Complement your Hurtigruten voyage with an extensive range of shore excursions that give you the opportunity to experience many of the major attractions along the way.
The Hurtigruten experience is far more than seas and skies. Enrich your voyage by taking part in an extensive excursion programme and take full advantage of the fact that the ships call at ports other ships cannot reach. Knowledgeable, English-speaking local guides ensure that yours will be the true Norwegian experience.
All excursions are pre-bookable and only remaining places will be sold on board. Note that the excursion number denotes the day on which the trip operates.
To provide you with the best experience, we have categorised all of the excursions on three different levels according to the level of fitness required to ensure you get the most from your excursion :
Level 1 : Suitable for everyone.
Level 2 : Suitable for most guests, requires some physical effort.
Level 3 : Suitable for guests in good physical condition.
SOUTHBOUND EXCURSIONS
Day 8
-
8F Snow Mobile Trip in the Polar Night
Port : Mehamn - Kjøllefjord : Join an exciting polar night safari by snowmobile from Mehamn to Kjøllefjord, hunting for the Northern Lights in the polar night sky. You will make several stops on the way, hoping to admire this Arctic light phenomenon.
Before embarking on this exciting and different experience through "the white desert", your guides give you thorough instructions on snowmobiling safety. En route, you'll make a pit-stop at a real Sámi tent for some hot drinks by the campfire. The remainder of the journey down to Kjøllefjord is made by bus, whilst the guide tells us about life on the coast. In Kjøllefjord you rejoin Hurtigruten.
Valid driver's licence required.
Level : 3 Price per person : 2012 : £266 Operating Dates : 15/12 - 10/05 Duration : 2 hours 30 mins Price per person : 2013 : £277
-
8A Breakfast at the North Cape
Port : Honningsvåg - Hammerfest : While most of your co-passengers on board the Hurtigruten ship are still sleeping soundly under their covers, you can board a bus bound for Honningsvåg to visit the North Cape and large tracts of West Finnmark. Do not be put off by the tour's early departure time: mornings at North Cape are very special, 1,000 feet above the churning Arctic Ocean, with dazzling sunlight dancing across the horizon. At North Cape - the very tip of the European continent - enjoy a hearty breakfast and view Ivo Caprino's impressive 180 ° wide-screen film about life on the North Cape and the region throughout all four seasons.
Continuing on, make a short stop to visit a Sámi family for an opportunity to meet reindeer. When you return to Honningsvåg, drive through an underwater tunnel connecting the town with the mainland. The bus then heads south along the majestic Porsangerfjord. From there, you turn toward the coast and Hammerfest, which has undergone a dramatic change since it became the host municipality of the high-tech offshore Snøhvit gas field project. It is here in Hammerfest - the world's northernmost town - where you rejoin the Hurtigruten.
This is an all-encompassing excursion that combines wildlife, culture, spectacular and unusual scenery and a visit to the top of the world.
Level : 1 Price per person : 2012 : £108 Operating Dates : 08/05 - 07/10 Duration : 6 hours Price per person : 2013 : £129
-
8B The Northernmost Town in the World
Port : Hammerfest : Hammerfest is the northernmost town in the world and together with Vardø also the oldest town in the north of Norway, established in 1789. From the Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society, the bus takes you to the Meridian monument, which is on the UNESCO list of World Heritage. The column symbolizes the first official measurement of the exact size and shape of the earth and during a photo stop your guide will tell the history of the column. From here, you also have a spectacular view of Melkøya and the Snøhvit field.
Hammerfest has a long energy history, which goes back to 1891. Back then, Hammerfest was the first town in northern Europe to get electric street lighting produced from water power. You will also learn about Europe's first LNG factory (Liquid Natural Gas). On the way up to the town mountain, Salen, you will hear more about the town's history, traditionally known for its hunting and fishing but also Pomor trading, its role in the Napoleon war and WW2 which resulted in the total destruction of the town in 1944. You will also learn about the Sámi history and culture and perhaps spot some reindeer on the way. The mountain Salen has a great view overlooking the whole town. Before returning to the quay, drive past the church with its rare architecture inspired by fish flakes.
