tallinn (deck passage)
✓ First Class coach from Kirkenes to Helsinki
✓ English speaking guide from start to end
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Get ready! Today you are departing for Oslo to begin your unbelievable Follow the Lights experience.
Welcome to Oslo! Upon arrival please make your own way from the airport or train station to your hotel.
The remainder of the day at leisure to explore the surrounding area, before a 6pm meeting and dinner with your tour leader and rest of your group.
After breakfast, you will partake in a 4 hour city sightseeing tour with local English speaking guide. Includes: Vigeland Sculpture park, Historical Museum, Opera House, Ski Jump. Entrance to historical museum is included. Remainder of the day is at leisure to explore at your own pace.
Note: luggage will be collected in the evening and transported to Bergen. We recommend bringing an overnight bag for the 1 night trip via Flam.
After an early breakfast we will start our “Norway In a Nutshell” tour, catching the morning train to Myrdal where we change trains for the famous Flåm Railway, with spectacular fjord views all the way to the beautiful, tiny village of Flåm. Dinner at the hotel.
After breakfast, the day starts with the ferry from Flåm to Gudvangen, passing through the narrow Nærøyfjord. From Gudvangen the journey continues by bus. Waterfalls line the road as we weave our way through the valley to Voss. There we board a train for the last leg of our “Norway in a Nutshell” journey, arriving in Bergen in the afternoon. Transfer to hotel and rest of the day at leisure.
Breakfast at hotel, morning at leisure. At 1pm meet the group in the lobby of the hotel for a city sightseeing tour of Bergen, which includes a walking tour of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Bryggen, St Mary’s Church, and Håkon’s Hall, before heading to Troldhaugen, the home of Norway’s most famous composer, Edvard Grieg. (Entrance included to Troldhaugen). Tour ends at Hurtigruten pier for check- in and embarkation procedures.
We navigate skerries and islands before reaching Ålesund, renowned for its beautiful Art Nouveau architecture. Leaving Ålesund we head north towards Trondheim. Overnight on board our ship.
Arrive early in the morning at Trondheim, with plenty of time to explore Norway’s first capital. Overnight on board our ship.
As we cross the Arctic Circle in the morning, the hunt for the Aurora Borealis begins. We enter the dramatic and narrow Raftsund, and if the weather and ice conditions allow, we’ll sail to the entrance of the famous Trollfjord. Overnight on board our ship
After a morning stop in Finnsnes, the ship continues to Tromsø, a major cultural hub above the Arctic Circle, and famed as a viewing point for the Northern Lights. The city’s historic centre is distinguished by its century’s old wooden houses. The 1965 Arctic Cathedral, with its distinctive peaked roof and soaring stained-glass windows, dominates the skyline. Overnight on board our ship.
Honningsvåg is the nearest port to the North Cape – only 2000km from the geographical North Pole. Overnight on board our ship
After disembarkation of the ship board our touring coach for the drive south to the village of Inari. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and vist the newly renovated SIIDA Museum (entrance included).
Enjoy a visit to the Reindeer farm where you will hear stories about Sámi culture, reindeer, reindeer herding and handicrafts. (Sled ride dependent on snow conditions)
Saariselkä Continue todays journey to Saariselka, a small skiing village in the middle of the Finnish Lapland wilderness. Check in to hotel. Enjoy dinner in the hotel restaurant.
Breakfast at hotel followed by Husky Safari/Farm visit. Learn about the life and training of these unique Arctic dogs. (Sled ride dependent on snow conditions)
Remainder of day at leisure. Tour manager will help guests book optional excursions on the spot.
Breakfast at the hotel. Afterwards board the coach and head south towards Rovaniemi. Short stop made at the small town of Sodankylä, and at the Sodankylä Old Church.
We will visit the Santa Claus village where there is free entrance and time to explore and for lunch (lunch at own arrangements).
Then we travel on to Sinetta (near Rovaniemi) for check in at the Arctic Snowhotel & Glass Igloos. Sinettä Dinner at the hotel restaurant. There is time in the evening for optional excursions that will be offered on the spot. Overnight in glass igloo.
Breakfast at hotel
Morning at leisure to enjoy the facilities. Lunch time transfer to Rovaniemi and check-in for hotel. Afternoon at leisure to explore Rovaniemi.
Rovaniemi Optional excursions will be offered by the tour manager.
