Nordic Experience - Scandinavian Specialists

Northern Lights in Tromso

2012-03-19T13:28:00.001Z

Tromso Cathedral

I was recently given the opportunity to fly to Tromso to experience the Northern Lights in Northern Norway. There is never a guarantee that the aurora borealis will play fair and come out to play, but I was hopeful and set out with a DSLR, tripod and the instruction manual for the camera.

The flight to Tromso was with SAS via Oslo departing from Heathrow early in the morning with a quick connection in Oslo (where incidentally it is necessary to collect your luggage and re-checkin for the onward domestic flight) and by lunchtime I was gazing at the beautiful snowy landscape as we were on the final approach into Tromso.

The bus transfer into Tromso cost 90NOK return (about £10) and we were dropped outside the Rica with a short 100m walk to the Hotel With where we were booked into. The Hotel With is not the most attractive building from the outside, but it has an amazing position overlooking the harbour and serves waffles and cream in the afternoon! It also provides a basic evening meal as part of the deal - useful as Norway can be expensive to eat out. This is not meant to be a half board option but an opportunity to ensure that food is available if it is wanted. Odd way of looking at it, but the other hotel guests seemed to be happy enough.

Having been up early in the morning to drive to Heathrow we were not really of the mind to set out searching for the Northern Lights, but as our time was short we duly looked at our pre-booked vouchers and set our for the meeting point to go on a taster dog sledding session whilst peering into the sky for the Northern Lights - or at least that was the idea ! Dog sledding is rather like driving a car on skis, in the you need to pay attention to everything that is going on around you while maintaining your balance (and dignity).

The Northern Lights were spectacular that night (4th March) but it was a shame I couldn't take photos - though as I'd not taken the time to read the manual yet I suspect my photos would have looked very much like some of the others which I saw that night ...... black !!!

Speaking to the more experienced photographers it seems that the tripod is a necessity, with a long exposure (10-30 seconds) and a high ISO. I lost it at the ISO stage but thanked them warmly for their advice.

Husky Mushing in Tromso

The husky mushing was great fun though being a taster session it was soon over and we were back to a Kota (or Lavu) for a basic warm meal before transferring back to Tromso by bus, not before seeing the final dance of the Aurora before the clouds obscured the stars and any further chances of seeing more solar activity.

What would the next day have in store for us ........

Location:Tromso, Norway

Can your smartphone survive the cold

2012-03-15T14:14:00.002Z

Having just returned from yet another trip to Northern Finland I experienced a few issues with my iPhone and Android companions which complained against the cold. Battery life on smartphones is not knonwn to be that good and the cold exasperated the condition. I often wondered why all the local guides seemed to have "old" Nokia phones in their pockets and this got me wondering which phones were the best for the cold temperature.

A quick Google and I cam up with the following webpage Sub-Zero Weather and Smartphones. Quite interesting to see which phones fared the best.

If you've got the latest iPhone then perhaps you should keep it warm !!

ICEHOTEL weekend

2012-01-24T17:15:00.005Z

What are you doing his weekend ? I'm off to see the 22nd ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, easily reached from the UK in a few hours. I'm leaving at 7am and will be standing at the Absolute bar early afternoon ready for some light refreshment and entertainment.

I'm choosing to stay one night in cool (a.k.a cold) accommodation at a steady -5c on a reindeer skin bed in a (hopefully) warm sleeping bag. The booking instructions say that I need to wear thermal gear and a hat !! Not entirely sure about this, but my mother always told me to try everything at least once, so I'm taking her advice ..... for one night !!!

My second night will be spent in the comfort of a heated hotel room thawing out from the days activities and hopefully taking some photos of the Northern Lights as I've just purchased a new F1.8 50mm lens for my camera. Previous photographic attempts have failed miserably so I'm hoping for better results. As a precaution I've looked at this guide to taking photos of the Northern Lights which I hope will help. Only time will tell and if I get any reasonable shots, I'll post them on our website.

Meet us at Destinations Travel Show London

2012-01-23T09:23:00.001Z

For those of you who don't know, Destinations Travel Show is one of the largest consumer travel shows in the UK. We will be at Earls Court (stand E112) and look forward to seeing you there from Thursday 2nd Feb through Sunday 5th Feb 2012.

Our experts can guide you through your Scandinavian holiday decision making process and put together a Nordic holiday tailored for you, whether it be a weekend away at the Swedish ICEHOTEL, searching for the Northern Lights in Norway or and Iceland holiday getaway at the Hotel Ranga and beyond. Time is running out for a winter experience this year, but it's never too early to book for 2013 where the Northern lights in Norway are expected to be some of the best of the decade.

If winter is not your thing, then we have some interesting summer experiences to Iceland and Norway to name but a few.