Level : 1 Price per person : 2012 : £26 Operating Dates : 01/06 - 15/09 Duration : 1 hour Price per person : 2013 : £26
-
8C A Midnight Concert in the Arctic Cathedral
Port : Tromsø : No visit to Tromsø is complete without a visit to Tromsdalen Church - the Arctic Cathedral. There is perhaps no more beautiful means to experience this white painted cathedral, with its impressive glass mosaic, than attending a Midnight concert. As delicate candle lights burn, this elegant church fills with the most beautiful Norwegian folk music and songs as well as classical and sacred selections. This is a moving and perfect end to the day. Add this special late-night excursion to your other adventures in and around Tromsø.
Level : 1 Operating Dates : 01/01 - 15/03 Duration : 1 hours 15 mins Price per person : 2012 : £41 22/04 - 30/09 Price per person : 2013 : £44
-
8E Arctic Energy
Port : Hammerfest : Hammerfest is not only the northernmost town in the world (70"39'48"N), but also the oldest in the north of Norway, and the first town in northern Europe to get electric street lighting produced entirely from waterpower in 1891. The town was an important trading post with the Russians for the 100 years preceding the Russian Revolution.
It has been burnt down twice and was the only Norwegian town attacked during the Napoleonic War of 1809. Hammerfest is the place from which the great polar explorers started their Arctic expeditions, and where Struve concluded his measurements of the Earth in 1856. The Meridian Column is a symbol of this and in 2005 the monument was included on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. At the Energy House you can visit a small hydroelectric power station and a model of the first LNG-plant (Liquid Natural Gas) in Europe. A short film about the LNG-plant is shown in English. We end the tour at the town mountain, Salen.
Level : 2 Price per person : 2012 : £34 Operating Dates : 15/11 - 15/03 Duration : 1 hour
-
8F Snowmobile Trip in the Polar Night
Port : Mehamn - Kjøllefjord : Join an exciting polar night safari by snowmobile from Mehamn to Kjøllefjord, hunting for the Northern Lights in the polar night sky. You will enjoy several stops on the way, hoping to admire this Arctic phenomenon. Before embarking on this exciting and different experience through "the white desert", guides give you thorough instructions on snowmobiling.
En route, you will make a stop at a real Sámi lavvo (tent) for some hot drinks by the campfire. The remainder of the journey down to Kjøllefjord is made by bus, whilst the guide tells you about life on the coast. In Kjøllefjord you rejoin your ship.
Valid driving licence required.
Level : 3 Price per person : 2013 : £277 Operating Dates : 15/12 - 10/05 Duration : 2 hours 30 mins
Day 9
-
9A A Taste of Vesterålen
Port : Harstad - Sortland : Harstad to Sortland is one of Hurtigruten's classic excursions and exemplifies why passengers are so enthusiastic about our excursions. In this outing, discover Viking history, breathtaking scenery and wonderful sights.
The trip begins in Harstad, where you begin the morning with a little sightseeing through the town streets and then stop at a viewpoint. A few kilometres outside town, in Trondeneshalvøya, stands the white medieval church, Trondenes Kirke. In addition to housing several art treasures, the church is a premier cultural heritage site from the late Middle Ages. (Special, short ecumenical services are sometimes held here for our passengers).
Next door, Trondenes Historical Centre offers an in-depth exhibit complete with sounds, scents and objects that capture the region's dramatic span from the Viking Age and Middle Ages to the present. The bus then takes us across Hinnøya, an island, where you can enjoy views of the beautiful fjords, steep mountains and fertile farms. You then cross the Gullesfjord by ferry and have coffee, tea and freshly baked cakes. Ferry along the Sigerfjord and in Sortland, the centre of the Vesterålen islands, you rejoin the Hurtigruten ship.
Idyllic in summer, picture perfect in winter, this is an eventful tour filled with scenery and Viking culture.
Level : 1 Price per person : 2012 : £57 Operating Dates : All Year Duration : 4 hours 15 mins Price per person : 2013 : £64
-
9B Lofoten Islands
Port : Svolvær - Stamsund : Lofoten is a group of islands off the west coast, north of the Arctic Circle - at the 67th and 68th parallels. Throughout history, Lofoten has been the home and workplace of generations of fishermen. The Lofot fishing season in spring is still vital and central to the economy and population here. Many people associate Lofoten with its precipitous, dramatic and often fabled mountains and picturesque fishing villages. However, Lofoten is so much more - quiet bays, white sandy beaches, sheltered fjords and perhaps surprisingly, expansive, green agricultural areas.
