Travel Blog: Norway – A journey into The Land of Midnight Sun

Road from Vik to Flam in Norway

Norway often figures in the tales of the daredevils and vikings of the world or in that fantasy “Places to see before you die” list and now it is time to open up the road to this “Land of Midnight Sun” to make its entry to the travel dairies of families, honeymooners, photography enthusiasts or simply anyone with wanderlust for nature’s nonpareil. It does feel good to get lost in the right direction and one such road is leading to Norway. This blog is a chronicle of our family visit during May 2017 and a plausible travel guide.

Best time to visit Norway: May to September

Here is a 3-week itinerary that accounts for diversified experience of the best of everything that Norway has to offer.

Norway Itinerary Route Map

Key Travel Tips:

1. Norway is an expensive country and one of the best ways to get efficient on cost and maximizing the experience is to go for Norwegian Homes rented out on Airbnb. For ease, the itinerary recommends a Airbnb property in each destination.

2. The route is best traversed as a road trip though public transport is a viable option.

Care hire recommendations: Europcar, Hertz, Avis or Sixt. Car hire needed from 4th to 18th Day only i.e. effectively 14 days. Days in Oslo and Bergen is best to walk or cheap public transport.For public transport look up NSB rail.

3. Supermarket chains for essentials: Rema1000, Bunnpris, Extra(coop) and Kiwi Minipris.

4. Prepaid Local SIM with good data plan that’s handy for local calling, navigation and music streaming while driving:  Telia  @ Oslo Central Station.

Day 1: Land is Oslo and acclimatize

Landed in Oslo International Airport and took the express train Flytoget to reach Oslo Central Station. Stayed close to Oslo Central Station @ Downtown Studio, for easy access to Oslo attractions. Relaxed the evening.

Day 2: Oslo : Cityscape along the Fjord

We explored Oslo city highlights by Walk. Places to see:

Bought the Oslo Pass – 24 hours(that covers visits to key museums and access public transport) from Tourist Information Center at Oslo Central Station, but activated it evening for Bus/tram ride from Jernbanetorget(Oslo Central Station) to Majorstuen to visit Sculpture Park, which is a short walk from Majorstuen.

Sculpture Park

Fatherhood – Sculpture 

Love – Sculpture

Cherry blossom in Oslo

Oslo Harbour

Places to Eat: From Michelin star fine dining to lip smacking Street food, Oslo has it all. But when in Norway, it is imperative to surrender our taste buds to some of the best bakers in the world. Highly recommend the bakery chains of United Bakeries, W.B.Samson and Godt Brot.

Day 3: Oslo : Meet the Vikings

Use the Oslo Pass to visit the museums. Jernbanetorget station just off Oslo Central Station is the starting point to catch tram/bus for visits to museum.

Quote from Kon-Tiki Museum

A day that redefined “Adventure” and “Endurance”. Inspirational true stories of Vikings and Voyages of brave-hearts recounted at :

Visit Norwegian Folk Museum for insight into local heritage, history and folk. If time permits, visit the Nobel Peace Center.

Day4: Vaga : Live in the Fairytale Farmhouse

Stay @ Farmhouse

Some places are best chronicled as a photo-story This is Vaga just off Jotnuheimen National park.

A fairytale like house to stay

Farm house in Vaga that can be rented

Snowfall in Spring. Always be open for Norway’s Nature to surprise you

A snow flake. Be it a galaxy or a snow flake, the creation is always intricate in its design.

Day 5: Jotnuheimen National Park

Places to visit that are breathtaking are  Valdresflye and Lake Gjende. Weather permitting, Bessegen Ridge Hike is a must-do which passes through the turquoise and emerald green lakes of Bessvatnet and Gjende.

Day 6: Geirangerfjord: Ford cruise

Drive from Vaga to Geirangerfjord in the route Vaga-> Lom -> Stryn ->Hellesyt. Visited the Lom Stave church and feasted on cinnamon rolls @ Bakeriet i Lom AS.

Lom Stave Church

Norway Country side

To reach Geiranger, go onto the Geirangerfjord cruise from Hellesyt, the highlight of Norway. Stayed @ Geirangerfjorden Feriesenter with breathtaking view of Geirangerfjord.

