Travel to Norway is on the rise as luxury clients seek out cooler destinations that allow them to do a deep dive into local cultures.
Last year in Virtuoso’s Luxe Report, which surveyed 2,400 luxury travel advisors, Norway was among the top five “destinations on the rise.” (The list also included Antarctica, Norway, Morocco and Egypt.) The release of that research followed another report from Virtuoso which showed that Scandinavia bookings for Summer 2025 were up 263 percent year over.
We decided to take a deep dive into Norway to determine the options for luxury travelers to the country and so we chatted virtually with Torunn Tronsvang, founder of Up Norway, which designs bespoke vacations across Norway and Scandinavia that have a strong focus on sustainability, cultural immersion, and Scandinavian values. The company also has long-standing relationships with owner-hosted lodges, artisans, guides, and cultural stewards across Norway.
Torunn Tronsvang, founder of Up Norway Source: Up Norway
Tronsvang is seeing trends evolve in her part of the world, with clients shifting strongly toward shoulder season and Arctic travel, particularly above the Arctic Circle.
The current solar cycle peaks this year, which has heightened interest in Northern Lights experiences in winter, she tells World of Luxury. “Destinations such as Lofoten and Alta continue to perform strongly, and there is growing demand for more remote regions like the Varanger Peninsula. Travelers are increasingly interested in positioning themselves in ideal locations for aurora observation rather than simply ‘hunting’ the lights,” she adds.
Destination immersion
A desire for cultural immersion is alive and well in Norway and beyond and Tronsvang says that she’s seeing notable growth in longer, slower itineraries that combine urban and rural exploration.
“Guests are seeking immersive cultural moments such as Sámi storytelling, reindeer herding insight, and sea-to-table dining, rather than passive sightseeing,” she says.
Then there’s the continuing rising interest in summer ‘coolcations,’ where travelers seek to escape the heat of the season; that’s easily doable with Norway’s fjords, glaciers, and mountain retreats.
Tronsvang followed a very practiced approach to launching Up Norway in 2016. She had already worked in leadership, quality and experience development roles with luxury brands such as Aman in Bhutan, Jumeirah in Dubai, and Anantara in Thailand and the Maldives. When she returned home to Norway after those stints she saw an opportunity to position the country differently, not just as a destination of dramatic landscapes, but as a place where culture, sustainability, and nature intersect in meaningful ways.
As a result, the MBA thesis she was working on explored Up Norway as a business idea, combining her passion for purpose-driven travel with a vision for technology-enhanced personalized service.
Growing Scandinavian travel
What began as an academic project grew into a full-fledged luxury travel company in 2016, and today Up Norway is a team of 21 based in Oslo, curating highly personalized journeys across Norway and Scandinavia. As a certified B Corp, the intent to create positive impact is embedded into everything the company does, and through its research initiative, Journeys with Meaning, co-funded by The Research Council of Norway, it is pioneering a values-based tourism model that translates Scandinavian principles into tangible travel experiences.
“What sets us apart is our physical on-ground presence as well as our commitment to presence: we value close relationships with partners, continuously explore the destinations we offer, and ensure that every journey is immersive and authentic,” says Tronsvang. “In a world of constant digital distraction, we provide travelers with the luxury of presence, while handling the logistics seamlessly, using technology to enhance personalized service rather than replace it.”
Super customized feats
Some of the more over-the-top experiences Up Norway has orchestrated for clients are entirely exclusive. It’s arranged a private breakfast inside the iconic Twist at Kistefos, granting guests sole access to the architectural landmark and sculpture park before it opens to the public.
It's also facilitated close-up conversations with one of the world’s foremost democracy experts, an extraordinary, behind-the-scenes exchange rarely accessible to the public. And for history enthusiasts, it’s opened the doors to Roald Amundsen’s former villa along the Oslo Fjord for a private visit alongside a local explorer and polar history expert, creating a deeply immersive journey into Norway’s spirit of exploration.
Up Norway is accepting new clients, however, Tronsvang suggests booking in advance, particularly because Scandinavian lodging has a limited capacity. “Hotels are boutique, lodges are remote, and individual huts are finite so things book up,” she advises.
Peak travel and should seasons
Springtime in Norway is drawing more visitors Source: Shutterstock
The most in-demand travel windows are December through March for Northern Lights experiences and June through August for summer fjord travel and the Midnight Sun.
That’s shifting a bit, she says, noting that some of the most rewarding times to visit Norway are during the shoulder seasons.
“May offers beautiful fjord landscapes in bloom before peak summer crowds, while September and October combine autumn colors with excellent hiking, aurora potential and greater availability. Late November and early December is another wonderful option, offering a festive atmosphere with fewer visitors, as well as whale watching opportunities,” says Tronsvang.
First time advice
For those advisors with first-time travelers to Norway, she suggests a balanced itinerary that combines the fjords with Arctic Norway and immersive cultural experiences.
“In the fjord region, that might include scenic train travel, boutique fjord-side stays, kayaking beneath towering cliffs, and farm-to-table dining rooted in local produce and seafood traditions, as well as private farm visits,” says Tronsvang.
Arctic adventures
In the Arctic, she recommends the Northern Lights paired with Sámi cultural encounters, wood-fired sauna rituals followed by cold plunges, wildlife experiences, and time in remote coastal villages where travelers can slow down and experience daily life. The company frequently incorporates train travel into its itineraries for both sustainability and scenic immersion.
“The key for first-time visitors is contrast, light and dark, coast and mountain, activity and stillness, allowing them to experience the diversity and emotional depth of Norway in a single journey,” says Tronsvang.
City and country stays
Kistefos is home to unique architecture, museums and galleries Source: Shutterstock
She also recommends three nights in Oslo, which provides time for a day excursion to Hadeland to experience art at Kistefos and combine a rural excursion with an urban experience. (Kistefos was built on the grounds of a historical pulp mill, and today serves up world-class architecture, an Industrial Museum, two art galleries, and a sculpture park with 55 sculptures. “The new art gallery The Twist, is a gallery, a bridge and a sculpture all in one, and has won several awards for its cutting-edge design,” according to the museum’s website. In 2020, Kistefos was named a “must-see cultural destination” by The New York Times.
These days, Tronsvang is particularly excited about the formal launch of Up Norway’s Journeys with Meaning research initiative and the broader national momentum around regenerative tourism and values-based travel development.
Boutique hotels with meaning
“We continue to take a leadership role in making travel more meaningful, and we are seeing thoughtful expansion of boutique, design-forward lodges across the country,” says Tronsvang. “These properties emphasize architecture rooted in the landscape, small-scale operations, and immersive guest experiences that feel both exclusive and deeply connected to place. An example is Ytri Retreat on Træna island due to open end of April,” she notes, referring to an exclusive coastal resort set on the Helgeland coastline, with 38 rooms and suites.
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