A First Winter Voyage: Rethinking Norway as an Expedition Cruise Destination

We arrive at Gatwick Airport eager to depart for Tromsø, the starting point of our next adventure. The airport is refreshingly quiet. It is the middle of January, and it seems fewer people travel at this time of year. We wonder aloud whether the flight will be half empty, only to find what seems like the entirety of the airport crowd gathered at our gate. The flight is most certainly fully booked, as if the United Nations had decided to descend on this relatively small, decisively very Northern town in Norway. Mexicans, Asians, British, Russians are just some of the travellers boarding the plane, not to mention Alessandro and me, who are contributing another two nationalities to the mix. Is there something I do not know about Tromsø that makes it such an appealing place?

Later during the trip, we learn from Karin that this town with 80k inhabitants just set a record: over 300,000 international arrivals during its peak tourism months. They come here to chase the Northern Lights and experience wintry Arctic adventures, putting a massive strain on the local community, logistics, and infrastructure, not to mention building illegal fire pits and impacting the environment to cater to increasingly popular nocturism.

It is always disheartening to hear this. I do not think anyone really wants to be part of the problem of overtourism, so I am glad we are here to do something different. My partner and I are joining HX Expeditions on its inaugural wintry expedition to explore the coast of Northern Norway.

Day one sees us travelling through beautiful channels surrounded by the Lyngen Alps. The fact that we are here in winter, with limited daylight hours, adds to the atmosphere of magic. We are also the only ship exploring this region. This is to compare with approximately 70 expedition ships currently sailing around Antarctica and its surrounding islands, one of the most important expedition cruise destinations at this time of year.

Our first landing site is Lyngen, and we arrive around 2.30 pm, just before dusk turns to night, and I immediately appreciate the head torch and my winter suit. Before we head for a 40-minute hike, I fit my shoes with crampons, and off we go.

The sun does not linger long enough. I snap a couple of pictures on my phone of the towering mountains surrounding us and head into the night. Hiking in the hours of darkness is certainly a first-time experience for me. We walk in a line for 40 minutes or so until we reach the highest point of the island and find a bonfire ready, and expedition team member Morten, who explains to us the daily life on these remote islands, the huts, fire pits, and the concept of friluftsliv: the Norwegian way of enjoying life outdoors.

The sky is too cloudy tonight for the Northern Lights, but after dinner, we all congregate in the Explorer’s Bar for the daily recap and briefing, followed by a short talk by the onboard photographer on how to take photos of the phenomenon.

The next day is busy. Today we are kayaking. We are the first to land on Tranøya, a tiny island adjacent to Senja, Norway's second-largest island. It is a curious place, currently serving predominantly as an Airbnb experience. The island is complete with a beautiful white wooden church, a museum, a main house, a barn, adjacent utility houses, plus a small herd of rather photogenic and curious sheep.

The island’s size is deceptive. Positioned directly in the middle of one of the major waterways of this region, where you have more boat traffic than cars, it was known for Vikings, used by Sámi, and in more recent times, offered people living on the surrounding islands a place to pray and congregate, as well as express their political will. The church also acted as a voting place. Wencke, the current custodian of the complex, shares the story of the place with us at the church, and I also do not resist the still-warm cinnamon buns put on sale for us, if for no other reason than to compare my baking competence. I concede these are better than mine, but I also do not lose hope, as I have only baked them once.

In the afternoon, it is our turn to kayak. Getting ready takes longer than the experience itself, but it is worth every minute of it because we have one of the most stunning sunsets I have seen in cold places. I am also impressed with Tom and Morten, our kayaking guides for this afternoon, and the team of ABs who assist this mission. We feel very safe during the activity, despite kayaking in temperatures lower than you would expect in polar regions

There is a lecture scheduled for late afternoon about the phenomenon of the auroras, but it is not to be, because we have the most magnificent display of said auroras just outside the window. In fact, the projected activity of the Northern Lights is off the charts for this night, so all of us are out on the upper deck, some trying to take pictures, and others watching the dance of this incredible sight in silence.

I do both, and when I watch these lights, I come closest to believing in God, because the sight is heavenly. As promised, they continue well into the night, and we head to the upper deck once again around midnight to take them in and secure them in our memories forever.

The next morning, we arrive at the Lofoten Islands, just outside of them. The Lofoten Islands do not need an introduction. Voted by National Geographic as some of the most beautiful islands in the world, they have their own steady stream of tourism. We are, however, in a region where you do need boats to access a particularly pretty landing site, surrounded by gorgeous mountains. Our scenic Zodiac cruise takes about 20 minutes to get there, and as we look around, I feel transported back to Patagonia and Torres del Paine National Park. It is that awe-inducing.

I decide to hang out at the landing site and take in the scenery instead of joining the group for a hike, and spend my morning taking photos of things both small and large. This is another truly appealing aspect of travelling in Norway: once you arrive at a landing site, you are more or less free to roam on your own. In fact, it is your right under Norwegian law. There are no restrictions like in Antarctica, and there's no risk of polar bears appearing suddenly, which is one of the reasons you must stick to the group in the Arctic.

Before heading back, I indulge in a lamb soup. Soups cooked on a fire are another highlight of this trip, because I sincerely believe that anything made in a fire pit is more delicious than anything cooked at home.

