24 Day Norway Winter Wonderland & Iceland Northern Lights Adventure

• Small group tour in Norway and Finland (first 17 days)  – up to 24 people, Iceland up to 40.
• Internal airfares from Evenes to Oslo and Oslo to Reykjavik with a local carrier
• 21 nights in comfortable 4-star and 3-star accommodation throughout Finland, Norway and Iceland
• 1-night on board the overnight Santa Claus Express train from Helsinki to Kemi
• Daily breakfast, 5 dinners including memorable welcome dinner
• Fully escorted tour with English-speaking guide throughout, except for days 17-19
• Unforgettable sightseeing as per the itinerary
• Including husky sledding, an icebreaker cruise, Santa's Village in Rovaniemi, the Golden Circle in Iceland and the Lofoten Islands
• All transportation, rail tickets and entry fees as per the itinerary

• Helsinki - Visit Temppeliaukio Church, known locally as the 'Rock Church'
• Tallinn - Take the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn for a guided city tour of the Estonian capital's medieval old town
• Santa Claus Express - Spend the night on the sleeper train that travels from Helsinki to Kemi, in the heart of Lapland
• Sampo Icebreaker Cruise - Cruise through frozen seas on an icebreaker cruise in the Arctic
• Rovaniemi - The home of Santa Claus! Experience Santa's Village for yourself
• Lapland - Stay in a glass igloo, sleeping beneath the starry skies and hopefully spotting the Northern Lights
• Lapland - Fly through Arctic forest on a husky pulled sled
• North Cape - Head to Europe's most northerly point and receive a certificate to document your visit
• Alta - Admire the rock art of Alta, now part of an open-air museum
• Lyngen Alps - Traverse this mountainous region, eyeing the magnificent fjords as you go
• Tromso - Located 350kms north of the Arctic Circle, this is the largest city in Northern Norway
• Narvik - Land on the doorstep of the beautiful Lofoten Islands
• Svolvær - Further explore magical Lofoten, including Henningsvær, Lofoten's best-known fishing village
• Oslo - Explore the Viking Ship Museum, which boasts a diverse range of artefacts from the vikings
• Reykjavik - city tour of the vibrant Nordic capital
• Reykjanes Peninsula - take a dip in the world famous Blue Lagoon
• South Coast - witness Black Lava Beach and charming fishing villages
• Hella - two nights of a combination of lectures, presentations, film and guided searches for the Northern Lights

Inspiring Stay

• Spend one of the most incredible nights of your life in a glass igloo looking up at the stars and searching for the Northern Lights.

Inspiring Sight 

• Carve through frozen seas on an icebreaker, go on a husky sled safari through the Lapland wilderness in search of the Northern Lights.

Inspiring Taste

• Enjoy sparkling wine at North Cape, Norway's most northerly point, as well as memorable welcome and farewell dinners.

Inspiring Vacations has been globally recognized and awarded for its handling of COVID-19 during the pandemic. The safety and well-being of our guests are our highest concern during this time of uncertainty, and we are continuously monitoring the evolving COVID-19 situation. 

We have adopted the advice of the WHO to ensure all customers can travel with the knowledge of how to travel safely and with confidence.

Australian owned and operated 

We are proudly 100% Australian-owned and now operating across Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada. Our head office is located in Melbourne, Victoria, with offices around the globe to provide you with 24/7 support while you travel. When you book with Inspiring Vacations, you'll receive the support of travel professionals who are committed to the mission of inspiring people everywhere to experience the world.

Cooling off period

If you change your mind within 7 days of making your booking online, you can request a refund of your initial deposit payment as part of our cooling-off period.  Once your purchase date falls outside of the 7-day period, our standard terms and conditions will apply.

Please ensure that any request to cancel your booking is received via email to [email protected], including the reason for cancellation.

• Full payment due at the time of the booking.
• Please select this option at the payment page prior to finalizing your booking

• Book now and secure your package with only a $99.00 deposit per person.
• Pay a 2nd installment of $5,710.00 per person within 28 days.
• You will then be invoiced for final payment 120 days prior to departure.

Booking Process

• Select the purple 'Reserve Your Seat' tab to begin your booking (you must 'Sign Up' first by entering your email and creating a password)
• Then select the purple 'Book now' tab of the tour you have selected
• Select your Departure Date, Departure City, Number of Passengers, Room Configuration, any Upgrade Options, and enter any Special Requests
• Click the purple ‘Proceed to Secure Checkout' tab
• Enter your credit card or PayPal details to secure your deposit/payment. You may also pay via BPAY (not available within 70 days of departure)
• Once your order is complete, you will be prompted to complete a Booking Form so that we can fulfill your booking
• Your booking is confirmed once your Booking Form is submitted and you can begin the countdown to your Inspiring Vacation!

