The Northern Lights Grand Slam

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1 For Expert Advice Call for Swedish and Norwegian Lapland for Iceland and Greenland A unique occasion deserves a unique experience. The Northern Lights Grand Slam Break available: December to March 6 Night Break Highlights If you plan to go to Lapland once with the twin objectives of experiencing as much as you can along with maximising your chances of seeing the northern lights then this break is for you! We have packed in everything that is great about a break to Lapland with aurora hunting in what is regarded as one of the best regions on earth for consistent sightings. Your chances of seeing the northern lights on a break of this length are in the region of 90% and even if you are unlucky you will have truly experienced the Best of Lapland! Staying in 2 cosy lodges and the unique Moose Valley wilderness cabins this break is often booked by Special Occasion Clients who plan to go to Lapland and the northern lights once and wish to pack it all into a week. Day by Day Itinerary DAY 1 Fly to Swedish Lapland. BBQ and Aurora Chase page 1/11 5 nights in 2 cosy ' home away from home' lodges 1 night in wilderness cabin with private hot tub and chef 3 Nights of Aurora Hunting in Abisko, including Exclusive Photo Evening with Lights over Lapland & Night visit to the Aurora Sky station BBQ and Aurora Photo evening at Máttaráhkká Northern Lights Lodge Fabulous Husky and snowmobile day time adventures Sami culture introduction including drive your own reindeer sled Day exploring Abisko National Park Train trip to the Norwegian Fjords Visit to the original ICEHOTEL

2 Fly to Kiruna, where on arrival, you will be met and transferred to Máttaráhkká Northern Lights Lodge for the first 2 nights of your northern lights holiday. Prior to travel we will have recorded your sizings so that your arctic clothing will be ready for you at check in. Lunch will be waiting ( depending on arrival time) and then at leisure. This evening your northern lights holiday really kicks off as you enjoy an outdoor BBQ overlooking the Arctic Expanse towards Abisko. The position of the lodge provides great views to the horizon and is a great place for witnessing the Northern Lights. The guides will be tracking local aurora activity and have cameras pre-set for capturing the northern lights. Just make sure you have a CD card available to insert in a camera. Hot drinks will be provided but your mission is to try and capture the Northern Lights on film! Meals included: Lunch, Dinner DAY 2 Wilderness Snowmobile Safari. Aurora Hot Tub Dinner After breakfast walk straight out your front door to join our knowledgeable and friendly guides on a snowmobile trek through part of Europe s last untouched wilderness areas. Follow the trails up to the mountains to marvel at the breath-taking views over pristine arctic landscapes towards Kebnekaise, Sweden s tallest mountain. From your vantage point, enjoy a steamy cup of lingonberry juice to warm you up while you survey the vast landscape. Return for a welcome hot lunch served at Máttaráhkká Northern Lights Lodge. An exhilarating experience for those seeking a true adventure. This evening back at the lodge enjoy a 2 course traditional dinner prior to a special experience of a private session in the northern lights hot tub situated on the roof of the lodge. You also have use of the sauna but always be on the look out for the Northern Lights The lodge faces towards the Abisko alps in an elevated position making it a great viewing location! Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner DAY 3 Day Wilderness Sled Dog Adventure. Overnight Gourmet Wilderness Cabin page 2/11