Day 7: Geirangerfjord: Hiking

Geiranger Fjord

Visit Dalsnibba for a great views. Recommended Hike: Strassarterfossen and hikes inside the Westeras Gard farm. 

Strassaeterfossen

The unexplained joy of cuddling farm animals.

Day 8: Alesund – via the Eagle Road

Breaking the monotony to experience beautiful city of Alesund.

Alesund

Stayed @ a gorgeous Penthouse
 
Day 9: Alesund – Explore the the Venice of Norway

Acclaimed as The Venice of Norway, best experienced by walk.

Places to visit:

Great opportunity for kayaking on the canal.

Alesund

Day 10: Kandal – via the Glaciers

Drove from Alesund to the unadulterated village of Kandal along Lake Breimsvatnet. Stop by for lunch at Stryn Vertshus.

Optional visit to the glaciers in Stryn – Briksdal and Jostedal.

At Kandal, stayed @ Beautiful Norwegian Folk House.

Day11: Kandal : Dolce fer niente

Some days during travel are best reserved for enjoying the sweetness of doing nothing in a picturesque surround, as quoted in Italian “Dolcefer niente”.

Optional activities: Hike to Summer Farm. The hosts of the propertyhas the details for the walk/hike.

Day 12:Vik : Life in a quaint village

Has to be a photo-storywhenits the village along Norway’s Kind of Fjords, Sogneford.

Sognefjord

Vik Landscape

Hopperstad Stave Church

Stayed on the Green carpet of vik

Day 13: Flam: Day trip from Vik

Flam can be visited as a day trip from Vik passing through one of the most scenic drives in Norway is from Vik.

Must do: The Flam Railway from Flam to Myrdal (return)

Sights on Scenic train between Flam and Myrdal 

The Flam Railway

Myrdal

Optional Fjord cruise on Noeroyfjord.
 
Day 14: Balestrand: Day trip from Vik

A day to affirm Rick Steeve’s recommendation of visiting the quaint village of Balestrand as a day trip from Vik.

Must do: Biking from Sentrum to Dragsvik ferry station and the Heritage Road walk.

Family that bikes together

Kviknes Hotel along Heritage walk

Sognefjord

Church at Balestrand

Day 15: Stavanger : via Odda, a drive to remember.

A day of an amazing long drive from Vik to Stavanger via Odda.

Latefossen water falls just off Odda is a must visit for a spine-chilling

Stayed @ Beautiful villa

Day 16: Stavanger: where old and new towns meet

Explore the contemporary city of Stavanger by walk.

Places to Visit

SverdiFjell

Ovre Strandgata

Day 17: Pulpit Rock Hike

A day well deserved to spend on the most popular hikes in Norway that gives great views of Lysefjord from the Pulpit Rock.

A Dream Diet of the daredevils – Pulpit Rock hike in Preikestolen, Norway

Day 18: Bergen : A UNESCO World Heritage city

Was time to come home to the UNESCO World Heritage city spending the evening at vibrant Bryggen.

Bryggen

Norway Spring : Tulips

Day 19: Bergen : Hike, Zip, Eat and Shop

Explore Bergen by walk. Places to Visit

Optional visit to the Science Museum.
 
Day 20: Bergen : Unwind

A day spent unwinding, shopping souvenirs, reliving the trip through reflections and nearly pack.

Optional day trip to Hardrangerfjord.

Day 21: Bergen to Oslo Scenic Train

We did end the trip with a glorious scenic train from Bergen to Oslo experiencing the ecstasy of looking out of a glass window.

Day 22: Return home with memories carved in gold

Reflection: Touched by the sun’s radiance, cloud’s shower, fragrance of spring, transcendental nature and warmth of mankind, I had come more alive to life. Norway in a Nutshell had nourished the quintessence of my soul. Travel is one of the best investments, the returns of which are all experiential. As Bill Aitken rightfully quotes: ” Language castrates the buoyancy of mood experienced on a grassy hilltop…”. No words or blogs can do justice to the ecstatic experience in unadulterated earth of Norway. This travelogue is a humble attempt to act as a lighthouse showing the road to Norway.

Written and Photographed by Archana Sundareshan Travel Blogger, SomedayNomadic.