Cruise the Norwegian Fjords — Self-Launched

Fly into Tromsø (Norwegian or SAS, book early for £80–150 from UK via Oslo). Settle into a hostel in the Sentrum area, then walk the harbour and cross the Tromsø Bridge for the Arctic Cathedral. In summer, stay up for the midnight sun — the cable car (Fjellheisen) runs late and gives huge views over the islands. Buy a 24-hour Tromsø bus/ferry ticket if you plan to move around.

🚌Flight into Tromsø Airport + local bus to centre ~£4

🛏Hostel dorm in Tromsø Sentrum (e.g. Tromsø Activities Hostel / Smarthotel budget room) ~£35–45

• →Arctic Cathedral walk
• →Fjellheisen cable car (self-book, ~£25)
• →Harbour and Polaria area wander
• →Midnight sun viewing

This is the one leg where the ship was doing the heavy lifting. Take the express bus/coach from Tromsø to Alta (~4.5 hrs, book on nor-way.no or snelandia.no, ~£30–40), then continue to Honningsvåg (~4 hrs, ~£30). Overnight in Honningsvåg. In June–July there are also direct summer coach services and the Hurtigruten coastal ship can do part of this — compare prices. If bus timings don't line up, split it over two days with a night in Alta.

🚌Express coaches Tromsø–Alta–Honningsvåg ~£60–70 total

🛏Guesthouse/cabin in Honningsvåg ~£45–60

• →Coastal coach journey through Finnmark
• →Honningsvåg fishing harbour evening

Morning local bus to the North Cape plateau (Nordkapp) — 307m above the Arctic Ocean where the Atlantic and Arctic meet. Entry to the North Cape Hall is ~£30 (or just walk the surrounding barren clifftop for free). Explore the tiny fishing villages around Honningsvåg in the afternoon, then take the evening coach back toward Alta to position yourself for the Lofoten leg.

🚌Local bus Honningsvåg–Nordkapp return ~£10; coach Honningsvåg–Alta ~£30

🛏Budget hotel/hostel in Alta ~£40–55

• →North Cape plateau (Nordkapp)
• →Fishing village wandering
• →Coastal coach back to Alta

Bus Alta to Narvik (~5 hrs, ~£30), then bus or the Hurtigruten short hop into Lofoten. Base yourself in Svolvær or Henningsvær. Rent a bike or use the local bus to reach Henningsvær's art galleries and the famous harbour. This replaces the operator's coach tour of the islands — you cover the same ground at your own pace, and it's far cheaper.

🚌Bus Alta–Narvik ~£30 + bus to Lofoten ~£20

🛏Lofoten hostel (e.g. Svolvær/Henningsvær hostel dorm or rorbu share) ~£40–55

• →Henningsvær fishing village and galleries
• →Svolvær harbour and 'Goat' viewpoint hike
• →Lofoten bike rental

Local bus or a shared taxi down the E10 to Nusfjord, one of Norway's oldest preserved fishing villages — eat lunch at a local restaurant and see the stockfish drying racks. Continue to Å at the road's end, with its Norwegian Fishing Village Museum (small entry fee, ~£10). Skip the ship's Tørrfiskmuseum ticket and use the village museum instead. Return to Svolvær for the night or stay in Å.

🚌Local bus E10 ~£15 return

🛏Hostel/rorbu share in Svolvær or Å ~£40–55

• →Nusfjord fishing village
• →Å village and Norwegian Fishing Village Museum
• →Stockfish drying racks and coastal walk

Ferry or bus from Lofoten to Bodø (ferry Moskenes–Bodø ~£20–25, 3–4 hrs). From Bodø, take the ferry across to the Svartisen glacier area (Holand/Rødøy) and walk the marked trail to the glacier lake — the operator's guided 'Svartisen land excursion' is easily done independently; the first section is flat, the rocky approach is slow but signed. Alternatively, join a self-bookable guided glacier walk via a local operator in Bodø (~£70–90) if you want the close-up ice. Overnight Bodø.

🚌Ferry Lofoten–Bodø ~£22 + local ferry/bus to Svartisen ~£15

🛏Bodø hostel dorm ~£35–45

• →Ferry through Vestfjorden
• →Svartisen glacier trail (self-guided walk to the glacier lake)
• →Optional guided glacier walk booked directly

Bus/ferry south to Brønnøysund (~£30), then the local ferry to Vega Island, a UNESCO World Heritage fishing landscape. Wander the villages, walk the nature trails and enjoy the slow pace. If timings work, hike up Torghatten — the mountain with the famous hole through it (~2–3 hrs return, free). Stay on Vega or back in Brønnøysund.