Come and visit us on our stand, or if you can't make it take a look at our Nordic Experience website and give either Francesca or Ian a call on 01206 708888 where we can talk you through your Scandinavian holiday.

Location:Earls Court

New Year in Reykjavik

2011-09-27T11:30:00.000+01:00

New Year in Reykjavik

Are you stuck for the ideas for the New Year ? Reykjavik is a tried and tested option for an explosive start to the New Year. Every year the residents (and temporary residents) welcome in the New Year with a fantastic display of fireworks and bonfires throughout the city. An organised tour is recommended, or you can simply view the specactular displays from the comfort of your hotel.

Our picks for accomodation include the Hotel Borg, Reykjavik Centrum and the Grand Hotel Reykjavik. The style of hotel varies from contemporary luxury at the Hotel Borg, modest simplicity at the Hotel Centrum, to modern business at the Grand Hotel Reykjavik.

With many hotels to choose from this is an exciting opportunity to celebrate the New Year in style in a vibrant and cosmopolitan city.

Can I visit the ICEHOTEL in the summer ?

2011-04-18T13:53:00.004+01:00

The obvious answer to the question, "Can I visit the ICEHOTEL in the summer ?" is no, however the clever chaps in Sweden have found a way of allowing you to experience the cool ICEHOTEL during the more temperate months.

Sounding more like an April Fools story, the answer is to build a smaller ICEHOTEL inside what amounts to a large freezer set at -5c. If you know anything about the construction or building of the ICEHOTEL, you may know that the ice used is stored over the summer in giant warehouses ready for the winter season. It's one of these "halls" that the little sister to the main ICEHOTEL will be built.

It will have three different Art suites, just like in the wintertime, Ice Chandelier suite and the main Hall Suite to enable people to experience what they may have seen in the media. It will also have the ubiquitous ABSOLUTE ICEBAR to enjoy a refreshing drink after trying your hand at ice sculpting.

The summer ICEHOTEL is opening on the 10th June 2011, and "warm" accommodation can also be booked whilst you enjoy activities such as ratfting, canoeing, hiking and fishing., instead of dog sledding, snowmobile tours and northern light safaris.

Welcome to 2011 and a new decade

2011-01-01T01:13:00.001Z

It's 2011 and the start of a new decade. We've left the "noughties" and are now in uncharted territory. Are we now in the "tens"? Only time will tell.
Nordic Experience is welcoming the new year with it's new website, and a plethora of new tours for our summer programme, which will be released in the next month.
In the meantime our current Arctic winter programme is in full swing, with Northern Lights a firm favourite. We've also released dates for our Father Christmas programme in Lapland.
Full details of all these can be, or soon will be on our website.

We wish you a Happy New Year and look forward to helping you with your holiday plans.

New Nordic Experience Website

2010-12-30T23:55:00.001Z

The new Nordic Experience website has finally been launched in time for the New Year. It's still a work in progress and we would be delighted to hear feedback from you. Over the coming weeks we will be adding more information.

We are also hoping to add a dedicated Travel Agents section where you will be able to find additional comprehensive information that will help you promote our tailor made tours.

Take a look and let us know what you think.

www.NordicExperience.co.uk

Location:Colchester

Knock on effect of the snow situation

2010-12-21T13:15:00.001Z

Sitting here at Harriniva in Lapland, you realise that this current snow situation is not confined to the UK.
I'm watching the poor receptionist, taking phone call after phone call, cancelling reservations over Christmas. France seems to have been affected quite badly, with a whole charter flight cancelled here. The knock on effect, can be felt here, as the place is eerily quiet. To be honest, it's rather nice.

However, it does show our total reliance on air travel, and how something so underestimated can cause so much havoc, for so many people. Christmas has been spoilt for so many families.

Other effects are not so obvious. A family are here without any luggage, which presumably got caught up in the backlog from the weekend. Luckily, it was found and is heading here by train, bus and taxi from Helsinki (for some reason the airline thought it safer not to fly it !)
I suppose the moral of the story is to make sure you have enough contingency clothes in your hand luggage!

Location:Torniontie,Muonio,Finland

UK Snowfall causes havoc with Father Christmas

2010-12-20T21:23:00.001Z

The closure of London Heathrow by the extreme snowfall over the past few days, has disappointed many children who were hoping to travel to Lapland to see Father Christmas, my own 3 year old daughter included.

They were sitting on the tarmac at Heathrow for 4 hours, before finally being shepherded off the plane and left on their own. We, as Nordic Experience, arranged overnight accomodation for all our guests at Heathrow as soon as we found out information from Finnair, which was not exactly forthcoming.
However, despite our best endeavours, the flights could not go ahead, and we were forced to abandon plans to take our customers to Lapland.

