Few phenomena capture the imagination like the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights.
Now cruise lovers can go in search of the Northern Lights on a fully escorted tour aboard P&O's Aurora with The Senior from London to the Arctic Circle and Northern Norway leaving February 2019.
Northern Norway is one of the best places in the world to see this amazing phenomenon - one of the most spectacular sights in the world - which happens only at high latitudes on dark nights from September to March. Lucky skygazers can witness anything from an ethereal green glow on the horizon to pulsating scarlet streaks across the sky.
Travellers get to enjoy a day's sightseeing in London before boarding the Aurora in Southampton and settling down to a couple of relaxing days at sea as one of the largest P&O ships sails northwards bound for Andalsnes, Norway.
A young city on the shores of Romsdalfjord, Andalsnes is close to where the Isfjord begins and where the Rauma River - famous for its salmon - ends. On a sightseeing tour of this city, in one of the most beautiful areas of Norway, passengers will take in the region's highlights and breathtaking sights from the Trollstigen viewpoints, also taking in the magic of the Trollveggen Mountains.
The ship is well inside the Arctic Circle by Day 8 of the cruise when it arrives at Tromso, famed as a viewing point for the colourful Northern Lights. The city's historic centre is distinguished by its centuries-old wooden houses.
At night the tour will head into the countryside with tripods and an expert guide to hopefully photograph the lights at their best.
Departing Tromso, the tour heads deeper into the Arctic Circle to Alta, a town on Norway's northern coast, for two days.
Situated at the head of Alta Fjord, the town is known as a great spot to view the Northern Lights. It is also where the world's first Northern Lights observatory was built in 1899.
After a sightseeing tour of the city there's another chance to witness the light show as the tour ventures once more into the magical Norwegian countryside.
The second day in Alta includes a visit to the UNESCO-listed Alta Museum with its ancient petroglyphs and the Northern Lights Cathedral, and travel to the lush green Sautso-Alta canyon. Later learn about the history of the indigenous people, the Sami, on a reindeer sledding tour before a night sky-gazing tour.
From Alta the ship journeys southward before stopping at its final Norwegian destination of Stavanger - the gateway to Norway's scenic fjordland near the southern tip of the country.
Regarded as the 'Cradle of the Vikings', Stavanger has its own rich heritage. A tour will include a stroll through the cobblestone streets of Old Stavanger, learning about the early history of the city and its more than 170 listed and restored wooden houses from the late 18th and early 19th centuries and a 12th century cathedral.
One of Northern Europe's best-preserved collections of wooden houses, the city received several awards for its preservation efforts.
And from the highest point in Stavanger get a 360-degree view of the surrounding fjords and mountains.
The cruise arrives back in Southampton on Day 15, with a few hours to stroll around the city before heading back to London for the flight home.
The February 25-March 12 tour costs from $6790 per person twin share or $7990 single fare. This includes economy-class return air travel from Australia to London and 12 nights on the P&O Aurora plus all meals, entertainment and service charges on board.
Also included is one night's four-star hotel accommodation in London as well as sightseeing tours in London and all Norway stops.
Details click HERE or phone 1800 630 343.
This story first appeared on www.thesenior.com.au
