10-day Itinerary Scandinavia Winter 2017 Draft, version

Transcription

1 Discover the Nordic Winter in Scandinavia - a fantastic tour for body and soul! 10-day Itinerary Scandinavia Winter 2017 Draft, version Tour overview The Nordic countries Experience the North of Europe, with fascinating landscapes, clean and interesting cities! This tour gives you a good chance to see the Aurora, the Northern Lights. You will also experience winter - real winter! You will visit some of Scandinavia s cities and their wealth of museums, nice architecture, restaurants and shops. You will also meet the Sami people - the indigenous people of the North. Their culture is the oldest culture in the vast area of Northern Norway-Sweden- Finland and it s currently experiencing a renaissance. Page 1 (8)

2 Viking ship museum, Oslo Tromsø shopping street M/S Polstjerna museum, Tromsø Bonfire under the Northern Lights Page 2 (8) Day 1 - Oslo Arrival to Oslo at lunchtime. Due to travelling through the different time zones you will win some hours in the calendar. Maybe arriving on the same date as your departure from Jakarta! The capital of Norway sits on the country s Southern coast at the head of the Oslofjord, and is known for its lively and pleasant city centre, clean open spaces and its museums. Many of these are on the Bygdøy peninsula, including the Norwegian Maritime Museum, the Viking Ships (ships from the 10th century), and the Norsk Folkemuseum, with artifacts from Sami and Viking cultures. Strolling around the city. We would suggest one of the above city attractions, if not too tired after your long flight. Tip: Don t go to bed too early on this 1st day! Waiting until ca 8 p.m. will likely help to get over your jet lag and set your inner clock right! Prepare for next day s flight to Tromsø (your flight is in the afternoon). Dinner (not included in your tour) and overnight in Oslo. Day 2 - Flight to Tromsø Breakfast and check-out, but leave your luggage at the hotel. Visit one of the city attractions (Vigeland s sculpture Park, Troll Museum, Viking Ship, Fram or Ra II). Transfer to Oslo airport Gardermoen by taxi, arranged by the hotel. (Not included in your tour). Late afternoon: Flight to Tromsø, ca 2 hrs. Arrival to the city of the Arctic, in darkness. Up here, you are only kms from the North Pole! But this city far above the Arctic Circle can offer so much more. At this time of year, there is only real daylight between ca 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. There are long periods of greyish twilight, in both morning and afternoon, so it s not completely dark. Transfer to city centre (not included) and check-in to a good hotel in a central location. Strolling around the city centre. Dinner in a local restaurant (not included in your tour) and overnight in Tromsø. Optional: Evening boat cruise in Tromsø waters. Nice views! Even a chance to see the Aurora if you are lucky. Day 3 - Tromsø Activity Day! Breakfast at your hotel. Preparation for the real Northern Lights chasing, in the evening. Daytime: Short city tour. During the excursion to a typical Sami camp you can experience and get information about the daily life of the Sami people, their culture, handicrafts, food and habits. Lunch at the Sami village, alternatively in Tromsø city. Evening activity: Northern Lights chasing tour, by either - Roundtrip by bus, to spots with best Aurora possibilities - Choice of one of several base stations, the one with best conditions Dinner out, probably during your Aurora tour. (If it s a part of the tour, dinner is included in your tour). Prepare for your departure the next day. Overnight at your hotel.

3 Sami camp Sami Village Tromsö boat cruise Bergen in February Bergen view Dog sledge Snowmobile We offer a choice of activities in Tromsø area during your days there. 2-3 of these to be included in your tour: (please see examples on the left) 1. Aurora hunting 2. Snow mobile tour 3. Reindeer, dog or horse sledge ride 4. Ice fishing 5. Arctic boat cruise, possibility to see whales and the Aurora. Day 4 - Tromsø, then to Bergen Breakfast at your hotel. Check-out from hotel, but leave your luggage there. Visit the Tromsø Museum (where you can try to make your own Aurora in a plasma chamber!), the Polar Museum (about the arctic and expeditions), the museum ship M/S Polstjerna (an arctic explorer ship) or maybe the Ice Cathedral, beautifully situated across the large bridge. Transfer from hotel to Tromsø airport in the afternoon. Flight to Bergen, ca 2 hrs direct flight. Transfer to Bergen city centre and your hotel. Check in. Bergen is Norway s second largest city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has the biggest harbour in the country. Stroll around the centre and old harbour of Bergen. It s an attractive city with lots of things to discover. Don t miss the fish market at the inner harbour, and the Bryggen area from Medieval Hanseatic League trade. Distances are quite short, so all the sights above are easy to reach by foot from your hotel. Dinner at a good restaurant, we would recommend fish or seafood. (Not included in your tour). Overnight at your hotel. Day 5 - Discovering Bergen! Breakfast at your hotel. We recommend a tour up with the funicular railway up to the hill and viewpoint of Fløyen, high above Bergen centre. Great views over the city and its harbours - and possibilities for a coffee or lunch break! Other things to see are Old Bergen (NO.: Gamle Bergen ) with old wooden houses, all with similar architecture. Troldhaugen, famous composer Edward Grieg s villa. Or why not go on a short shopping round? There are many shops selling the classical Norwegian handicraft items, like trolls, spoons, wooden items, beautifully knit wool sweaters, or smoked or dried fish! There are also shopping malls, one of them is close to the train station. Dinner in Bergen. (Not included in your tour). Prepare for your departure the following day. Overnight at your hotel. Page 3 (8)