This is a remote part of the world but we make getting here a simple excursion for Hurtigruten passengers. Starting in the "Capital of Lofoten," Svolvær you head to the well-known fishing village of Henningsvær. It is said that the light in Lofoten is unlike any other place on earth, which is why artists from Norway and abroad have always come here. In Henningsvær, you will visit an art gallery showcasing several Norwegian artists' interpretations of the beauty of the Lofoten archipelago. There is also a slide show presentation and an opportunity to purchase artwork.
Pictures may say more than a thousand words but they are no match for being in this picturesque and awe-inspiring landscape. So come aboard, find a good seat and enjoy the view.
Level : 1 Price per person : 2012 : £56 Operating Dates : 01/04 - 08/09 Duration : 3 hours Price per person : 2013 : £59
-
9C Sea Eagle Safari, Trollfjord
Port : Svolvær : Just north of the Trollfjord is the sea eagle's realm and MS Orca is ready to take you to see the king of birds close up. Wearing insulated overalls and with hot beverages in hand, stand on deck as the MS Orca leads the way - ahead of the Hurtigruten ship and into Trollfjord*. (You follow the Hurtigruten ship when it turns around in the narrow fjord - a magnificent sight).
The eagle safari commences when you leave the Trollfjord. It actually starts with the gulls. Like screeching, white fighter aircraft, the gulls swoop in for fish right from your hands. Keep your camera ready, as the aloof sharp eyed eagles become curious. You then pass through a narrow sound with steep mountains to one side. This is where the sea eagles dwell and soon they come to share in the banquet. Watch these beautiful, rare birds of prey circle the boat with wings outstretched before they dive towards the sea. It is all so close, so wild and so fantastic that some passengers forget to take pictures. If you are lucky, you may observe up to five or six majestic birds within an hour.
Then set course for Svolvær, arriving at the quay about five minutes ahead of the Hurtigruten. In less than two hours, you will have an amazing experience that will stay with you long after you return home.
*Whilst never guaranteed, during summer months (subject to local conditions) Hurtigruten ships will often enter Trollfjord. When this happens, the experience of being on board MS Orca and watching your ship is quite magnificent.
Level : 2 Price per person : 2012 : £75 Operating Dates : 24/03 - 15/10 Duration : 2 hours Price per person : 2013 : £81
-
9E Rib-Adventure
Port : Svolvær : Join a speed-filled excursion with RIB (rigid-hulled inflatable boats) into the fantastic Lofoten archipelago. The experienced skippers take you to a lagoon with white sandy beaches surrounded by small islands and skerries that protect it from the mighty ocean outside.
There is a good chance to see sea eagles, Europe's largest bird of prey up close. After a short photo stop, you continue to the fishing village of Skrova, where you stop to have snack and learn about Skrova, known for exporting salmon all over the world. The statue "The Fisherman's Wife" will greet you when you return to the harbour in Svolvær to rejoin the ship.
Level : 3 Price per person : 2012 : £78 Operating Dates : 01/06 - 30/08 Duration : 1 hour 30 mins Price per person : 2013 : £88
Day 10
-
10B UNESCO Islands Vega
Port : Sandnessjøen - Brønnøysund : The Vega Archipelago was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2004, a status gained largely due to the unique interaction between the eider ducks and the islanders. Your tour around these islands will soon give you an insight into life in these small villages on the way to the fishing village of Nes, situated on the main island Vega. Here, you make a stop to visit the "E-house", a museum and documentation centre for eider ducks. At Nes, there is also a café and a World Heritage exhibit, all situated within a well kept architectural environment that acts as the perfect setting to learn about the exciting history of the eider ducks. Afterwards, you return to Brønnøysund where you board your ship again.
Level : 2 Price per person : 2012 : £119 Operating Dates : 15/06 - 31/08 Duration : 4 hours Price per person : 2013 : £134
Day 11
-
11A Trondheim & Nidaros Cathedral
Port : Trondheim : Trondheim is a large city by Norwegian standards, though it has still managed to preserve many of the charms and intimacy of a small town. It is also a city full of contrasts, with modern buildings standing side-by-side with monastery ruins, impressive wooden buildings and colourful wharves.
You will hear all about the city's many features as the bus takes you through Trondheim's streets and boroughs, including a short stop at "Utsikten" ("The View") to admire the city from up on high. As no sightseeing trip to Trondheim is complete without visiting one of its premier cultural treasures, you will of course make time to take in the impressive Gothic-style Nidaros Cathedral. Built over the burial place of St. Olav, the patron saint of Norway, this enormous building, with its countless details and decorations, dates back to around 1070. After a guided tour around the cathedral, you will soon understand why many describe it as the most beautiful religious building in Norway.
