This incredible adventure takes you from the frozen waters of the Lulea Archipelago via Abisko - known as Europe's northern lights capital - to Tromso, dubbed the Paris of the North.
Laplands Coast to Coast Aurora Adventure
This epic adventure is available in the winter months of January to March when conditions are perfect for the experiences included. We have carefully selected a range of daytime and northern lights activities so that each day brings something new.
Fantastic daytime experiences include snowmobiling on the ice cap & driving your own dog sled team in a pristine river valley. The nights are filled with a chance of seeing the mystical northern lights!
Another feature of this holiday is the range of inspiring scenery you will encounter. The frozen seas of the Lulea Archipelago, the mountains of Abisko and the majestic beauty of Norwegian Lapland collectively etch a lasting image in the memory.
Additionally you would be one of only a few who could say they have been from one coast of Lapland to the other on a journey of great contrasts.
Overview
Highlights
- 7 Night Wilderness Journey combining Sweden’s Lulea Archipelago, Abisko & Norway’s ‘ Paris of the North’ Tromso.
- Snowmobile adventure to the pack ice of the frozen seas of the Lulea Archipelago
- Train Trip across the Arctic Circle in Swedish Lapland
- 2 Nights at Abisko Mountain Lodge, renowned for its food and hospitality
- Northern Lights Photo workshop in Abisko, widely regarded as one of the best places on earth for consistent sightings of the northern lights
- Private scenic transfer across the border into Norway and to the historic town of Narvik
- Northern Lights chase in Narvik
- Visit the Polar wildlife Park
- Northern Lights cruise in Tromso
What’s included
- 2 nights at Brandon Lodge in a cabin Full Board
- Pack Ice Snowmobile Tour (available end of Feb through to end of March)
- Husky Adventure
- 2 nights at Abisko Mountain Lodge
- Train journey across the Arctic Circle
- Aurora Photo Evening in Abisko National Park
- 1 night at the Scandic Hotel in Narvik
- Aurora hunt with local Sami guide in the mountains behind Narvik
- Visit to the Polar Park
- 2 nights at one of the leading 4-star hotels in Tromso
- Northern Lights Cruise in Tromso
- All transfers, trains, guides and arctic clothing in Swedish Lapland
- 7 breakfasts, 7 dinners and 3 lunches
A note on flights
While flights are not included in the holiday price, our team will happily provide a quote and arrange them for you. Simply ask one of our Travel Experts for details of the available options.
Day by Day Itinerary
Fly to Lulea in Swedish Lapland.
You will be met and transferred to Brändö by owner Goran Widen, where a welcome warming drink will be served around the open fire whilst you kit up with your arctic clothing. Brandon Lodge is on the edge of the Archipelago with unique access for incredible snowmobile trips on the frozen seas in the winter.
Start your northern lights holiday with, hopefully, a full horizon aurora over the frozen Bay of Bothnia. The Luleå Archipelago which has a total of 1300 islands is a unique wilderness environment where the sea around the island freezes up to a metre thick in winter.
Enjoy a wholesome three-course dinner prepared using local ingredients and then relax with a sauna and a session in the outdoor hot tub.
The reason why we only run this trip between January and March is to wait for the Archipelago to freeze so that you are able to do one of the best snowmobile trips in Lapland – a unique 4-hour adventure, on the frozen seas in the Luleå Archipelago! Along the way, Patrick the guide will tell you about the surroundings and about life in the northern wilderness.
Your destination is the island of Brändöskär in the outermost archipelago, an idyllic fishing village dating from the 17th century. From here you can look out over the frozen Bothnian bay with its seemingly endless fields of pack ice and snow. Some years the blue ice piles up into formations about 10 metres high – a mighty experience! Make a lunch stop at Jopikgården on the island of Hindersön before heading back to the lodge.
Return to the lodge and at leisure prior to dinner.
A driver will take you to the train station to catch the train to Abisko on the other side of Swedish Lapland. This journey takes you through one of the last wilderness areas in Europe as you traverse the Arctic Circle.
The journey takes around 4 ½ hours with the train dropping you no more than 100 metres from Mina and Dick’s Abisko Mountain Lodge.
This evening enjoy the fantastic cuisine at Mountain Lodge as you partake in their traditional Lappish menu which includes Reindeer, Arctic Char and Cloudberries – three of the unique ingredients to the area.
