This is a dream holiday come true. Husky and reindeer sledding, slumbering in a glass igloo and cruising past magnificent fjords in search of the magical Northern Lights.

Known as Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights appear at night when the sky is pitch black. It is one of the world’s most extraordinary sights as green, yellow, blue, violet and rose-pink lights dance and dart across the sky like shimmering ballerinas.

You will cross the Arctic Circle to give you more opportunities to see the Northern Lights.

And you also get to experience the world’s most scenic train journey, the Flam Railway to watch spellbound as you glide past frozen waterfalls against a backdrop of snow white mountains.

Now Hurtigruten, the small-ship specialist expedition line, has put together an amazing 15-day itinerary for small groups of adventure seekers, fully escorted, with flights included from $9999* per person in 2022 and 2023.

See Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express.

Just make sure you book by August 31 2021. Click here for more details.

Your bucket list holiday starts in Finland and heads south to cross over to the heart of Norway. You will visit charming hamlets, sail past picturesque fjords and along the way there will be plenty of time to enjoy the Northern Lights.

After arriving at Ivalo in Finland, you will be taken to the nearby village of Saariselka where your adventure begins. After breakfast, you will visit a local husky farm. Here you will meet the delightful huskies and learn how they are trained. You will then enjoy a sled ride with your new furry friends for a rollicking ride over the snowy terrain.

The next day, as you continue through the Finnish Lapland, you will visit a reindeer safari and meet the indigenous Sami people and learn about their culture and endangered language.

When you arrive in Kirkenes, you will check-in at the Snowhotel home to reindeers and huskies and experience sleeping in a Gamme cabin, the traditional hunting and fishing hut in the Lapland wilderness.

After breakfast the next morning you will board your Hurtigruten ship for your five-night cruise hugging Norway’s coast. For the brave at heart and body, you can take a dip in the icy Arctic Ocean when you stop at Vardo.

There will be a late night stop at Mehamn where there’s an optional snowmobile trip across the vast Arctic wilderness and very possibly, you will be able to spot the Northern Lights.

At Tromso, you will be able to enjoy a wonderful Northern Lights concert at the Arctic Cathedral.

Prepare for some amazing scenery when the ship sails through the world famous islands of Lofoten and Vesteralen, known for their natural beauty, steep mountains and picturesque fishing villages.

The journey then takes you to Trollfjord where the ship will sail between sheer cliffs that seem so close that you could reach out and touch them. It’s an unforgettable experience.

Next up is the crossing of the Arctic Circle, considered an important “rite of passage” and to mark the occasion, passengers are given a taste of Arctic tradition – a spoonful of cod liver oil.

Sailing along the Hedgeland coast, you will see the strange mountain, Torghatten, rising 258m above sea level, with its distinctive hole through its centre. There may also be a chance you will be able to see the Northern Lights.

The next port is Trondheim, the wooden city of history. Be sure to visit the majestic Nidaros Cathedral and Kristiansund, known as Norway’s dried cod capital because of its export of salted dried fish. You can also go for an excursion along Atlantic Road, 8km of highway with eight bridges crossing picturesque landscapes and surrounded by open sea.

As the voyage draws to a close, you will disembark at Bergen and transfer to a hotel where you will stay for two nights to explore Bergen city, home of Norway’s famous composer, Edvard Grieg.

One of the highlights of visiting Bergen is the amazing journey by rail, coach and ferry to Oslo. You will start with a rail journey from Bergen to Voss, then you will taken by coach to Gudvangen where you will board the ferry and cruise the dramatic Naeroyfjord to the quaint village of Flam. You will then experience the famous Flam Railway one of the world’s most scenic rail journeys before arriving back in Oslo where you will stay overnight.

Spend some time exploring Oslo’s Opera House, Vigeland Sculpture Park and the city’s Historical Museum before a farewell dinner in a local restaurant.

The next day, you fly home.

If by chance you do not see the Northern Lights during the holiday, you will receive a six or seven-day classic voyage, free of charge – thanks to Hurtigruten’s Northern Lights Promise.

Make sure you book by August 31 2021.

* Visit Hurtigruten.com.au for full terms and conditions.