The ironic thing is, that two families managed to join me in Harriniva, and have enjoyed a full personalised programme. Where did one of them come from? New Zealand!

Location:Torniontie,Muonio,Finland

Motor Cycle touring in Sweden

2010-11-09T13:58:00.001Z

Polaris Victory Vision Tourer

The Nordic Experience summer brochure is now well under way, but we're always on the lookout for new and exciting products to feature. During our visit to World Travel Market 2010 yesterday, we sourced a number of new ideas that we feel might appeal to those people who are looking for something slightly out of the ordinary.
This idea was so good that I had to tell you all about it, even before we've got anything down on paper.
The Polaris Victory Vision touring motorcycle, is one of America's newest motorcycle exports, described in the Polaris brochure as "..... the most progressive luxury touring bike out there, loaded with state-of-the-art features designed specifically to make you feel guilty when you're not running up the odometer. Every inch of this touring machine is designed to keep you out doing what you love the most".

Essentially this is a 5-7 day, 1600-2000km tour around Northern Sweden, taking in the beautiful scenery and fresh air whilst enjoying the power and comfort of this luxury motorcycle.
(more details posted, as they become available)

Why is it so Cold Santa?

2010-11-09T12:32:00.000Z

The farther north you go, the colder, more authentic it is
(says Jane Knight)
THE TIMES Saturday 6 November 2010)

Santa's Log cabin in the woods at Harriniva

It's minus 29C, and I've never been so cold. My finger are burning with the cold and I'm wearing so many layers, topped by special overalls supplied by the hotel, that I make the Michelin man look anorexic.

"I don't like Lapland any more, it's too cold," moans my four-year-old son as we set off husky mushing in the weird half light that prevails here. The mass of howling, barking, biting dogs are so keen that I forget about the cold and concentrate instead on stamping as hard as I can on the brake to stop us toppling over.

This is off the wall, yells a 13-year-old in our group. It also makes a great follow-up to a morning of skidoo-riding, in which we zoom in a convoy of snarling mechanical beasts down forest tracks where the tree are bent with snow.

We're in Harriniva, way north of the Arctic Circle, because it seems that the farther north you go in Finnish Lapland, the more authentic the experience. When I started researching a trip to see Santa, I was shocked at the number of companies based in large ski resorts or where you were bussed to the different activities.

There's none of that here because, although we're in the middle of nowhere, all the activities are on the hotel's doorstep. So too is Sweden, just over the frozen river.

But there are disadvantages. Getting here has pretty much taken a day, with a mad run from one end of the airport at Helsinki to the other to catch a connecting flight to Kittila, followed by a 45-minute bus ride to the hotel. The rooms are simple, with only a shower in the en suite when what you need is a bath. And it is always a huge bun fight to get to the buffet for food that makes school dinners seem tasty.

But we've come to see Santa, which is what we do via a visit to a shaman, who tells us how the first reindeer learnt to fly, and a turn on the reindeer sleigh-(the non-flying variety). Each family has an appointment, and we are bundled up in a sleigh and head off in the gloaming, following a row of twinkling lanterns in the woods. As we draw up at a log cabin, where Santa is waving at the window and "elves" are running between the tree ,I'm as excited as a toddler.

Inside, the cabin is just as you'd imagine: crackling fire huge double bed and an elf taking notes in the corner. Santa, who looks like the real deal with paunch and a proper beard beckons us towards his chair. He answers all my son's questions. "Where is Mrs Claus?" "Buying presents; the elves can't make them all." 'What do you do in January?" "Sleep for a month." "How do you give presents to all the children in the world on one night?" "With a lot of help from the elves. '

We have one last question before we leave to get ready for a gala supper, in which Santa will give presents to everyone. "Why do you live where it's so cold?" asks my son. "Because my reindeer like it," says Santa. You can't argue with that.

What more do I need to add? This is an independent ringing endorsement of our Father Christmas tours to Harriniva. If you like what you see, why not get in touch on 01206 708888

Secrets of Enjoying your encounter with Father Christmas in Lapland

2010-10-31T14:04:00.000Z

Father Christmas in Lapland

I was just indulging and enjoying enjoying my cup of coffee in Cafe Nero this morning with the Sunday newspapers, and came across an article in the Mail on Sunday (Page 56 October 31st 2010) where Fred Mawer (The Craft Traveller) wrote an interesting article on enjoying a visit to see Santa in Lapland at Christmas.
Imagine how pleased I was to see Nordic Experience mentioned, and listed as one of the suppliers of trips to Lapland. (I would link to the article, but currently it's not showing on their website)

Anyway, as Fred quite rightly points out, "Analyse carefully what's included in your package", all of the various competing products offers variants on a theme, and it can be quite difficult to decipher which ones offer the best content, as opposed to the best price.

