Day 1 - Bergen
The voyage begins in Bergen during the afternoon, so enjoy the day in this international city filled with small-town charm, surrounded by seven impressive mountains. Stroll through the picturesque streets of Bergen and enjoy well-known sites like Håkon’s Hall and Rosenkrantz Tower, St. Mary’s Church, Bergen Harbour and the famous fish market. Bergen was founded in 1070, and we recommend a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage listed houses of “Bryggen” (the wharf).
Day 2 - Flåm, Nærøyfjorden and Gudvangen
Beautiful Flåm is found in the innermost corner of the Aurlandsfjord, a tributary of the 204km long and up to 1308m deep Sognefjord. Surrounded by steep mountainsides, roaring waterfalls and deep valleys, Flåm is a paradise for anyone looking for a one-of-a-kind nature experience. We strongly recommend you ride the Flåm Railway - an incredible train journey from the mountain station at Myrdal, down to Flåm station in Aurlandsfjord. This trip takes you through some of Norway's wildest and most magnificent scenery. Alternatively we suggest a wander on your own through the village of Flåm.
We then sail towards Gudvangen in Nærøyfjorden, where we will enjoy the steep mountains covered with snow, wild waterfalls and charming landscape with tiny farms clinging to the slopes. The fjord is 17 kilometres long and only 250m wide at its narrowest point. Nærøyfjorden, together with Geirangerfjord, has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2005.
Day 3 - Geirangerfjord and Ålesund
The Geiranger Fjord is known as the most beautiful fjord in the world. The scenery here will leave you breathless, with several impressive waterfalls, including ‘The Seven Sisters’ and ‘The Bridal Veil’, and a series of abandoned historical farms. Ålesund is a colourful and picturesque coastal town that is renowned for its charming Art Nouveau architecture. After a devastating fire in 1904, the town was rebuilt in the ornate construction style that was fashionable at that time, Art Nouveau, and is filled with a myriad of turrets, spires and highly detailed ornamentation. We dock at the harbour, and you can either visit Ålesund on your own, or join a guided tour.
Day 4 - Trondheim
Trondheim holds a special place in Norwegian history and culture. It was the first capital of Norway, and is to this day the chosen location for the coronation of Norwegian monarchs. Today Trondheim is a modern city, and a centre for knowledge with a highly respected university, many popular colleges and a research community ranking among the foremost in Europe. The well-known and truly impressive cathedral Nidarosdomen is just one of the many sights you should visit in Trondheim.
Day 5 - Reine and Svolvær
Beautiful Reine is the first place we will visit in Lofoten. We will sail slowly in order to truly appreciate this spectacular area. Reine is a traditional fishing village in the municipality of Moskenes, at the western end of the series of roads and bridges connecting the Lofoten islands. We see the 100 km long Lofoten Wall rising from the sea; a seemingly solid, jagged mountain range, which shelters the many fishing stations, including Stamsund and Svolvær, from the sea and wind. After Svolvær we head north towards the beautiful Trollfjorden and the Vesterålen region. In addition to its dramatic geography, Trollfjorden is also well known due to the battle between fishermen using the new steamboats and those still using the traditional boats (rowing and sailing boats), which took place in 1890. Trollfjorden is located on the west side of Raftsundet, between the districts of Vesterålen and Lofoten. The fjord is 2 km long and only 100 metres wide at its mouth, with a maximum depth of 62 metres.
Day 6 - Bjarkøy and Tromsø
We arrive at Bjarkøy, just outside Harstad. This municipality consists of 365 islands, each of them unique. The nature varies from great mountains to hills, woods and bare rock faces and in the summer you can enjoy one of the beautiful white sandy beaches. At the northern side of Bjarkøy we find the bird cliffs known as Krykkjeberg. Up to 10.000 birds nest here, and we will cross the strait to experience the teeming bird life up close. The Gateway to the Arctic, famous for its winter auroras, has two months of Midnight sun per year and boasts a lively, colourful city centre, surrounded by the picturesque Lyngen Alps, deep blue fjords and hundreds of islands, is a welcome surprise a mere 2000km from the North Pole.
Day 7 and 8 - Honningsvåg and at sea
Honningsvåg calls itself the northernmost city in Norway, situated at 70°58’ north on ‘Magerøya’. The Nordkapp municipality covers 924 km² of harsh yet beautiful coastal landscape. On the island you find Europe’s northernmost point, and the well-known ‘North Cape’, which rises to a majestic 308 meters above the Barents Sea. North Cape has always been an important navigational landmark for sailors in the northern areas and a favourite destination for people from around the world.
We will sail around the cape and leave the Norwegian coast, heading North for Svalbard. The voyage to Svalbard will take approximately 2 days, and during this trip our on board experts hold interesting talks about polar history and the flora and fauna waiting for us on the archipelago.
Day 9 - Barentsburg and Longyearbyen
We will stop at the port in the Russian settlement of Barentsburg, where you can visit the Pomor Museum (optional) and also enjoy a lively folklore show. After this visit we will continue towards the Norwegian settlement Longyearbyen, often referred to as the capital of Svalbard. Here you will find all the amenities of a small modern town, beautifully situated in the fantastic Arctic landscape. The history of Longyearbyen is filled with a tradition of coal mining, and remnants from the early mining ventures can be seen everywhere. The award winning Svalbard Museum in Longyearbyen is a highlight in the town. An optional guided sightseeing tour including visits the many interesting sights in Longyearbyen, will be available to buy.
Day 10 - Magdalenefjord and Moffen
Known by the locals as the North West Corner, this area, scattered with islands, fjords and beaches, has a long history of exploration. When Willem Barentsz discovered Svalbard in 1596, this was where he had his first sight of land. The name he gave to this new land was Spitzbergen, reflecting the sharp and steep mountains in the area. Magdalenefjorden is one of the beautiful fjords in this area that we will aim to visit. Here you’ll experience a very significant cultural site; a whaling station from the 16th century, including a graveyard for the whalers who died during the early “whale oil adventures”.
Day 11 - Ny Ålesund
At 78º 55' N, Ny-Ålesund is one of the world’s northernmost year-round communities. Previously a Coal mining community, Ny-Ålesund is now an advanced High Arctic research station. In the age of early polar exploration Ny-Ålesund was the starting point for numerous expeditions towards the North Pole. Names like Amundsen, Ellsworth and Nobile are strongly linked to this place and you can still see the mast that the airship "Norge" was moored to before her departure on the first ever transpolar flight. A number of countries run their own national research stations here, and there is a lot of activity here in the summer.
Day 12 - Longyearbyen
The cruise concludes when we arrive in Longyearbyen during the morning. Time to say goodbye and return home with heads and cameras filled with fantastic memories. For guests brought flight tickets for departure this day, transfer is included.