Epic Norway Itinerary: 2 Weeks Road Trip Along the Best Fjords

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109 Comments

1. This is a really great itinerary! My son and I plan to visit the beginning/middle of September and follow much of your route. It looks like there are alot of ferry crossings. Did you pre-book all these or just show up? I am also trying to figure out how much time to allow for ferry crossings, are they typically pretty short, like 30 minutes? Or should I allow more time for each crossing? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

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   1. Hi Jeni, most of the time, you just arrive there, wait for the next boat, and go. It’s hard to plan exactly to the minute, but it’s also nothing to worry about. There are plenty of boats in the summer season and the wait is usually not more than 15-30 minutes. Most ferry crossings themselves are also very short. If you absolutely want to check schedules or know how long exactly each journey takes, then you will have to research each ferry crossing individually. It might make sense, especially since you are traveling toward the end of September when some (more touristic) routes might have fewer trips planned.
      In any case, there are also some things that are best booked ahead – like the Geirangerfjord ferry, if you want to take it. You will find more information and details in the article.

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2. This is such an amazing resource! I am having such a hard time deciding where to go. How old were your boys when you were there? Mine will be 7 and 4. As much as I’d love for this to be a hiking-focused trip, my youngest won’t be able to do a ton of hiking. Is there anywhere you’d remove in this itinerary with that in mind? Am I crazy for wanting to combine a fjord itinerary with a trip to Lofoten over a period of 12 days (9 days in fjord area and 3 days in Lofoten), or would you keep them separate trips?

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   1. Hi Ashley, our kids were 6, 6, and 8 on this specific trip. Indeed, most of the hikes might be too challenging for a 4-year old and even for a 7-year old, even more so if they aren’t used to hiking. But you can easily adjust the itinerary and skip the steepest hikes (basically all the best hikes in Stavanger, but also in Lofoten since they are even steeper). The rest of this itinerary doesn’t include any strenuous hiking. If you have to shorten it a lot, you could just focus on the area around Bergen-Flam-Geirangerfjord.
      And no, it’s not crazy to want to see it all, especially if you are not planning a repeat trip in the area. However, if you plan on doing that, shorten this itinerary focusing on fewer places that look the most interesting to you (and are doable for your family) and then fly to Lofoten for the rest of the trip. We have lots of articles about Lofoten on our website as well, you can find them all here. There is a lot to see and do and it’s a stunning area. Our kids’ favorite was the sea eagle safari to Trollfjord from Svolvaer.
      Good luck with the planning and have a great trip!

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3. Hi Jurga,
   This is a super-comprehensive and helpful itinerary, which I definitely plan to use as a skeleton for my plan in June 🙂 so thanks a lot for that!! I have a couple of questions:
   1. I plan to start in Stavanger (Lysefjord and Pulpit Rock) and then proceed to Bergen. Could you recommend how many days to spend in Bergen and do we need to rent a car for sights in and around Bergen (total time in Norway would be 8-10 days)?
   For instance, I’m considering doing the Naerfjord cruise from Bergen on my own till Flam, then the Flam-Myrdal railway, and back by bus from Myrdal to Bergen (please correct me in case of any error). This would be one day when I won’t need the car and can use public transport to and from Bergen. But I do wish to do the Trolltunga, so would that need a car or the public transport from Bergen would work?

   2. Following Bergen, which place could I move to? Would it be worth going to Alesund just for the Geirangerfjord if I have already done 2-3 fjords before that?
   Also, any opinion on the Hardangerfjord around Bergen?

   3. Is Tromso worth visiting in summer?

   Thanks once again for such a helpful itinerary! Please do keep writing about your amazing travels!

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   1. Hi Mithila, to answer your questions:
      1. In Bergen, I would plan at least one full day for the city, but depending on your interests, you could also spend two. For excursions outside the city, it’s possible to do them by public transport, with tours, or by car. So it’s really your preference. Trolltunga requires a whole day in itself and it’s a very, very long and tiring hike.
      2. Geirangerfjord is one of the most beautiful ones and also Eagle Road is very impressive. Alesund is nice, but not a must.
      3. Tromso is always worth it, but if you only have 8-10 days in Norway in total and take the trouble to go all the way up north, then the Lofoten Islands are worth it much more for a summer visit. I would plan at least 3 days for that area.
      If you decide to go to Lofoten, you could fly to that area after visiting Bergen (see our Lofoten travel tips for more information). In that case, I would skip Geirangerfjord and Alesund to have more time in the north. But if you rather stay in the south and explore deeper, then Geirangerfjord is absolutely not to be missed.
      Good luck with the planning and have a great trip!

      Reply

   2. @Jurga, oh yes that makes sense! Tha ks for responding!
      Also, do you recommend splitting time between Bergen and Flam or would that be redundant?

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      1. Normally, yes, I would rent a car and stay in Flam a bit longer (one night) doing a road trip as we did. But with just 8-10 days for the entire trip, I would simply visit Flam for a day from Bergen.

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4. Hi, thank you for sharing your trip. Did you use old school maps, your phone or rent a gps for navigating the roads? How frequent are rest stops with washrooms? How expensive are the road tolls? From what I’ve gathered tolls seem to only apply near the larger cities, like Bergen. We are planning on going in June but are concerned that we will get rain or fog most days. Did you find driving treacherous? We are planning a loop beginning and ending in Bergen. The first few days follow your route but we loop back through Olden and Balestrand after Geiranger. Any tips on food? We plan to book accommodations that offer free breakfast, but am wondering about the cost of dinners? What would a regular home style meal cost for an adult?

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   1. Wow, that’s a lot of questions :). You are overthinking it.
      First, the weather – you can’t predict. It can always be rainy or foggy in Norway, no matter the season, so don’t let that stop you from going or you’ll never visit.
      The roads are ok and a bit of a mix of everything. Just don’t expect wide highways. Most roads are one lane in each direction and yes, some mountain passes can be a bit fun to negotiate, but it’s not any different in other mountainous places.
      Maps – you can use paper maps or a GPS – the latter is much easier, definitely in the cities. We usually simply use Google Maps and I also always download an offline copy of the region we’ll be visiting in advance, just in case there’s no mobile coverage. Just beware that any GPS will sometimes send you on the fastest route and not the most scenic one, so it pays to do some research in advance and adjust it if needed. I would definitely not rent one – Google Maps or Waze will do just fine and are much easier to use.
      The washrooms – it depends, but it’s normally not an issue. But it’s also not like you’ll have tons of big petrol stations with restaurants and washrooms along the way.
      Toll roads can be quite pricey, but again, depends on where exactly you go. In most areas there are no toll roads at all. Compared to the total price of the trip, it’s a minor expense.
      Food is also not something you have to worry about. But if you are visiting nature destinations/hiking, it’s always good to pack a picnic for lunch. It saves you time and worries. As for the costs, take a look at this article for more info.
      Hope this helps.
      Have a great trip!

