Escorted by an award winning travel photographer Ewen Bell, we've designed a sensational adventure into the Arctic snow and ice. We'll have enough daylight to chase reindeer and landscapes under the sun plus deeply dark nights for shooting the Northern Lights. Starting in the Swedish Lapland and finishing in the Lofoten Islands in Northern Norway, this adventure includes reindeer races, traditional markets and some of the most breathtaking scenery Scandinavia has to offer.

This tour is escorted by Ewen Bell. Also accompanying the tour from Luleå to Jokkmokk is Swedish photographer Fredrik Broman. Click here to read biographies..

Countries visited

• Norway
• Sweden

Places visited

• Lofoten
• Svolvær
• Jukkasjärvi
• Kiruna
• Abisko
• Jokkmokk
• Luleå
• Sörbyn
• Reine

Transportation

Private minibus and train

Included In Price

* 13 nights hotel accommodation in shared twin room/cottage with shower/WC
* Scandinavian breakfast every day
* Other meals as listed in itinerary (2 lunches & 9 dinners)
* Local expert photography guide in Sörbyn & Jokkmokk
* Winter photography lecture in Sörbyn
* Dog sledding and snow shoeing in Sörbyn
* Visit to the original ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi including lunch (see important information)
* Sami experience in Abisko
* Local expert advice for excursions in the Lofoten Archipelago
* Transportation in private bus from Luleå to Kiruna and from Narvik to Reine
* Train tickets from Kiruna via Abisko to Narvik
* Ferry tickets from Lofoten to Bodø
* Transfers to and from train station in Abisko, from airport in Luleå and to ferry terminal in Lofoten
* Ewen Bell as tour escort and instructing photographer
* Fredrik Boman photographic instruction Sörbyn and Jokkmokk
* Expert photography advice and workshops

Meals Included

This tour includes 24 meals; 13 breakfasts 1 lunches 10 dinners

Not Included In Price

* Flights
* Meals not specified in the itinerary
* Gratitudes and items of personal nature
* Alcoholic beverages

Important Information

NOTE: ICEHOTEL is a registered trademark and photography at the ICEHOTEL is subject to the photography policies set out by the ICEHOTEL. These are available on request.

Day 1: Arrive Luleå

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On arrival in Luleå a transfer is provided from Luleå Airport for flight SK 12 arriving at 16:30. We make a short drive to Sörbyn where we check into our cabins. Upon arrival at Sörbyn you will meet your tour escort, Ewen Bell, for a tour briefing and a 3 course Swedish welcome meal served at 20:00.

There are daily flights with Scandinavian Airlines from Stockholm to Luleå with connections from most international destinations. However, we recommend that you arrive with SK12 at 16:30. Should you arrive with a different flight please advise us and we will assist you getting to the starting point at Sörbyn by other means.

Accommodation

Sörbyn Cabins

Meals Included

1 x Dinners

Day 2: Winter photography lecture in Sörbyn

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In the morning we are joined by Fredrik Broman - one of the local photographers in this northern region of Sweden. Fredrik is a well know local photographer living and working in Sörbyn. He will guide us through the joys of winter photography so you know the tricks before you set off.

During the day we will have a chance to try dog sledding guided by one of the local dog mushers in town. Fredrik will also take us on a snowshoeing adventure with a picnic lunch out in the wild.

Accommodation

Sörbyn Cabins

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 3: Travel to Jokkmokk

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Today’s bus trip goes across the open landscapes of Swedish Lapland northwest toward the village of Jokkmokk. Along the way there are ample opportunities to make photographic stops.

The main reason for visiting Jokkmokk is the annual Winter Market that takes place the first long weekend of February. Jokkmokk's Market has a long history and is considered to have a four hundred-year unbroken tradition. Permanent marketplaces near the Sámi’s winter settlements were established by the Swedish crown at the beginning of the 17th century in all the Sámi Lappish territories on both sides of the Gulf of Bothnia. The purpose was to strengthen the state's control of the population in the north as well as to collect taxes, hold legal court and spread the Word of God. Planning a market in the Lappish territories during the coldest time of the year had several advantages. The Sámi were gathered in their winter settlements in the forest area with winter grazing for their reindeer and the frozen waterways constituted magnificent roads for the merchants, state officials and men of the church.

