White Christmas Norwegian style - four destinations to consider
Experience a White Christmas in Norway with four enchanting destinations - Alta, Kirkenes, Senja and Lofoten - each paired with its own festive winter adventure.
- Premium
5 days - Stay in an Igloo Hotel for the Norwegian festive season
This festive season tour combines the best of Norwegian winter adventures and hospitality. Spend three nights in the new Arctic Wilderness lodge by the Alta river then dress warming for one night inside an intricately carved Igloo room. Included in this tour is a range of sought-after wilderness experiences in Arctic Norway; hunting the Northern Lights, snowmobiling across the wide-open Finnmark plateau, husky sledding, and reindeer and Sami experiences.
- Day 1
- Arrive Alta and private transfer to the Arctic Wilderness Lodge
- Day 2
- Snowmobile along the Alta River
- Day 3
- Husky Sledding Experience Along The Alta River and Northern Lights Search
- Day 4
- Sami Culture Experience With Reindeer Sledding before moving into the Iceroom at the Igloo Hotel
- Day 5
- Departure Day
- Start/End Place
- Alta, Norway
- Country Visited
- Norway
- Duration
- 5 Days
- Start Date
- Scheduled
- Travel Style
- Independent
- Suitability
- Adventurous Christmas holiday, minimum age: 4 years old
- Code
- 50DN1050
As a Certified B Corporation, 50 Degrees North has designed this itinerary using handpicked local hoteliers and suppliers who share our ethos of delivering services and activities of high social and environmental standards.
Through our Climate Action Plan, we measure our carbon emissions each year and set goals to reduce them. But our responsibility does not end when the journey does. A share of our annual profits goes to our Impact Fund, supporting conservation, restoration and the communities we work in.
Details
Transportation
Private transfers from Alta
Included
- One night inside the Sorrisniva Snowhotel
- Three nights in river lodge accommodation
- Arctic Light Snowmobile Experience
- Husky Sledding Experience Along The Alta River
- Hunting The Northern Lights
- Sami Culture Experience With Reindeer Sledding 1.5 hrs including snowsuit rental
- Private transfers to your hotel from the airport
- All breakfasts, 3 x 1 course-lunches and 4 x 3-course dinners (Drinks paid locally)
Activities can change days, depending on the weather and schedule.
Not Included
- International flight tickets
- Meals other than described
- Drinks including alcoholic beverages, juice, soft drinks and hot beverages
- Travel insurance
- Visas
- Gratitudes
- Any items of personal nature
Optional activities that can be added: Hottub and sauna booking, longer dogsledding tour (5 hours), King Crab Safari and Snowshoeing.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Alta and private transfer to the Arctic Wilderness Lodge
Arrive at the Alta airport and private transfer to the Arctic Wilderness Lodge and Sorrisniva. This new wilderness lodge is built on the bank of the internationally renowned Alta River in Norway’s high Arctic. All of the rooms have panoramic windows extending from the floor into the ceiling, maximizing the views of the adjacent river and Arctic wilderness as well as enabling viewing of Northern lights. Settle into your room and enjoy a drink in the new panoramic lounge before heading outside for some snow fun and then your included evening meal.
Meals
1 DinnerAccommodation
Arctic Wilderness LodgeDay 2 - Snowmobile along the Alta River
After a late breakfast, head out to drive your own snowmobile through the wilderness of the Alta River valley up to the inland plateau. During the winter months the Arctic light often creates wonderful colours on the horizon despite the sun never rising. Your guide will provide you with your thermal suit, boots, gloves and helmet, as well as instruct you on how to drive the snowmobile properly so that you can go wild ways in safe hands.
Meals
1 Breakfast1 Lunch
1 Dinner
Accommodation
Arctic Wilderness LodgeDay 3 - Husky Sledding Experience Along The Alta River and Northern Lights Search
After breakfast, get ready to mush a team of huskies through the Arctic Wilderness. Meet the local huskies and learn the skill of mushing most effectively for your three hour sled through the Norwegian mountains. You will enjoy interacting with the eager and excited huskies who love to be active and run in front of the sleds. You will have your own sled and team of huskies and travel in pairs, swapping drivers half way.