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5. Jurga, Thank you for your reply. One more question. I read on another blog that the train ride from Oslo to Bergen via Voss was more spectacular than the one in Flam. Wanted to hear your opinion on it.

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   1. Hi Victoria, as far as I know, there is just one train line between Oslo and Bergen and it goes through Myrdal and Voss among others. What many people do is disembark in Myrdal and then do the Myrdal – Flam railway which is considered the most scenic railway trip. I think that the majority of travelers that do it this way also take a boat on Naeroyfjord to Gudvangen, followed by a bus to Voss, and then again a train from there to Bergen. This is the so-called original ‘Norway in a Nutshell’ tour. So it skips the railway journey between Myrdal and Voss and adds a railway to Flam, a boat trip on the fjord, and a bus to Voss.
      If you are not interested in this interruption, then it’s indeed much simpler to just take a train from Oslo to Bergen and not disembark along the way.
      Unfortunately, since I haven’t done this second option, I cannot tell you how the scenery compares between the two and whether the Myrdal-Flam piece is worth it so much more than Myrdal-Voss. Once again, for decades everyone has been saying that Flam – Myrdal railway is one of the most scenic in the world, so I guess that says it all. But everyone probably will have their own opinion and some people may not find the extra cost worth it.
      You may also want to check our guide to Flam for more information on what to see and do in that area. It might help you decide whether it looks like it’s worth it for you.
      Hope this helps.

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6. Jurga,
   Great Blog! We are following your iten for Norway. We are at the hotel you suggested in Stavenger, and booked everything through the links in your blog. Quick question, what is the bus stop from the Frogner House for the scenic bus ride to Bergen? There are a lot of stops listed, hoping to get a stop near the hotel. See another person had cc issues, we haven’t gotten that far. Leaving Stavenger Aug 9th.
   Thanks,
   Shawn & Kathy

   Reply

   1. Hi Shawn, I’m not sure what your question is. If you need a bus from your hotel to Stavanger bus station, why not just ask at the reception. It’s probably much easier and quicker than leaving a comment here. 🙂
      From what I see, if you are staying at Frogner House Apartments, it’s literally just 10-12 minutes walk to the station or 3 minutes by bus. You’d need to cross the road, take a bus from Statens Hus bus stop and disembark two stops further near the main bus station. See Google Maps for the route – you can choose the public transport icon or on foot.
      Hope this helps.

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7. Hi there, my cousins and I are planning a trip with almost the exact same stops and your post has been an amazing resource for us! Just curious, did you have any trouble booking the bus tickets from Stavanger to Bergen? We are American and having issues getting the transaction to go through with our credit cards. If you have any helpful tips I would be forever grateful! Thank you in advance!

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   1. Hi Ellen, no I can’t remember having any trouble buying tickets online; it was very straightforward. If you have trouble with your credit cards, you should check with your bank. Maybe they have to change some settings so that you can use them abroad.
      Good luck!

      Reply

8. It’s been so helpful your itinerary thank you.
   I just wanted to ask a quick question following on from your last reply re car hirer.
   Did you drop your car off at Trondheim airport? the only option seems to be the airport on the car rental site you suggested but you mentioned that the airport is 40 minutes from the city.
   Many thanks,
   Clare

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   1. Hi Clare, no, we dropped off the car in Trondheim city the day we arrived and then took the bus to the airport at the end of the trip. There are special shuttle buses between the city and the airport (see their website – or just ask at the hotel when you get there). When we traveled, that was the only option. I don’t think there was a possibility to drop off the car at the airport.
      Hope this helps.

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9. we are planning a driving trip to see the fjords. We thought we would begin our drive in Stavanger and head north for 12 days ending the tour in Alesund. We just discovered the extreme fee for picking up and dropping off the rental car in different locations.
   Do you have an advise?

   Reply

   1. Hi Maria, we always use this website for all our car rentals, also in Norway. We usually find very good prices by booking in advance, also for one-way rentals. Give it a try. But remember that rental cars have become extremely expensive in the last few years. Booking long in advance is really the only way to keep it somewhat affordable.
      Good luck!

      Reply

10. I loved reading your article on your 2-week trip to Norway. I would like to do a similar trip in 2023. How hard was it getting your reservations and doing the planning on your own? I have been looking at some travel sites that have similar road trips and have been wondering if it is better/cheaper to try to do this on my own and follow your itinerary. I have never been to Norway.

    Thanks,
    David

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    1. Hi David, it’s extremely easy to plan your own trip to Norway. We have all the links and useful info in our articles. Just be sure to book well in advance.
       For accommodation and car rental for our trip in the summer, we booked about 8-9 months upfront. In most places, you’ll have some options last-minute too, but some other areas have fewer facilities and there’s not much choice left if you wait too long. It’s also usually much cheaper if you book in advance and you have more choices.
       For boats/tours, I normally book as soon as it’s possible or at least a few weeks in advance. Try to look for options with free cancellation so that you keep flexibility.

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11. Hi Jurga! Love reading your articles, all very helpful and well thought out. Just have a question for you. If we have 18 days in Norway, and we want to split it up our time between north and south thinking of 7-8 days in Lofoton Islands and the rest in southern Norway starting in Stavanger would you add Flam or Alesund areas or what areas would you recommend are the best to see and what to cut out? We would probably fly from Stavanger or Bergen north to Lofoton halfway through the trip to cut out drive time or ferry. We are adventures, like to hike but not hardcore hiking 5-7miles in a day and no more than moderate skill level. Not much into cities, love nature and beauty. Any helpful hints would be great. Appreciate your time. Thank You, Jackie

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    1. Hi Jackie, with 18 days in Norway, indeed, you could easily add Lofoten to your itinerary. I probably wouldn’t fly there halfway through the trip though, but in the beginning or at the end, so that you limit the number of flights and car rentals.
       So you could potentially start in Stavanger, and follow this itinerary until day 11 to Alesund. Then from Alesund, you could fly to Bodo or Hardstad/Narvik and spend a week in Lofoten.
       We’re just back from Lofoten and I have our 2-week Northern Norway itinerary published already (with more to come). The first part of that article is about Lofoten, so you can find more details on what to see/do there.
       PS A lot depends on the season when you travel. All these itineraries are best for the summer, +- May-September. Most places are ok the whole year, just hiking options will be limited, and there will be fewer ferries, etc.
       Hope this helps. Good luck with the planning and have a great trip!

