Norway Northern Lights & Hiking - Sailing

Your adventure begins in Tromsø, the “Paris of the north”, where after having arrived independently you can spend some time exploring this sub-Arctic Norwegian town before embarking your sailing ship. The evening will be spent on board in Tromsø port, settling in to your cabin, familiarising yourself with your new surroundings, getting to know your new shipmates and attending safety briefings for your time on board.

Early in the morning your ship will set sail out of Tromsø as we begin our exploration of Northern Norway in search of the very best hiking and walking experiences. As with all Arctic and expedition sailings, flexibility throughout will be the key. Each day your captain and experienced crew will decide upon the best course to take based on the weather, sea conditions and availability of landing sites. Our expected route today will be to sail through the Grøtsundet and Ullsfjorden, toward the Nord-Lenangen Fjord. Upon arrival here we will anchor just under the Lyngsfjella, or the Lyngen Alps to spend the night on board. If conditions and sailing times permit you may be able to board the Zodiac boats to reach the coast of the fjord to enjoy a leisurely late afternoon walk.

After a pleasant day of sailing, in the evening the anticipation will build as we wait for news of our chances of witnessing the breathtaking natural phenomenon of the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) and make our way out on to deck with cameras in hand ready for the night skies to put on their fascinating show of light.

Over the course of the next 4 days we will be sailing along the coasts of spectacular northern Norway, with your captain and crew charting the perfect course for exceptional landing sites and hiking opportunities. Each day a 2-3 hour hike will be offered either in the morning, afternoon, or both, with some excursions demanding a full day of hiking. For full-day hikes a packed lunch will be provided and for snowier areas snowshoes will be offered free of charge.

Our expected course will be to sail along the base of the Lyngen Alps, across the Lyngen fjord to reach Hamnnes, on the island of Uløya. Here you can enjoy some good hikes, with snowshoes being required with high probability, and some exploration through this scenic and ancient trade and fishing settlement that dates back to the 17th century.

Other places we expect to visit include the Kvaenangen Fjord, Burfjord, and the Island of Spildra where you can enjoy a climb up the 240-meter-high Staurhammaren which will reward in spectacular elevated views over the fjord.

Each afternoon/evening after an exciting day of sailing and hiking we will find a place to anchor for the night and options for this include the scenic fishing villages of Skjervøy, Seglvik, Reinfjord, or Burfjord. In the evenings, after a tasty dinner on board we will again make our way out on deck in hope of seeing the Northern Lights.

On the evening of day 6 we will have sailed back toward the southwest to anchor off the tiny hamlet of Finnkroken, thought of as one of the best places in Northern Norway to see the Northern Lights. On the morning of day 7 you can enjoy the final hike of your tour. With snowshoes here you can hike to the 315-meter-high Småvasshaugen, a truly exhilarating experience.

Your ship will sail back to Tromsø in the late afternoon, where we will anchor in the harbour to enjoy our final night on board. After breakfast the following morning you will disembark and head to the airport filled with wonderful memories of your unforgettable sailing ship experience.

Various land and air packages are available for transport to and from Tromsø, please enquire for details.