4 Day 6 - Train ride to Norway s Fjord Country! Breakfast at hotel, check-out from hotel. Transfer to Bergen Station, ca 15 mins walk from your hotel. Alternatively, take a taxi (your hotel can help to order it, price not included in your tour). Now, you have a 4-5 hour comfortable train journey ahead, the Oslo Express train taking you away from the comparatively flat (for Norway!) landscape at the coast and up the high plateau of Hardangervidda. Here you will change trains at Myrdal station, a small village and railway junction at ca 860 m.a.s.l. Finse station, Hardangervidda (on Bergen-Oslo railway) Flåmsbana mountain railway Flåmsbana - rated as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. The Flåm Railway is the result of some very admirable railway engineering efforts almost one hundred years ago. The train partly runs in spirallyformed tunnels inside the mountain, and the ride offers spectacular views of the Norwegian mountain landscape. The train also stops at a waterfall, and then continues down the valley to Flåm, situated at the Fjord. The small village with the grand surroundings: Flåm is at the innermost part of the Sognefjord, surrounded by steep mountains, rivers, waterfalls and narrow valleys, and during the spring and summer months there are large cruise ships gliding in through the narrow fjord with their course set for the tiny Flåm Harbour. Dinner at Fretheim Hotel, or alternatively, if you prefer a more rustic Viking-style dinner with beer (if you wish), in Aegir Brewery & Pub. (Not included in your tour). Overnight at Flåm Marina & Apartments or Fretheim Hotel (to be confirmed), with a great view over the Aurlandsfjord! Day 7 - Enjoying Flåm! Breakfast in your apartment (or at hotel). View of Flåm village in February Starting before noon: A minibus tour (included in your tour) will take you for a 2-3 hour ride around the beautiful neighbourhood: Mountains, villages, lakes, serpentine roads, great views and tunnels. The exact route depends on road conditions - it s winter! Maybe a lunch or coffee break on the way? After return to Flåm, exploring this tiny but very spectacular village. Optional: Winter activity, i.e. RIB boat trip through the fjord, snowshoeing. (Not included in your tour). Dinner in Flåm. (Not included in your tour). Preparing for departure next day. Overnight in your apartments. Example of accommodation in Flåm Page 4 (8)

5 Day 8 - Ferry, Bergen and to Stockholm! Breakfast in your apartment (or at hotel), check-out. Fjord in winter Norwegian fjord at the coast View of Old Town, Stockholm Old Town streets, Stockholm Morning: Leaving the beautiful spot of Flåm, and now exploring an even more dramatic landscape. You will go from Flåm to Gudvangen by boat (2 hrs), going through the Naerøyfjord, narrow and with wild mountain peaks on the sides. (The fjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Note: The ferry tour can be skipped if you did the RIB fjord tour on the day before! You will then board the bus close to Flåm. From Gudvangen to Bergen by bus, ca 3 hrs. After a short lunch break in Bergen centre, you go directly to the airport and your afternoon flight to Stockholm. Flight to Stockholm, ca 1½ hours (or ca 3 hrs if no direct flight available). Transfer to your hotel Stockholm in city centre. (Not included). Check-in. Short guided walk in your hotel neighbourhood. Getting to know the area. If time allows: Guided walk through Stockholm Old Town. Dinner (not included in your tour) and overnight in Stockholm. Day 9 - Exploring Stockholm! Breakfast in your hotel. Guided walking tour of Stockholm s Old Town (if not done on the day before). Minibus tour around the city and some of its sights (included in your tour). After the tour, drop-off at the Vasa Museum. This is Scandinavia s most visited attraction, a warship which sank on its maiden voyage in very well preserved! If you wish, we can extend the minibus tour to the Stockholm countryside, Drottningholm Castle and/or a nearby nice and picturesque town: Dalarö, Sigtuna or Waxholm. Farewell Dinner in a good restaurant in Stockholm centre. (Included in your tour *). Prepare and pack for next day s departure. Check transfer to the airport with the hotel. (Included in your tour). Day 10 - Back to Jakarta Breakfast in your hotel, check-out. Time to discover this beautiful city of the North, on your own. Enjoy you final hours in Stockholm before travelling back to South East Asia Maybe the final shopping, coffee break,? Transfer to the airport (taxi). Your flight leaves during the day. Page 5 (8) *) With no or few alcoholic drinks.