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12. Your itinerary is very helpful in planning our trip to Norway in late September and early October. I would love to print it, but I am not very tech savvy. What do you suggest?

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    1. Hi Joe, Ctrl+p on Windows (or Cmd+p on Mac) should work. You can also choose to save to pdf instead of sending it to the printer and only print the pages you absolutely need.
       Have a great trip!

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13. Hi… I’m interested with one of my friend… I’m from India. Please send me all details.

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    1. I think you got a bit confused – we run a travel blog where we share personal experiences and inspire our readers to plan their own trips. We do not organize or book trips for others. But if you are looking for tours to Norway, I’m sure there are plenty of companies offering this type of service.
       Happy travels!

       Reply

14. Hi Jurga
    My son and his wife are planning a trip from Kristiansand to Nord Kapp (and back). They are travelling on their own motorbikes, and I’m mapping the most scenic roads.
    Also looking for the easiest way to pay the road tolls.
    Living in Iceland and frequently biking in the Alps they are not worried about steep mountain roads, and very much looking forward to the scenery and all the hairpin bends!
    They want to avoid the big cities and highways, but don’t want to miss the main attractions.
    Any ideas?

    Reply

    1. Hi Hörður, unfortunately, I can’t really help you – this itinerary would pass the entire country and you have lots of options on how to do it. I just hope that they realize how far this is and how long that drive will take (you really can’t drive fast in Norway). I know some people who tried a similar trip taking the shortest route via Norway (so not the highways via Sweden) and after a week, they turned back never even getting close to the Nordkapp since it took forever. But if time is not an issue, it can be an amazing experience.
       One thing you really don’t have to worry about – big cities. There are hardly any and the smaller towns are so pretty that you’d want to see most of them anyway.
       Good luck with the planning!

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    2. @Hörður, Motorcycles don’t pay on the toll roads in Norway, but on some ferries you have to pay. They take creditcards.

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15. Hello! I just found your blog via Pinterest and I cannot find the original post I read about what to wear in Norway…we are traveling to the Nordic/Scandinavia area of Europe for the first time this summer (late May through all of June – Norway to Sweden to Denmark). We have 5 children (twins too!) from age 7, 7, 5.5, 4 and 19 months old (at time of travel). We’ve NEVER embarked on any plane travel with the kids yet. So everything feels very overwhelming and daunting to be honest. I would love any help/tips, encouragement etc…I see that you don’t have Denmark and Sweden listed on your destinations tab so I will just focus my questions on Norway. We were planning to fly into Bergen from NC, USA and spend about 5-6 days there before taking a train to Oslo for another 4-5 days. I’ve read that Bergen is very rainy (we’ll be there the last week of May). We love all things outdoors and would like to see as much nature as we can. What would you realistically suggest we try to see/do given the ages of our kids? Specifically for Bergen since I don’t think you’ve been to Oslo. Is taking the train to Oslo our best bet?

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    1. Hi Shanda, here is the link to our article on what to pack for Norway in summer.
       For the trip itself, don’t worry – you’ll be just fine, and the kids will love the experience. Norway is very family-friendly, there are lots of great museums that have special things to do for kids, etc.
       Your itinerary is very relaxed – 4-6 days at just one place, so you’ll be able to quietly explore these towns. If you are not renting a car, 5-6 days looks a bit much for Bergen to me, but I guess you can fill it if you take it easy. Or maybe rent a car for a day and drive to Flam or so.

       In the town itself, definitely go up the mountains when the weather is good – there’s a funicular Fløibanen and also Ulriken cable car. You can enjoy nice views and do some hiking there. At Floibanen, there are several playgrounds, so it’s nice with kids too.
       The museums in Bergen are nice too – we especially liked the Norway Fisheries Museum, and also Hanseatic Museum was very interesting, also ok with kids. A must in Bergen is the old part – Bryggen, and the harbor.
       For the rest, there’s an aquarium in town and an open-air museum Gamle Bergen nearby that you can reach by bus.
       You could also take a fjord cruise, but I’m not sure how spectacular they are compared to the ones in Flam.
       I’m sure there are more nice things to do, but we only spent a few days there so I only know the ‘musts’…

       For the trip between Bergen and Oslo, indeed, most people take the train via Flam scenic railway which is really nice. If you are still flexible with your accommodations, you could plan a night or two in Flam when traveling between the two places.

       For Oslo, indeed, we haven’t been, so I can’t comment. Do some research online on what there’s to see and do there.
       Hope this helps a bit. Have a great trip!

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16. Hi Jurga
    Really great to come across your blog, very helpful in planning our trip.
    I wondered if you had considered hiring a motorhome/camper van for the trip instead of a car and, if so, what were the pros/cons?
    Also, I would be interested in hearing your plans for the Lofoten area as I’m really interested in seeing this area together with Tromso and possibly further north to the Cape. I’m wondering about picking up a cruise from Trondheim or do you think driving would be more interesting? Many thanks, Sandy

    Reply

    1. Hi Sandy, no, we didn’t really consider renting a campervan – it’s just not our thing and we love to relax at a hotel, have a nice dinner, etc. after a day of sightseeing. Plus, many roads in Norway are really quite narrow and if you don’t feel comfortable driving such a big vehicle, you’ll likely disturb other traffic, so keep that in mind.
       For the north, do yourself a favor and don’t drive really big distances but fly/cruise instead. Often, you can only drive about 50-60km/h (max 80km/h) and even smaller distances seem to take forever. So I’d fly from Trondheim to wherever you go next. The same for the road between Tromso and North Cape – it’s really long to drive.
       As you mention, a cruise would be a much better alternative to driving too. With Hurtigruten boats, you could also arrange a sort of hop-on-hop-off trip, or just stay on the boat and go all the way up north.
       For our own trip to Lofoten, it’s a trip we planned and replanned three years in a row now (we all know the reason, lol). And every time it takes a bit different shape (and I think there’s no one right or wrong way to do it). Our current plan (because of the better flight schedule and car rental prices) is to fly to Harstad/Narvik (EVE) airport and make a loop trip. We take our time and stay longer everywhere than most people do.
       We first stay close to the airport (arriving late) and then drive to Lofoten and stay at a few different accommodations there for about 3 nights each. In order to somewhat limit the driving every day and to explore several areas deeper, we’re staying at Reinefjorden Sjøhus, Lofoten Basecamp, and Svinøya Rorbuer.
       We then drive up to Andenes, stay there.
       Afer that, we plan to take a ferry to Senja Island and spend a few days there. We stay at Mefjord Brygge.
       After that, we go to Tromso for a few days (see Tromso accommodation guide for hotel info).
       From there, we drive (via inland roads) back to where we started. In total, we are staying in the area for about 2,5 weeks. Most people would probably spend 5-7 days, but we’re starting to appreciate traveling – a bit – slower nowadays. 🙂
       As said, there are many ways to plan a trip in this area. A one-way trip would be ok too, between e.g. Narvik or Bodo airport and Tromso, or you could even fly straight to Leknes airport in the Lofoten if that works better for you.
       Hope this helps a bit.
       Good luck with the planning! Just one thing – if you are traveling in summer and plan to drive, book your car ASAP. Last summer, prices skyrocketed and there were literally no cars left anywhere. The same for the hotels – we booked ours in September already (about 10 months in advance), in order to get the best deals and be sure we can stay where we actually want to. But then again, we travel with 5 people in high season, so it’s different if you just need a 2-person room. For hotels, you can usually still find places to stay even last-minute, but some towns are so small and accommodation options are limited, so a lot depends on where exactly you go.