🚌Bus/ferry combination ~£35

🛏Guesthouse on Vega or Brønnøysund hostel ~£40–55

• →Vega Island UNESCO villages
• →Vega nature hike
• →Torghatten 'hole in the mountain' hike

Train or bus north-coast route to Trondheim (~£35–45). Visit Nidaros Cathedral (built 1070–1300, entry ~£12) and Sverresborg Folk Museum (~£12, open-air history museum). Hike in Bymarka Nature Reserve (free, tram/bus to the trailhead ~£4) — the operator offers either the hike or the city tour; you can do both in a day if you start early. Free evening in Bakklandet's wooden wharf houses.

🚌Coach/train to Trondheim ~£40 + local tram ~£4

🛏Trondheim hostel dorm (e.g. Trondheim Vandrerhjem) ~£35–45

• →Nidaros Cathedral
• →Sverresborg Trøndelag Folk Museum
• →Bymarka Nature Reserve hike
• →Bakklandet old town walk

Bus/train to Ålesund (~£45), then the summer bus or ferry into Geirangerfjord (~£25). The classic is the Dalsnibba/Skywalk coach tour from Geiranger village — book locally or via GetYourGuide (~£45–55) instead of the ship's included coach tour. Alternatively, the fjord kayak or a RIB fjord tour (~£60–90) gets you the same UNESCO scenery from water level. For hikers, the 10km Skageflå/mountain route above the fjord is free and spectacular.

🚌Bus Ålesund–Geiranger (summer) ~£25

🛏Geiranger camping cabin/hostel ~£40–55

• →Geirangerfjord cruise or kayak
• →Dalsnibba Skywalk coach tour
• →Optional 10km fjord-view hike to Skageflå

Bus from Geiranger via Stryn to Olden (~£30). From Olden, the local bus or a shuttle/taxi to Briksdal (~£15) drops you at the trailhead. Walk the moderate trail to Briksdalsbreen glacier lake (~1 hr each way), or take the troll car (~£25) most of the way and walk the last bit. This is exactly the operator's 'glacier walk' — no guide needed, the path is clear and busy in summer.

🚌Bus Geiranger–Stryn–Olden ~£30 + local shuttle ~£15

🛏Olden hostel/guesthouse ~£40–50

• →Briksdalsbreen glacier hike
• →Olden lakeside and fjord walk
• →Optional troll car ride

Bus/train to Flåm via Sogndal (~£35). Ride the Flåm Railway — one of the world's great train journeys — through valleys and mountain passes (book on vy.no or the Flåm Railway site early, ~£45–55 one way). Walk from Myrdal back down or return on the train. Evening in Flåm village by the Aurlandsfjord; a fjord cruise (Nærøyfjord, ~£50) is wholly optional. Overnight Flåm or nearby Aurland.

🚌Bus to Flåm ~£35 + Flåm Railway ~£50

🛏Flåm hostel/camping cabin ~£40–55

• →Flåm Railway (self-booked ticket)
• →Myrdal mountain walk
• →Optional Nærøyfjord cruise

Train Flåm–Bergen (~£35, 3 hrs, gorgeous on the Bergensbanen connection) then fly Bergen–Edinburgh or Bergen–Aberdeen/Sumburgh with Norwegian/Loganair (~£80–130 if booked early). From Sumburgh, the local bus or hire car gets you to Lerwick. Visit Jarlshof prehistoric site (~£8) near Sumburgh and the Shetland Museum in Lerwick (free). In puffin season (May–July) a local boat or bus trip to Sumburgh Head gives seabird colonies — self-book with a local operator.

🚌Train to Bergen ~£35 + flight to Sumburgh ~£100 + local bus to Lerwick ~£5

🛏Lerwick hostel dorm (e.g. Islesburgh/Shetland hostel) ~£25–35

• →Jarlshof prehistoric settlement
• →Shetland Museum and Archives (Lerwick)
• →Sumburgh Head puffins (seasonal)
• →Lerwick harbour and lanes

Fly Loganair Sumburgh–Kirkwall (~£60) or take the NorthLink ferry Lerwick–Kirkwall (~£25–35, 6 hrs, book ahead). On Orkney, hire a bike or take the local bus/tour to the Heart of Neolithic Orkney: Standing Stones of Stenness, Ring of Brodgar and Skara Brae (~£12 entry to Skara Brae, the stones are free). Then ferry Kirkwall–Scrabster (~£20) and train/bus Scrabster–Inverness–Edinburgh (~£35–45), or flight Kirkwall–Edinburgh (~£70). Trip ends in Edinburgh.

🚌Ferry/flight to Orkney ~£50 + local transport ~£15 + ferry and train to Edinburgh ~£60

🛏Not included — Edinburgh hostel from ~£30 if you stay on

• →Ring of Brodgar and Standing Stones of Stenness
• →Skara Brae Neolithic village
• →Maeshowe chambered tomb (book ahead with Historic Environment Scotland)
• →NorthLink ferry crossing