Then this evening at 8pm, you will join a Northern Lights search with an expert guide. Be driven along the coast or up onto the inland plateau searching for the best location to view the Borealis. The Northern Lights are allusive and sometimes can be seen from different locations whilst not from others on the same evening. Your guide will select the route which offers the best chance of viewing the Borealis given the prevailing weather and atmospheric conditions and explain the phenomena's part in the history of Alta as it relates to the scientific investigation and understanding of it.
Meals
1 Breakfast1 Lunch
1 Dinner
Accommodation
Arctic Wilderness LodgeDay 4 - Sami Culture Experience With Reindeer Sledding before moving into the Iceroom at the Igloo Hotel
Today, feel the rush of the winter air on your cheeks as you race along the frozen Alta River on a sled being pulled by a reindeer. This experience gives you a sneak peek into the Sami lifestyle and introduces you to some of their traditions while being surrounded by magnificent winter scenery. The combination of the reindeer sledding and storytelling in a traditional Lavvu around a bonfire provides fascinating insights into this special semi-nomadic culture.
Return for a late lunch and move into your igloo room for an experience of a lifetime. Designed with a unique and original theme, the Igloo Hotel is built and crafted by a crew of local artists each winter. You will have your own ice room with a shared bathroom. You’ll be sleeping on top of a layer of reindeer skins and you get two Arctic sleeping bags per person, each withstands up to -30°C.
You might like to add another jacuzzi & sauna or try your hand at ice sculpture this afternoon before your final dinner.
Meals
1 Breakfast1 Lunch
1 Dinner
Accommodation
Ice Room in Igloo HotelDay 5 - Departure Day
After breakfast, transfer to the airport.
Meals
1 BreakfastDates & Prices
Price per person, twin share for a double room. Family triple and quad share on request and subject to availability.
Dates
Valid From
Valid To
From Price
Status
Accommodation
6 Jan 2026
7 Apr 2026
7 Apr 2026
6 Jan 2026
7 Apr 2026
CAD 6,074
On request
Standard
6 Jan 2026
7 Apr 2026
7 Apr 2026
6 Jan 2026
7 Apr 2026
CAD 1,421
On request
Extra for Single
20 Dec 2026
5 Jan 2027
5 Jan 2027
20 Dec 2026
5 Jan 2027
CAD 6,800
On request
Standard
20 Dec 2026
5 Jan 2027
5 Jan 2027
20 Dec 2026
5 Jan 2027
CAD 1,893
On request
Extra for Single
Important Information
SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL:
The activities are also selected for their sensitivity to nature, with trekking and skiing available on your doorstep. The huskies that live on site each have their own kennel and welfare is of an incredibly high standard. The dogs also take part in races, including the Finnmarksløpet (Europe's longest dog race) so the quality of food and care needs to be the best possible to keep them happy and healthy.
The Snowhotel is also a champion of sustainability. The electricity is run 100% on renewable energy (hydro or wind), they are blessed with their own source of water (which is filtered to ensure it meets appropriate health standards) and they have a goal of being carbon neutral by 2030. The igloo hotel is created with naturally formed ice, and the snow which is created with renewable electricity. The only carbon footprint is the transport used in construction, but they aim to make this fleet electric in line with their carbon neutral goal.
The Snowhotel is also family run and exclusively hires local residents who are considered part of the family and provided with attractive employment benefits. They also try to ensure that any contractors on site are, where possible, local, thus ensuring as much revenue is kept within the community that they are proud to be a part of.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Weather conditions may occasionally affect certain activities, and as a result, the schedule may be adjusted to ensure the best possible experience for all guests. For multi-activity stays, often the order of the activities will be confirmed locally on arrival. Activities might vary slightly in their duration or location due to the weather and local conditions. Any activities that are unable to be re-scheduled due to weather conditions will be refunded as a general practice, as determined by the activity provider.
Gallery
Interactive Tour Map
Inspiration
Meeting the Sámi, the indigenous people of the Nordic region
The Sámi are the only indigenous people of the European Union, with communities across northern Norway, Sweden and Finland. Meeting them, and learning about a culture that is contemporary rather than frozen in the past, offers a way of understanding the north that landscape alone cannot. Here are some suggestions for where and how to do that, on terms that respect it.
Countdown to Christmas tours - Nordic festive food
Our guide to what you should try on your Christmas holiday to Finland, Norway & Denmark.