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17. Hi Jurga! I have read and re-read your Norway adventure post and love it! I am planning a trip in late July 2022 (fingers crossed), from Detroit MI. I was lucky to get a treehouse booked in Odda at the Woodnest for one night. We are following your plan as closely as I can because I will have a 10 & 8 year old children with me and I trust your recommendations. Can you please reccommed how we can eliminate one night from your itinerary since we only have 13 nights instead of 14 (because of the treehouse:). thank you so much in advance. Your posts help so much. We used to travel on a whim but with kids (one who is quite anxious) I have to have specific plans.
    Thank you:)
    Lindsay

    Reply

    1. Hi Lindsay,
       Glad to hear that you found our Norway itinerary useful. It’s an amazing trip and I’m sure you’ll love it! And yes, fingers crossed you can go. We already postponed our next Norway adventure for two years in a row and also keep our fingers and toes crossed we can finally go next summer. 🙂
       As for the itinerary, there are a few places where you could make it shorter. A lot depends on your interests and where you fly to/from. The easiest place to take out a day is Trondheim. The town is nice but you can just walk around and see the best places in a few hours (on the day when you get there), so it’s not necessary to stay two nights. Another option is Stavanger at the beginning of the trip – if you aren’t planning to do two day hikes as we did, you could skip a day. But for us, Stavanger was one of the best places during the trip and even if you don’t go hiking, there are still lots of things to do nearby (there’s even a theme park not far away if that’s something you’re interested in).
       My suggestion would be to stay in Trondheim for 1 night instead of 2.
       Hope this helps and good luck with the planning!

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18. Hello Jurga,

    We are planning a trip to Norway and will only have time for either Naeroyfjord or Geirangerfjord after spending 5 nights at Lysefjord. We are traveling with our two boys (aged 15 and 13). We would like to do some hiking and a cruise. Are the Naeroyfjord and Geirangerfjord similar? Did you enjoy one more than the other? Thank you for sharing your 14 day Norway trip on your blog. It has already been very helpful for my trip planning.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jen, Purely scenery-wise, Geirangerfjord is more impressive than Nærøyfjord and also the scenic roads in that area are really worth a trip. However, you should also see what fits your itinerary better. Most cruise ships visit both these places and Flam (where Nærøyfjord is) is also known for its scenic railway trip – one of the most popular things to do in Norway. So maybe you can do both, depending on which cruise you’ll choose… The best way to see the fjords is by taking a boat tour. In Geiranger, cruise ships actually travel through it, whereas in Flam, you’d have to take another boat to Nærøyfjord.
       If you travel by car or by train, Flam will also be much easier to visit than Geirangerfjord. Flam is close to Bergen and you could even go there for a day, whereas Geiranger requires a longer drive, no matter where you come from.
       For hiking, the nicest area in the south of Norway is around Stavanger or – in the north – Lofoten (where we are ‘going’ for 3 years now – hoping to finally make it happen in 2022).
       So it’s a bit difficult to advise except that maybe you should look for a cruise that visits most of the fjords if you are going on a cruise anyway.
       Hope this helps a bit. Good luck with the planning!

       Reply

19. Hello Jurga

    Your blog is wonderful, and very helpful 🙂

    We want to follow exactly your itinerary (we – just me and my wife), and we have more options flying into Oslo. Is it possible to hire a car in Oslo airport, and return it there on way back?

    Which stops would you recommend on the way from Oslo to Stavanger, and then from Trondheim to Oslo? Google map shows something like driving 6-7 hours

    Or you would say that the road is boring, dangerous, and this is just a waste of time, and it worth adding few more $$ and buy a ticket right to Stavanger

    We talk about 2nd half of June,

    Thanks in advance,
    Michael

    Reply

    1. Hi Michael, since we didn’t drive to Oslo, I really don’t know how the roads are, but I don’t think they are any more dangerous than any others. And boring – no idea. I think that the coastal route between Oslo and Stavanger should be nice, but it’s over 550km and, knowing Norwegian roads, that’s indeed at least 7 hours of non-stop driving. You won’t have much time to see anything along the road and will arrive in Stavanger exhausted. So if you choose this route, I think it might be wiser to add an extra night somewhere half-way, maybe in Kristiansand. That way you can actually enjoy the drive. But that would add two days to your trip, plus extra nights hotel, plus extra days car rental. Flying might be cheaper.
       As for the road between Trondheim and Oslo, my thinking is about the same. It’s a very tiring long drive and even if there is anything to see along the way (like Lillehammer), you wouldn’t have much time for it.
       Domestic flights aren’t that expensive in Norway, so it might actually be cheaper to fly. You’d have to check this for your travel dates, however.
       PS One more tip – June is high season and you should really book your accommodations asap.
       Enjoy your trip. Norway is amazing! We are going back this summer too and I’m about to leave for a winter adventure as well.

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20. Hello! I just found your blog and am curious if you might have any insight regarding traveling with someone who uses a walker. Specifically, I am concerned about getting on and off buses and trains. Did you notice how accessible those modes of transport were? I love this itinerary because we want to rent a car to see western Norway next summer as well. Can you tell me, taking buses is no problem with luggage when going to a new town? Thanks for any insight!

    Reply

    1. Hi Pam, I really cannot say how accessible the buses are. We only took a bus once – from Stavanger to Bergen.
       As for the trains, we only took a scenic train in Flam, so also not sure, but I’m sure they’ll have this info on their site.
       Luggage wasn’t a problem- we had lots of luggage on the bus and we saw people with luggage on the train as well. But you have to carry it yourself.
       Honestly, if you have limited mobility, I think that renting a car would be so much easier.

