noorderlicht norway cruise northern lights cruise

North Norway-Whale Safari, Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)

  • Overview
    The Whale Safari voyages take place in winter, when the days are short in Northern Norway. Whale watching (Orcas) is highly dependent on herring cycles in the area. Voyages will be adapted by the expedition leader according to best chances to see whales. Norway has a spectacular coastline, its fjords and mountains are renowned for their beauty. In the far north, about 350 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle we find the island of Kvaløya, the whale island. In early winter enormous schools of Herring from the Barents Sea come together here in the fjords to winter. The Herring attracts large numbers of whales, as they feed on it. On an exploratory voyage in 2015 about 100 Orcas and 60 Humpback Whales were seen in one single fjord at Kvaløya. Therefore this voyage will be dedicated to meeting these giants of the seas. Other highlights of these voyages : Arctic Norway and Northern Lights ( Aurora Borealis).
    Duration: 8 days
    Passengers: 20 passengers
    Embarkation Point: Tromso, Norway
    Disembarkation Point: Tromso, Norway
    Physical rating: Soft Adventure
    Fly/Cruise: Cruise only
    Single Supplement: Unavailable
  • Itinerary
    • Day 1 - Tromso, Norway; Embarkation Day

      The voyage starts in the town of Tromsø, also called 'the Paris of the North' because of its nice atmosphere. Here the 100 year old two mast schooner Noorderlicht will be waiting in the harbour. In the evening there is time to explore the town.

    • Day 2 - Storheia

      Early in the morning we will depart from Tromsø and sail towards the north-east, into Langsundet. In this magnificent fjord we plan to land at the small village of Hansnes from where we will attempt to hike up a trail to the 306 metres high hill Storheia to admire the view across the fjord. We will spend the night in Dyrsfjorden at the northern tip of the island Ringvassøya.

    • Day 3/5 - Vengsøyfjorden & Kaldfjorden

      The next three days we will spend in Vengsøyfjorden and Kaldfjorden, the area where many whales have been seen in recent years. Besides Orca's and Humpback Whales there are also good chances to see White-tailed Eagles, as they also want their share in the Herring frenzy. This eagle is one of the largest birds of Europe and a resident in northern Norway. In the afternoon, when the daylight is over, we plan to make small hikes in the area and hope for some clear sky in order to see the ‘Tricky Lady, as the Aurora is sometimes called.

    • Day 6 - Kvaløya & Sommarøy

      Then we continue our circumnavigation of Kvaløya and sail to the small island of Sommarøy. Also here there are good opportunities to see the Northern Lights and the island offers good hiking possibilities. Therefore we spend the daytime of the last expedition day on this lovely island to explore the coastline with its small bays and white beaches and maybe even climb to the top of the 211 metre high Mount Hillesøya. From here there are excellent panoramic views of the rugged coastline.

    • Day 7/8 - Kvaløya & disembark in Tromsø

      In the afternoon we sail back to Tromsø and complete our circumnavigation of Kvaløya. We spend the last night on board in Tromsø, where we disembark the vessel in the morning on day 8.

    Please consider that our voyages are expeditionary in nature. This means, that there are no concrete itineraries, your captain and expedition leader will utilise their vast experience to chart the best course for your expedition depending on the climatic and environmental conditions. Mentioned highlights and wildlife cannot be guaranteed.

  • Adventure Activities

    Dance Under the Aurora Borealis

    The bright dancing lights of the aurora are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth's atmosphere.

    Auroral displays appear in many colours although pale green and pink are the most common. Shades of red, yellow, green, blue, and violet have been reported. The lights appear in many forms from patches or scattered clouds of light to streamers, arcs, rippling curtains or shooting rays that light up the sky with an eerie glow.

    With limited daylight at this time of year, than the earlier voyages, the opportunity to see the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) are significantly enhanced during November and December

    Whales of the Arctic

    On board our Arctic expedition voyages there is always someone on board with eyes peeled for whales. The experience ship crew will always position the ship in the most respectful manner to achieve the best whale sightings.

    Unlike the Antarctic, not all the whales species in the Arctic migrate, some indeed call the Arctic home. Sightings are possible during the early season voyages right through until the end of the season. There is a great opportunity in the Arctic to see Blue, Fin, Orca, Minke, Humpback and potentially the elusive Greenland whale.

  • Inclusions

    All meals on board

    Onboard your expedition all meals are included and prepared by our chefs. Meals are prepared to a restaurant standard and to cater for most diet requirements.

    All Zodiac excursions

    During the course of your expedition, you will have direct access to our onboard expedition team. Our expedition team members are a wealth of information, they have backgrounds in exploration or science based backgrounds. Our teams will usually comprise of naturalists, historians, geologists and ornithologists.

    Your expedition team members will expertly guide you off the ship and provide you with firsthand knowledge about the geology and wildlife of the region. Back onboard the vessel, team members hold lectures about their studies or the wildlife that was seen during the course of the day.

    Inclusions / Exclusions

    Included in your Expedition

    - All accommodation and meals on board
    - All shore excursions and lectures
    - Free use of rubber expedition boots
    - Port taxes
    - AECO and government fees
    - Comprehensive pre-departure material

    Not included in your Expedition

  • Map
    Oceanwide exp nord whale
  • Gallery
  • Vessel

    NOORDERLICHT

    The ‘Noorderlicht’ was originally built in 1910 in Flensburg, Germany as a three-masted schooner. For most of her existence she served as a light-vessel on the Baltic. In 1991 the present owners purchased the hull and re-rigged and refitted her thoroughly, under the rules of “Register Holland”. The ‘Noorderlicht’ now has a well-balanced two-masted schooner rig and is capable of sailing the seven seas, and is therefor well suited for expedition cruising among small islands and offer good open deck viewing areas, also when under sail. The 2 inflatable rubber crafts (zodiacs) enable landing and wildlife viewing opportunities in otherwise inaccessible areas. The qualified captains have a great experience of the oceans. Together with the rest of the crew, they will do everything possible to ensure that you have a wonderful and unforgettable journey. The ‘Noorderlicht’ provides accommodation for 20 travellers in comfortable twin cabins. All cabins have upper and lower berths, a cupboard and wash basin with hot and cold water. Shared shower (4) and toilet (5) facilities are conveniently located. All cabins have a small hatch in the ceiling which vary in size, except cabin 6 which has a small, locked porthole in the ceiling but ventilation slots in the door. On occasion and depending on weather situation those hatches will be opened by the crew to allow fresh air ventilation of the complete lower deck (including cabin 6) while passengers go ashore.

    Features & Facilities
    • Sailing ship
    • Observation decks
    • galley
    Key Facts
    Luxury star rating: 3
    Guests #: 20
    Crew #: 5
    Ice Class:
    Speed: 7
    Refurbished:
    Technical Specs
    Year built:
    Length: 46m
    Width: 6
    Draft:
    Tonnage: 300
    Registry: Netherlands
    Elec Outlets: 220V / 2 Round Pin
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  • Pay your 25% deposit 5 day later.
  • Final payment due 120 days prior to departure.