3 After breakfast you will be collected for your Husky Safari. Ylva Sievertsson is one of a select group of accomplished lady kennel owners and husky guides, whose kennel is in Moose Valley about a 30 minute drive away. Ylva runs a very personal sled dog experience and she has a very unique relationship with her dogs making it always feel like a privilege to spend time with her. Once you arrive at the kennels get acquainted with the dogs and receive detailed instructions about how to drive a team. Harness the dogs and feel their excitement as you attach the sled. Head out into the frozen river valley where you will have opportunities to take turns in driving the team whilst making stops to take photos. The location is outside the major tourist areas and we can almost promise that you will enjoy pristine arctic nature alone. You will be out for around 2 hours before heading back to base for a warming lunch in the traditional Kota adjacent to the family home. Ylva will then drop you off at Moose Valley cabins where you will be greeted by the owners, Johan and Marlin. Johan is a trained chef and his pride and joy is the Chef s table adjacent to the 2 cabins. This is the smallest restaurant in Sweden with just 2 tables with views over the river valley and a fitted kitchen where Johan will cook and serve your Gourmet evening meal! You can sit outside afterwards around the camp fire and soak up the silence of the Arctic night or jump in the outdoor hot tub and relax with the prospect of a northern lights display flashing above you. Overnight in your private cabin Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner DAY 4 Sami Culture Intro Day. Lappish Dinner at Abisko Mountain Lodge Transfer to the Sámi village of Rávttas, 45 minutes east of Abisko to experience the traditional lifestyle of the Sami people. Hakan Enoksson s family have farmed this land for generations and have maintained the reindeer herding life despite massive changes to the surrounding region. Your experience includes a freshly cooked lunch in a Sami Lavu and a drive your own reindeer sled tour through the surrounding countryside. Transfer to Abisko, one of the most celebrated locations on earth for seeing the northern lights to continue your holiday. Check into Abisko Mountain Lodge. This evening enjoy the fantastic cuisine at Mountain Lodge as you partake in their traditional Lappish menu which includes Reindeer, Arctic Char and Cloudberries 3 of the unique ingredients to the area. The only thing that can interrupt your evening is the Aurora Call. Abisko Mountain Lodge is in a fantastic location for northern lights viewing so if they are out you may be tempted to step out the door and gaze skywards! Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner A la Carte Optional Extras Upgrade to Abisko Mountain Lodge Superior Room page 3/11

4 2015 saw the addition of 4 superior rooms at the Lodge. Housed in a separate annexe across the courtyard these rooms add additional comfort and space. All are en suite and are for exclusive use by our clients. This is a highly recommended upgrade for the marginal increase in cost Cost: 48 per person per night subject to availability DAY 5 Scenic Train Journey to Norwegian Fjords.Evening Aurora Photo Workshop Enjoy the lodge breakfast before a day trip to Norway! Take the train from the station near the lodge and follow the famous iron ore railroad with beautiful mountain vistas, frozen waterfalls and stunning Arctic valleys. Once you cross into Norway enjoy the magnificent views and to take photos before continuing up and over Björnfjell a stunning Norwegian mountain dotted with small grass roofed cottages. Meander down the mountain, where small birch trees give way to large evergreens and dramatic mountains fall steeply down into the Norwegian Fjord. Once in Narvik you will have around 3 hours to explore town before the return trip. You have the opportunity to ascend to the observation deck of the Scandic Hotel and take coffee or lunch ( not included), do some souvenir shopping or visit the newly built Peace Museum. This state of the art facility offers a glimpse of what life looked like in these majestic Fjords during the second World War Nazi occupation. Return to the lodge around 5pm. This evening enjoy the fine menu at Abisko Mountain Lodge prior to joining the Lights Over Lapland Team for their exclusive tour, designed for weekend a la carte s guests providing you an opportunity to see and photograph the aurora borealis in the wilderness of Abisko National Park. You will be supplied with cameras pre set for Aurora photography and spend the evening in Abisko National Park. The photographer is a great story teller and from your base in a Sami Tepee you will venture out in search of the famous lights. Whether you are a Pro or never taken a picture in your life you have a great chance of going home after your northern lights holiday with some beautiful aurora photographs and memories that will last a lifetime! Overnight at Abisko Mountain Lodge. Meals included: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner page 4/11

5 DAY 6 Explore Beautiful Abisko National Park. Aurora Sky Station Experience After breakfast you have a day to explore Abisko National Park. There are spectacular walks or alternatively the team at the lodge can help you with snow shoes or cross country skis! This evening, enjoy the lodge dinner before transferring to the Aurora Sky Station in Abisko to take the 20 minute spectacular chairlift ride to the vantage point overlooking miles of spectacular wilderness and the northern horizon. From this vantage point you have one of the best locations on earth for viewing the Northern Lights. If the aurora are out and lighting up the sky you will no doubt be outside gazing heavenwards in awe of this dazzling phenomenon. We have witnessed aurora displays from this location that have been so beautiful they have reduced people to tears! Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner A la Carte Optional Extras Upgrade to Dinner at the Aurora Sky Station in Abisko This evening rather than having dinner at the Lodge experience the gourmet dinner at the iconic Aurora Sky Station, allowing you an extra 3 hours in the Sky Station. Take the chairlift up Mount Nuolja to the observatory which offers visitors a panoramic view over Lapporten, the Abisko Alps and Tornetrask. Enjoy a delicious three course meal at the sky station prepared using the best local ingredients. Your chances of seeing the aurora are good. Abisko is blessed with many long, dark nights. In addition, there is minimal artificial light. Abisko is situated 250km north of the Arctic Circle and has the most cloud-free sky in Sweden. Price Per Person: 125 per person Timing: 6pm Midnight Includes: Transfers, chairlift pass & exclusive 3 course dinner page 5/11

