Journeys
Through Polar Lands and the Arctic Circle

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Kristiina Gaillard

Alps and Scandinavia travel expert

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Laura Kankaanpää

Alps and Scandinavia travel expert

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Thomas Praire

Technical Travel Manager

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The captivating lands of the North… The Arctic Circle feels tantalisingly close. Nestled in snowy valleys, it is easy to imagine the tracks left by dog sleds: could the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen once have passed this way? These vast expanses in winter’s embrace certainly call to anyone drawn to fresh tracks and sweeping panoramas.

Ski all winter long!

With 6 months of winter and exceptional snow quality, Norway, Finland and Sweden form a vast white kingdom where skiing reigns supreme. We could not resist: we created our guided tours in the polar lands to satisfy the urge to glide through the snow. The hardest part will be choosing… Cross-country skiing? Norway’s famous Troll Loypa welcomes us with 170 km of continuous, superbly maintained trails. Prefer Nordic ski touring? Then head to Lapland, where you can enjoy gliding along the Kungsleden – the “King’s Trail” – which stretches beneath Kebnekaise (2111m), one of Sweden’s highest mountains. The polar lands offer a wide range of routes and difficulty levels, whether you travel from place to place or explore from a spa hotel that brings a touch of the “hygge” so cherished in Scandinavia after a day in the fresh air. Whichever option you choose, our guided trips will have your skis itching to go!

Nature on a grand scale

These northern lands have a sense of being at the very edge of the world. When you go hiking in Spitsbergen – the “pointed mountain” – the next “land” you encounter as you gaze northwards is the Pole. Your neighbours are the Svalbard reindeer roaming the tundra, along with birds such as the little auk, common guillemot and ptarmigan. As for the seals, a few paddle strokes in a sea kayak could bring you closer to them, alongside glaciers that plunge into salt water.

In the Lofoten archipelago, surrounded by the Norwegian Sea, more than 300 km from the Arctic Circle, the iconic red fishermen’s cabins – the “rorbu” – make you want to forget about going home. These lands are undeniably beautiful: steep mountains, hidden fjords and fine sandy beaches. Here, nature is your guide. And the sky puts on a spectacular show: the northern lights paint the dark canvas of winter skies, while the midnight sun illuminates the summer heavens.

Faced with the white beauty of the polar lands, Jean-Louis Étienne said: “The frozen desert welcomed me. I would not have traded places for anything in the world”…