6 Please note Stockholm shopping street Stockholm, City on the Water This itinerary is a draft and the details may change when we get closer to your tour. The order of places, sights and the timing can change, depending on opening hours, schedules of flights and availbility of specific activities. Hotels are subject to availability, especially in the smaller villages in Norway s fjord country. Northern Lights. It s important to remember that Aurora can be a bit of a diva, and she will only start the show when she feels the time is right. Patience is a virtue, also when chasing the Northern lights. Also, the lights are of course only visible with a clear sky, or almost clear. This means that there is unfortunately no guarantee of getting to see the Aurora. However, we ll choose activities which have a good statistical record of sighting the Polar Lights. During winter, it is dark at least between 6 pm and 8 am, so you will then have the best chances of spotting the Polar Lights. Also, the concept with either a bus chasing tour or the one of several base camps (where the best one will be chosen) will help to maximise your chances to see the Aurora. Some Google images and maps have been used when preparing this document. Things to manage before your trip Valid passport (valid at least 6 months into the future from the time of travel) Insurance (travel, accident & health) A valid visa for Norway is needed. You need to allow sufficient time for this process. This visa is of Schengen type, which means it s also valid for Sweden (and other Schengen countries ). Ice skaters Countryside, well below the freezing point Page 6 (8)

7 Norway - Sweden Tour: 10 days (9 full days + 2 half-days) & 9 nights All-inclusive package, including most things you will need during the week (except meals) On-your-own travel concept. No personal guide during most of the tour - makes you see, experience and enjoy more! Included in the package Accommodation in good hotels in good locations, with breakfast (exception: Flåm Apartment Hotel) One Farewell Dinner in a good local restaurant in Stockholm Flights, trains, boat & bus trips along the tour within Norway and Sweden (exception: transfers which cannot be organised in advance) A good choice of 2-3 winter activities in Tromsø, including Aurora hunting Additional clothes for the winter activities (however pending availability) 2 city tours in Stockholm, by foot and by minibus, with guide Tickets and entrance fees to major attractions in Bergen, Tromsø, Oslo (?) and Stockholm Local taxes Communication and information via and conference calls (in English) where we also together adapt the tour to the client s wishes General information Confirmation of arrangements to be sent to you in advance, to support your visa applications A more detailed itinerary and general travel information for Scandinavia will be given later, also including maps, timetables and other useful info NOT included (for all tours listed in this document) Additional food & beverages, on top of hotel breakfast Additional personal expenses (hotel telephone, laundry, mini bar etc.) Additional activities and tours, not specified in your itinerary document Winter clothes, except where they are included in the chosen Aurora safari, whale safari tours etc. We d recommend that you bring warm caps (covering most of your ears), warm gloves and warm underwear Insurance Tips to drivers, hotel staff etc. Visa application. Needs to be done by the traveller him/herself Price indication Please note: Invoices are to be paid in SEK (Swedish Kronor). We reserve the right to adjust invoices accordingly, if the exchange rates for NOK/SEK, USD/SEK or USD/NOK are changing more than the usual fluctuation. Exact dates for travel are not yet known. The above price indication assumes that hotel rooms and flight seats are available on the chosen dates and to the costs assumed. An exact price quote can be given after your travel dates are known and flight prices have been confirmed. Your choice of optional activities in for example Tromsø will also slightly affect the pricing. Norwegian coastline Page 7 (8)

8 Atlantic Ocean (Norwegian Sea) Tromsø Lofoten islands Norway Sweden Narvik Satellite view of Tromsø area and Lofoten Islands Satellite view of Myrdal-Flåm area Sognefjord Stegastein Viewpoint Aurlandsfjord Naerøyfjord Aurland Flåm Satellite view of Flåm area and the Aurlandsfjord Torbjorn Halvarsson Djupdalsvagen 67 SE BROMMA Phone: VAT Nbr.: SE Web: Page 8 (8)