Life
Northern Exposure - Chasing Auroras With Hurtigruten
There are few things more truly magical than the Northern Lights dancing across the sky - and no better way to experience them than with Norway's original cruise line.
Norway is a place of boundless wonder. Fairy-tale coastal villages, evocative landscapes of pristine beauty. A place of rich, time-proven tradition, where the waters of life lap at the shores of a people and culture proud and beautiful.
For over one hundred and thirty years, one company has connected Norway not only to the world, but also to itself, providing an essential link between its communities living along its coast and islands - Hurtigruten, via its Original Coastal Express.
Today, Hurtigruten's Savour the Northern Lights itinerary grants travellers unique insight into this remote, vibrant, and utterly delightful part of the world.
This elevated, premium escorted tour package is Hurtigruten's best-selling offer, a mix of land and sea travel over 14 days, featuring a 7-day north-bound leg from Oslo to Tromso aboard the flagship of the line's newer Signature voyages, the MS Trollfjord, then on to Helsinki over land.
Picture the twinkling lights of Oslo receding into the distance, the promise of greater lights to come alive in each guest's eyes.
A day at sea as Norway's southern coast glides by presents the perfect opportunity to experience Arctic cuisine at its freshest and finest with MS Trollfjord's three restaurants, including Rost - a fine-dining venue with included daily degustation for suite guests - and Brasserie çrran, serving traditional Sami cuisine.
Fjords, waterfalls, mountain goats and the famed Preikestolen (The Pulpit Rock) await en route to your next destination: the beautiful port town of Stavanger, home to Northern Europe's best-preserved collection of wooden houses, and Norway's oldest cathedral, dating from the 12th century.
From there to the peninsula town of Ålesund and its Art Nouveau architecture backgrounded by spectacular mountains; the cosy fishing port of Rørvik on the picturesque Vikna archipelago and its 6000-strong islands, islets and reefs; and then, leaving the Helgeland coast behind, crossing the Arctic Circle.
This leg brings travellers into the home of Hurtigruten itself: Lofoten, one of Norway's most stunning locations. The town of Svolvær is at its heart, and Stokmarknes, where the original Coastal Express was founded. Next stop, Troms, or the gateway to the Arctic, where you may get your first glimpse of the Northern Lights.
EXPLORING A WINTER WONDERLAND
Travelling the next leg of the journey overland in a private first-class coach along the breathtaking Lyngen Fjord, the most tranquil border in the world awaits - as well as a three-hour, three-country adventure through Finland, Sweden and Norway, and the opportunity to once more witness the awe-inspiring Aurora Borealis via snowmobile.
Next morning, you'll go from snow mobiles to husky sleds for a sleigh ride through Lapland's enchanting forests. The day after, you'll be boarding an icebreaker for Kemi, where the Glass Villas of the Experience 365 winter resort offer panoramic night views of a white wonderland.
By the time you arrive in Finland and your journey's end, you'll have been witness to the kind of rare, life-changing sights that define Hurtigruten's most popular experience. Even if the Northern Lights prove reclusive on your trip, Hurtigruten offers the Northern Lights Promise: if the aurora doesn't occur during your tour, you'll receive a complimentary 6- or 7-day voyage.
It's another marker of Hurtigruten's ethos, of showcasing its country of origin, its home, in unique fashion. Natural beauty. Spectacular excursions. World-class flavours and new friends to be made. All this and more awaits aboard MS Trollfjord - a cruise experience for those seeking the real magic the world has to offer.
Discover the Northern Lights with Hurtigruten's 2026/2027 season - speak with your travel agent or a Hurtigruten advisor today on 1300 156 371, or visit hurtigruten.com for more details.