       Reply

    2. Thanks, Jurga!
       I found tickets via Swiss with two stops and that exactly follows your itinerary. I booked the hotels through your links, without one exception I used another site as for some reason via Booking it was sold out. Indeed, That seems to be a high season there!
       Your blog is wonderful and very helpful. Hopefully we will be able to take such a good pictures 🙂

       Reply

       1. Glad to hear that it all worked out for you and that you could find suitable accommodations as well.
          Enjoy your trip!

          Reply

21. Hi Jurga

    Thanks for sharing the wonderful and very useful experience. I’m planning my Norway trip scheduled in end Sep. After reading your blog, I realised that my 7 nights plan is kind of short but unfortunately that’s all the time I have in this trip. I plan to follow your route, fly into Stavanger (2 nights), then Bergen (2 nights), Flåm (1 night), Oslo (2 nights). You and your family covered Flåm scenic train ride from Flåm. I wonder if I travel from Bergen to Flåm by train I will be able to cover it by the time the train has arrived in Flåm? Or it is only possible to do Flåm scenic train ride departing from Flåm itself? Need your advice. Thank you! Cheers. YY

    Reply

    1. Hi, since I already answered your similar question by email, I’ll just post the answer here:
       I think that you can easily visit Flam with public transport. There is actually a bus/ train combo that you can do that will get you via Flam to Oslo. If you google Norway in a Nutshell, you’ll find this exact trip, but often in another direction.
       It’s also possible to visit Flam as a day trip from Bergen, but if you have no car, you’ll probably need to do it with a tour (not cheap, like in crazy expensive). Alternatively, you can go to Flam, visit all there is to see, and then return to Bergen. It really depends on your own choices, how the bus schedule is or what the better flights are, etc.
       And yes, you can only take the scenic ride between Flam and Myrdal. It’s possible to continue further from Myrdal, but Flam is the last stop if you are coming from Myrdal – there is no train going on from Flam to Bergen, so you have to do that part by bus.

       Reply

22. Hello Jurga, first of let me congratulate you on such an insightful blog. Travelers like us benefit a lot from it and can’t thank enough for your efforts in making our traveling easy. Thank you!

    We are family of 6 (4 adults + 2 young kids) and going to Norway this August for 15 days road trip across western fjords. With kids, I am trying to minimize driving more than 4-5 hours daily. Will be using car ferry for fjord crossings along the route.

    Would really appreciate if I could get some suggestions / guidance on the plan below. Thanks a lot for all the help! I understand this is too much information to digest but thought to give as much details as possible for better guidance.

    Day 1: Arrive in Oslo, pick up rental and stay close to airport
    Day 2: Drive to Lom and spend the night there
    Day 3: Drive to Solvorn via Leirvassbu and scenic Sognefjell road. Spend the night around Solvorn
    Days 4-6: After visiting Urns stave church and surrounding small towns, drive to Flam via Aurlandsvegan “Snow Road”. Spend 3 nights in/around Flam (doing scenic cruise , visiting villages/farms etc)
    Day 7-8: Drive to Bergen via Stalheimskleiva drive . Visit waterfalls on the way . Spend 2 nights in Bergen
    Day 9: Drive to Balestrand via route 13. Visit Hopperstad stave church . Spend the night around Balestrand
    Day 10: Drive to Loen via Fjaerland (booktown). Spend the night around Loen
    Day 11-12: Drive to Geiranger via Jostedalsbreen national park , route 258 (Gamle Strynefjellsveg), Dalsnibba & Flydalsjuvet viewpoints, Spend 2 nights around Geiranger and visit nearby attractions like “Eagle Way” and Trollstigen , if possible
    Day 13-14: Drive to Alesund via Geiranger-Helleylt ferry, Leknes-Standal ferry & E39 ferry . Spend 2 nights in Alesund
    Day 15: Drive the “atlantic ocean road” and thereafter spend the night in Molde
    Day 16: Dive to Lillehammer and spend the night there
    Day 17: Drive to Oslo airport for return flight

    Few alternatives I was contemplating :

    1. Is it worth spending a night around Hjørundfjord ? If yes then may be on Day 13th night will spend there (either Urke or Saebo). Then would have only 1 night for Alesund the next day

    2. Is it worth driving to Leirvassbu and scenic Sognefjell road? Or should I skip it and straight drive to Flam from Oslo

    3. Lastly, how strong a recommendation would be to drive down to Hardangerfjord and spend a night in Lofthus or Ulvik, before continuing to Bergen from Flam . But then I may only have 1 night in Bergen , unless I skip something as well

    Reply

    1. Hi Kumar, I’m sorry, but I really can’t help you out – I don’t even know many of the places in your itinerary.
       Why don’t you post this question in our Scandinavia travel group on Facebook – I’m sure somebody will have suggestions for you.

       Reply

23. Hi Jurga,

    I am planning to follow your itinerary (Including Car option) except few hikes as i have 20+ months old baby. My plan is on Last week of May 2019 and First week of June 2019. I have already booked hotel reservations (with free cancellation) for few places but waiting for visa clearance. I just wanted to clarify with you on few points.

    1- Only three of us are travelling (Myself, Wife & my son (20 months old)). Is it safe to travel in all places with my baby to all places (except hikes). How about travelling in a car with baby? Is it safe to drive? How about road conditions?

    2- Though i m planning to travel on last week of May and First week of june just to avoid crowd in peak summer. Is it d best time to travel? How about October? I don’t want to travel on peak summer where i see more crowd.
    Thank you so much for your itinerary.

    Reply

    1. Hi Subbu, to answer your questions. Yes, it’s very safe to travel in Norway. The roads are usually very good, but often narrow and there are lots of tunnels. Speed limits aren’t high and it takes quite some more time to get to places than you’d expect, so plan enough time for that. Also, in May/ beginning of June, some roads from our itinerary might not be open yet. I’m not sure, as it depends on the weather each year, but in general, you can always find alternative roads instead.
       If you can move your trip to mid-June, I think it would be somewhat safer in terms of road openings and it won’t be that busy yet.
       In any case, I think May or June are much nicer than October.
       As for driving with a baby, make sure you rent an appropriate car seat for his age.
       Hope this helps.

       Reply

24. This is so handy! Thank you. It was pretty similar to what I had laid out for our 11 day trip so it helped me confirm I was on the right track!

    Reply

    1. Good to hear that. Have a wonderful time in Norway!

       Reply

    2. Just got back from our trip! Your posts were such a helpful reference!

       Reply

       1. Glad to hear that!

          Reply

25. Hi Jurga!

    I’m so impressed and thanks for sharing !

    My family and I are now planning a trip to Scandinavia this July.