Booking On Request

• Your Inspiring Vacations package is made up of multiple components and travel partners. Once your booking is made and passenger details form submitted, we will begin to confirm all of your arrangements. Please note, this process can take several business days to complete
• Once all elements have been confirmed we will send you an email confirmation, if we are unable to confirm we will provide you with alternative dates or offer a full refund of your deposit or re-credit your account if a travel credit was used
• Please DO NOT book any additional services, such as flights, until we have confirmed your Inspiring Vacations package in writing. Inspiring Vacations will not be liable for any fees or charges incurred to change or cancel components not booked by Inspiring Vacations should your selected package be unavailable

Please refer to conditions below, which are agreed to at time of purchase. 

Can I extend my stay pre- and/or post-tour?

This depends on the package you are booking. 

Where available, extensions must be added at time of purchase and cannot be added post-purchase unless inside the 7-day cooling off period.

We can assist in arranging your airfares to accommodate an extension; however, you must also book the additional nights’ accommodation through us at time of booking (where available as an add-on):

• At check-out, please ensure you add the numbers of extra nights you would like pre- and/or post-tour (where available as an add-on). This can only be done at time of booking and cannot be added after purchase.
• Some packages may only offer the opportunity to book one (1) extra night pre and/or post. If you want more nights’ than what is available to book you must choose Land Only (refer below).
• If there is no option to add additional nights’ accommodation to your booking, then extending your stay with Inspiring Vacations is not an option and you can instead choose to change your booking to Land Only so you can arrange both your airfares and additional accommodation independently. 

When adding additional nights to your booking, the cost of the extra nights’ accommodation will be reflected on your invoice and payable with the final balance. 

Airfare surcharges may apply if extending due to airfare seasonal changes and possible fare differences. These are payable at the time of selecting your desired airfare. 

The second installment of your booking must be made before airfares can be booked. 

Outside of extending your stay you must select Land Only if:

• You would like to stopover
• You would like to upgrade your cabin class
• You would like a specific airline booked 
• You would like to extend longer than what is available within the package 
• You intend to book additional accommodation independently
• You would like to arrive and/or depart from another city or airport or; 
• Your preferred domestic departure city point (ie Perth, Australia) is not an option 

If you are interested in one of the above options, please select LAND ONLY at time of check-out and you will need to arrange your own airfares. Inspiring Vacations will not be accountable for flight delays or missed tour components due to late arrival or airline changes.

How to book my flights through the flight portal:

As the travel industry moves towards providing customers with more self-service options, we are excited that our customers will have the opportunity to book their flights through our flight portal. If this option is available to you, you will be notified once flights are available to book for your selected departure date. Flights may be booked by Inspiring Vacations at any time.

Please visit our FAQ for more information.

Conditions of flights for this package bookable by Inspiring Vacations:

• Flight Offer valid from select departure cities within the purchase path only
• Flights will be booked with the best available airline/s with luggage included. Low-cost carriers may be booked in conjunction with a full-service airline. Depending on the carrier, entertainment and meals may not be included but payable at an extra cost on-board. We cannot specify or guarantee the airline booked. If you would like a specific airline, please select land only. 
• Flights may not be direct and may include multiple connections
• Due to disrupted airline schedules globally with the pandemic, stopovers/transit times may be longer than usual (up to 12 hours in duration in some circumstances).
• Once ticketed, flights are non-refundable; any changes will be subject to the airline rules and change fees. 
• Full names as per passport (including all middle names) are required at the time of submitting your traveller booking form. Any error in the names submitted will be subject to fees to amend with the airline or the ticket may be non-refundable with the purchase of a new ticket required. 
• Depending on departure date and time of booking, the required booking class for airfare offer may be too far in advance to book with the appropriate airline.
• If the required booking class is unavailable at time of booking, surcharges may apply. Total cost is final only at time of ticketing. Once issued, air tickets are subject to amendment and cancellation fees or may be non-refundable
• Any airline schedule changes or cancellations are beyond our control and it is the responsibility of the customer to ensure they are familiar with the most up to date airline schedule prior to departure
• After booking, the price payable may be subject to change as a result of factors beyond the control of Inspiring Vacations. Inspiring Vacations reserves the right to increase the price payable and this will be reflected on the customer's invoice. Increases may be in relation to, but not limited to, currency fluctuations, airline taxes, airfare increases and fuel surcharges.
• Internal airfares (where applicable and included in the itinerary) will be using a local carrier and may include low-cost carriers without meals or entertainment. Checked baggage will still be included for each passenger. Any additional baggage required is payable at time of check-in. 
• If you are travelling with another party on a separate booking, we cannot guarantee that the same flights will be booked for all parties, as this strictly depends on availability. 
• All tickets will include 20 kilos checked baggage per person, along with 7 kilos of hand luggage to restrictions with internal flights (where applicable), as well as coach and train transportation.
• You will be responsible for handling your luggage at all times as the services of porters are not included. If travelling over the recommended amount, you will be liable for any excess baggage fees enforced by the airline, payable directly.