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Experience a Scandinavian Christmas
Christmas in Scandinavia brings together festive traditions, winter landscapes and the simple pleasures of the season. From Norway's snowy mountains and Sweden's candlelit Lucia celebrations to Denmark's cosy Christmas atmosphere, each country has its own way of marking this special time of year.
Whether you are drawn to traditional Christmas food, historic towns decorated with festive lights or the possibility of a snowy winter escape, here are ten reasons to experience Christmas in Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
Photo: Yngve Olsen | Visit_Norway
1. Snow transforms the Scandinavian landscape
Fresh snowfall changes the landscape, covering forests, rooftops and mountain paths in white. The world seems quieter, the air feels crisp and familiar surroundings take on a different character.
In Norway and Sweden, winter scenery ranges from forested countryside and frozen lakes to dramatic mountain landscapes. Depending on where you travel, you might spend your days skiing, snowshoeing, walking through snowy woodland or simply enjoying the view from a cosy cabin.
A White Christmas is never guaranteed, particularly in southern Scandinavia, where winter conditions vary. Travelling further north to Lapland generally offers better opportunities for snowy landscapes, although conditions depend on the destination and time of year.
For inspiration, explore our guide to four destinations for a White Christmas in Norway.
2. Discover Scandinavian Christmas traditions
Christmas traditions are an important part of life across Scandinavia, with each country bringing its own customs to the festive season.
In Norway, Christmas Eve is traditionally the main day for family celebrations and gift-giving. Homes are decorated, festive meals are prepared and families gather to enjoy the evening together.
In Sweden, Lucia celebrations on 13 December bring candlelit processions, singing and saffron buns to the darker days of winter. Denmark has its own festive customs, including decorated Christmas trees, candlelit gatherings and the tradition of dancing around the tree before opening presents.
Experiencing these customs offers a glimpse into local life beyond the scenery. Christmas markets, seasonal events and traditional celebrations also provide opportunities to discover regional crafts, food and culture.
Discover more about Danish and Scandinavian Christmas traditions, or read about experiencing an authentic Christmas in Denmark.
Photo: Emelie Asplund | imagebank.sweden.se
3. Learn about reindeer and life in the north
Reindeer are closely associated with the northern parts of Scandinavia. In northern Norway and Sweden, reindeer husbandry is an important part of Sámi culture and livelihoods, with traditions shaped by the Arctic environment.
A guided experience can offer insight into the animals, the landscape and the people who live and work in the north. Depending on the destination and experience, you may have the opportunity to learn about reindeer husbandry or enjoy a reindeer sleigh ride through a winter landscape.
It is important to remember that Sámi culture is a living culture, not simply a Christmas attraction. Choose experiences led by knowledgeable local people that explain the traditions and contemporary realities of life in the north.
Photo: Katelin | Sorrisniva
4. Look for the Northern Lights
The Northern Lights are one of the most remarkable natural phenomena you can experience during a Scandinavian winter. In northern Norway and Swedish Lapland, long hours of darkness create opportunities to look for the Aurora Borealis.
When conditions are right, green, pink or purple light can ripple across the night sky. Sometimes the display appears as a soft glow on the horizon; at other times, it forms moving ribbons and arcs overhead.
Aurora sightings are never guaranteed. They depend on solar activity, clear skies and darkness, so staying several nights gives you more opportunities than relying on a single evening.
If seeing the Aurora is a priority, explore our Northern Lights holidays.
Photo: Cahkal Hotel
5. Experience the cosy side of Scandinavian Christmas
The Danish word hygge describes a sense of comfort, warmth and enjoyment in life's simple pleasures. While the word is Danish, the feeling of gathering with family and friends, lighting candles, sharing good food and enjoying a quiet winter evening is familiar across Scandinavia.
Christmas is an especially inviting time to experience this atmosphere. After a day outdoors, you might return to a cosy cabin, enjoy a hot drink and settle in for a relaxed evening. In cities and towns, festive lights, decorated windows and seasonal gatherings create a welcoming contrast to the darker days.
Hygge is not about following a set of rules. It is about making time for the things that help you feel comfortable and connected, whether that means sharing a meal, enjoying a quiet moment or spending an evening with friends.
Discover more about the Scandinavian art of hygge.