Overnight at hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel before the drive towards Rantasalmi and the Finnish Lakes district. We will make a stop for lunch (own arrangements).
Järvisydän Check in at the unique Hotel & Spa Resort for a stay in one of the Kota hotel rooms. Dinner will be included at the hotel restaurant
Breakfast at the hotel before departure towards Helsinki. Arrive at approximately 1pm with free time for lunch.
At 2pm meet the English speaking local guide for a sightseeing tour of Helsinki including the main highlights, city hall, Parliament buildings, Finaldnia Holl, Operate house and Sibelius Monument. We will also visit the popular Temppeliaukio Church (Rock Church – entrance included).
Remainder of day at own leisure.
Early start to head to the ferry to Tallinn. Breakfast on board the ferry.
Tallinn City Tour starts with a panoramic tour of the city by private coach (duration 02hrs), further to Toompea Hill,
Where a walking tour of the Old Town starts (duration 01hr), the walking tour will be passing by highlights such as Toompea Castle, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Dome church, onwards along Pikk Street to the Lower Town with Niguliste Church and the Old Town Hall (the oldest in North-Europe). (Entrance included to Dome Church)
12:30 End of city tour. Free time for lunch and to further explore the old town, before meeting the group for the return ferry to Helsinki, arriving approximately 6.30 PM.
This evening we will have our farewell dinner to celebrate an incredible journey.
After breakfast the tour ends. Own arrangements to airport or beyond. At the appropriate time, board your return flight home.
Today you arrive home from your Inspiring Vacation.
Bedding on board the cruise is restricted to the following configurations. If you wish to upgrade your cabin, the following amounts are payable in addition to the package price prior to travel:
Polar Outside - INCLUDED
Our Polar outside cabins are situated mostly on the middle or lower decks and all have bathrooms with shower/WC. Some cabins have double beds, while others have separate beds, one of which is a sofa bed, or upper and lower berths. All the cabins have individual specifications.
Arctic Superior - FROM $300 per person, twin share (Single from $600)
Relaxation and comfort are the hallmarks of our Arctic superior cabins. Situated on upper decks, they all have bathrooms with shower and WC, tea and coffee-making facilities and TVs. The cabins have double beds. All the cabins have individual specifications.
Please request your cabin upgrade in the 'special requests' field. Availability and price will then be confirmed and added to your invoice upon acceptance.
Please note, Hurtigruten will assign your cabin number closer to departure. In the event you are travelling with another party, note that cabins may not be allocated together. If you prefer to select your own cabin number additional fees will apply.
Deposit & Payments
Booking Process
Booking On Request
Premium Economy or Business Class Upgrades;
Please specify this in the “Special Request” field when completing your booking and you will be quoted for the additional fare at the time of booking your flights.
Extending Your Stay;
Some customers like to enhance their holiday by extending their stay pre- and/or post-tour or including a stopover in another destination. Please include this information in the “Special Request” field when booking. Surcharges may apply at time of booking. When extending your stay, any additional room nights’ required must be booked independently.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
This particular tour is categorised as a “3”.
3 – Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs, get on and off the coach and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, however any changes are beyond our control.
Single Supplement
Single supplement is $4,079 per person in addition to the twin-share price.
Triple Share
Not available.
Land Only
Should you wish to book your own airfares and book the tour only, a deduction of $1,000 per person applies
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is required to protect yourself against the unexpected.
Children
Children must be 5 years old or above and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.
Group Size
10 - 26 people. Please be advised that under exceptional circumstances, the group size may slightly surpass the designated limit due to operational reasons, such as in the event that a cruise date is consolidated with another.
Bedding requests
We do our best to meet your bedding preference, however, bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only and cannot be guaranteed. All efforts will be made to meet your preference, however, any changes are beyond our control and limited by the hotel facilities and availability.
Tour Styles - This package is an Fully Escorted style.
To meet the needs of various types of travellers, we choose to operate various types of tours and depending on your selected package will mean different services are provided throughout your trip. The following descriptions of each tour style we hope will ensure that each traveller has appropriate expectations before they start their travels:
Who is operating this package
We have partnered with a wide range of third party operators who assist in fulfilling your booking and delivering an enjoyable on-tour experience. Each package will consist of multiple operators meaning both guides and fellow travellers may change day to day. But don't worry, regardless of the operator, you'll be in good hands to experience the most out of each destination.
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