A new nine-day journey that connects Norway’s forest heritage, Arctic wilderness and the peak of the aurora cycle is now open for booking for travel through May 2026.
Up Norway, a leading curator of sustainable luxury travel in Scandinavia, presents “Forest Finns and The Arctic,” a thoughtfully designed itinerary that contrasts the tranquil mysticism of Finnskogen with the stark, dramatic landscapes of Svalbard and concludes in cosmopolitan Oslo.
© Up Norway
Available through May 2026 with flexible dates tailored to travelers’ preferences, the experience is timed for the peak of the solar maximum that enhances northern lights activity roughly every 11 years. The fully customizable itinerary blends centuries-old cultural wisdom with raw Arctic spectacle, offering a layered perspective on Norway’s natural and human history.
Designed for small groups or couples seeking a bespoke adventure, the trip highlights Norway’s rich mix of culture, history and wilderness, made especially memorable by the once-in-a-decade intensity of the aurora.
The journey begins with arrival in Oslo and a scenic drive through rolling farmland to Finnskogen, a mystical forest region near the Norway–Sweden border. Here, guests learn about the Forest Finns, one of Norway’s recognized national minorities, whose practices of living in harmony with nature provide a lasting model of resilience and sustainability.
A visit to the Norwegian Forest Finn Museum offers cultural context before guests spend two nights at a locally cherished wellness hotel or in design-forward treetop cabins suspended among spruce canopies. Days are filled with immersive activities such as forest bathing, snowshoeing and guided storytelling around evening fires, sharing folklore that reflects the Forest Finns’ deep reverence for the natural world.
© Up Norway
Next, travelers fly north to Svalbard for four nights of exploration amid one of Earth’s most otherworldly settings. Guests choose their preferred level of adventure—dog sledding, snowmobiling across frozen fjords, or venturing by snowcat into an ice cave beneath a glacier—while guides ensure both safety and meaningful interpretation of the landscape.
Evenings are intimate and warming, with fireside dinners in a restored miners’ storehouse or at historic Longyearbyen restaurants serving Arctic-inspired tasting menus. Nighttime storytelling beneath an expansive polar sky accompanies frequent aurora displays, which are especially vivid as the solar cycle builds toward its 2026 peak.
For deeper immersion, travelers may swap two nights in town for a snowmobile transfer to Isfjord Radio, a restored 1930s radio station now operating as a boutique wilderness lodge accessible only by winter snowmobile. There, guests enjoy guided Arctic hikes, wildlife spotting for seals and reindeer, traditional polar plunges followed by wood-fired sauna sessions, and uninterrupted, pollution-free views of the northern sky.
© Up Norway
The final two nights return travelers to Oslo, Norway’s center for culture and design. Days offer relaxed exploration of top attractions such as Vigeland Park and the National Museum, along with time to sample the city’s vibrant Nordic dining scene. The itinerary concludes in Oslo, bringing together the journey’s cultural, historical and natural themes.
Available through May 2026, with snowmobile expeditions to Isfjord Radio offered into May, pricing for the nine-day experience starts at $7,535 per person based on double occupancy. The cost includes accommodations, guided activities, select meals, local transfers and Up Norway’s personalized digital travel companion. The itinerary can be followed as proposed or customized further to match guests’ interests and pace, with options to extend into Svalbard’s summer season.