Seat Selection & Frequent Flyer Points

Inspiring Vacations do not arrange seat selection. It is important to highlight that some airlines do not allow pre-selected seats or they may charge a fee to do so. We strongly suggest you contact the airline directly with seating allocation requirements and or arrive at the airport earlier to arrange your seating. While we do not add frequent flyer member details to bookings, you can do this directly with the airline once you have your flight information.

Online check-in 

Some airlines may not permit online check-in where flights have been booked by a travel company. Where unavailable to do so online, you will be required to check-in at the airport. Inspiring Vacations cannot check-in online on behalf of our customers.

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.

Tipping
Tipping in Scandinavia is not compulsory, however, they are much appreciated, especially as a reward if guests feel someone has delivered good service. Tips and gratuities are not included for this package and are discretionary. If you wish to reward good service, the suggested amounts are:

Local assistant or guide transfer: EUR 10.00 per person, per service
Guide: EUR 5-6 per person, per day
Driver: EUR 2-3 per person, per day

Hurtigruten Cruise: There are no guidelines as such; tips and gratuities are appreciated but not expected. Please speak to cruise staff on-board for more information.

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 $2,638.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.

Triple Share
Not available.

Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is required to protect yourself against the unexpected.

Visa & Passport information
It is the traveler's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return.

Australian passport holders will not require a visa to enter Finland, Norway and Iceland.

Please note that these details are subject to change without notice. We recommend visiting https://smartraveller.gov.au for up to date information in terms of entry requirements.

Tour Documentation
Final documentation, including e-tickets and hotel details, will be provided approximately 30 days prior to travel.

Group Size
10-24 people in Norway.
Up to 40 people in Iceland

Trip Style - Small Group Tour (Finland Norway)
These tours are our proudest creations. They have been crafted for Inspiring Vacations travellers exclusively, with personal and unique experiences in mind. You will travel with only a maximum of 20 other guests. Enjoy choice features such as hand-picked accommodation, a sampling of the region’s best culinary delights and a range of optional activities to choose from to best suit your travel style.

Group Tour (seat-in-coach) (Iceland)
Our Group Tours offer unparalleled value for money and are the perfect style of travel for those on a budget, though still eager to pack as much in to their itinerary as possible. These tours tick all the boxes with an abundance of inclusions such as sightseeing highlights, expert tour guides, quality accommodation, transfers, coach transportation, some meals and more. Please note that the maximum group size will vary between deals and will be mentioned within the Fine Print of each deal page.

For Itinerary days 17-19
From the second day in Oslo until the second day in Reykjavik, your trip will not be escorted. This will provide you plenty of time to explore these two wonderful cities at your own pace in between tours.

Children
Children must be 5 years old or over and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.

Tour Length
The total length of the tour in days includes time spent inflight and is subject to change, depending on the flight schedule. Please refer to the day-by-day itinerary for the time spent in your destination(s).

Northern Lights
Please note, the Northern Lights are a natural phenomena and can't be guaranteed. The dates provided will give you the best chance of hopefully viewing the lights during your trip, but Inspiring Vacations will not be liable for any departures which unfortunately don't see the Northern Lights during their trip. 

To enhance your journey, we're offering a choice of the following optional activities:

• Snowmobile Safari (Day 6) - $194 per person - NOTE: This is a self drive activity you will be required to have your driver's license on tour to participate. (Min 2 people per snowmobile) Insurance is included, however guests have a maximum personal liability of EUR 980,00 in the event of an accident. Solo riders will incur a EUR 45 supplement. 

Optional tours can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add Optional Tours, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance. 

Please note that you must select your Optional Tours no later than 70 days before departure, after which you will be required to purchase them on tour. Please keep in mind that anything purchased on-tour is subject to availability and prices may vary as you will be paying in local currency. We appreciate your understanding.

You can enhance your holiday by arriving early or staying longer upon conclusion of the tour. On this tour you can choose from the following options:

Pre and post tour accommodation

• Pre-tour accommodation in Helsinki: From $209 per room per night for double/twin/single, including breakfast
• Post-tour accommodation in Reykjavik: From $272 per room per night for double/twin/single, including breakfast

Please note: Pre and Post Hotel can only be added at the time of your original booking request. Rates are on request and will be subject to availability at the time of booking. 

• Airport transfers
• Visas (if applicable)
• Travel insurance (compulsory)
• Tipping
• Anything not mentioned in the itinerary
• Optional activities/cruise shore excursions
• Personal expenses

For more information on the weather in Norway, click HERE.

For more information on the weather in Finland, click HERE.

Iceland's volcanic landscape is a testament to the raw power of nature. While eruptions are infrequent, they offer a unique opportunity to witness the earth's dynamic forces. It's essential to stay informed about current volcanic activity and heed any warnings from local authorities.

Please note that if an eruption were to occur during your visit, your itinerary may need to be modified to ensure your safety.

For further information, please refer to Visit Iceland and Iceland’s Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management website:

Visit Iceland: Volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula

Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management

Inspiring Vacations also strongly suggests, at the very least, your travel insurance cover will cover you for Medical Expenses, Emergency Evacuation and Trip Cancellation and Interruption.