What’s the best time to visit Scandinavia?
25/03/2025 · By Tim Hall
Great Rail Journeys Tour Manager Tim Hall reveals his expert advice for a holiday in Scandinavia, including his top three rail trips in Norway and Sweden.
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2026 Tour code: 26NHW
About the tour
Uncover the delights of Arctic Norway and Sweden on a journey from Tromsø to Narvik and Kiruna. Discover the lives of Sámi people and their reindeer and travel across the wilderness into Swedish Lapland aboard the Ofoten Railway.
Enjoy a sled ride through a winter wonderland hauled by enthusiastic huskies - one of the best ways to experience this snow-clad landscape - and marvel at the breathtaking Ice Hotel, constructed afresh each year. Throughout this magical journey, look out for the Northern Lights putting on an enchanting spectacle.
Unforgettable Experiences
What’s included
Itinerary
We begin at London Heathrow today, meeting the Tour Manager ahead of our flight to Oslo. In the Norwegian capital, we catch our flight to Tromsø. Situated in the Arctic Circle, Tromsø stands on its own forest-covered island and is known as the 'polar capital of Norway'. At this time of the year, the attractive city is characterised by its polar nights, where the sun only briefly breaks over the horizon.
Our hotel for the next two nights overlooks the harbour - which remains ice-free year-round due to the warming Gulf Stream. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the picturesque old streets lined with wooden buildings or to pop into one of the city's many museums, including the Troll Museum or the North Norwegian Art Museum. This evening, we gather back at the hotel for our first dinner together.
Additional information
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Reviews
4.5 / 5 · 85 reviews
LINDA TYLER
Submitted 23/Mar
Amazing holiday. Great tour guide and met some lovely people .
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Haydn Sharman
Submitted 22/Mar
A fabulous experience!
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Rebecca Smith
Submitted 16/Mar
Fabulous holiday managed to tick all my bucket list, how lucky …. Great tour guide and group of travellers
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Jenny
Submitted 8/Mar
Brilliant organisation meant so much packed into 5 days. Supper and stories from the Sami Reindeer Herder were a privilege; Ofoten rail journey beautiful, Ice Hotel unbelievable, but best of all was the Huskies Sledge Ride and the appearance of the Aurora outside our cabins in Kiruna!
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M Cathcart
Submitted 7/Mar
Huskies was a brilliant highlight. A great tour - highly recommended.
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Alison Cox
Submitted 7/Mar
Full, well organised programme, great experiences and a brilliant tour leader all made for a wonderful holiday - five days felt more like a fortnight.
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