Day 1

Travel by Eurostar and ICE to Hamburg. Overnight stay in a hotel near Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, for example the IntercityHotel.

Day 2

Continue by train to Kiel. Board the ferry to Gothenburg, departing at 17:45 or 18:45. Enjoy the beautiful voyage past the Danish islands. Overnight stay on board in a comfortable private cabin.

Day 3

Travel through the Swedish forests and past beautiful lakes to the Norwegian border, then continue to Oslo. Here you change to an SJ Nord train through the Gudbrandsdalen and across the Dovrefjell to Trondheim. Overnight stay in Trondheim, for example at Thon Hotel Nidaros.

Day 4

Travel on the beautiful Nordlandsbanen to Mosjøen. Continue by bus across the impressive Helgeland Bridge to Sandnessjøen on the island of Alsta, west of the Seven Sisters mountain range. Overnight stay at the Scandic Hotel Sandnessjøen.

Day 5

In the morning, you could visit the Peter Dass Museum at Alstahaug, designed by one of Norway's leading architects. (Usually) at 16:30, the Hurtigbåt departs for Lovund, calling at several small islands before arriving at around 18:30. The Hurtigbåt is the local express boat without car transport, providing an essential link between the islands and the mainland for school, work and shopping.

The Hurtigbåt operates daily throughout the year, usually sailing from the islands to the mainland in the morning and returning in the afternoon. We will provide the recommended timetable with your travel documents. On some days, a regular ferry carrying a limited number of cars also operates.

Lovund is a small island measuring just 3 × 2.5 km, dominated by a 623-metre mountain. Dramatic scenery, red wooden houses and the Atlantic Ocean create a spectacular setting. The island is home to one of Norway's largest puffin colonies.

Stay three nights at the beautiful Lovund Hotel with its excellent restaurant. Rooms offer spectacular sea views. Traditional waterside rorbuer cabins are also available at a supplement. A longer stay on Lovund is highly recommended, with opportunities to visit neighbouring islands using the Nordland Travel Pass.

Day 6

Choose from several easy walks and two more challenging hikes, including a walk around the island (at low tide) or a climb to the 623-metre summit. Near the hotel is one of the best viewpoints for spotting puffins, usually in the late afternoon. You can also visit the Lovundbåten Museum, where a Viking boat discovered in 2017 is on display (17 June – 17 August).

Lovund Hotel offers several beautiful seating areas, including a rooftop terrace, perfect for enjoying the spectacular scenery. During summer, it is an exceptional place to experience the Midnight Sun.

Day 7

The Træna archipelago lies furthest offshore in the Atlantic Ocean, with dramatic rocky islands and small fishing communities. The main island of Husøy is just a 30-minute boat journey from Lovund. You can also visit the islands of Sanna, home to the impressive Kirkhelleren Cave, and Selvær. There is usually one departure each day.

During summer, you can also make an optional day trip to Svartisen Glacier, mainland Europe's second-largest glacier. Travel by bus and boat to Holandsfjord, cross by passenger ferry and enjoy an easy walk to the glacier, which reaches almost to sea level. A further 3 km trail leads to a spectacular viewpoint alongside the glacier.

The glacier ferry operates from 30 May to 31 August (timetable subject to change).

Day 8

Island hop by Hurtigbåt along the beautiful Helgeland coast to Bodø. Monday to Saturday you travel by local ferry and Hurtigbåt via Onøy; on Sundays departure is in the afternoon. During the summer season (22 June – 16 August), an additional afternoon connection operates Monday to Friday via Træna. Along the way you cross the Arctic Circle. Overnight stay in Bodø, for example at Thon Hotel Nordlys.

Day 9

Take the ferry to Moskenes in the Lofoten Islands, followed by the bus to Svolvær. The route between Moskenes and Svolvær follows the spectacular mountain scenery of Vestvågøy and Austvågøya. Overnight stay at a Thon or Scandic hotel in Svolvær. If you have booked an extra night here, we recommend a ferry excursion to the island of Skrova.

Day 10

In the morning, take the Lofoten Express bus to Narvik. Continue by train to Boden, where you board the comfortable overnight train to Stockholm. You travel in a private two-berth sleeping compartment. The railway follows the Ofotfjord before climbing into the mountains towards Sweden, passing Lake Torneträsk and countless forests, rivers and lakes.

Day 11

Arrival in Stockholm during the morning. Continue by high-speed X2000 train via Malmö to Copenhagen. Overnight stay in a hotel near the station, for example Hotel Mayfair.

Day 12

Travel by train to Hamburg. Overnight stay near Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, for example the IntercityHotel.

Day 13

Return by ICE and Eurostar to Great Britain.

17-day tour

Difference compared with the 13-day tour:

• 1 extra night in Oslo
• 1 extra night in Svolvær
• 1 extra night in Narvik
• 1 extra night in Stockholm