    We fly from Singapore to Copenhagen on 10 July and will have to fly from Stockholm on 19 July.

    Do u reckon we can do your itinerary up to alesund and geiranger and then fly to Stockholm on 18/7? . My research shows that I would prob need to fly to Stockholm via Oslo. Which effectively means we have to fly to Oslo and then to Stockholm on 18 /7 .

    We would love to do as much as you have… any advise!!

    Thanks once again !!

    Reply

    1. Hi Kristin, so you wouldn’t stay in Copenhagen longer than half a day and also would have to fly back to Stockholm on the 18th? That leaves you with some 7 days in between… First, try to find local flights from Copenhagen to e.g. Stavanger or Bergen and then also back from wherever you end up to Stockholm instead of going via Oslo – that should save you lots of time and unnecessary flights. Check SAS website – they operate most flights in the area.
       We did 11 days over Stavanger – Alesund and I really think it would be too stretched to do it in 7 days. In 7 days you could potentially do Stavanger – Flam (from Flam you could take a train to Oslo and fly back from there) or – if you don’t care much about hiking – skip Stavanger and start your journey in Bergen and on to Alesund.
       Whatever you decide, make sure you book your accommodations asap – it will be a real challenge to find family accommodations in places like Flam or Geiranger for July now. Stavanger area is much easier – more hotels and more affordable and also Bergen should be feasible since it’s a bigger town. But it’s really getting last minute for hotel bookings.
       So before you make any decisions, quickly check available accommodations for your travel dates. If you can’t find anything suitable in Flam or nearby, and also in Geiranger, then you probably best stick to visiting Stavanger and Bergen. You can easily fill a week with just those two places and take day trips even without renting a car (=lots of money saved). Here you can find more info about things to do in and near Stavanger. In Bergen, you can spend at least 2 days in town and also take day trips, it’s also possible to visit Flam area from Bergen for a day.
       Hope this helps.

       Reply

26. Hi,

    Thank you for your suggestions – We are planning a 12/13 days trip with our parents and kids to Norway, around 15th of June this year. We were thinking of doing Oslo-Flam-Bergen. We will be renting a car for the trip. we would prefer not to change our base a lot – Can we cover all the places as day trips from these three locations? or would you suggest any other base? our kids would also like to explore some fun activities like an amusement park, zoo, water park, go carting, zip line, animal encounter etc. would you be able to recommend any places for these activities?

    Reply

    1. Hi Dev, unfortunately, I don’t know Norway well enough to recommend places like this. I know there is a theme park close to Stavanger in the south of Norway, but for the rest – no idea about places like that. I’m sure there are some, but you’d have to do your own research.
       As for staying in one place and traveling around, Norway isn’t the best place for this – distances are quite big and the roads don’t allow you to drive fast. I’m sure you could do some day trips around some areas, but if you really want to see the best of the best, you’ll have to move around.
       PS I suggest you join our Scandinavia travel group on Facebook and ask there – maybe someone else will be able to help. But most people in the group are also travelers, not locals, so I’m not sure. You can always try.

       Reply

27. Hello – your post is SO awesome! Thank you for sharing. Is it necessary to pre-book all accommodations? My wife and I are planning this June 2019 to follow your itinerary but allowing a bit more time. We like the spontaneity of staying longer or shorter. Do you think it is difficult for two people to find small local hotels without reservations along this path? We don’t require much and are good with very simple? Would love to know your thoughts. Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Hi Brent, I really don’t know what to tell you. There are quite some places along this route that hardly have any accommodations to start with – e.g. Geiranger or Flam/Gudvangen area. Maybe you’ll find something as you go, but it’s also possible (and I think very likely in June) that many places will be fully booked months in advance. I think bigger towns like Stavanger should be ok; on the other hand, Bergen was quite booked-up when we travelled… We booked our hotels for August in November and were struggling to find accommodations at that time already. Granted, it’s easier when it’s just 2 of you vs. a family of 5 like we are, but still…
       Why don’t you just take a look at Booking.com and see what’s still available at each place now for your travel dates. If you see that more than 80% of accommodations are already full, then I think it’s a good indication not to wait too long.
       Another issue is that often you’ll pay much more if you just book with the hotel directly upon arrival vs. booking online in advance. In many cases price difference is ridiculous (we saw official rates in the rooms in some hotels and some were over twice the price we paid).
       I know this probably doesn’t help you much and I understand that you want to keep some flexibility, so it’s really your decision. I guess you can always find some place to stay for 2, it’s just that it might not be easy to find one exactly where you’d like to.

       Reply

28. Jurga,

    Thank you for the detail in your itinerary – it is SO helpful! One question, where did you fly in and out of? Can you please confirm? Thank you!

    Nancy

    Reply

    1. Hi Nancy, we flew to Stavanger and out of Trondheim. We had direct flights from Amsterdam, so it was much easier than flying through Oslo first. But depending on where you come from, you may need to catch a local flight.

       Reply

29. Hello Jurga, we intend to visit Norway in September 2019 (autumn). Wondering if all the routes for driving will still be opened and if there are places we can skip or add because of the season we are travelling. Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience with everyone. We will be travelling as a couple (2 ) only. Awaiting for your responds. Have a blessed day.

    Reply

    1. Hi Violet, I think there might be some difference depending on when you go – first weeks of September everything should still be open, whereas later in the month it’s already a bit more tricky. But, normally, most roads should be open even in October. It depends on the weather – no snow = open roads :). So I think you are pretty safe with this itinerary in September.
       You may also want to check this website for more information, just so you know that there are always alternatives even if the Trollstigen pass or the road to Geiranger would be closed. The same for the road after Stegastein viewpoint – if it’s closed you just drive back down to Flam and take the Lærdal Tunnel.

       Reply

       1. Hi Jurga, thank you for the website to the passes. I would appreciate if you could let me know the cost of going to Pulpit Rock self drive from Stavanger , as i could not get any information on the cost of the Car Ferry and the bus ride from Tau to Pulpit Rock.

          Reply

          1. Jurga, before i forget , is it advisable to do Lofoten Island? I find that the only way is to fly and it’s expensive.

             Reply

             1. Yes, of course, it’s worth it – Lofoten are beautiful. But if you go that way, you need to fly – it’s much too far to drive. I’d count at least a week for that area and indeed, it’s very expensive. You’ll also need to rent a car, take ferries, and best book your accommodation well in advance.
                We haven’t been yet, but I have the whole itinerary in my mind for when we find the time for a proper road trip in Northern Norway. It’s well worth the trip, just really depends on how much time you have. We chose to see smaller area more in depth rather than try to see a bit of everything.

