Depart Johannesburg.

Upon arrival in Oslo, take a taxi or Uber to the Thon Hotel Opera (early check-in not guaranteed).  The rest of the day is at our leisure.  We will meet for dinner at a local restaurant (at your own expense).  Overnight in a hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.

After breakfast, we will spend the day exploring the main sites in Oslo. Lunch and dinner for our own account. Overnight in a hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.

After breakfast, we will spend the day exploring the main sites in Oslo:

• Flam Museum
• Nobel Prize Museum

Lunch and dinner for our own account.  Overnight in a hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.

After breakfast, we will check out of our hotel and transfer to our boat at embarkation time (walking distance from the hotel).  Once on board and settled into our cabins, we will meet the Coastal Experience Team. Dinner and overnight on board.

Breakfast on board.  We will spend today relaxing on board and getting a taste of the Norway’s Coastal kitchen cruising in the ship’s three restaurants and bar.  We will have time to simply watch Norway’s spectacular southern coast glide by.  Take it all in from the expansive observation deck, from the comfort of the ship’s two-storey lounge and bar or from the panoramic sauna.

As well as the views, this stretch of coast is home to history and stories.  Find out more about Norway’s coast and the voyage ahead in the lectures, presentations and on-board activities planned for today. Lunch, dinner and overnight on board.

Breakfast on board.  Today we will wake to views of the beautiful Lysefjord.  The 42 km long fjord is home to one of Norway’s most famous sights:  Preikestolen (The Pulpit Rock), which towers 604 meters above the fjord’s shimmering waters.

Kjerag mountain, at the end of the fjord, reaches even higher.  Along the way, watch for mountain goats, waterfalls, and the famous Kjeragbolten, a glacial boulder wedged high up in a crevasse.

We will spend the rest of the day in Stavanger, a colourful waterside city with an international ambience and a lively cultural scene. Discover the architectural relics of Gamle (Old) Stavanger, which includes Northern Europe’s best preserved collection of wooden houses and Norway’s oldest cathedral, dating from the 12^th century. We can also visit the Norwegian Petroleum Museum, browse the local boutique shops, or simply enjoy a drink on the waterfront.  Lunch, dinner and overnight on board.

Optional excursions:

• On the trail of the Vikings – Euro 109/p or
• Walking tour of old Stavanger Euro 79/p

After breakfast on board, we’ll dock at Alesunds, a town on a small peninsula surrounded by beautiful mountains and islands.

Many of the buildings here, from the bright colours to the rounded spires, were inspired by the Art Nouveau style, which was popular in the early 1900s.  You can get impressive photos of the archipelago from the nearby Mount Aksla viewpoint.

You can also visit the Atlantic Sea Park, Norway’s first marine science centre.  This is one of Northern Europe’s largest saltwater aquariums. Providing a home to seals, otters and crabs, as well as many other kinds of marine life.  See Humboldt Penguins here,  a species of otherwise absent north of the equator. 

Join an optional excursion to explore Alesund on foot or by bus as your guide reveals the town’s surprising secrets.  Lunch, dinner and overnight on board.

Optional excursions:

• Alesand on foot – Euro 69
• Saga Islands and Alnes Bus Tour – Euro 179

Breakfast on board.  The cosy fishing port of Rorvik in the picturesque Vikna archipelago may look small but it has a huge history told through both the landscape and the towns collection of museums.

Join an optional excursion to three of Rorvik’s excellent museums.  Time travel through the last 10 000 uears in Ice-Age carved landscapes, carefully preserved 19^th-century living rooms, and the ingenuity of Norwegian salmon production.

As we sail through the night, we’ll leave the Helgeland coast abehind us as we cross the Artic Circle.  Lunch, dinner and overnight on board.

Optional excursions:

• Time travel through Rorvik – Euro 79
• Naeroya:  The Island of the Gods Euro 239

Breakfast on board. Today, we explore Lofoten. As soon as you see the towering peaks with small villages clustered around them, you’ll understand why this island chain is praised as one of Norway’s most stunning locations. 

We’ll dock in the town of Svolvaer mid-morning. Located on the island of Austvagsey in the heart of Lofoten, Svolvaer is the biggest town of the archipelago, humming with shops, restaurants, galleries and cafes. Look out for the Svolvaer Goat, a nearby mountain so named for resembling a horned ruminant. A variety of optional excursions are available from Scolvaerm, including winter fishing, paddling along the coastline in a kayak, or embarking on a bus tour to learn more about Lofoten’s history.

We can’t visit the area without spending a couple of hours in Stokmarknes. It was here that the Original Coastal Express was founded in 1893 by shipping pioneer Richard With. On the waterfront, you’ll find our 1956 ship MS Finnmarken encased in the Hurtigruten Museum’s glass building like a ship in a bottle.

Optional excursions:

• Fishing in Lofoten – Euro 199
• Kayaking in Lofoten – Euro 199
• Lofoten RIB and Sea Eagle Adventure – Euro 159
• Lofoten Scenery and Henningsvaer – Euro 149

Breakfast on board. We sail into Tromso mid-morning. This urban city, 350 km north of the Arctic Circle, is a great place to disembark. It buzzes with life, with everything from trendy restaurants and cafes to boutique shops selling local crafts and produce, and even high fashion. If you can, give yourself time to explore Tromso before you go home.

Upi’ve sailed on The North Cape Line, getting to know Norway’s coastal islands and villages all the way from its capital to deep inside the Arctic Circle. During the journey, you’ll experience Norway’s varied climate, see majestic mountains and fjords, and maybe gaze up in awe at the Northern Lights once or several times.

Optional excursions:

• Tromso, the Arctic Capital – Euro 139
• Cross Country Skiing in Tromso – Euro 129
• Dog Sledding in Winter Wonderland – Euro 339

After disembarking from the cruise we will take a taxi/Uber/walk to the Home Lunch and dinner for own account.  Hotel Aurora for overnight on a bed and breakfast basis.

After breakfast, we will spend the day exploring Tromso. Lunch and dinner for own account. In the evening, we will have a private tour to chase the Northern Lights. Overnight on a bed and breakfast basis.

After breakfast, we will spend the day exploring Tromso:

• Walk across the bridge connecting Tromso to the mainland
• Taking a cable car to see a beautiful view over Tromso
• Have a drink at the famous Magic Ice bar

Optional tours can be arranged to a Reindeer farm, husky sledding, etc., just for our group.  Lunch and dinner for own account.  Overnight in a hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.

After breakfast we will check out of our hotel and transfer to the airport for our onward flights.

Arrive in Johannesburg.