The only thing that can interrupt your evening is the Aurora Call. Abisko Mountain Lodge is in a fantastic location for northern lights viewing so if they are out you may be tempted to step out the door and gaze skywards.
Abisko National Park is one of the most scenic locations in Sweden and today offers you the opportunity to be driven ‘Alaskan Trapper’ style by your Musher through this pristine environment. As the dogs joyously pull you through fresh snow trails, enjoy the contrasting beauty of Lake Tornetrask on one side, which totally freezes in winter, and the mountains shielding the National Park on the other. A truly spectacular way to spend a few hours!
Lunch will be enjoyed back at the lodge.
There might be time to squeeze in a short walk in the park. Abisko is sandwiched between mountains and lakes and a day exploring on foot with a lunch stop at the tourist centre is a good way of discovering these beautiful arctic landscapes. The canyon is a great place to witness frozen waterfalls locked in winter’s embrace.
Enjoy the lodge breakfast before transferring to Norway! Follow the famous iron ore railroad with beautiful mountain vistas, frozen waterfalls and stunning arctic valleys.
Once you cross into Norway enjoy the magnificent views and try to take photos before continuing up and over Björnfjell – a stunning Norwegian mountain dotted with small grass roofed cottages. Meander down the mountain, where small birch trees give way to large evergreens and dramatic mountains fall steeply down to the Norwegian Fjord.
You will be dropped at the Scandic Hotel. Check in and spend the afternoon at leisure. You have entrance to the newly built Peace Museum included. This state of the art facility offers a glimpse of what life looked like in these majestic fjords during the Second World War Nazi occupation. In the evening there is the option to add on a Northern Lights excursion to maximise your chances or you can opt to stay at the hotel and have a restful evening.
After breakfast catch the morning bus to Tromso. The bus breaks its journey at the only Polar Wildlife Park in Lapland. Arrive at the Polar Park late morning. Spend two hours at the park. Besides having a complete range of arctic animals from moose to lynx, brown bears to musk – the most famous and thrilling experience is getting up close to the resident pack of wolves!
Arrive in Tromso early evening – the bus will drop you near to your hotel. Settle in and enjoy a 3-course dinner in the hotel restaurant before exploring the nightlife and bars in Tromso, known as the Paris of the North.
Tromso is picturesquely situated between the sea and the fjord lands behind. There are a number of sites worth seeing in town.
Today we give you the option to explore the bits of the town that match your interests or alternatively take up the optional extra of a whale safari.
Tromsø has long been an important base for many polar expeditions and the Polar Museum exhibits and presents this polar seafaring tradition. At the museum you will meet men, women, ships and equipment that were essential for life on the sea and in the Arctic.
Take time out to have some lunch on the quayside before visiting the impressive Arctic Cathedral and the Mack Brewery, the most northerly brewery in the world! There is a fine collection of beers on tap and an interesting heritage to discover.
Tonight finish your amazing northern lights holiday with a sea-based northern lights hunt in a luxury catamaran. Set sail from the jetty outside your hotel into the fjords around Tromso in search of the Northern Lights. The thrill of being in the Arctic sea with the panoramic views of Tromsø and the surrounding islands, mountains, and fjords, offers one of the best locations to witness the northern lights. There are also the reflections, which for the avid photographer adds another dimension!
After breakfast you will have the opportunity to relax before catching your transfer to the airport and making your way back home. If you want to extend your stay with a visit to Norway’s capital or explore further along the Norwegian fjords then ask one of the team who will be able to assist.
Where You'll Stay
Abisko Mountain Lodge
Right in the small hamlet of Abisko, world renowned for the Northern Lights, lies a small welcoming Lodge run by our good friends Mina and Dick Johansson. Dick is one of the most qualified mountain guides in Sweden and looks after all the adventure whilst Mina can be described as a Skier, Creative CEO and ray of sunshine who lights up the Lodge.
Abisko Mountain Lodge offers genuine accommodation in an old-fashioned mountain hotel setting. The service is personal and the cuisine is centred on raw ingredients. It is accredited by the Sapmi Slow Food movement, an award which took 4 years to achieve. Chefs are dedicated slow-food addicts and produce wonderful nightly meals!
The 16 standard rooms in the low red ‘Swedish style house’ are all en-suite. Although basic they are warm and cosy. There are no televisions in the rooms as time is spent meeting guests around the bar or in the wonderful lounge area.
Additionally there are 4 new superior rooms added in early 2015. These four rooms are in a separate annexe and are used exclusively by Aurora nights.
