We start with a short tour of the town, before the bus takes us deep into the surprisingly fertile landscape. Here you can take in the expanse of green hills, dotted with scrubs, birch and pine trees that manage to survive despite the harsh Arctic climate. The region has experienced an exciting and at times hugely dramatic history, so this also promises to be an educational morning. Next up, we make a stop at Storskog - the border station between Norway and Russia. Unfortunately we cannot cross the border itself, but you are permitted to take pictures and are normally able to purchase Russian souvenirs. From here we travel to the small mining community of Bjørnevatn, before heading towards Pasvikdalen, which boasts an imposing landscape filled with rolling green hills and robust trees, an area known to have Norway’s largest population of brown bears. Back in Kirkenes we make a stop at the impressive Prestfjellet Mountain, which overlooks both the town and your waiting Hurtigruten ship.