Your Vadsø Holiday Agenda
Day 1
First Steps in the Arctic
First day of your private stay. Arrival at your accommodation: check-in, free time to discover the place, settle into your room, explore the surroundings, and breathe in the polar air.
Dinner at the accommodation – either in the dining room or, if available, in a traditional Sami lavvo for a more immersive experience (with supplement). Before or after each dinner, we’ll take a moment together to unravel the mystery of the Northern Lights and prepare for their discovery throughout the week.
And if the Northern Lights decide to appear tonight, a first outing can be planned just outside the accommodation. If the sky is clear and space weather is favorable, you’ll experience your very first Aurora, in the polar silence broken only by the crunch of your steps in the snow.
And if the clouds persist? No worries: depending on the accommodation, an outdoor heated spa (jacuzzi) and a traditional sauna may be available, so you can relax under the Arctic sky.
Day 2
Active (or Relaxed) Discovery of Vadsø Municipality
Hearty breakfast: local cold cuts, Norwegian cheeses, cereals, yogurts, fresh vegetables, eggs, Nordic berry jams – everything you need to stay warm in the cold.
This morning, two possibilities are open to you: a typical Arctic activity with a partner (snowmobiling, dog sledding, sailing, fishing), or a quiet visit to Vadsø for your first shopping of the week. (Or simply rest, or do a leisurely walk in the boreal forest.)
After this intense morning, take a short nap in the soft blue light of the polar afternoon. You’ll need your energy for the evening!
In the evening (even before dinner, if forecasts demand it), we’ll set off for the great Northern Lights Hunt: a nocturnal road trip into the absolute darkness, in search of the endlessly dancing and shifting Aurora.
Day 3
Immersion in the Arctic Climate
Breakfast at the accommodation, then we head east along the spectacular Varanger National Tourist Route, skirting the fjord and crossing the tundra into the far-east of Finnmark. Here, you truly enter the Arctic climate.
You’ll visit the remote and mysterious town of Vardø, built on a windswept black island, where you’ll discover the Witch Memorial – a place steeped in history and emotion. Optional lunch on site (with supplement).
The return journey is unhurried, with plenty of stops in landscapes bathed in the deep blue light of the Arctic evening – that unique, diffuse, otherworldly glow.
Dinner at the accommodation, possibly followed by a nighttime outing to observe the Northern Lights once again, this time in the boreal forest.
Day 4
Adrenaline and Picture-Perfect Landscapes (or a Rest Day with a Walk in the Boreal Forest)
After a solid breakfast, it’s time for action! This morning brings a second chance for an Arctic partner activity (snowmobiling, dog sledding, sailing, fishing, or king crab safari). Or simply enjoy some rest or a gentle stroll through the boreal forest.
Free afternoon.
In the evening (or before dinner, if forecasts demand), if previous nights haven’t allowed us to go Aurora hunting, we’ll try again to find the Green Lady dancing in the Arctic winter sky. On this night, we can also try to listen to the Auroras if you add this activity to your stay.
Day 5
Encounters with History and Reindeer
Breakfast, then we set off westwards on a road trip through a region marked by 10,000 years of history. This is where the Sami people still live in harmony with their ancestral traditions, surrounded by free-roaming reindeer and endless forests.
As we head into Lapland’s hinterland, you’ll cross landscapes that become ever wilder. Optional lunch (with supplement).
If you choose to reach the gateway to the tundra, and if the famous ice road is open, an unforgettable detour awaits: driving literally over a frozen river. From there, we continue on towards the tundra gate, crossing breathtaking Arctic wilderness.
Return to your accommodation at the end of the day, and enjoy a well-deserved dinner.
Day 6
Reconnecting with the Essentials
After the strong emotions of the previous days, it’s time to live at the Arctic’s pace – slower, more human, more authentic.
If your departure is scheduled later in the evening, you may choose a gentle walk: in the forest, in an Arctic village, at the harbor, or around Vadsø, for a quiet afternoon in the town center or on Vadsøya island. Or why not a bit of shopping like the locals, in a relaxed, typically Nordic atmosphere? (Souvenirs…)
Otherwise, for the more adventurous, this could also be the day to enjoy a third partner activity, if your departure is scheduled late during the day.
An idea of the prices
For information purposes, here is an estimated price per person for this 5-night stay (based on 6 people*), including:
● Partner accommodation in a guest house
● Half-board at the accommodation (breakfast and dinner)
● 6 Aurora Labs activities
Estimated price per person, starting at: €1100
*Each booking requires 6 people. If you are alone, or fewer than 6 people, and still wish to book, a supplement for a smaller group will be charged (price on request).