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ARCTIC HIGHWAY CHALLENGE

& THE LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN

Norway’s Arctic Highway is one of the world’s great roads. It runs for about 1500 km from Mo i Rana, just south of the Arctic Circle, to Honningsvåg and the North Cape. Seen simply in terms of latitude, the road gets to within nineteen and a half degrees of the North Pole, roughly as far north as central Greenland. Almost as remarkable, it reaches as far east as Istanbul.

The Arctic Highway is a relatively modern road and is the product of an evolutionary process to give Norway a coherent and unbroken land link through its most remote Arctic regions. The highway’s early development was characterised by the joining up of the links which were Northern Norway's historic local tracks. High plateaux and mountains were to be crossed and  freezing and desolate tundra wastelands to be conquered.

Even when seemingly complete, the road had a further obstacle to clear. Norway's fractured west coast was seen to be the next challenge. When, just over sixty years ago, the highway was deemed to have been completed, there were still no less than ten sections where the link was not a road, but a ferry. With the ingenuity and audacity of Norway's road engineers, these were gradually reduced by bridging or tunnelling until today, only one ferry remains in the highway's path.
 

The Midnight Sun is a natural phenomenon that occurs during the summer north of the Arctic Circle, including Northern Norway. The earth is rotating at a tilted axis relative to the sun, and during the summer months, the North Pole is angled towards our star. That’s why, for several weeks, the sun never sets above the Arctic Circle. At its peak you can see the sun moving in the sky, but it does not dip completely below the horizon. Depending on how far north you travel, the period of non-stop daylight can last from a single day to nearly five months.

The North CapeEvery year many thousands tourist from all over the world visit North Cape in Norway and the European route E69 highway has its northern terminus here, and it is possible to see both the Midnight Sun in the summer and the Northern Lights in the winter. You will find this most northerly point in Europe around 71 degrees north and approximately 2,000 km from the North Pole, and located on Magerøya at the very end of the European landmass. The plateau itself rises 307 metres almost straight up from the Arctic Sea, but it is flat at the top. 

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Arctic Highway Challenge
Fly Drive Itinerary
Day 1

Flights depart from London to Oslo

(other departure airports may be available on request).

On arrival you'll collect your hire car and drive

north through Norway to Lillehammer and the Scandic Hotel.

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Look What’s Included

• Return Flights from London to Oslo - Other airports on request

• 16 Days Car Hire - SUV Crossover or similar

• 1 Night at the Scandic Hotel, Lillehammer

• 2 Nights at the Radisson Blu Royal Garden Hotel, Trondheim, Norway

• 1 Night at the Scandic Meyergården Hotel, Mo i Rana

• Ferry Crossing from Bodø to Moskenes

• 2 Nights at the Reine Rorbuer Cabins, Reine, Norway

• 1 Night at the Quality Hotel Grand Royal, Narvik

• 1 Night at the Scandic Hotel, Alta, Norway

• 2 Nights at the Scandic Hotel Bryggen, Honningsvåg, Norway

• Visit to the North Cape Visitor Centre

• 1 Night at the Wilderness Hotel, Inari, Finland

• 1 Night at the Arctic City Hotel, Rovaniemi, Finland

• 1 Night at the Scandic Hotel Skellefteå, Sweden

• 1 Night at the BW Hotel Baltic, Sundsvall, Sweden

• 1 Night at the Mora Spa Hotell, Mora, Sweden

• Breakfast each morning & Dinners as meal basis below

• Road Book featuring Maps, Great Drives & Local Attractions

• Commemorative Tour Jacket/Fleece

• Commemorative Tour Rally Plate

• Car Parking at all of the hotels (some charges may apply locally)

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OUR ARCTIC HIGHWAY HOTELS

See our selection of  wonderful hotels, all of which have been hand-picked for their quality, facilities and location

IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO TAKE YOUR OWN CAR

We can arrange your ferry crossings and overnight

stops if you want to take your own car

What's Included

• Return Overnight Ferry Crossing from Harwich, Hull or Newcastle to Holland

• 2 berth inside cabin accommodation on overnight ferry crossings (upgrades on request)

• 1 Night in each direction at the Frommanns Landhotel, Hamburg, Germany

• Return Ferry Crossing from Frederikshavn to Oslo

• Ferry Crossing from Oslo to Frederikshavn

• 1 Night at the Hotel Jutlandia, Frederikshavn, Denmark

CALL US FOR A PRICE TO TAKE YOUR OWN CAR

Dates & Prices

Arctic Highway Challenge

Oslo/North Cape/Oslo Fly-Drive Option

*Please note: All prices shown above are per person and based on 2 persons sharing a car and a twin/double room/cabin
Meal Basis -​ Breakfast each day at the hotel & 15 Dinners
Single Occupancy Supplement - On Request

Other Escorted Tours include

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THE MAJESTIC NORWEGIAN

FJORDLANDS

15 Days - August

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NORWEGIAN FJORDS

& ARCTIC HIGHWAY COMBO

25 Days - June/July 

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