In Jokkmokk we stay in a local family run bed & breakfast giving us the opportunity to connect with the locals.

In the evening we enjoy a dinner at the Historical Market.

Accommodation

Jokkmokk B&B

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Dinners

Day 4: Jokkmokk Winter Market

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The day is free to make the most of the bustling Winter Market. The highlight of these days are the reindeer races taking place from 2-3 pm. Well-known people, guests from far away and tourist from the audience compete with each other on sleds pulled by reindeer. Every afternoon there is a final race to determine the winner of the day.

In the evening we dine with a Swedish family, and are served a typical Lappish three course meal.

Accommodation

Jokkmokk B&B

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Dinners

Day 5: Travel to Kiruna

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We continue northwest towards the city of Kiruna. The mining town Kiruna is a product of the large rich iron ore body that was found by the Laplanders as early as in the middle of the 17th century. Today Kiruna is a town in the Arctic area, planned and built for the long and cold winters and the short but intensive summers. Kiruna is also the centre of research on the Northern Lights. During the winter period from November to April, the winter sky is often lit up by the amazing Aurora Borealis, with its beautiful and magic colouring and scribblings.

Accommodation

Camp Ripan (or similar)

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Dinners

Day 6: Visit ICEHOTEL and train to Abisko

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After breakfast we catch the morning dusk light and make an excursion to the ICEHOTEL (see important information about photography policy), located in the small village of Jukkasjärvi, some 20 minutes outside Kiruna. The history of Jukkasjärvi goes back to the 17th century when it was a market and meeting place for the Laplanders, settlers and hunters in the area. The name Jukkasjärvi means meeting place.

Imagine a hotel that every year has a new unique look, new architecture, new suites, new lobby, well, everything is new for the year. In the morning we will be taken on a tour of the 60 room ICEHOTEL, built of 2000 tons of crystal clear ice from Torne River and 30,000 tons of snow from our bountiful nature.

We enjoy lunch in the ICEHOTEL restaurant, before we return to Kiruna and board the train. The train ride takes you through the inland winter landscape of northern Sweden along the majestic Torneträsk, the fifth largest lake in Sweden, where we stop at Abisko. Upon arrival we check in and have the afternoon/evening to enjoy the breathtaking winter landscapes around the Torneträsk Lake. A healthy dinner is served in the hotel restaurant.

Accommodation

STF hotel (Abisko fjällstation)

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Dinners

Day 7: Winter landscapes of Abisko

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We have the day at our disposal in Abisko with ample opportunities for winter photography. During the day we also visit the Sami Camp, an exhibition displaying how the Sami lived in the late-19th century. The camp is a reconstruction of a spring and fall residence from a time when the Sami lived as nomads. After a tour around the camp, we gather around the fire in the hut, sip coffee and eat reindeer meat while discussing the Sami culture.

In the afternoon we can enjoy a sauna bath. This involves, among other things, closeness to the four basic elements: earth, air, fire and water. The renovated house down by the Torneträsk has the most wonderful wood heated sauna with views over the lake.

After an evening meal we make a night visit to the Aurora Sky Station. Abisko, in the middle of the auroral zone, is considered to be the best place on earth to see the Aurora Borealis. With its fresh, clear air and its practically permanent cloud-free sky the prerequisites in Abisko are optimal. More or less active northern lights can be seen almost every night, so prepare yourself for a memorable night-time experience.

Inside the Aurora Sky Station, an aurora exhibition emphasizes observing and understanding the northern lights. The observations are made with the help of radio receivers and cameras. A scale model of the solar system helps to better understand the Aurora Borealis. Imagine following the charged particles from the sun into the Earth's atmosphere. Learn how these particles are captured by the magnetic field and driven to the poles. Every night there are guided tours to the universe of Aurora Borealis (northern lights).

Accommodation

STF hotel (Abisko fjällstation)

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Dinners

Day 8: Travel to Lofoten, Norway

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We catch the early morning train from Abisko across the border to Norway and the town of Narvik. In Narvik we meet our Norwegian bus and driver and make the 2 hour drive to Svolvær in the central Lofoten Archipelago. The views along the way are stunning, and you will soon understand why Lofoten is a photographer’s dream. The Lofoten Islands offer some of the most breath-taking scenery in the country with towering, pointed mountain peaks rising majestically from the sea to a height of almost 1000 meters. Many of the island interiors are swathed in emerald greens, and the shorelines are fringed with white sandy beaches.

