Paying a lot of money for a luxury hotel is one way to have a premium experience. But if you really want to experience the world at its best, particularly the Nordic region, we think a tour operator is critical. 

You can find plenty of budget options, but today, we’re much more interested in Scandinavia Private Tours. This company was one that we knew we had to review after finding out that every tour is fully customizable, and there are very few limits on what you’re actually allowed to do and request. 

Minor Downsides

But before we get into the meat of the review, it’s worth running quickly through some of the minor downsides of this service. These weren’t dealbreakers, but we know they’ll rule some of you out from wanting to use this service. 

One issue, of course, is the premium pricing. This blog is all about luxury, but if you’re looking to travel on a shoestring, this isn’t the way to do it. 

Another problem which isn’t really in the operator’s control is the weather. If you’re traveling to Southern Europe, you can do just about anything at any time of year. But with Scandinavia Private Tours in the far north and in extreme locations, access is often weather dependent. Therefore, you’ll want to create backup plans and prepare yourself for the prospect of disappointment. 

Of course, you can get around this by simply choosing to go at the right time or year, or booking a second follow-up trip. But that might not be something you can realistically fit in your schedule right now. 

Biggest Positives

So, with that out of the way, what were the biggest positives for us using this service? 

VIP Customization

The thing that stood out most to us was the VIP customization options. With Scandinavia Private Tours, you can do pretty much whatever you want, within reason. The female-led team will bend over backwards to make your requests a reality. 

For example, you can literally ask to go to specific fjords in a country of your choice. You can also get things like special VIP museum tours or reservations at top restaurants that would be hard to get into otherwise. 

This level of customization is impressive and one of the reasons why we were so pleased. A lot of tour companies say that they are bespoke, but they just have small elements they add onto their core itineraries. But with Scandinavia Private Tours, that’s not the case at all. You really have a lot of freedom. 

Longer Tours Available

Another nice thing we noticed was that Scandinavia Private Tours allows for longer tours. You can literally go around with a driver for an entire month if necessary. 

For this reason, this is the sort of company we’d be using for once-in-a-lifetime adventures and Sabbaticals. The ability to just disappear in the Nordic region for weeks on end is enchanting and exciting. 

Generous Cancellation Policy

Another minor thing we liked about Scandinavia Private Tours was the fact that it offers a generous cancellation policy. It provides a full refund up to 7 days before your departure, which is incredibly generous for such a VIP service. We thought this was a nice traveler-friendly addition and something we’d like to see being done more often in the industry as a whole. 

Of course, if you do cancel, then that might change the conditions of your next booking. But the fact that the option is available sounds very friendly to those of us who like to change travel plans at the last minute. 

Long-Experienced Travel Designers

With Scandinavia Private Tours, the female-led team designing your trip has massive experience in where to go, what to do, and when. We noticed that they seemed to have a broad network that enabled them to meet client needs more readily. Many of the staff have more than twenty years of experience, which also factored into the quality of the service and their ability to simply just get things done. 

Travel Across The Entire Nordic Region

You’ll also notice with this tour operator that it’s possible to travel across the entire Nordic region. And when we say the entire region, we really mean it. You can go all the way up to Greenland if you want. 

Usually, you don’t see this scope, and it’s rare even among luxury tour companies. Most will focus on Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and maybe Iceland if you’re lucky. But Scandinavia Private Tours does the whole lot, which is fantastic. 

Who Should Use Scandinavia Private Tours?

So, who should be using Scandinavia Private Tours? 

As a luxury option, it’s really for people with means. The service rolls out the red carpet, but your budget needs to be ready for it. 

It’s also for people with a serious case of wanderlust who want to go to new places and have new experiences. It’s not for individuals who just want to go “sightseeing” or take pictures at all the regular popular locations. That’s not how it works. If you’re going to use an operator like this, take advantage of everything they have to offer. 

Also, while the operator does offer some shorter trip options, it’s probably best to use it for a couple of weeks. You’ll get more done and you’ll enjoy the presence of friendly staff who assist you at every step of the way. 

Final Summary And Conclusions

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a VIP tour experience for the Nordic region, Scandinavia Private Tours is a solid choice. This operator, in our view, is doing things that simply aren’t available elsewhere. Very few luxury tour operators are able to perform well in a private format, but this option does in spectacular fashion. 

That’s not to say it’s completely perfect. No service can be. But it still gets a five-star rating from us due to the reasons mentioned above. We suggest checking it out if you want to elevate your travel experience substantially.