          2. Hi Violet, you can find the ferry information, schedule and rates here. From what I see the prices for Stavanger-Tau ferry in 2018 are as follows: 60 NOK/adult, 30 NOK/child and 182 NOK/car up to 6m in length+driver. This is one-way, so make it double. Also, add parking cost at the trailhead of Pulpit Rock. It was about 25 EUR (250 NOK) if I remember well.
             I wouldn’t really advice to go there by car though. It’s so much easier to just take the ferry as a passenger, then there is a bus right at the ferry terminal that will bring you to the Pulpit Rock hike. Bus and ferry schedules are aligned, so you never have to wait long. It costs much less and it’s really easy. Not sure what your other plans are in Stavanger, but that’s one place in Norway where we didn’t rent a car – it saved us a lot of money and we never missed it.
             You can read more information about how we did it here: Lysefjord and Pulpit Rock in one day. Here you can find more practical info about hiking to the Pulpit Rock. And here you can read more about things to do in Stavanger.

             Reply

30. This is a wealth of information. It seems it is better to drive and stop than to do the NIN. Is that something you would recommend? Thinking of doing a trip next summer and also visiting lofoten islands. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

    1. We haven’t done Norway in a Nutshell tour, but I really see no need to book it. If you just rent a car, book your own accommodations, you can do it all by yourself. I think many people do it because it’s easy to just book without having to arrange anything themselves or because they feel overwhelmed to try to plan their own trip. Just one tip – the earlier you book, the more options you have available and the better the prices.
       As for Lofoten, we haven’t been there yet. I already have an itinerary planned for that area as we were thinking of going this summer, but in the end we went to the Faroe islands, so maybe we’ll get there next year as well…

       Reply

31. Hello,

    We are planning to go to Norway and are planning the exact same route as yours. I was a little confused with the Flam railway. Did you take the train from flam to myrdal and stayed the night there ?

    Reply

    1. Hi Deepa, Flam railway is usually done as a 2-hr trip. You go to Myrdal (takes less than 1hr one way), stay on the same train, and come back. You better book the tickets in advance however as it’s the most popular trip in Flam area. Check here for the train schedule for 2018.
       If you have more time, you can rent a bike, take a train to Myrdal, and bike back to Flam. Walking back is also an option, but plan for the full day if you want to do that. More info here.
       I’m not sure if you saw it, but make sure to also check our guide for the best things to see and do in Flam. There’s so much more than just the famous Flam – Myrdal railway.

       Reply

       1. Ah right, so do you need to purchase a two way ticket then? Thank you, we will be staying in Flam for a night 🙂

          Reply

          1. Yes, Deepa, you should buy a two-way ticket. Last year you could easily do it online, but I see that it’s changed and you now can only buy single fares online (why do they always have to make things complicated, right?). You now have to either buy the tickets at a train station or by phone. Check Visit Flam website for more information.

             Reply

32. Fantastic resource – thanks so much for taking the time to post this! We just got back from 2 weeks in Norway & Sweden I studied this post and took your advice to heart! Your tips about leaving plenty of time came very much in handy – the driving is slow going because of all the sights to stop and enjoy, not to mention all the tunnels, bridges, and ferries! Everything went like clockwork and we had an excellent trip.

    Reply

    1. Glad to hear you had such a wonderful trip, Renee. Thank you for taking your time to come back and leave this feedback on our blog. It’s always so nice to hear that our tips help people to plan and make their trips more enjoyable. Now I should ask you for some tips for Sweden 😉

       Reply

33. Great resource! I’m planning a trip for next August – 2 weeks, 2 adults, Oslo-Trondheim-Alesund-Bergen-Stavanger-Copenhagen. Great information to help me here, thank you!

    Reply

    1. Good to hear it’s helpful with your trip planning for Norway, Christy. Enjoy it!

       Reply

34. What a great itinerary, filled with so much to see. Thanks for sharing this with so many excellent pics that have made the country come alive. I will be saving this for a trip in the near future. Passports are needing to be renewed.

    Reply

35. Hi, I am finding that the drop off cost for a one-way rental car is very expensive in Norway (500 USD!). Did you find a car company that did not have such an expensive drop off fee? Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Hi Phil, we rented a car from Avis (pick-up in Bergen city, drop-off in Trondheim city). We found the best deal via RentalCars – was much cheaper than directly. I remember comparing the prices between one-way rental or pick-up and return in the same location and there was hardly any difference, so maybe worth checking several websites to compare. It might also depend on the exact pick-up and drop-off location, travel period, how much in advance you book, etc. But yes, in general renting a car is really expensive in Norway (but Norway is expensive in general).

       Reply

36. Hi.
    I want to do the same kind of itinerary for 10 days ( starts in 20th may’18). is it possible ?

    Thanks
    Rajesh

    Reply

    1. Hi Rajesh, just to make things clear – we are a travel blog, not a travel agency, so we don’t book trips. 🙂
       If you are wondering if you can make this exact same trip in 10 days end of May, then I think most of this itinerary is possible (some mountain roads will probably still be closed at that time of the year), but 10 days is quite short. I think I wouldn’t go as far North if you only have 10 days.

       Reply

37. Thank you for this itinerary. I was just wondering whether a similar, if not exact, itinerary is possible using express buses (summer)? We are a family of 9 (adults, teenagers, children) and renting a minibus is proving very expensive. Thanks.

    Reply

    1. I really don’t know, Omar. Some places can be visited by train or bus, some probably not that easy. It would require more research to make a trip itinerary using public transport only and honestly I don’t know if it would be that much cheaper… If you go for a rental car, maybe just rent it for the parts of the trip that are most difficult to reach otherwise and combine it with train/bus rides. We didn’t take the car till Bergen and used public transport in Stavanger. But then afterwards it was so much easier by car.
       Also, check alternative pick-up locations (airport vs. city) and book well in advance.
       Hope this helps a bit

       Reply

38. Hi Jurga,

    I found your blog while trying to decide for my next vacation plan with my kids and really loved it. I have been studying it for the whole week 🙂

    I read about Norway in a Nutshell that provides flexible transportation packages for the most scenic places in Norway and I’m not sure if it is a good option to consider. Do you have any idea?