Nordic Experience were mentioned as "a good bet for uncommercial Lapland trips", which shows that Fred has done his homework. We don't offer the cheapest trips to Lapland, but we do offer an experience that is different to that of the other holidays on offer.

We have two main locations that we offer the chance to visit Santa in Lapland (Harriniva & Nellim). Both of these are small scale family run hotels, which pride themselves on a warm welcoming experience, rather than a bland no-nonsense approach that you might receive from a larger hotel chain.

After all - a visit to see Santa in Lapland at Christmas is a once in a lifetime opportunity for you to see the joy and wonder on your children's faces as they meet father Christmas at his home in Lapland.

New Years Eve in Rekyjavik Iceland

2010-10-28T23:11:00.000+01:00

Christmas and New Year in Iceland

New Year’s Eve in Reykjavik is a unique Nordic Experience, with many large bonfires around Reykjavik city and spectacular firework displays that rival the best in the world. Virtually every house sets off a dazzling display at midnight to toast the New Year, and you will be treated to warm hospitality at all the fantastic night spots that the city is legendary for.

Iceland at Christmas is a wonderful experience, with festive decoration and entertainment. Fine cuisine and gourmet dining is on the agenda throughout the year, and none so much as during the Christmas period.

What are you waiting for ? Iceland is only a few hours away, yet so far from anything you have experienced.

Ice Driving at the Swedish Icehotel

2010-10-21T21:07:00.001+01:00

Ice driving in Sweden

Further to my earlier about the Sorrisniva Snow Hotel, it suddenly occurred to me that some of you might like to visit the ICEHOTEL in Sweden.
Most ICEHOTEL holidays encompass an overnight stay in a "cold room" and another night or two in one of the various types of "warm" accommodation, with guided snowmobile tours and husky sledging rides and general fun in the snow, but how often will you get the chance to drive a high performance SAAB at speeds up to 100km/hr on a specially built ice track. Test your driving skills to the maximum before trying out the king of the "quad bikes" - the Polaris Ranger ATV, with tilt steering, ultra low centre of gravity and extreme power to weight ratio for an positive adrenaline rush.

If this sounds like fun, then take a look at the brochure and give Nordic Experience a call.

71 Degrees North - The Icehotel Experience

2010-10-20T14:12:00.001+01:00

Did anyone watch last nights episode of 71 Degrees North where the winning team of Joe and Andrew were given the luxury of staying at the "Celebrated Ice hotel".
Two things struck me as odd when I saw this. Firstly, they are filming in Norway and the world famous ICEHOTEL is actually located in Sweden, and secondly they were doing a dis-service to the snow hotel they were actually staying in. (If you're wondering why I've used the phrase snow hotel rather than ICEHOTEL, it's because the Swedish ICEHOTEL have a registered trademark and prohibit the use of the word ICEHOTEL by other similar properties. Oh, and it has to be written in CAPITALS)

Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel

The actual property that the celebrities were given the opportunity was the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel in Alta (as shown briefly above the doorway in the 71 Degrees North episode). This is a fantastic alternative to the ICEHOTEL in Sweden, and has all the glamour associated with staying overnight in an Igloo, drinking from glasses made of ice, and the knowledge that warm accomodation is available should it be needed.

There are many activities on offer around Sorrisniva, with snowmobiling, husky dog sledging, snowshoe walking and just about anything that you've seen on the television can be arranged - though it's not for the faint hearted.

If you're looking for somewhere different to visit, or are looking for an alternative wedding venue then this can all be arranged for you. Definitely worth a visit, but don't leave it too late or it might melt.

Arctic Experience 2010 Brochure launch

2010-09-23T23:13:00.002+01:00

The Nordic Experience Arctic Adventures brochure 2010 has gone to print and should be ready for distribution on 1st October. If you can't wait, you can download an electronic copy of the brochure (6mb) from our website.

ICEHOTEL with Nordic Experience

2010-09-16T00:51:00.004+01:00

It's 100 days until Christmas 2010, which means that it won't be long before Swedens ICEHOTEL will start to rise from the frozen ground. All things being well, the ICEHOTEL will be built in mid December, just in time for Christmas.

We'll keep you posted, but you can keep and eye on on the ICEHOTEL webcam.

(BTW, if you're wondering why I've capitalised the word ICEHOTEL, it's because it's a registered trademark)

Nordic Experience Winter Brochure to Launch soon

2010-09-16T00:29:00.004+01:00

Our Winter 2010 Nordic Experience brochure is going to print next week, and will be hot off the press in just under two weeks.

We've many exciting new tours, in addition to the former Scantours programme that we have included and revitalised. If you would like a copy of the brochure, please register at the Nordic Experience website, and we'll send you a copy as soon as we have it.