$7977—19-day Finland & Norway small-group tour—Save 40%

Winter in the far north feels like another world. Days are short and golden, and the nights belong to the Northern Lights. This 19-day journey crosses Finland and Norway, and every stage is packed with experiences. Board a sleeper train in Helsinki and wake up in Lapland. On winter departures, an icebreaker carves a path through the frozen Gulf of Bothnia. Pull on a survival suit and float among the ice floes. Santa Claus Village waits in Rovaniemi, right on the Arctic Circle. Near Saariselkä, husky teams race through snow-hushed forest. After dark, the Northern Lights may dance above your glass-roofed cabin. Once you cross into Norway, the landscape grows wilder still. Toast the top of Europe with sparkling wine at the North Cape. Ancient rock carvings in Alta tell stories thousands of years old. Beyond the Lyngen Alps and Tromsø, the Vesterålen and Lofoten islands rise from the sea. Red fishing cabins huddle beneath jagged, snow-capped peaks. Then the journey turns south, saving the fjords for last. From Oslo, the Bergen and Flåm railways climb into dramatic mountain scenery. A cruise along the narrow Nærøyfjord carries you on to Bergen. Its colourful Bryggen wharf makes the perfect final scene. Few journeys pack this much winter magic into a single trip.

Starting at just $7977, Travelzoo members enjoy an exclusive 40% off Inspiring Vacations’ usual prices.

What’s included

• 16 nights in 3- and 4-star accommodation
• 1 night on board the overnight Santa Claus Express train from Helsinki to Kemi
• 1 night in a glass-roofed Aurora cabin under Saariselkä’s starry skies
• Breakfast daily and 6 dinners
• One-way flight from Evenes to Oslo
• Small-group tour from Helsinki to Oslo with no more than 24 people
• Independent travel from Oslo to Bergen on the iconic ‘Norway’s Southern Fjords’ itinerary
• All coach, boat and rail transportation
• Sightseeing, including entry fees, as per the itinerary:
  • Guided city tour of Helsinki, Finland’s elegant capital
  • Arctic Icebreaker Cruise, with the chance to swim among the ice in full-body survival suits (autumn departures enjoy a guided boat tour and Arctic Floating instead)
  • SnowExperience365, with intricate snow and ice sculptures
  • Santa Claus Village, where the magic of Christmas comes alive all year round
  • Husky Safari
  • Visit the historic old church in Sodankylä
  • SIIDA Museum, with insights into the culture and history of the Sámi people
  • North Cape, Norway’s northernmost point, with an Inspiring Taste of sparkling wine
  • Alta’s World Heritage Rock Art Centre
  • Northern Lights hunt in Alta
  • Lyngen Alps and Tromsø, the Gateway to the Arctic
  • Norwegian Coastal Express Museum, the birthplace of the famous Hurtigruten voyage
  • Svolvær and Henningsvær, one of Lofoten’s most iconic fishing villages
  • Oslo City Tour
  • Bergen Railway and Flåm Scenic Railway
  • Cruise the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord

When

The featured $7977 price is valid for travel on 14 October 2027. 14 other dates are available from October 2027 to March 2028. These start from an additional $60 per person.

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• Prices shown are before the discount is applied. Use the promo code xx to save 40% off the tour fare
• Click ‘Select’ on your preferred departure date
• Choose your desired room and click ‘Next’
• Add any upgrades or click ‘Next’
• Enter promo code xx in the Gift card/discount code box
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Holiday snapshot

Helsinki - Santa Claus Express - Kemi - Rovaniemi - Sodankylä - Saariselkä - Inari - Karasjok - North Cape - Honningsvåg - Alta - Lyngen Alps - Tromsø - Sortland - Lofoten - Svolvær - Evenes - Oslo - Myrdal - Flåm - Gudvangen - Voss - Bergen

Itinerary highlights

Your journey begins in Helsinki, Finland’s elegant capital, where a welcome dinner introduces you to your fellow travellers. The next day, a guided city tour reveals grand boulevards, harbourside markets and striking Nordic design before you head north.

