POLAR EXPRESS
NORWAY, SWEDEN, FINLAND
10 DAYS
17 PEOPLE
3390 EURO
10 days
December, 6 – 15,2025
10 days / 9 nights (3 in each country)
We are embarking on a journey where snow crunches underfoot, the northern lights dance on the horizon, and breathtaking landscapes of snow-covered fjords and dormant forests unfold outside the train windows.
Our expedition covers three countries - Norway, Sweden and Finland - and we will travel most of the route by train to feel the atmosphere of a calm winter road.
We will spend nights in icy hotels, enjoy exciting snowmobile rides across the vast Arctic plains, meet wolves and huskies, walk through the polar night by lantern light, have dinners by the fire in the company of Sami reindeer herders, and send polar postcards from Santa's village. Every day this expedition will bring new adventures, unique northern flavor and the magical beauty of a winter fairy tale.
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ROUTE PLAN
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accommodation along the route: 8 nights in hotels (including 1 night in ice rooms) and 1 night on a train (private compartment with shower);
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breakfasts at the hotels;
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all train rides, bus transfers, and cable car;
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all entrance tickets and excursions according to the program;
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snowmobile ride (2 people per vehicle, with the option to switch drivers);
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reindeer sleigh ride;
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visit to a husky farm (sledding possible if there is enough snow);
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vintage lantern and storybook as a travel keepsake;
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accompaniment by the author of the program.
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flight (start — Tromsø, finish — Helsinki);
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meals except breakfasts;
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icebreaker cruise on the Bothnian Bay with swimming in dry suits;
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airport transfers;
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active travel insurance.
PROGRAM
Day 1
6.12.2025
We fly to Tromsø, the gateway to the Arctic and one of the northernmost cities in the world. It is home to about 75,000 people, but in December the city seems especially peaceful thanks to the snow and soft polar light.
Independent transfer. Check-in at a cozy hotel in the city center, meeting with the guide. Rest. Free time
Day 2
7.12.2025
After breakfast we go to the Arctic Museum. This place is not like ordinary museums: interactive expositions tell about the history of life beyond the Arctic Circle - from Arctic sea exploration to local flora and fauna. Here you can see stuffed polar bears, walruses, and learn how people survive in the harsh conditions of the Arctic.
The next stop is the Polar Cathedral. Built in 1965, it resembles an iceberg or the northern lights thanks to its unusual shape and huge stained glass windows. This cathedral has become a symbol of Tromsø and you'll probably recognize it from the photos.
We’ll take a cable car up to the viewpoint and go for a walk along a mountain trail, lanterns in hand. The crunch of snow underfoot, the view over the Arctic Ocean bay, the sunset, and the lights of Tromsø — pure magic.
After returning to the city, we’ll have an evening of introductions at a cozy restaurant on the waterfront. We’ll share what brought us here, and receive expedition T-shirts, badges, and storybooks for notes and photos.
Day 3
8.12.2025
After breakfast, we’ll head to Narvik. On the way, we’ll visit Polar Park — the northernmost zoo in the world. Here you can see polar wolves, wolverines, lynxes, and other Arctic animals in conditions close to their natural habitat. Together with a guide, we’ll visit the enclosures and watch the feeding.
By evening we’ll arrive in Narvik and check into a central hotel. Free evening: explore the town or simply enjoy the view from your window.
Day 4
9.12.2025
After breakfast, we’ll board our first train ride. We’ll cross the border into Sweden, stopping at Abisko National Park.
We’ll take a walk through the winter forest, see a frozen lake and an icy canyon. This place amazes with its silence and calm — it feels as if time has stopped.
Another train ride — and we’re in Kiruna. Check-in for 2 nights at the Ice Hotel. This is a true work of art: each room is decorated with unique ice sculptures created by the best artists in the world. We will spend the first night in warm rooms, and the second night in ice rooms.
Day 5
10.12.2025
In the morning, a snowmobile adventure awaits us. We’ll race across the snowy expanses of Swedish Lapland, enjoying the speed and endless landscapes. Two people per snowmobile, with the opportunity to switch.
After lunch, we’ll go on an excursion through the ice rooms of our hotel-museum. Each room is a small masterpiece — from ice furniture to lighting that makes you feel as though you’re inside an iceberg.
We’ll spend the night in warm sleeping bags and reindeer hides on ice beds, with an indoor temperature of about -6°C.
Day 6
11.12.2025
Today we have a long drive through the Swedish winter countryside. The drive promises to be mesmerizing: snowy forests, frozen rivers and small villages look like Christmas cards.
In the evening, we’ll arrive in Luleå, a town on the coast of the Bothnian Bay. It’s known for its blend of Arctic nature and cozy charm.
We’ll stroll along the promenade and, if we’re lucky, visit a Christmas market. We’ll taste traditional treats — glögg and gingerbread cookies.
Day 7
12.12.2025
In the morning we go to the husky farm, where we get acquainted with these amazing dogs. They have been man's reliable companions in the Arctic for centuries, and their kind eyes and playful character will not leave anyone indifferent. We will be able to spend time with polar masters of riding sports, and if there’s enough snow, we’ll even take a husky sleigh ride. If not, we’ll go for a forest walk with the huskies.
For lunch, we’ll visit the town of Gammelstad, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s a picturesque complex of wooden houses and an old church.
In the evening, we’ll take a train to the Finnish border, followed by a short transfer to Kemi. Check-in at a hotel with a sauna, dinner, and rest.
Day 8
13.12.2025
After breakfast — free time: either a walk along the Bothnian Bay or an optional icebreaker excursion (adults €300, children €200).
It’s a chance to feel like true Arctic explorers — to see how the powerful ship breaks through thick ice, step out onto the frozen sea for photos, and even dip into the icy water wearing special dry suits.
After lunch, we’ll take a train to Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland. Hotel check-in. Optional evening walk through the city with hot chocolate in hand.
Day 9
14.12.2025
After breakfast, we’ll head to Santa’s Village. This place radiates the spirit of a winter fairy tale — you can’t help but believe in magic again, even as an adult.
We’ll visit Santa’s workshop, meet and take a photo with Santa himself, and send postcards with the unique Lapland stamp to our loved ones.
Then we’ll go to a reindeer farm, where a forest sleigh ride and lunch in a traditional tent by the fire await us.
In the evening, we return to Rovaniemi, where we will take a night train to the capital (double compartments with shower)
Day 10
15.12.2025
Morning arrival in Helsinki. The journey is over, but the memories of the northern lights, ice castles, snowy expanses and the warmth of new acquaintances will stay with us for a long time.
WHY WITH PAGANEL?
We are unique
For many years, we have been traveling the world to our small planet's most remote and unusual places. We do not use the services of domestic travel agencies. The trips we invent and carry out are always unique and have their unique zest, charm, and adventurous spirit.
Creation
The first thing that interests us is creativity in everything. During the expeditions, we shoot a lot of videos, take pictures, write stories, draw pictures. If you are interested in a creative approach to life and travel, then WELCOME... we are very happy to meet you!
Interest
By joining our team, you join a kind of club family, which already consists of several hundred people who are interested in discovering the world with us.
Since most of the expenses for organizing a trip – air tickets and travel documents for other modes of transportation, accommodation, excursions, services of local companies and guides, etc. – are made by us in advance, long before the trip, the prepayment or payment for the trip is non-refundable in the event of cancellation.
Since most of the expenses for the organization of the trip are air tickets and travel documents for other types of transport, accommodation, excursions, services of local companies and guides, etc. are not refundable in case of your cancellation of the trip. We simply have no way to return it.
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