    Reply

    1. Hi Zas, I know that many people do Norway in a Nutshell tours, some others copy the itinerary and book the trip themselves. We find that traveling with kids you have much more flexibility when you have your own car and book accommodations that best fit your travel style and group size, so we tend to always plan our own trips. I guess it’s all about how much time and effort you want to put into planning your trip. If you are short on time, then copy/paste solutions like Norway in a Nutshell might be quite handy. After all, they have been done and tested by many travellers, so I have no reason to doubt that the itineraries are good. And public transport in Norway is quite reliable too, just don’t miss the bus or you may need to wait for hours for the next one 🙂

       Reply

39. This trip is amazing and just the help I needed as we are thinking of exploring Norway with our two children this year. I am just concerned about the amount of driving though. Also, can you give me a rough idea of how much money you spent on accomodation/food in total? Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Hi Tracy, I really cannot remember the exact cost of the whole trip and so much depends on the season when you visit, your family size, accommodation and restaurant choices, the size of the car you rent and how much in advance you book all of this. Best way to estimate the cost for your trip is to check accommodation and car rental prices in advance. Add at least 120 EUR for food per day for 4 people. Activities – depends on what you want to do, but then again – you can find all prices online before you book. You can find more details about costs in Norway here. Hope this helps.

       Reply

40. Hello Jurga, thank you so much for your tips. I really hope that I can go there someday. I just came back from New Zealand and I would say I left my heart there. Looking at your photos just made me wanna plan another road trip to Norway. The mountains,the lakes,even the roads look pretty to me.haha.I hope I can be like you, travelling around the world. Thanks from Malaysia.

    Reply

    1. Hi Syuhada, yes Norway is a lot like New Zealand – both wonderful countries with stunning nature, perfect for a road trip. Hope you can visit Norway one day, and I wish we could go back to NZ – it’s so far from Europe…
       As for us, we don’t really travel all the time, and have a regular life with work and school, etc. But we try to make the best of the limited vacation time we have and see as much as we can. That’s also what this blog is about – helping people to plan their trips in such a way that they are able to see the best in a limited time.
       Happy travels to you too!

       Reply

41. Hey Jurga,

    Thanks for the amazing detail on your itinerary. Could you let me know which month were you in Norway? I am planning a trip in mid May and as you mentioned some roads might be closed then so was wondering. Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Hi Venkat, we visited in August. And yes, indeed, quite a few roads I mention here will probably still be closed mid May. A lot depends on how the winter is I suppose. You can still make a very similar trip though. Here are some suggestions for alternatives:

       Alternative for the Fv.243 road on day 8 is the Laerdal tunnel.

       If the road #63 to Geiranger isn’t open, you could drive to the left side (Road #5) from Sogndal towards Hellesylt and take a scenic cruise on the fjord from there.

       If the roads out of Geiranger (Ornevegen – Trollstigen) aren’t open, you can skip them and drive from Hellesylt straight to Allesund (Road #60).

       Hope this helps.

       Reply

42. Hi Jurga,
    Thanks for your reply. Wow tough choice.

    Lets say if I decided to visit Norway for 15 days, would you recommend that i stay full 15 days in Norway? Or take this opportunity to visit neighbouring countries?

    I have googled many websites in search of Scandinavia itineraries, all the neighbouring countries seems so pretty. While I don’t want to be over ambitious and exhaust my husband and myself, I would also want to take this opportunity to make full use of the time I will be there.

    So difficult to plan omg.

    Reply

    1. It is difficult. It all depends on your travel style I guess. We prefer to explore one country more in-depth when we travel, some other people count countries, so they just tick the boxes and are just as happy. 🙂 We found 2 weeks really short in Norway and could have easily stay longer. We are planning to go back to visit Lofoten, Tromso, maybe drive all the way to the North Cape… For us Sweden, Denmark, and Finland would be separate trips, not in the planning yet… Not enough time to see everything…
       The choice is yours – you can certainly see more countries in two weeks, it’s a choice of what exactly you think is worth your time more. Keep in mind that traveling in multiple countries is usually more expensive as you need extra flights, car rentals, etc. Good luck deciding, I am sure you will love Scandinavia either way.

       Reply

43. Hi Jurga, would you recommend travelling to Norway or New Zealand? I am planning a trip and am contemplating which one to visit.

    Reply

    1. Now that’s a really tough choice, Jazzie. 🙂 I think it would depend on where you are from. If you are in Europe, I would say definitely start with Norway first, but if New Zealand is closer – go there. It also depends on when you can travel – Norway is best in European summer, while New Zealand would be better now – in our winter, when it’s summer there. We were in New Zealand many many years ago and for a very long time it was our favourite trip ever. Nature is incredible there! But then this year we finally got to Norway and we were like, why in the world did it take us so long to get here. So if you can, do both. And add Western Canada as well, also Switzerland, South Africa, Namibia, and Iceland – some of our all time favourites when it comes to nature. 😉 Not really helping, am I? 🙂

       Reply

44. You certainly pack it in but I definitely like the level of activity you get up to, we are the same – we find you can often fit in more than you think you can. Great itinerary.

    Reply

45. SO much of the Norway landscape reminds me of the south island of New Zealand. Breathtaking views and incredible roads that wind around – makes for the ultimate RV adventure!

    Those quaint little colourful houses would be amazing to live in – pure zen!

    Thank you for sharing some amazing pictures as well by the way 🙂

    Reply

    1. That’s true, Chris! Norway looks a bit like New Zealand, just a bit less sheep. 🙂 Both beautiful nature destinations. Just – in our case – Norway is so much closer and more accessible. That being said, somehow we managed to visit NZ 14 years ago, but only made it to Norway now :).

       Reply

46. Thank you for sharing this inspirational post. It’s full of well researched details and I truly appreciate the hard work you have done. We look forward to following in your footsteps!

    Reply

    1. Thank you for this, June! I always put a lot of work and research into my posts, so it’s always nice to hear that people appreciate it.

       Reply

47. Thanks for sharing this great itinerary, Norway is high on our list. Hoping to get there and hike up pulpit rock and drive the Trollstigen.

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Priya! I am glad you found some inspiration here. I am sure you would love Norway, it’s just stunning!

       Reply

48. My husband was working in Laerdal a few years ago! Lovely town with all the old houses! I love Norway and it is somewhere I want to explore more of – hopefully one day we can follow your itinerary as it looks excellent Jurga!

    Reply

    1. I thought you would have already seen all these places since you lived there, Tracy. It’s good to hear that you found some more inspiration! Norway is definitely worth exploring more. We are hoping to go back too!

       Reply

49. Amazing. And the pics are so beautiful. As already said, we will be going but not for another 3-4 years, due to the kids ages.
    But thank you for sharing, and thank you for making this an exiting, long term 🙂 family project .

    Reply

    1. Thanks for following along, Corina. It’s always great to hear that our travels inspire other families. Norway is extremely kid- and family-friendly. The only reason I see to wait till the kids are somewhat older is that you can do more hiking. Otherwise – a perfect country to visit with kids of any age. Museums are fantastic too, so much to do for kids!

       Reply