Photo: Cynthia Hofmann
6. Make memories through shared experiences
A Christmas holiday in Scandinavia can bring together a range of memorable experiences. You might explore a traditional Christmas market, try a winter activity, enjoy a festive meal or spend an evening searching the northern sky for the Northern Lights.
You do not need to fit everything into one itinerary. A slower holiday can be just as rewarding as one filled with activities, especially if you want time to discover local traditions and enjoy the seasonal atmosphere.
Consider what matters most to you when planning your trip. You might prefer a city break with Christmas markets and cultural attractions, a countryside stay with opportunities for outdoor activities, or a journey through northern landscapes.
Photo: Fredrik Ahlsen | Maverix Media
Photo: CH | VisitNorway.com
7. Taste traditional Scandinavian Christmas food
Food is an important part of Christmas across Scandinavia. Each country has its own festive dishes and customs, often shaped by local ingredients, regional traditions and recipes passed down through generations.
In Norway, Christmas favourites can include ribbe, roast pork with crispy crackling, or pinnekjøtt, salted and dried lamb ribs. These are often served with potatoes and traditional accompaniments.
Swedish Christmas tables commonly feature a julbord, a festive buffet with dishes such as pickled herring, meatballs, Christmas ham and seasonal accompaniments. In Denmark, roast pork with crackling or roast duck may be served with caramelised potatoes and red cabbage.
Sweet treats are part of the celebrations too. Norwegian Christmas biscuits, Swedish saffron buns and Danish festive pastries all have a place in the season. Warm drinks and time spent around the table make food an important part of the wider Christmas experience.
Explore Nordic festive food and Christmas tour experiences for more inspiration on seasonal dishes and traditions.
Photo: Carolina Romare | imagebank.sweden.se
8. Get outdoors on a winter adventure
A Scandinavian winter offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Depending on your destination, activities may include skiing, snowshoeing, winter walks and guided excursions through snowy landscapes.
In northern Norway, the coastline and mountains provide a dramatic setting for winter exploration. In Sweden, forest trails and mountain regions offer opportunities to experience the quieter side of the season.
You might spend the day outdoors before returning to a warm cabin, gather around a fire or join a guided evening excursion to look for the Northern Lights. The activities available depend on the location, weather and time of year, so choose experiences that suit your interests and preferred pace.
Find more inspiration in our guide to winter adventures across Scandinavia and the wider Nordic region.
Photo: Asaf Kliger | imagebank.sweden.se
9. Experience the distinctive light of the Scandinavian winter
Winter days are short across Scandinavia, particularly in the north. Above the Arctic Circle, the sun may remain below the horizon for a period around midwinter, while more southerly areas experience shorter daylight hours.
This does not necessarily mean darkness throughout the day. Twilight can bring soft shades of blue, pink and violet to the landscape, creating a distinctive winter light. The effect can be particularly beautiful over snow-covered forests, mountains and coastal scenery.
The changing light is part of what makes winter travel in Scandinavia different from visiting during summer. Festive lights glowing in town squares and windows add another layer of atmosphere as the evenings draw in.
10. Capture memorable winter photographs
Snow-covered forests, traditional wooden houses, festive lights and dramatic winter skies offer wonderful opportunities for photography. You might capture the colours of twilight, the details of a Christmas market or the Northern Lights above a northern landscape.
Scandinavian cities and towns also take on a special atmosphere in December. Streets are illuminated, shop windows are decorated and Christmas markets bring seasonal food and local crafts into public squares.
In the countryside, the appeal may be simpler: a red wooden cabin against fresh snow, a quiet forest path or the soft light of a winter afternoon.
Aurora sightings and snow conditions cannot be guaranteed, but the Scandinavian winter offers plenty of memorable scenes to photograph. If you are planning a festive city break, our guide to Scandinavian Christmas markets is a useful place to start.
Experience Christmas in Norway or Sweden
A Scandinavian Christmas can mean discovering local traditions, enjoying seasonal food, exploring a winter landscape or celebrating somewhere new. The right experience depends on whether you are drawn to Norway's dramatic scenery or the festive atmosphere of Sweden.
Explore our Festive Adventure in Norway or Festive Swedish Christmas to learn more about our current Christmas trips outside Finland. If you have a particular destination or experience in mind, contact our Nordic travel specialists to discuss your options.