Destination North
11 days / 10 nights
Destination North is the perfect tour for those who want to explore the very North of Norway, Sweden and Finland. Lapland, island life on Vesterålen and Lofoten and the North Cape are just some of the highlights. You will travel above the Arctic Circle which marks the entrance to the land of midnight sun and Polar nights. At the North Cape the midnight sun can be seen from mid-May to the end of July.
Day 01: Arrival in Rovaniemi
Arrival in Rovaniemi according to your own itinerary. Rovaniemi is the capital of the Finnish Lapland and is located just above the Arctic Circle. This is also known as the home of Santa Claus! Rovaniemi’s most prominent landmarks include the Jätkänkynttilä bridge with its eternal flame over the Kemijoki river, the Arktikum House which rises out of the bank of the Ounasjoki river, the Rovaniemi Town Hall, the library and the Lappia House which serves as a theatre, concert hall and congress centre. The last three mentioned buildings are designed by the famous Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto.
Accommodation: Santa Claus Hotel Rovaniemi
ⓘ To get from the airport to the city center or vice versa, we recommend that you use low-CO2 transport such as trains, trams, airport coaches, shuttles or private transport by electric car.
Day 02: Rovaniemi – Kiruna (400 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. Drive west along E75/4 towards the Swedish boarder and Kiruna. Kiruna is the northernmost city in Sweden and is sometimes listed as the largest city in the world by area, even if most of its territory of course is non-urban. Just around the corner you will find unique Swedish wilderness with high mountains, dense forests and flowing rivers. Kiruna has a long tradition of mining and in 2004 a new iron ore was found just under the city centre. This led to the decision of moving the entire city during the next decade!
Accommodation: Scandic Hotel Ferrum
Day 03: Kiruna – Sortland (335 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will be heading for Norway and the Vesterålen Islands. The Vesterålen Islands are famous for its great nature and animal life. Eagles and seals can easily be spotted around the islands and Langøya where Sortland is located. In 1999 the artist Bjørn Elvenes started his project to paint the buildings in Sortland blue. All around the city you will find buildings in different blue tones presenting the picture of Den blå byen – the blue town.
Accommodation: Sortland Hotel
Day 04: Sortland
Breakfast at the hotel. Today we recommend a drive around the islands. Southwest of Sortland, you find the village of Storkmarknes where you can visit the museum of the famous coastal express Hurtigruten. The need for transportation of fish, mail and goods from Stokmarknes along the coast led to the establishment of Hurtigruten. Today, it mainly transports people, and is considered as one of the world’s most beautiful sea voyages. If you are interested in a true nature experience we would recommend an excursion by boat. From Andenes, about 100 km from Sortland, it is possible to participate on a spectacular whale safari. Daily departures all summer. Please ask us for details.
Accommodation: Sortland Hotel
Day 05: Sortland – Tromsø (380 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. You are now heading for the largest Nordic city above the Arctic Circle also known as the “Paris of the North”. When arriving in Tromsø we recommend a visit to the Arctic Museum – Polaria, featuring an aquarium with many of the amazing species living in the Arctic Sea. With its spectacular architecture that symbolizes fallen ice bergs you will easily spot it from the city centre. Other sights of interest are the Lyngen Church built in 1731 which is the largest wooden building in northern Norway as well as the majestic Arctic Cathedral.
Accommodation: Thon Hotel Polar
Day 06: Tromsø – Alta (400 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. Alta is the biggest city in Finnmark, Norway’s largest and northernmost county. Alta is a modern coastal town with an ancient history from long before the Sami traditions. To experience it we recommend a visit to the Alta Museum which holds more than 2.500 prehistoric rock carvings that have been listed as a UNESCO world heritage site since 1985. The museum is located approximately 5 km south of Alta which makes it a perfect stop on the way from Tromsø (entrance not included).
Accommodation: Thon Hotel Alta
Day 07: Alta – Honningsvåg (210 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure from Alta towards the North Cape. Drive along the Road of the Midnight Sun to Kåfjord where an underwater tunnel will bring you to Honningsvåg. In the evening we recommend an excursion to the North Cape Plateau where you can admire the panoramic view of the open wide expanse of the Arctic Ocean and perhaps have the opportunity to enjoy the Midnight sun.
Accommodation: Scandic Hotel Honningsvåg
Day 08: Honningsvåg – Karasjok (240 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. Drive south over the extensive plains of the Finnmark county towards Karasjok – “the Capital of the Sami People”. We recommend a visit to Sámpi (“the land of the Sami”), a cultural park where you will get an exotic and living experience of the Sami culture, history, traditions and mythology. There are guided tours at the Sami Parliament and at the National Museum for Sami Culture.
Accommodation: Scandic Hotel Karasjok
Day 09: Karasjok – Kautokeino (130 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. Continue towards the interior Sami town Kautokeino, which is the area with the highest density of Sami people living the traditional way with reindeer farming. In Kautokeino we also recommend a visit to Juhls Silvergallery, which is a spectacular building with exhibition of silver artefacts made by local artists who will be your hosts.
Accommodation: Thon Hotel Kautokeino
Day 10: Kautokeino – Kittilä (235 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. From Kautokeino, your tour will continue through the magnificent Lapland, back into Finland.
Accommodation: Hotel Kittila
Day 11: Kittila – Rovaniemi (150 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will continue in Finland as you head back in to the territory of Santa Claus, heading for his “home town” of Rovaniemi. Departure from Rovaniemi according to your own itinerary.
ⓘ To get from the airport to the city center or vice versa, we recommend that you use low-CO2 transport such as trains, trams, airport coaches, shuttles or private transport by electric car.
Terra Nova Scandinavia
Local agency Norway – Terra Nova Scandinavia is specialized in organizing tours in all Scandinavia.
Contact us
Økernveien 94, 0579 Oslo, NO info@terranova.no Office: 00 47 22 94 13 50 Emergency: 00 47 95 14 70 22