What they said after coming home

What put me most at ease was that I never once had to ask whether the food was halal. Our guide reminded us of prayer times before we asked, and the schedule was arranged so we were never late. The children still talk about the midnight sun.

We booked the private programme because we do not enjoy shared groups. Everything was ours alone: the vehicle, the guide, even the yacht on the fjord. The standard of organisation was very close to what we had hoped for, and being able to deal with everything in Arabic saved us a great deal.

Nine of us travelled, including my elderly mother and three children. I worried the programme would be tiring, but the distances were short and there was enough time to rest. On the day with a long walk they arranged an alternative for my mother, and she never felt left out.

Lofoten was a genuine surprise. The cabins on the water and the scenery are unlike anything I had seen. The organisation was precise, and the domestic flights were arranged without any effort on our part.

I only had five days off and assumed it would not be enough. The short Oslo–Bergen programme fitted perfectly, and the train journey alone is worth the trip. My only wish is that I had stayed one more day in Bergen.

I enjoy hiking and wanted a serious programme rather than quick sightseeing. The mountain guide was professional and offered two options each day depending on fitness. The glacier was the most beautiful thing I have seen.

The detail that stayed with us: the child seats were already fitted in the car at the airport, and prayer mats were on board from the first day. Small things, but they show that whoever planned the trip understands us.

The communication before the trip was excellent — every WhatsApp question answered within minutes, and they walked us through the visa file step by step. That reassurance beforehand matters as much as the journey itself.