Level : 1 Price per person : 2012 : £38 Operating Dates : All Year Duration : 2 hours Price per person : 2013 : £40
-
11B Sverresborg, Trøndelag Folk Museum
Port : Trondheim : Welcome to one of Norway's largest open air museums, Sverresborg Trøndelag Folk Museum. The museum surrounds the ruins of the medieval castle of Zion, built by King Sverre Sigurdsson in 1182 - 83. Here, you will find Norway's northernmost stave church and learn what life was like, in town and country, in the 18th to 20th centuries.
Begin your walk through history at the simple but beautiful Haltdalen stave church, built in 1170, when Norway was still a Catholic country.
The tour continues past the ruins of the medieval Castle Zion, built by King Sverre in the winter of 1182-1183, with its sweeping views across the Trondheimsfjord, to a yard surrounded by wooden buildings: farmhouse, cowshed and barn, traditional storehouse on pillars, cookhouse and smithy. Tour the farmhouse and then continue to the "Old Town," with historical buildings from the centre of Trondheim.
The tour ends at the visitor centre, to view the "Pictures of Life" exhibition – illustrating life in Trøndelag over the last 150 years - and its shop, stocked with a selection of high-quality handicrafts, such as linens, ceramics and a selection of books and cards.
Level : 2 Price per person : 2012 : £30 Operating Dates : 01/05 - 30/09 Duration : 2 hours Price per person : 2013 : £33
-
11D Trondheim City Walk
Port : Trondheim : A walk through Trondheim is a journey through its 1,000-year history. The harbour was developed during the second half of the 19th century, and you start your walk here at the quay. Walk up to "Stiftsgården", the royal residence in Trondheim, and continue to the market square to take a closer look at the statue of the city's founder, the Viking King Olav Tryggvason, which towers over this busy square.
From here, we continue to Nidaros Cathedral, the national monument of Norway. We cross the old city bridge with its red gateway, known to the locals as "the portal of happiness", and enter the area of the city called Bakklandet, which has managed to preserve its charming wooden architecture.
Originally this was the industrial part of the city, but now the old factories have been renovated into desirable housing surrounded by small shops and restaurants. And it's here that you find the world's one and only bicycle lift which has to be seen to be believed!
Level : 2 Price per person : 2012 : £19 Operating Dates : All Year Duration : 2 hours 15 mins Price per person : 2013 : £24
-
11C The Atlantic Road
Port : Kristiansund - Molde : The Atlantic Road is one of Norway's most visited tourist destinations and the winner of the "Engineering Feat of the Century" award in 2005. The road is 8.2 km long and is built on a total of 8 bridges in picturesque surroundings.
Today, start with a short sightseeing tour of Kristiansund before you continue to Averøy where you visit the beautiful Kvernes Stave Church. Afterwards, you go to the "Bjartmars Favorittkro" tavern, where you are served the speciality of the house, Bacalao. Then continue along the Atlantic Road and finish with a short sightseeing tour of Molde.
Level : 1 Price per person : 2012 : £80 Operating Dates : 01/05 - 15/09 Duration : 4 hours 30 mins Price per person : 2013 : £91
Day 12
-
12A Bergen Sightseeing
Port : Bergen : Bergen is an international city with small town charm surrounded by seven imposing mountains. Enjoy a guided tour past the picturesque alleys and well-known locations such as Nordnes peninsula, Håkon's Hall and the Rosenkrantz Tower, Maria Church, Bergen harbour and the famous fish market.
In addition to seeing all this, your well-informed guides will also take you on a short walk through the UNESCO-listed old buildings in the Bryggen district. During this trip you will receive a good insight into the city's history and development, from its founding in 1070, right up to the present day.
Level : 2 Price per person : 2012 : £32 Operating Dates : All Year Duration : 2 hours Price per person : 2013 : £32
Prices are in £s per person.
All excursions are subject to minimum and maximum number of participants, and to weather conditions.
Contents may vary depending on weather / local conditions.
Please note that with the exception of 8C with 8A, 8B or 8D; 9A with 9B, 9C or 9D; 11A with 11C, you will not be able to combine two excursions on the same day.
The excursion number denotes the day on which the excursion operates.
The period of operation refers to the ship's departure date from Bergen.
Excursions can not be pre-booked within 14 days of travel.
