Arctic

Polar bears, the midnight sun and the northern lights.

Independent since 2001ATOL 9828 protectedOne consultant, start to finish5 stars on Trustpilot from 3,200+ reviews

Flight time3 to 4 hours to Oslo or Tromso, then onward

Time differenceGMT +1

CurrencyNorwegian krone

Best monthsJune to August, February to March for the northern lights

Ideal trip length7 to 12 days

Overview

Why go to Arctic

The Arctic is a different kind of polar trip. Where Antarctica is about scale and silence, the Arctic is about wildlife and light. Polar bears hunting on the pack ice off Svalbard, walrus haul-outs, reindeer, Arctic foxes, and in winter the aurora over fjords and frozen tundra.

Summer means expedition cruising in 24-hour daylight, with zodiac landings on beaches nobody visits. Winter means dog sledding, snowmobiling and glass-roofed cabins in Norwegian Lapland waiting for the lights. Both work as a standalone trip or as the cold end of a round the world route.

Highlights

Polar bears from the deck of an expedition ship off Svalbard
The northern lights from a fjord-side lodge in Tromso
Dog sledding across frozen tundra in Finnmark
Greenland's ice fjords and Inuit settlements
Walrus and whales in the summer pack ice
The midnight sun on a July cruise

Things to do

What you'll remember about Arctic

The experiences worth building a trip around, chosen by consultants who've done them.

Watch the northern lightsThe aurora borealis is most visible in early autumn and spring.

Drive your own dog teamGuide a dog sled through the snow and ice on a day or overnight trip.

Spot polar bearsLook for polar bears hunting on the pack ice off Svalbard.

Reindeer on SvalbardWatch reindeer graze around town on the Svalbard archipelago.

Go with a group

Small group tours in Arctic

Travel with a small group and a local leader, with the route and experiences already brought together for you.

Small group tour

Make it yours

Love the experiences, but want your own trip?

Use these group tours as inspiration. We can take the routes, activities and places you like and build a private tailor-made Arctic holiday around you.

Design my Arctic holiday

Arctic