Order a coffee or a glass of wine at the bar, read a magazine or spin a yarn about your arctic adventures and the magnificent aurora displays you have seen.
For those wanting to soothe the muscles there is a sauna.
Scandic Ishavshotel Tromso
The Scandic Ishavshotel is on a picturesque waterside location in Tromsø, which is often referred to as the Paris of the North, and offers stunning views of the harbour and city. It is located only 50 metres from the Hurtigruten ferry and 4 minutes from the Polar Museum. It has easy access to the pier where most boating trips depart from.
Almost all rooms at the Scandic Ishavshotel are located at the very end of the quay and provide panoramic views whilst there are excellent Restaurant and Bar facilities.
For a relaxing drink visit the Roast Bar, located right by the water and offering views of the Tromsø Bridge and a famous architectural landmark, the Arctic Cathedral.
Brandon Lodge Lulea Archipelago
This beautifully situated lodge rests at the edge of the Lulea Archipelago with easy access to explore the expanse by boat or snowmobile depending on the season.
Each of the 15 cabins at Brändön Lodge has two bedrooms with 2 single beds in each room. In one room the two single beds can be joined into a double bed on request. The cabin has a bathroom and small kitchen if required. The front of the cabin includes a balcony and all cabins have a view over the sea.
In the main Lodge building is a relaxation lounge, bar and restaurant.
Clarion Edge Tromso
The Clarion Hotel The Edge is a luxurious 4-star property conveniently located near the centre of Tromso. Featuring a sky bar and rooftop terrace on the 11th-floor, this central Tromsø hotel is located at the harbour, overlooking Tromsø Sound and the Arctic Cathedral.
Local tourist attractions such as Art Museum of Northern Norway, Tromso Cathedral (Tromso Domkirke) and City Centre Tromso are not far from the hotel. Also easily within reach are Mack Brewery, Polar Museum and Polaria
Contemporary furnishings are featured in all rooms as well as a large flat-screen TV and desk. The bathrooms include a shower and hairdryer.
Kitchen & Table by Marcus Samuelsson restaurant serves New York-style dishes made from local ingredients. There is also a fitness centre for guests to use.
Enquire Now
Please fill out the enquiry form below to receive a quote for this package.
"*" indicates required fields
See what our clients say
Dear Abigail, We have safely returned from Iceland and we wanted to say a huge and sincere thank you for all the plans that you put into place to make this one of the most memorable holidays we have ever had. It was simply beautiful each and every day. The cabin was idyllic and so cosy and warm. The tour guides were so knowledgeable and friendly and the scenery was breathtaking. All the arrangements worked so well and we will remember the trip for a long time to come.
Thank you once again.
We had the most fabulous time and everything worked like clockwork. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and extremely competent. The food was excellent and the experiences, especially Husky Homes, were brilliant. We saw the aurora lights at the mountain top in Abisko where the photography tour will be an enduring memory of a wonderful time. I would very much recommend Weekend a la Carte as a proficient tour operator.
We did the aurora nights break and had a great time overall. Everything related to flights, hire car, and hotels ran smoothly. There were a few issues largely relating to the weather and driving conditions (we travelled in mid March), but what we did manage to do was amazing.
The blue lagoon was easy to access from the airport and was a brilliant experience. We booked the standard package and it came with a free drink and face mask. Facilities were clean and organised with free toiletries in the shower rooms, which helps if you’ve gone there straight from the airport.
The drive to Hotel Ranga afterwards was long but fine (check out the road on google streetview to know what to expect). The hotel and staff were great. We were limited to one option as vegetarians on the bar and a la carte menus, but the food was lovely and if you are a meat eater you will see options of unusual dishes like puffin and reindeer.
Our northern lights super jeep trip was cancelled on both nights due to a poor forecast, but we were lucky enough to get an aurora wake up call from Hotel Ranga the first night. We couldn’t use the hottubs as there are only a few and they were always taken in the limited time we spent at the hotel, so don’t go expecting to get lots of time in one and you won’t be disappointed. View them as an add on if you can time it right. We were travelling with an 11 year old, so we didn’t stay up really late. If you are a couple you probably have a better chance of getting one later on.
The glacier/volcano super jeep trip was outstanding. Our driver, Íbí was excellent. She went above and beyond and gave us such an awesome experience. We were also super lucky with the weather the first two days and had great views across Iceland.
