Conrad
Aug 5, 01, 9:23 am
Hi,
I've been thinking about organising a trip to Northern Scandinavia in Feb/March next year. We'd love to see the Northern Lights, and I thought we could also try the 'Ice Hotel' at the same time.
In order to give us a chance of seeing the Aurora, I thought we'd need at least a week, maybe longer. Going to the Ice Hotel means flying into Kiruna at least, but if we're there for a week I imagine we would run out of things to do in the area. So, I thought about including Tromso in Norway on the trip - we visited it on the Coastal Steamer voyage earlier this year, and thought we'd visit again in winter.
In any case, on to my point - Kiruna and Tromso aren't that far apart, but there are no direct flights - it looks like I'd have to go via Stockholm and Oslo to fly. (Both lovely places, but I've visited them already, and it would be a long trip)
So, I am considering hiring a car and driving. A car would make us more mobile for our stay, but I do have questions about how practical it will be in Feb/March in Northern Sweden/Norway. The road to Tromso is about 400 km (E10/E8/E6) are these roads kept open all winter? How (un)safe is it for a tourist to be driving in these conditions?
Of course I don't have to go to Tromso - there are plenty of other places around Northern Norway which are lovely. All suggestions for the area gratefully received.
I'll probably fit it into a Star Alliance round-the-world ticket - so SAS fits in nicely.
(As an aside I'm also thinking of visiting Canada on the same ticket - perhaps I can fit in a Northern Lights visit there too, if Air Canada's network allows me to go somewhere suitable?)
Thanks
Conrad
I've been thinking about organising a trip to Northern Scandinavia in Feb/March next year. We'd love to see the Northern Lights, and I thought we could also try the 'Ice Hotel' at the same time.
In order to give us a chance of seeing the Aurora, I thought we'd need at least a week, maybe longer. Going to the Ice Hotel means flying into Kiruna at least, but if we're there for a week I imagine we would run out of things to do in the area. So, I thought about including Tromso in Norway on the trip - we visited it on the Coastal Steamer voyage earlier this year, and thought we'd visit again in winter.
In any case, on to my point - Kiruna and Tromso aren't that far apart, but there are no direct flights - it looks like I'd have to go via Stockholm and Oslo to fly. (Both lovely places, but I've visited them already, and it would be a long trip)
So, I am considering hiring a car and driving. A car would make us more mobile for our stay, but I do have questions about how practical it will be in Feb/March in Northern Sweden/Norway. The road to Tromso is about 400 km (E10/E8/E6) are these roads kept open all winter? How (un)safe is it for a tourist to be driving in these conditions?
Of course I don't have to go to Tromso - there are plenty of other places around Northern Norway which are lovely. All suggestions for the area gratefully received.
I'll probably fit it into a Star Alliance round-the-world ticket - so SAS fits in nicely.
(As an aside I'm also thinking of visiting Canada on the same ticket - perhaps I can fit in a Northern Lights visit there too, if Air Canada's network allows me to go somewhere suitable?)
Thanks
Conrad