The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
Trip the light fantastic on a Nordic voyage
For plenty of snow and spectacle, sail to see the aurora borealis, says Sara Macefield
The Northern Lights have lit up winter skies over the Arctic since time immemorial, inspiring Norse myths and Viking legends. Now they draw a growing procession of cruise ships, several of which sail from UK ports to track the elusive spectacle of green and pink hues swirling through the stratosphere.
This natural phenomenon is the focus of winter voyages that hug Norway’s coastline, attracting those keen to explore the wild, rugged appeal of remote settlements where adrenaline and adventure go hand in hand.
Racing across frozen lakes on snowmobiles and speeding through a winter wonderland on sleds pulled by howling huskies is the stuff of travel dreams. So even if night-time skies stay stubbornly dark, there is still an abundance of natural thrills to go around.
Cruising is a great way to travel at this time of year. Here are 10 of the best Northern Lights sailings you can enjoy over the dark winter months.
SHOW GUARANTEED
(OR A FREE CRUISE)
This winter marks Hurtigruten’s first season of Northern Lights sailings from Dover and the Norwegian line is so confident you will see the spectacle on selected sailings that it guarantees a free voyage as part of its Northern Lights Promise if they don’t appear. The cruise on MS Maud sails deep into the Arctic Circle to Norway’s North Cape, Europe’s northernmost point, on an itinerary filled with guided walks, whale-watching and kayaking trips. The 14-night round-trip North Cape voyage from Dover costs from £2,999pp (020 3603 7112; hurtigruten. co.uk). Departs October to March
BOND BUFFS AND
RAILWAY RIDERS
A snowscape of ivory mountains and dark brooding fjords forms a spectacular backdrop to Norway’s historic Ofoten Railway. The tracks lead from Narvik through sites linked to Second World War battles. You can ride the route during a Norwegian coastal sailing with Saga Cruises, or follow in the footsteps of James Bond at the Atlantic Road near Kristiansund, whose dramatic twists and turns made it one of the scenic stars of the franchise’s latest release No Time to Die.
The 17-night Under the Glow of the Northern Lights round-trip voyage from Southampton costs from £3,936pp (0808 258 2966; travel.saga.co.uk). Departs Feb 5
BATTERY-POWERED LIGHTS
Speeding over the North Cape Plateau close to the Russian border on a snowmobile and riding through the Arctic wilderness on a sled pulled by huskies are thrills offered by new Norwegian coastal line Havila Voyages, which is due to start sailing year-round between Bergen and Kirkenes from December. Its four battery-powered ships promise to be the most environmentally-friendly on this route and a slice of Norwegian style can be found onboard with local cuisine – plus a chance to spot the Northern Lights from the ship’s hot tub.
An 11-night return voyage from
Bergen to Kirkenes costs from £942pp (03455 280026; havilavoyages.com). Departs Feb 11
SUPER-SLEUTH SPOTTERS
You can track down the Northern Lights from a camp in a former slate quarry near Alta in northern Norway. Guests on this Fred Olsen cruise can ward off the teeth-chattering temperatures around a welcoming roaring fire in a lavvu (tent) during an evening of talks and activities, with the ultimate (and unpredictable) prize being the appearance of the aurora. Reindeer rides and dog-sled treks offer further light-spotting potential – as does a fishing trip in Tromso. The 16-night In Search of the Aurora Borealis round-trip from Liverpool includes Alesund and Trondheim. From £1,399pp (0800 787 0257; fredolsen cruises.com); departs Nov 16
SAMI AND SNOWMOBILES
The culture of Norway’s indigenous Sami people comes alive on this Viking
Cruises voyage to Norway at a tribal shaman ceremony that lifts the curtain on the Sami way of life during a camp visit. Alternatively, take a snowmobiledriven sleigh into the mountains near Narvik to join a family of nomadic reindeer-herders in their traditional lavvu for a fireside meal or sample the life of a dog-musher in Tromso with an overnight stay in a husky lodge.
The 12-night In Search of the Northern Lights sailings between Tilbury and Bergen costs from £3,690pp including a one-way flight (0800 458 6900; viking cruises.co.uk). Departs January to March
FOLLOW THE FISH
Sail into tucked-away fjords and tiny islands along Norway’s jagged northern coastline aboard former herring lugger
Rembrandt van Rijn to spot whales by day and the aurora borealis by night. The three-masted schooner, which takes around 30 passengers, amends its route to track giant schools of herring, which in turn attract feeding orcas and humpback whales. The ship takes a southerly route to Andenes to maximise the chance of spotting other cetaceans. A one-week round-trip sailing from Tromso costs from £1,886pp (01432 507280; small-cruise-ships.com). Departs November to January
IMMERSED IN ICE
Tick off two once-in-a-lifetime experiences on a Northern Lights exploration with Best Served Scandinavia, staying in an ice-carved room at the Kirkenes Snowhotel in Norway’s far north. Here, snow yoga (helped by thermal clothing and snuggly reindeer rugs) helps channel your inner peace against freezing temperatures. Preceding this is a twonight voyage from Tromso on Norwegian line Havila Voyages, where guests can give ice-fishing a go.
A four-night mini-break, comprising an overnight stay in Tromso, two nights at sea and a night at Kirkenes Snowhotel, costs from £1,235pp (020 8125 3183; best-served.co.uk). Departs January and February
HERITAGE HIGHLIGHTS
Stride along the art nouveau streets of Alesund – rebuilt in 1904 after being destroyed by fire and considered to be Norway’s prettiest town – on this Jules Verne holiday. It features a Hurtigruten Norwegian coastal voyage that also visits the world’s most northerly medieval cathedral in Trondheim and the “Arctic capital” of Tromso, where a walking tour makes a refreshing stop in Olhallen, the town’s oldest pub.
The six-night Voyage to the Northern Lights from Bergen to Kirkenes, with overnight hotel stays in Bergen and Kirkenes, costs from £1,445pp (020 3553 9414; vjv.com), including flights.
Departs Dec 12
LOW KEY, LOW NUMBERS
White-tailed eagles and killer whales are natural stars of this expedition aboard the 20-passenger schooner Noorderlicht, which explores the remote coastline of Norway’s far north deep in the Arctic Circle. Snow-draped mountains make for a breathtaking backdrop to hiking and snow-shoeing expeditions in the Polar twilight, with nights spent anchored in deserted fjords, where the inky-black surroundings are the perfect platform for aurora spotting.
A one-week Whales and Aurora round-trip cruise from Tromso costs from £2,182pp (01737 214250; discoverthe-world.com). Departs January
SOMETHING NEW
If you can wait until next winter, set sail from Tilbury to catch the aurora borealis in the skies over Iceland during the maiden winter season of Ambassador Cruise Line. This voyage on the 1,400passenger Ambience takes in Britain’s northern extremities, with stops in Invergordon in the Highlands and Kirkwall in Orkney, plus an overnight stop in Icelandic capital Reykjavik. The 11-night Iceland’s Land of the Northern Lights round-trip sailing from Tilbury costs from £849pp (0808 102 8039; ambassadorcruiseline.com). Departs March 23, 2023
Prices are cruise-only, unless otherwise stated.
Overseas holidays are currently subject to restrictions. See page 5