Northern Norway in Polar Night: A 12‑Day Journey Through Fjords, Lights & Silence
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
When I received an invitation for an expedition to Norway from NTA (Nordic Travel Associates ApS) in November of last year, I wasn't thrilled. I was going through a tough time. My mom was in the hospital, and things weren't looking good.
She passed away later that month.
Mom lived a full life - friends, family, good food, and lots of travel. She would have wanted me to go.
I called NTA. I knew it was last-minute, but I asked if I could still make it. When they said yes, I booked my tickets. Just 96 hours after that call, I found myself in Norway on an adventure that turned out to be tough, beautiful, and simply breathtaking.
It was an experience of a lifetime, something you must do if you can. There is absolutely nothing like it. Just want to thank NTA for crafting and executing this trip and taking care of every little detail, in an absolutely impeccable way.
Here I go! It's an effort to document the most mind-boggling 12 days ever.
I landed in Oslo and, after catching up with my cousin there, left for Tromsø, where the adventure started.
Let me tell you about Tromsø.
Tromsø in December is not for the faint-hearted. The sun crawls up around 11 in the morning, hangs around till 2 or 3, and then just gives up. The rest? Grey. And that's exactly how I landed. In the middle of a storm. The plane hit the runway, and I gripped my seat thinking, "Okay, this is real now." It was happening, and boy, was I not ready for it! Damn, yes, I was! I am only getting wilder and more adventurous with my age.
We had our first meal, which, unexpectedly, turned out to be a mind-boggling experience for me. I tried cod caviar for the first time, and it changed me. I had never tried anything like that; I doubt I ever will. It was so incredible. It was the caviar, and it was also that moment, sitting thousands of miles away, enjoying this meal.
We then drove to Skibotn, about 2-3 hours south of Tromsø, and I was just thanking my stars for coming here. Driving along fjords with dramatic mountain backdrops was beautiful, but I only realised later that it was how this region warms you up for what lies ahead. Because it only gets better and better. The first glimpse of northern lights, right there, en route to Skibotn.
Skibotn is a tiny village clinging to the edge of a fjord and is a spot where you can spot Northern lights almost every day.
Snowmobiling through the frozen forests, & so much more
The strangest thing about being in Norway this time of the year is how utterly foreign it feels. Who can imagine darkness, complete darkness at 2 PM in the afternoon? But there we were, freezing faces and palms too numb to move, hearts refusing to stop, riding on pure adrenaline through the frozen wilderness.
The next expedition was the one that took my heart. The quintessential Arctic adventure. Dog sledding. Now that's the thing with adventure. You want to do it, but then you stop. You gather the strength to take that leap. And then you go for it. And once you do that, it is intoxicating. The fear has exited. And you do it again. And again.
Dog sledding through the landscape turned out to be scary at first and magical later. This wasn't a guided tour with an instructor leading the way - we were doing it ourselves. And it was terrifying. Crazy winds. Dark. The only light came from head torches, flames flickering in the dark, feeling like a true explorer. And the dogs wouldn't stop barking, their voices sharp and insistent, bodies taut with energy. Well-trained but powerful, ready to explode forward. Standing on the back of that sled, holding the handlebars with numb fingers - there's nothing quite like it. It is exhilarating. So damn exhilarating. It felt like something out of another time!
The next day, we wore our chef's hats. For as long as I can remember, I've always loved cooking. I'm not one of those people who love to eat but hate to cook - I love both. So, a trip to a cooking school was enough to wake me up early in the morning. And this cooking class was like no other. Imagine the journey: holding a 25-30 kg fresh catch, then relishing it as sushi hours later. The trick is knowing how to cut, and that's what we were mostly taught. People love cod here - the chef took it so seriously he even got himself inked with "COD IS GREAT."
I have to tell you this: throughout my trip, I couldn’t help but notice just how much importance is given to environmentally friendly ways. In the way they fish, they cook, they serve, everything. They use sustainable ways and are really conscious of the environment. That is quite impressive.
After enjoying sushi from start to finish, it was time to explore Vardø. Even at midday, the world outside remained pitch black. What struck me most was how life continued - restaurants and cafes stayed open, warm light spilling onto the dark streets. I spotted Thai restaurants, Chinese spots, and even Indian restaurants. We're clearly everywhere, aren't we? The best thing about the people here is that they like to talk. Warm, friendly, chatty. More than once on this trip, I found myself in conversation with a stranger, as if we'd known each other for years.
A friend here in India asked me what I loved most about this trip. I did not surprise myself at all when I said "food" right after I said, "northern lights".
The next day was the day we were to board the Havila Polaris ship, and the entire group was excited to witness the entire coastline in all its glory. A little about these ships: They are new, fancy, up-to-date, and with great taste. There is art. There is food. There are cafes. There is fine dining. And you don't have to worry about a thing. Pretty high quality, I'd say.
Anyway, so after the fishing boat expedition to pick king crab and catch them (yes, that's how the morning started), and a few more excursions, we boarded the fantabulous Havila ship at around 4 PM. And the minute we boarded it, we started seeing northern lights. Obviously, 'Northern lights', as I told my friend, was what I loved the most. It is quite difficult to put it into words, you know. It is surreal, enormous, and just out of the world. This was my 4th trip of witnessing that, and it still gave me goosebumps.
Our destination on the ship was the Lofoten Islands, but the journey itself became part of the adventure. We stopped and explored many places along the way - Tromsø, then a town called Sortland, then Stokmarknes, and finally Stamsund in Lofoten.
I asked a fellow traveller, "Is there a better mode of transport?" and she laughed.
Even though the Havila was fancy and an experience on its own, it was also simply a mode of transport - a warm cocoon moving through an alien world. We sailed through the polar night, where the sky glowed in deep blues and rose-colored twilight. Snow-covered mountains rose on either side, their reflections sharp in the still fjords. We passed through narrow fjords and such narrow channels, past tiny fishing whose Christmas lights seemed to literally invite you in the endless arctic night.
After four days of what I call pure magic, we were dropped at Stamsund. I decided to spend the day on my own driving through the region in that weather, passing through stunning little villages, and taking in everything I'd experienced.
The roads were nearly empty, just me and the extreme weather. I'd stop at random spots along the shore, step out into the biting cold, and scan the dark water. And then, at one of these stops, I saw them—orcas. Massive, graceful, unbothered by the cold or the human watching from the rocks. I stood there, stunned and grateful!
This trip was truly one for the books. The kind you tell stories about for years, the kind that changes something in you. The landscape, the food, the wildlife. It's so extraordinary you forget, for a moment, that places like this actually exist. And so I say it again: Do it if you can.
And if you do, feel free to call, message, or email me - I'd be delighted to craft a personalised itinerary for you through my company, LetsGoTrvl to make this experience as comfortable and adventurous and breathtaking it can be. You’ll find all the contact details below.
Email: mayur.oberoi@letsgotrvl.com
Ph: +91 98112 99042
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