6 DAY 7 Visit Original ICEHOTEL. Fly Home After Breakfast and prior to dropping you at the airport visit the world famous and original ICEHOTEL. Its Art suites are works of art and additionally there is the Icebar, chapel and the excellent shop to visit. If you fancy staying a night and experiencing this unique hotel then we can arrange this. Alternatively why not consider extending your break by adding in our Aurora Addicts Extension into Norway or another option is to take time out and see Scandinavia s capital city, Stockholm. A la Carte Optional Extras Aurora Addicts Extension into Norway This fantastic 3 night extension to your break enables you to extend your holiday into Norway and visit 2 more dramatic sky station locations. We will manage this bolt on to your itinerary so that it logistically ties in with what you are doing in Abisko. DAY 1 Catch the train from Abisko to Narvik traveling on an historic rail journey with great scenery. In Narvik check into the Grand Hotel. Visit the war museum this afternoon. Tonight enjoy dinner at the Hotel before pick up for a night of Northern Lights hunting. From Narvik town, you will be lifted up to the top of Narvik Fjellet by gondola to a stunning newly renovated lodge to search for Northern Lights alongside an expert Aurora guide. Amazing views over the Fjords and hopefully an aurora display await DAY 2 Catch the bus via the Polar Park to Tromso. The Polar Park is home to many of the indigenous wildlife of the region. Wolves, bears, Moose and lynx are just a few. On arrival in Tromso check into your hotel the Scandic Ishavshotel your base for the next 2 nights. Tonight enjoy dinner at the hotel DAY 3 Explore Tromso, Paris of the North. We include entrance to the Polar Musuem and a visit to the Arctic Cathedral. Tonight finish your holiday with a final northern lights hunt and dinner as you Experience Tromsø s best view! The cable car runs from Solliveien up to the mountain ledge in just four minutes. From the viewing platform and restaurant at the upper station enjoy spectacular panoramic views of Tromsø, surrounding islands, mountains and fjords and hopefully the Northern Lights! DAY 4 At Leisure until flybus transfer to the airport for your flight home. Price: From 795 per person Includes: 3 Nights accommodation with Breakfast, 3 dinners, trains, buses and transfers, 2 sky station experiences as described, entrance to Polar Park and museums in Narvik and Tromso. page 6/11

7 Night in World Famous Ice Hotel Swedish Lapland is home to the original and most dramatic ICEHOTEL. Now in its 27th edition. The hotel has two editions: Permanent ICEHOTEL 365. (open all year) This revolutionary design has allowed visitors from around the world to experience the ICEHOTEL all year round. Through a unique cooling system the designers have built all the features of the original icehotel into this amazing structure. Art suites and deluxe art suites are housed in 365 Temporary ICEHOTEL (open Mid December End March) This hotel is rebuilt from blocks of ice harvested from the Torne river. As the temperature in Jukkasjärvi drops below zero Ice Artists arrive from the world over to build this magnificent creation. They build the 4 levels of rooms, the ice chapel and ice bar. Their art is created with imagination and hard work, only to melt away under the unforgiving rays of the sun come spring. We offer all categories of room from cabins to Art Suites and the new en suite deluxe art suites in ICEHOTEL 365. We will make a reservation in the restuarant for you so you can experience some of the region s best cuisine (a la carte menu paid for locally) From 120 per person bed and breakfast (cabin) 480 per person (deluxe art suite) depending on room choice including arctic clothing in winter and transfers to the airport at the end of your stay. Extension to See Stockholm Scandinavia's Capital City page 7/11

