Orcas and northern lights
Price Standardcabin
Price Comfortcabin
Start on board
start on board
Start Port
End of trip
leaving ship
Destination port
2.390,-€
2.690,-€
11-11-20267
18:00
Tromsø
18-11-2027
10:00
Tromsø
The Trip
This trip is called “Orcas & Northern Lights,” a name that captures exactly what our hearts desire:
fantastic wildlife viewing and fascinating Northern Lights sightings. But since we’re neither at the zoo nor at the movies, our success in spotting these wonders depends on nature cooperating. What we can do is do everything in our power
to ensure we achieve our goal. We’ll be in the right place at the right time of year, take plenty of time, and get to experience these days aboard a fantastic sailing ship with a crew that draws on a wealth of experience. It doesn’t get much better than this! We’ll be traveling during a season when the
sun barely rises above the horizon, when dramatic and impressive weather changes can occur, and when the soft
twilight light enchants the landscape. And
above all: the landscape! The Norwegian fjord and island landscape is unparalleled, and that alone would be worth the trip. We’re navigating through this landscape.
Our trip takes place well after the equinox, and since we’ll also be north of the Arctic Circle, darkness already takes up a significant portion of the day. But that’s exactly what makes this not only a special It’s not just the charm of gazing at snow-capped mountains at twilight or under the starlight—we also have an excellent chance to see the Northern Lights. And just imagine: the Northern Lights over a white mountain landscape, with the whole scene reflected in a calm fjord!
Itinerary and the Ship
The traditional sailing ship SV Meander will serve as our floating
accommodation and mode of transportation for this voyage.
This beautiful and stylishly restored two-masted ship offers space for a total of 12 passengers in six double cabins. This allows us to travel in a pleasantly manageable group, which provides plenty of space and tranquility for wildlife and
nature observation. The SV Meander offers plenty of space and great views from the fore, middle, and aft decks. For meals—in the evening or whenever you like—we head to the cozy salon. That’s where social life takes place, and it’s also where we’ll explore topics like Norway, whales, and the Northern Lights during the occasional presentation. In the evenings, the crew moors the ship at one of the many small harbors or piers, or we anchor in the shelter of a bay. This sometimes gives us the opportunity to leave the ship and stretch our legs. Perhaps we’ll be moored at a dock for a few hours while it’s still light out—in that case, we’ll see if we can take a short hike through a village or the countryside, with the goal of reaching a scenic viewpoint. We’ll set sail on this trip on November 11 from Tromsø through the world of islands and fjords in the east—including Lyngen Fjord, the islands of Arnøya and Kågen—all the way to the large Kvænangen Fjord. Or we could explore the western waters, home to the large islands of Senja, Kvaløya, and Ringvassøya. Perhaps we’ll even make it as far as the Vesterålen; up here, the wind and weather simply dictate our fate. The fjord and island landscape is breathtaking, and throughout our entire trip, we have a very good chance of seeing impressive whales. Finally, we’ll head back to Tromsø, where we’ll disembark on November 18.
Naturally, on a fall cruise in the subarctic, the weather plays a major role in determining our daily schedule and itinerary. However, this 8-day voyage gives us enough time to complete the route as planned and to enjoy many beautiful moments and sightings.
Life Aboard
The Meander is a very beautiful and stylishly furnished ship, and the crew makes our life aboard as pleasant as possible.
Nevertheless, space is limited on a traditional sailing ship like this—this applies to
the cabins as well as to all other common areas and passageways, such as
hallways, staircases, and the salon.
Consideration for others is essential here. There will be many opportunities to lend a helping hand, and such assistance is always gratefully received. Whether it’s handling luggage upon arrival or at the end of the voyage, or setting the table and clearing away dishes (including your own coffee cup), mutual help goes a long way. And even when dealing with bulky clothing, including life jackets, it can be helpful if someone else gives a tug in just the right spot. Likewise, life in the cabins takes some getting used to. Figuring out where to put your things is part of it, as is understanding that you need to be considerate when your cabin neighbor is currently in the cabin or getting changed—even if they’re not lying or sitting on their bunk; otherwise it can get too cramped. But anyone who’s already experienced this on other trips aboard smaller ships or in the cramped quarters of RVs
or other campsites will be able to handle it just fine. You just have to know what to expect—then you can adjust accordingly, and everyone wins, I promise!
There are a total of six guest cabins; two of them have their own bathroom (comfort cabins), and four cabins each have their own sink and also share two toilets and two showers. All cabins have bunk beds with mattresses 2 meters long. Storage space is also limited, but each cabin has several shelves and additional storage surfaces, as well as storage space under the lower bunk and a few coat hooks. For power, there is at least one outlet per cabin (no adapter is needed), but it’s recommended to bring a power strip, perhaps one with USB charging ports. We can move about freely on board for the most part. A mandatory safety briefing is required at the start, after which it’s time to explore the Meander. The foredeck and aft deck offer beautiful views in many directions, and the midship deck also provides shelter from the wind when
needed. The Meander is a sailing ship with a very special rig (stag-sail schooner), and when the wind is right, we’ll set sail. Helping hands are always welcome for this. In general, the crew on the ship has the right of way—this applies especially during sailing or other maneuvers,
of course. If you’re in the way, you’ll be made aware of it,
sometimes more clearly, sometimes less, but always in a manner appropriate to the situation. Don’t take it personally!
Whale Watching
The shallow waters off the coast of Norway are an almost paradisiacal place for many marine creatures. Ocean currents and intense water mixing in the
nearby transition zone between the continental shelf and the deep sea provide a highly nutrient-rich environment for zooplankton and phytoplankton. And this is precisely the food source for the marine life that either feeds on vast quantities of krill or preys on other fish—the whales. In particular,
orcas and humpback whales, as well as fin whales, minke whales, and pilot whales, can be spotted, along with other dolphin species and seals. Fall and winter are ideal times for sightings. In the fall, orcas and humpback whales follow their prey—schooling herring—to the coast and are particularly easy to spot in the areas around Kvænangen, as well as at other points along the coast.
We’ll keep our eyes open—that’s why we’re here!
Northern Lights
The season is right, the trip is long enough, and our location in
northern Norway is ideal for hoping to see beautiful Northern Lights.
In addition, 2027 is considered a period of increased solar activity, which in turn
potentially points to good Northern Lights displays.
We’ll keep an eye on the weather forecast and the Northern Lights probability (KP Index)
and, as a rule, will be able to position ourselves well to admire this natural spectacle and capture it on camera. Whether we stay on board or seek out a suitable spot on land will depend on the situation. It’s also important to wear warm clothing and appropriate footwear, as the experience is significantly diminished if you’re freezing or can’t operate your camera because your fingers are too cold.
Services included in the tour price:
8-day sailing cruise (7 nights) aboard the SV Meander from/to Tromsø
• Boarding around 6:00 p.m., disembarking around 10:00 a.m.
• Planned itinerary: from Tromsø along the northwest coast of Norway, past the islands and Skjervøy to the region of the Kvænangenfjord and the Lyngenfjord, then back to Tromsø with stops at various ports along the route; depending on weather conditions.
• Accommodation in double cabins with bunk beds (as a double cabin, half-double cabin, or
single-occupancy cabin*) in the booked cabin category (Comfort Cabin or
Standard Cabin)
• Bedding and towels are provided in the cabins
• Meals included: 3 meals per day (on the arrival and departure days, only dinner or
breakfast, respectively)
• Beverages included: water, tea, coffee
• All necessary boat transfers
• German-speaking tour guide: Uwe Maaß
• CO2 offset paid to the nonprofit organization atmosfair gGmbH
CONTACT US TO BOOK.