The afternoon on board is leisurely, and I take advantage of the sauna and hot tub. There is something special about sitting outside in minus temperatures, in hot water, and taking the world in. I am also making good progress with my book by Morten Strøksnes, Shark Drunk: The Art of Catching a Large Shark from a Tiny Rubber Dinghy in a Big Ocean, which is set right here in the Lofoten Islands. It is part story of two friends on a mission to catch a Greenland shark, part natural history of the local area and wider global context, and often a philosophical reflection on life in general and its many forms.

The next morning, we arrive at Svolvær, the largest settlement in the Lofoten Islands. Due to its rich surrounding waters, the town was settled by cod fishermen. They are famous for catching a specific subspecies of cod, the skrei, a migratory species that spends most of its time in the Barents Sea but spawns in the Lofoten Islands. We learn more about skrei later in the evening from Lauren, one of the expedition team members who delivers a whole lecture on this fish, but in the meantime Alessandro and I grab a coffee in a local bakery and I once again indulge in a variation of cinnamon pastry, which is only more delicious because it is baked right here and probably arrives at my table fresh from the oven.

In fact, being somewhat foodies, we decided to have lunch in town as well and chose Bacalao restaurant, which I had read about online earlier. The lunch does not disappoint, but before it, we join several of our shipmates for today’s activity: sauna and polar plunge. The water is freezing cold, but the sauna heat and the view are worth it.

For the rest of the afternoon, we wander around this extremely picturesque town, taking pictures, checking out the souvenir shops, and restocking on liquorice sweets, which Alessandro adores, and I am a willing partaker. Alessandro also pops into the World War II museum on the way back to the ship and comes back surprised by the exhibits and the stories collected from the museum's owner. But this is not my story, so I will leave it here.

We know the next day is going to be a big day from the daily briefing and the palpable excitement of the team. We start the morning with a scenic Zodiac cruise, and in the evening we can dine at the Hurtigruten Museum in Stokmarknes.

The Zodiac cruise, simply put, is amazing. It is yet another freezing cold morning with bright skies in an impossibly beautiful fjord system, and we take in the scenery as we cruise around Wolf Island. The whole area is closely intertwined with the company and the people behind HX Expeditions: a former captain once lived on the island, and, of course, our evening will be spent where it all started 130 years ago.

But before we depart for Stokmarknes, the ship’s captain skilfully takes the ship right inside the Trollfjord. I almost want to inhale and hold my breath to become smaller and to make sure I am playing my part to allow the ship to safely pass through this narrow passage, but there is no need. The captain clearly knows what he is doing. Our expedition leader, Andrea, strongly encourages all of us to stay outside for the next hour or so while we navigate through the narrow fjords.

It is hard to describe the Hurtigruten Museum in Stokmarknes. It is essentially a massive, impressive glass structure built around one of its ships, MS Finnmarken, painstakingly restored to its condition when it was built in the 1950s. Stepping onboard is like entering the past and having a wander around. One of the museum staff members comes to me and asks in a whisper how long our cruise is. I tell him it is seven nights, and I ask him if he is excited to have us. He whispers back, “Yes. All crew. For days!”

While HX Expeditions is a new name and is now a completely separate company from Hurtigruten, it is very clear that the company's roots are deeply seated here, and that those working for it have immense pride in that heritage. I absolutely love our time here, being able to roam freely through its nooks and crannies and enjoy a delicious dinner on board, just like you would have back in the fifties. Dessert is served on the outer deck, and our visit concludes with a short concert by the local school music band. This is a community affair, and all of us onboard feel that.

Friday is our last full day on board the ship. In the morning, we cruise by the ice edge in one of the fjords and make a nature landing on one of the islands, on a sandy beach. It is minus six today, and we feel that, but the gorgeous sunrise grants us yet another magnificent view. For those in need of some warmth and a snack, there is a barbecue going by the beach with reindeer hot dogs on offer, skilfully managed by expedition team member Peter. Some of the guests even brave the polar plunge from the shore.

By lunchtime, we say goodbye to our last landing spot and return to the ship to start preparations for disembarkation. But Norway does not want to let us go yet. Around 5 pm, we received a message that there is a particularly strong Northern Lights display on the outer decks and we are invited to join everyone outside. And the Northern Lights do not disappoint. By the time I am finished watching them and taking pictures, I no longer feel my fingers, but like always, it is all worth it.

An à la carte dinner to celebrate the 130th anniversary, followed by a photo presentation, completes our trip. We say goodbye to crew members and newly made friends.

Ever since I learned about this itinerary, I really looked forward to this trip. There is a special kind of excitement in joining a new destination and a new expedition. It comes with certain bargains: things can go very well or go wrong, but to me, it is partly the draw of doing something new and exploring new places.

I walk away from this experience truly inspired: from seeing the Northern Lights to soaking in the wintry beauty of this remote region to appreciating the Norwegian lifestyle and the concept of friluftsliv. This expedition is every bit as worth it as any other expedition cruise our sector is known for. It is exciting to see expedition cruise companies innovate and look outside the box, and even more inspiring to see this happen in destinations that are so close to their heart, right in their own backyard. After all, there is something unique and cosy about being taken to a place and shown life through a local's eyes. This, among many reasons, is also why I travel.