Lofoten Islands: Ski and Sail Beneath the Northern Lights

Imagine the sensation of waking up onboard a historical sailing ship amid the spellbinding winter beauty of Norway’s Fjordland. Imagine stepping on the shore of a remote beach, so remote that few others will have stepped there before you, and that only a small boat can take you too. Now, imagine towering mountains set back from these shores where the powder is untouched and the peaks unnamed. Come with us to the Steigen coastline and that’s exactly what you’ll find as you strap on your skis for an epic week-long adventure carving up uncharted slopes and taking in unique local culture. By night, you’ll call the seas your home as you sail between the fjords and beneath the flicker of the Northern Lights before wrapping it all up at the impossibly stylish Manshausen. Make the mountains and the seas your own in this ski trip quite unlike any you’ve done before.

Skis on, Sails up

The adventure begins the moment the wheels hit the tarmac as you fly into Bodø in Nordland country. Heading straight to the harbour, you’ll step aboard your home for the next five nights. A historical schooner, Anna Rogde lends an authentic air to your experience whilst still guaranteeing the utmost comfort. After a hearty dinner on deck, you’ll set sail into fjorldand as you set a course for the Steigen coastline, home to towering peaks accessible only by boat.

You’ll spend the next four days navigating icy waters before coming ashore to be met by the total isolation of the mountains where only the fresh powder and crisp blue waters lie ahead. Hiking up to these mighty peaks, it’s the perfect ski trip for those looking for something that bit more unique, where the runs are unnamed and are devoid of anyone but yourselves. The peaks average 1,000-metres minimum, promising spellbinding views and adrenaline-fuelled descents. After a day making a run of any slope that takes your fancy, head back on board for an evening of apres-ski done the Norwegian way. Fancy an afternoon off? Pick up a kayak or a rod and explore the tranquil waters of this snow-dusted coastline.

Perfect Seclusion

Heading deeper through the fjords, a few days later you’ll break through the otherworldly landscapes of the Lofoten Islands. After a few more panoramic runs, you’ll sail into the Grøtøya Straight, pulling up at the stark beauty of the glass-fronted sea cabins of Manshausen. Perched on a rocky promontory in Steigen, this remote design hotel will be your home for the next two nights. Lie in bed each evening looking out the vast picture windows before you and watch the Northern Lights dance across the sky. By day, take to sea kayaks, hike the surrounding peaks or pick up head into the bay for spear and deep sea fishing alike. Far removed from the everyday, the peace and natural beauty of Steigen is a breath of fresh air that will stay with you long after the dreaded flight back home.