As evening falls, settle into your sleeper cabin aboard the Santa Claus Express. The overnight train rolls north through forests and frozen lakes, carrying you deep into Lapland while you sleep.

Wake in Kemi, on the shores of a sea that turns solid in winter. Board a genuine icebreaker as it crunches through the frozen surface, then pull on a survival suit and float among the ice. Afterwards, wander among the intricate snow and ice sculptures of SnowExperience365. Autumn departures enjoy a guided boat tour and Arctic Floating instead.

Christmas comes alive year-round in Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland. Cross the Arctic Circle at Santa Claus Village, meet the man himself and send a postcard home with the exclusive Arctic Circle postmark.

A brief stop in Sodankylä reveals its historic old church, a simple timber building that has stood watch over this remote corner of Lapland for centuries.

Excited barks from friendly huskies greet you near Saariselkä. Climb aboard a sled and glide through the silent forest behind your team. Tonight, sleep beneath starry skies in a glass-roofed Aurora cabin and watch for the Northern Lights from your bed.

On the shores of Lake Inari, the SIIDA Museum in Inari offers fascinating insights into the Sámi people. Learn how they have lived alongside the reindeer and the long Arctic seasons for thousands of years.

Cross the border into Norway and arrive in Karasjok, a centre of Sámi culture in the heart of the far north.

Sheer cliffs plunge into the Arctic Ocean at the North Cape, Norway’s northernmost point. Stand at the edge of the continent, gaze out toward the North Pole, and raise a glass of sparkling wine at Europe's northernmost point.

Brightly painted houses line the harbour of Honningsvåg, a fishing town near the North Cape. A free afternoon lets you explore its waterfront at your own pace.

Thousands of ancient rock carvings, made by people who lived here long ago, fill the World Heritage Rock Art Centre in Alta. After dark, head out on an evening drive away from the city lights to hunt for the Northern Lights.

Jagged, snow-capped peaks rise straight from the water in the Lyngen Alps, flanked by the Lyngen Fjord and Ullsfjorden. It’s one of the most dramatic drives in northern Norway.

Known as the Gateway to the Arctic, Tromsø is northern Norway's largest city. A free day lets you explore its lively harbour and striking architecture, or join an optional reindeer sledding, fjord cruise, or aurora dinner cruise.

Set within the Vesterålen archipelago, Sortland is a small coastal town surrounded by sea, mountains and island scenery.

On the way to Lofoten, stop at Stokmarknes, the birthplace of the famous Hurtigruten coastal voyage. Step aboard the retired MS Finnmarken, built in 1956, then cross by ferry as the islands’ jagged peaks come into view.

Charming Svolvær sits in the heart of the Lofoten archipelago, surrounded by mountains that rise straight from the sea. Visit Henningsvær, one of Lofoten’s most iconic fishing villages, spread across a string of small islands.

From Evenes, a short flight carries you south to Norway’s capital, Oslo.

A guided tour of Oslo takes in the capital’s most notable landmarks, from the waterfront to its grand civic buildings. That evening, celebrate the journey so far at a farewell dinner with your group.

The Bergen Railway climbs from the city into high, snow-covered mountains to reach Myrdal, a remote station perched on the mountain plateau. It’s one of Europe’s great rail journeys.

From Myrdal, the Flåm Railway makes a steep, winding descent past waterfalls and deep valleys to Flåm. This small village sits at the head of a fjord, surrounded by towering cliffs.

Cruise the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord, one of the world’s narrowest fjords, to Gudvangen. Sheer mountain walls rise on either side as you glide through the still water.

A scenic drive brings you to Voss, a mountain town set beside a lake, where you board the train for the final leg to Bergen.

Your journey ends in Bergen, Norway’s gateway to the fjords. Wander Bryggen's alleyways, the historic Hanseatic quarter lined with centuries-old wooden buildings. Spend your free day riding the funicular up Mount Fløyen for sweeping views or browsing the bustling fish market.