Kirkenes lies right by the Russian border, and the town is worth exploring before you join us on board at Hurtigruten. When the ship starts to sail southward, you’ll be able to enjoy the arctic wilderness from the deck or the panorama lounge. In the afternoon we dock at Vardø. This is Norway’s easternmost town. Weather permitting, we’ll invite you along for an invigorating winter experience; ice bathing in the Barents Sea. We then continue on to Båtsfjord before we arrive at Berlevåg late in the evening.

After a stop in Harstad, we sail towards Risøyrenna [the Risøy channel]. This narrow passage is only 7 m deep and you can see the sandbanks in the clear, green water. And then all you need to do is sit back and enjoy the view, because now we reach Lofoten and Vesterålen, which may boast the most spectacular nature you’ll see on the trip.

The ship makes brief stops in Risøyhamn, Sortland and Stokmarknes. When we continue south, it will look like we’re sailing straight into the side of the mountain. But the captain finds an opening where we can navigate through the narrow Raftsundet sound. This 26 km stretch between Vesterålen and Lofoten is surrounded by mountains towering up to 1000 m above sea level, and is a spectacular sight! Troll Fjord is only 2 km long and 100 m wide, and is flanked by truly majestic mountains. If time and weather are on our side, the captain sometimes sails through the narrow fjord, where the mountainsides almost touch the sides of the ship.

Then we cruise through Lofoten. The landscape consists of sparkling mountain tops, deep fjords, large seabird colonies and long, white sandy beaches. In the evening, we arrive in Svolvær. Here you’ll find the largest quantities of cod in the whole world between January and April, and Lofoten fishing was the reason Svolvær was founded. But Svolvær is much more than just cod. In winter, artists visit from all over the world to experience the unique nature – but most of all to see the beautiful light. Here your voyage ends, and we recommend you explore Lofoten before you travel back home.