8 Stockholm is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and always rates in the top 10 most desirable cities in the world to live in. It is also the perfect contrast to a break in the arctic. The old town in Stockholm is very picturesque and compact and can be done in a full day. Your time will be spent exploring some fascinating landmarks. The VASA museum is world class, the Nobel museum of local interest and for ABBA fans; new in 2013 is the ABBA interactive museum. Also in December Stockholm has many Christmas markets so a break can allow you to do some shopping and get into the Christmas spirit. You will stay in the Rival Hotel owned by Benny Anderson of Abba fame. The hotel is an excellent 4* hotel in a quiet square but within walking distance of the old town. Cost Per Person ( Weekend vs Week Day ) Includes 2 nights in standard double room bed and breakfast, private airport transfers to and from Arlanda airport Where You'll Stay Máttaráhkká Northern Lights Lodge This small intimate lodge used to be a Sami handicraft centre until the owners had the idea to turn it into an exclusive retreat. With only 7 bedrooms and an open plan lounge and dining room, the emphasis is on relaxing in a cosy environment. The rooms have a downstairs en-suite room with a staircase leading to a loft sitting room. The lodge has a fabulous sauna and a very unusual northern lights hot tub on the roof where you can star gaze or hunt for the Aurora. (This carries an extra charge). Other benefits of a stay here mean that if you are doing husky and snowmobile adventures they are both on your doorstep! Evenings are focused on good food, relaxation and the Northern Lights so if you are looking for a 'home away from home' experience then look no further. page 8/11

9 Moose Valley Gourmet Cabins The Moose Valley Wilderness Cabins are new builds and combine wilderness with creature comforts not normally associated with a wilderness experience. Situated in a picturesque valley they are perfectly placed for guests to combine both a northern lights and arctic adventure. For those of you that appreciate good food, meals prepared and served in the smallest restaurant in Sweden are a delight. There are two cosy double bedded cabins with large glass windows facing north towards the northern lights horizon. Modern styling includes satellite TV! There is an adjacent toilet and shower block and an outdoor hot tub which guests are invited to use. After dinner sit around the outdoor fire, gaze at the stars and hopefully the aurora, enjoy a hot drink or a whisky and appreciate how special it is to own a piece of Lapland for moment in time! Being away from it all in your own private space with the auroras roaring overhead is simply breath-taking and the perfect special occasion retreat! Abisko Mountain Lodge page 9/11

10 Abisko Mountain Lodge offers genuine accommodation in an old-fashioned mountain hotel setting. The service is personal and the cuisine is centred on raw ingredients. It is accredited by the Sapmi Slow Food movement, an award that took 4 years to achieve. Chefs are dedicated slow-food addicts and produce wonderful nightly meals! The 16 standard rooms in the low red 'Swedish style house' are all en-suite. Although basic they are warm and cosy. There are no televisions in the rooms as time is spent meeting guests around the bar or in the wonderful lounge area. Additionally there are 4 new superior rooms added in early These four rooms are in a separate annexe and are used exclusively by Aurora nights. Order a coffee or a glass of wine at the bar, read a magazine or spin a yarn about your arctic adventures and the magnificent aurora displays you have seen. For those wanting to soothe the muscles there is a sauna. Testimonials We had a wonderful holiday thanks and would give it 5/5. We were lucky enough to see the lights from Abisko on one night so our dream came true! The hotels were both great and what the Mountain Lodge lacked in room space it more than made up for with friendly staff and location. Although it was an expensive holiday we felt it was worth every penny for the experience." Suzei and Rod "I can honestly say it was one of the most enjoyable breaks we ever had not only because we did not have to think about organising anything and everything was well done, but all the things we did were such fun we loved snowmobiling and husky sledding. The weather was great most of the time as well. On top of all this, the wilderness was breathtakingly beautiful." Grace Price: From 2,495 per person What's Included? page 10/11

11 Flights (From the UK) with one hold bag per person 6 nights Lodge / wilderness cabin Accommodation Wilderness cabin with gourmet dinner and Hot Tub Sami culture experience with reindeer sled Daytime drive your own husky adventure A Snowmobile safari with incredible views Evening at Aurora Sky Station Northern lights Dinner and Hot Tub Evening Lights over Lapland Photo Workshop Explore Abisko National Park Train trip to Norwegian Fjords Original IceHotel Visit Loan of Arctic Clothing & Transfers. All meals Break Available: December to March Departure Airports: Heathrow Gatwick Manchester ( limited) Stockholm.For clients wishing to travel from the USA, Australia and Asia we can advise of best options If you have booked your own flights we can organise ground plans only 2017 Weekend a la Carte For Expert Advice Call for Lapland for Iceland page 11/11