“Travel far and wide and you should possess the secrets of man…”
Viking Quote
Intersected by fjords, covered in snow, grazed by reindeer, illuminated by the Aurora Borrealis (Northern Lights) and the midnight sun… These are just a few descriptors of the land bisected by the arctic circle. In this blog post, we will be talking about a winter trip in the middle of February with all its activities and things to offer (although summer trips are as equally enchanting).
Welcome to Norway!
Itinerary
- I first landed in Oslo’s international airport, then took a 6-hour scenic train to Bergen (2nd largest city in Norway, on the Western coast)
- I stayed a couple of nights in Bergen exploring the fjords. Notable sites include Bryggen (old wharf on the harbor), Fishmarket, and Floibanen (funicular to the mountain top), along with one of the many fjord trips that are organized in this city
- I then flew to Tromso in the north of the country, well above the Arctic circle. This is where I spent most of my trip. Nicknamed “Paris of the North”, this is one of the best places to spot the elusive but illuminating Aurora Borrealis, aka the Northern Lights (will talk more about this in the “few tips” section below).
- In Tromso, notable sites and activities include the various Northern Lights tours, dog sledding tours, reindeer feeding and sledding tours, the Arctic Cathedral, Tromso city center, and the Fjelheissen funicular as well. Also, there are various fjord tours here too.
- I flew down to Oslo and stayed there for one day. I could not pass Oslo without trying the Norwegian sauna and the polar plunges with the locals! Situated in the Aker Brygge neighborhood in central Oslo, there are floating sauna rooms right adjacent to the freezing waters of the harbor. I then “cooled down” by walking around the harbor and the city before heading to the airport.
A Few Tips
- It is cold, but not too freezing- make sure you pack appropriate winter clothing! I came here February, and although it is close to the arctic circle, temperatures are moderate since there is the warm winds from the ocean.
- Speaking of timing, if you are planning to see the northern lights, January-March are your best bets since (a) it is on average clear skies and not so rainy and (b) nights are still long enough to witness these northern lights. You can technically see them in Tromso city but the light pollution can hamper their detection.
- In Tromso, I would highly recommend planning your tours way ahead since they get quite popular and fill up pretty fast. Tours and activities I would recommend doing are the Northern Light tours, husky sled tours, and the reindeer-Sami tours. There are several ways to book these tours, my favorites would be through Manawa, GetYourGuide, or Viator.
- With regards to the Northern Lights (Aurora Borrealis), you need to know a few facts. First, they are actually year-round, meaning that they are there all the time but in order to witness them you need complete darkness and clear skies (and therefore ideally leaving the city of Tromso and going into the wild tundra). Second, you will need specialized cameras with long exposures for night vision in order to capture these beauties, although you will be fine with an iPhone 11 and above with a tripod to help with long exposure times with minimal movement (P.S they actually are pretty bright and light up the sky, but they are not the green colors that you see in pictures, since our eyes are not trained to see those colors in nature)
- Public transportation to and from airports here are efficient and affordable- especially in Oslo. You can book a direct train from downtown Oslo to the airport and vice versa
- There are trains connecting Oslo to Bergen, along with flying there as well. I elected to go for the train due to the amazing scenery of the countryside.
- Otherwise, Norway is a little tad expensive overall, so plan accordingly and wisely. Make sure you capitalize on credit cards that have no foreign transaction fees.
- For the polar plunge in Oslo, make sure you reserve in advance as they require reservations. There are different ways to do this, from stationary to floating saunas. It truly is an exhilarating experience that I highly recommend. It is quieter in the morning but turns into a social event for the young locals at night. You can reserve here.
Don’t forget to follow @doctorontheplane for more content and details of past and upcoming adventures!
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