We arrive in the township of Svolvær in the early afternoon and check into our self contained fisherman’s cottage perched over the water. Accommodation will be twin share. The layout of the cottages is typically; living room with kitchen, 2 bedrooms and a bathroom.

In the afternoon/evening we will be joined by one of the locals to go through the options for our 6 night stay in the Lofoten Archipelago. While here we will make sure you get to all those places that so often feature in the amazing photo collections from Lofoten. We don’t want you to miss anything!

For dinner we have booked a table at Børsen Spiseri, which is attached to the fisherman’s cabin complex and overlooking the harbour, the fish drying racks called ‘hjell’ and the many fishing boats.

Accommodation

Svinøya Rorbuer (Fisherman’s Cottages)

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Dinners

Day 9: Chasing the Light

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In the morning we set off with our minibus to visit some of the hidden secrets of Lofoten. This may be a pristine white sandy beach with towering snow white cliffs as a backdrop, or a tranquil and remote little fishing village. The purpose of the day is to capture as many as possible of those stunning Lofoten moments.

We return back to Svolvær in the early afternoon. Dinner is not included tonight, and as the cottages are equipped with a kitchen we encourage you to get together as a group and try your cooking skills with local ingredients.

Accommodation

Svinøya Rorbuer (Fisherman’s Cottages)

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts

Day 10: Photography workshop in Svolvær

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The day is free in Svolvær. On purpose, and because everyone has different tastes, we have not packed your stay in Lofoten full of pre-arranged activities. The reason being there is simply so much to see and do while in Lofoten and it should be your choice to pick your activities. Our recommended excursions are;

* Cruise along the scenic Trollfjord on the MF Gamle Lofotferga (subject to availability)
* Visit to the impressive Lofotr Viking Museum
* Kayaks provide a fantastic opportunity to explore all of Lofotens small and large islands, islets and reefs
* Join an Ocean rafting trip in a rib boat
* Join a nature wildlife safari
* Join a traditional fishing boat and try your luck
* Just laze around your Rorbu and enjoy the exotic smell of dried cod
* And there is more, but the list would be too long

Accommodation

Svinøya Rorbuer (Fisherman’s Cottages)

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts

Day 11: Travel to Reine

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After breakfast we continue further out into the Lofoten Archipelago to the fishing village of Reine. Here too we will stay in self contained fisherman’s cottages on stilts above the water. Reine is probably the place in Lofoten with the most well known scenery, as it is ringed by steep cliffs rising some 800 to 900 metres above sea level.

Similarly to Svolvær, we have 3 nights in Reine and the program will include a day of exploration and a day of leisure.

In the evening we have organised a welcome dinner at one of the cosy local restaurants.

Accommodation

Reine Rorbuer (Fisherman’s Cottages)

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Dinners

Day 12: Visit Å & Nusfjord

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In the morning we travel even further west to the town with the worlds shortest name; Å. Å is situated on the very end of the string of islands that make up the Lofoten Archipelago. This is also a fishing village, and the views out towards the Norwegian Sea are breathtaking, and in fine weather you will be able to spot the remote islands of Væroy and Røst.

We also stop at the village of Nusfjord, which lies hidden in a small sheltered bay only accessible by road through a narrow gorge, or by boat from the sea. We return to our accommodation at Reine in the early afternoon.

Accommodation

Reine Rorbuer (Fisherman’s Cottages)

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts

Day 13: Spectacular Reine

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Our last day in Lofoten is a free day, enabling you to catch up on those activities you still want to experience, or get to the places you haven’t yet seen. Or, it is a day to reflect on the past two weeks of experiences, sort photographs and prepare for the trip home.

In the evening we have included a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Accommodation

Reine Rorbuer (Fisherman’s Cottages)

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Dinners

Day 14: Trip ends in Bodø

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After breakfast we make a short bus trip to Moskenes where we board the local ferry taking us to Bodø, the main town in the province of Nordland. The tour ends upon arrival in Bodø.

There are daily flights with Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian from Bodø to Oslo connecting to most international destinations.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts