Fly to Oslo, overnight stay at an Oslo airport hotel.

Fly to Kirkenes and transfer to the quay. Sailing southward from Kirkenes the ship hugs the coast, visiting remote settlements and providing a vital link with the local communities. You will gain a unique insight into Norwegian coastal life. 

Crossing Varangerfjord, Norway's only east-facing fjord and a fabled bird-watching site, you'll arrive in Vardo, the easternmost point of the country. Next the ship will round the Varanger peninsula, where archaeologists excavated a community believed to date from 9000 BC.

In the evening, the ship calls at Batsfjord, which also boasts the remains of a Stone Age settlement, and Berlevag. Look out for the Tanahorn mountain, which long ago was a Sami sacrifice site (B,D).

Passing through the Lofotens the ship negotiates a network of inlets and isles of some of the most stunning scenery on this journey.

Before your arrival, you'll see the captain skillfully manoeuvre the ship through the shallow waters of the Risoyrenna Channel, where sand banks are visible through green water on both sides of the channel before arriving in Svolvær and Stamsund where you can enjoy an optional Viking feast at the recreated Viking longhouse at Borg.

Later, the ship heads east across Vestfjord toward Bodo (B,D).

Optional shore excursions: Lofotr Viking Feast - Svolvær

From Ornes, you'll travel through crystal waters, filled with spawning cod from January to April, and go by lush agricultural fields.

Nearly every towering peak you'll see is associated with a local legend. Crossing the Arctic Circle once again, sailing past the famed peaks of the Seven Sisters and the idyllic island of Sandnessjoen you enter a world of legend and folklore. On the approach to Bronnoysund, which you reach this afternoon, spy the mythical Seven Sisters Mountains.

Make sure you're on deck when the ship departs Bronnoysund - you'll be impressed by the captain's steady hand! Today's last port of call will be Rorvik to enjoy the award-winning maritime museum (B,D). 

An early arrival in the medieval city of Trondheim gives you an opportunity to explore the city and maybe visit the Nidaros Cathedral.

Your voyage then continues out of the Trondheimsfjord and past Hitra Island, making brief calls at Kristiansund and Molde before a midnight call at Ålesund (B,D). 

Optional shore excursion:Trondheim and Nidaros Cathedral

Depending on your return flight there may be free time to explore Bergen before you depart (B).

B=Breakfast, D=Dinner

Voyage Extensions: Kirkenes Snow Hotel, Sami Inspiration