The ice cave tour was also incredible and the guides running it were excellent. The group size was much bigger than expected (especially after the more exclusive volcano super jeep tour), but it was broken down into smaller groups that were managed well, with plenty of time factored in for photographs. There were several unexplained delays getting to the cave during the tour that meant we weren’t able to ‘mini tour’ the rest of the South Coast afterwards, so if you plan to do the ice cave don’t overplan for the afternoon as you may not have much time. Not a huge disappointment for us as we got to experience the cave, but I imagine someone who planned a full itinerary afterwards might be frustrated by the estamiated timings not always being right and subject to change with the weather (which was wicked that day).
Driving around Reykjavik was a horrible experience as we arrived around rush hour and weren’t prepared for all the traffic, having only experienced quiet roads along the south coast. It was difficult finding a parking space, so be prepared to drive around a little when you arrive. If you haven’t driven on the right before and are not a confident driver this could leave you feeling stressed. Again, check out the roads into Reykjavik on Google maps to get a sense of what awaits if you aren’t used to self-driving.
We didn’t get to tour the golden circle because of road conditions/ice/road closures, so we spent the day in Reykjavik instead. This turned out okay for us as we did some of the attractions (Lava Centre and Fly Over Iceland – both hughly recommended), but it ended up being an extra expense and we missed out on the golden attractions. Again, not a big issue if you are aware this could happen. The weather is so changeable that having a plan B is a good approach.
Weekend a la Carte sent us a text warning us about the bad weather conditions, which we’d already seen on the Safe Iceland app, but we were grateful for anyway. It was good to know they were looking out for us!
All in all, a remarkable trip, with some unique experiences. If you book this in the knowledge that nature will have her own way, and you may not see everything you want (especially in winter), you will have a great time. Ranga is definitely the best place to maximise your chances of seeing the lights.
Thoroughly enjoyed the trip. The Abisko Mountain Lodge was fantastic, every member of staff was friendly welcoming and charming. Accommodation, upgraded room was excellent. The food in the lodge definitely deserves the high reviews. Good breakfast, great hime made lunch soups and extremely tasty evening dinners.
The included trips were great. The only let down was the camera night, couldn’t see the lights no one fault, but we were walked through thigh high snow to be left on a frozen lake for the duration of the trip. There was no warning of the difficult walk and we had a 91 year old with us and I have hip problems! That said the guide was great, as were the ones on the skimobile and husky rides. We went up to the sky station in a snow storm with high winds, added to the experience!
Would go back in a heart beat.
We had little communication with Weekend a la carte, no need as all communications were clear and contained all the information we needed. Very informative emails
Would use again if going back
We had five fantastic days in beautiful Iceland, as we had never been before Aurora Nights helped with everything and made the holiday so easy and stress free. We stayed at Hotel Ranga which was amazing, we very much enjoyed the tours and the guides were brilliant, very knowledgable and friendly. We will certainly be returning to Iceland and wouldn’t hesitate to book through Aurora Nights again, special thanks to Abigail as her experience and reccommendations made the trip even better.
Superb holiday to Iceland, well organised, advice regarding trips informative and far exceeded our expectations (Glaciers and ice Cave) run by South Coast. Hotel Ranga is a lovely hotel, perfect to see Northern Lights (which we did see on our 3rd night), very comfortable, food excellent, staff helpful and informative. SouthCoast Adventure tour company were excellent, guides knowledgeable, and clearly very experienced.
A well organised trip which was tailored to our specific requests. The arrangements all ran perfectly and any queries prior to the holiday were handled very quickly and professionally. The standard of accommodation and organised tours was very high. I would use this company again and recommend them.
Thank you for arranging a fabulous holiday, we had a really enjoyable time and would love to return in the future. Hotel Ranga is a lovely place to stay and the owner greeted guests in the restaurant, which was an unexpected welcoming touch. We didn’t see the Northern Lights due to the weather and the trip to the Eyjafjallajokull glacier and volcano was substituted by an excursion to Thorsmork, also due to the weather, which we thoroughly enjoyed; the brochure description doesn’t do it justice. We found Iceland and the people there really charismatic. Although the wind and snow cut short the amount of travelling we could do, we still covered a reasonable amount of what we wanted to see and our appetites are whetted for a return, perhaps in Spring or Summer. We found a couple of great places to eat near the Hotel in Reykjavik. Messin does tasty fish dishes and the Icelandic Street Food restaurant was excellent, offering simple but hearty soups with refills included in the price – great value.