Highlights
- Chimaeras (ghost sharks) at night in 10 to 30 m (33 to 100 ft) depth
- Deep sea corals (gorgonians and stone corals) in 20 to 40 m (65 to 130 ft) depth
- Deep sea jellyfish Periphylla periphylla in 5 to 30 m (17 to 100 ft) depth
- Richly varied macro life in 0 to 30 m (0 to 100 ft) depth
- Spotting various sharks and rays is possible
- Spotting various deep sea fish species is possible
- Often we spot moose, white-tailed eagle (sea eagle), and whales
- Fall landscapes in magnificent colors
- Northern lights (Aurora borealis) are possible
Tour dates
2021
03rd October - 10th October - fully booked
10th October - 17th October - 1 space available
17th October - 24th October
Tour price/Services
Price per person
2.850 Euro
Tour price INCLUDES the following services:
- Airport transfer
- All accommodation in twin rooms, incl. breakfast and dinner
- All diving excursions (incl. cylinders/tanks, air and weights)
- English-speaking support
- All local transfers and land excursions
- Northern lights tours (subject to weather and sun activity!)
- Various alternative programs to replace excursions that had to be cancelled
- Travel planning assistance
Tour price EXCLUDES the following services:
- Getting here / flights (incl. possible overnight stopovers)
- Single room (if available without additional costs)
- Any additional activities
- Alcoholic beverages
- Insurance
Getting here
Guests usually arrive in Trondheim by plane via Oslo, Copenhagen, or Amsterdam. There are also direct flights from some other European airports. We will meet you at Trondheim airport Værnes from where the tour will start.
During the summer and fall, weather-related flight delays and cancellations are rare.
We will gladly provide you with additional information to current flight schedules and fares.
Also (for guests from Europe) it is possible to travel by car. There are various travel routes via Denmark and Sweden (ferry or toll bridge) or by ferry from Germany. However, you have to expect a ten-hour drive from Oslo to our base at the Namsfjord in Mid-Norway.
Itinerary
Day 1: Travel from departure airport to Trondheim airport. Pickup at airport. Transfer to accommodation. Photo stops en route. Dinner at accommodation. Night dive possible.
Day 2: Diving day at the Trondheimfjord. Depending on the tidal period, it may be possible to conduct two dives. A range of dive sites is available. Diving is possible directly next to the accommodations (helmet jellyfish and a few deep-sea corals) or at diving sites that require driving. Night dive among chimaeras. Dinner.
Day 3/4: Two more dives are scheduled. We will decide which diving locations to visit over breakfast. Choices include coral walls, channel edges with an incredible macro life, and, when properly planned, also a lophelia pertusa reef (deep-sea coral reef). Dinner and night dive.
Day 5/6: Today we will devote ourselves to the exploration of dive sites that have not yet been part of our program. We could also check out some entirely new dive sites. We will use a nautical chart to determine these ahead of time. What awaits us in the water is then anyone's guess. It might be well worthwhile but the dive site might also turn out to be a little less interesting Dinner and night dive.
Day 7: Depending on the departure time of the following day's flight, there might be enough time for a morning dive in the fjord. Afterwards, we will dry and pack our equipment and might go on a short photo tour. Dinner.
Day 8: Departure. Transfer to airport and end of tour.
Diving
On this tour we will visit various dive sites. Most of the dives, or maybe even all of them will proceed from the shore. It can be demanding to get in and out of the water. Stones on the beach can be slippery, and waves (in the surf zone) might be challenging. Divers who suffer from knee problem or whose physical fitness is limited might not be able to join these dives.
Even when arranging the diving activities in slack water, (strong) currents must be expected. Some dives on this trip will be night dives and will take place in total darkness. Every diver has to bring a dive torch, as well as a backup light! The dive torch should be taken on every dive.
Maximum depths for most dives are 30 m (100 ft), and can increase to 40 m (130 ft) only if we dive along the Lophelia reefs. Visibility varies from 5 to 20 m (17 to 65 ft). The water in the Trondheimfjord is dark, caused by a thick (1 to 4 meters or 3 to 12 ft), dark-brown layer of fresh water covering the “clear” sea water. This is also one of the reasons why there are so many deep-water species in shallow waters here. We strongly recommend using a dry suit for diving.
We provide steel tanks with DIN double valves (200 bar) and a volume of 10, 12, or 15 liters as well as lead weight in different sizes. Oxygen equipment in case of diving emergencies is available during the whole trip.
The water temperature is around 8 to 12°C (46 to 54°F).
Weather
Late summer and fall are a period of transition into the Scandinavian winter. It is very difficult to forecast weather conditions. First snow on the mountains is possible, as well as “warm” summer temperatures. On average we expect 0 to 4°C (32 to 40°F) at night and 6 to 12°C (43 to 54°F) during the day. Along the coast it is slightly warmer than inland. We have to expect wind and rain. From October on, daylight time decreases noticeably every day.
Tour members who tend to suffer from seasickness should bring relevant medication such as pills or chewing gum. Tour members must bring their own warm and weather-resistant clothing and shoes. Please transport all sensitive equipment such as cameras in water-resistant and shock-resistant bags or cases. All participants are responsible for their equipment for the entire duration of their journey!
COVID-19 travel information
The worldwide COVID-19 situation is changing constantly, some countries are opening up for tourism again while others may remain closed for months. Of course, this makes a booking a bit different. In case your trip has been effected, we will inform you. The impact of COVID-19 is a concern to everyone in the travel industry, including us and our local partners. We are working hard to avoid negative effects for your journey as good as possible.
The Covid-19 protection measures are different per destination. Approximately 30 days prior to departure at the latest, we will have a good idea whether a trip will be cancelled or not.
Then we will contact you from the moment we have more information.
What happens if my trip with Northern Explorers gets cancelled?
In case we need to cancel your trip due to COVID-19 measures, you can rebook your trip to the next year. Your deposit will be transferred to the trip, and we will send you a new invoice reflecting your new dates. We will inform you about the options to cancel or change your booking.
What happens if the journey can't take place due to corona measures?
If the trip can’t take place due to corona measures, there are two options:
- 1. The travel date will be postponed to a date in 2022.
- 2. The trip will be cancelled by us and you will receive a voucher to use for booking a new trip.
If you cancel the trip yourself, our normal cancellation policy applies. Please note that additional products (e.g. flights, hotels and other excursions) are excluded from above conditions.
How does Northern Explorers handle preventive and hygiene measures during the trip?
The safety and well-being of our guests and crew continues to be our top priority. We are in regular exchange with our partners regarding regular updates about the specific measures that will be taken to ensure your health and safety.
Do you have a risk-free booking policy?
All existing and new bookings for our 2021 season, will be free to rebook to 2022 season at no costs in case Northern Explorers need to cancel the trips due to the corona virus measures.
What procedures have you put in place for snorkelling activities?
To ensure your health and safety during our snorkelling activities, we recommend to bring your own snorkelling set for use during the trip. All guests keep the same rental equipment (e.g. dry suit) during their entire stay.
Do I need travel insurance?
We always strongly recommend complete insurance coverage (travel cancellation insurance, diving accident insurance, international health insurance, possibly also baggage insurance and camera equipment insurance) also in case of a COVID-19 infection (medical expenses, evacuation, and other expenses).
