9 Days in Norway in July
Norway
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Jul 9 - Jul 18, 2024
To plan our Norway trip we worked mostly with Maria (and some with Fenne), both of whom were very helpful in figuring out the best itinerary for us. We had a few things we wanted to do and they helped plan the rest of the trip around them. We had an amazing time in Norway. Most of our outdoor activities had fantastic weather. We also greatly appreciated our private airport transfers. The highlights of the trip were Bergen, Trolltunga hike, kayaking, fjord sauna, e-bikes, and seeing endless waterfalls.
Bergen:
We started in Bergen at the Clarion Collection Hotel Havnekontoret. The hotel was nice, and in a great location to the city center. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Our room (and bathroom) was quite small, however, which made it tricky with larger suitcases. At the end of our trip we stayed here for one night and had a larger, upgraded room which would have been nicer to begin the trip with. The breakfast each morning was great, with a vast abundance of choices and options.
Since we needed to kill time before checking in, the cable car in Bergen was suggested. We enjoyed that since it was a clear sunny day. However, we did not know that there was a bus from the city center, so we ended up paying for an expensive taxi. We found the bus ride to the center back though.
Our city walking tour the next day was very informative about the history of the city. Our guide Kristina was excellent, whose suggestions on local eateries were great. The funicular up the mountainside to see other city views was fun, and there we were able to do a short trail walk around a pond, and say hello to the local wildlife.
We had a very unique dinner at Cornelius Seafood Restaurant. The food was great, and adventurous for us, which was fun. Our we loved our waitress, and the stories the owner told us all during our time there. The restaurant was very cool and we are glad it was suggested.
The trip to Rosendal on the Hardangerfjord Express was nice. We did a small hike to Hattebergfossen which we enjoyed very much. Then we had some lunch and it was time to return on the ferry. It was a nice day trip.
Odda:
Our drive to Odda (via rental) was fantastic. Once we figured out the light rail in Bergen and found where to pick it up, we were able to use it to get to the airport and get our rental car. And it was much cheaper than doing a taxi. It was a hassle, but in the end worth it for the scenery while driving, and the ability to stop at any point. The weather and the views on the day of our drive were AMAZING. We had to take a car ferry with was so easy. We didn’t need to worry about tickets or paying, it was just billed as a toll to the rental car company and it was only 60-70 NOK. On the car ferry we met a local who suggested we “go left” after the ferry instead of right (which is what the GPS wanted us to do). Going right was all tunnels, he said, while going left was all fjords (but longer). Since we had a lot of time it was worth it!
The Trolltunga hotel was much nicer than we both expected. We expected it to be pretty rustic, but the room was VERY nice (I honestly liked it more than our previous hotel). We got a great view, and the breakfast also had lots of options (but not quite as many as at Clarion in Bergen). It was great. Since we were doing the hike to Trolltunga the next day, we both bought meal vouchers, which allowed us to make some sandwiches while at breakfast, and get a bottle of water, apple, and chocolate. I don’t find that the cost of the lunch voucher was worth it. We didn’t need a bottle of water, and we already had plenty of snacks. The ability to make a sandwich was nice, but there were not many options other than ham and cheese. We probably could have just made a couple sandwiches at breakfast even if we didn’t have the lunch voucher.
Our hike to trolltunga was GREAT. It was a challenging hike mostly in the sense of time and distance. The up-hill portions were not impossible. We saw lots of people under 15, and even lots of dogs. We had a small private group with a guide, Hanna. She was new but she was great. She kept a quick pace but allowed for many stops for rest, snacks, and water. We loved her. We had a great time doing this hike as it was on our bucket list for this trip. It did not disappoint. The views were out of this world.
Flåm:
From Odda we drove to Flåm, which also provided us with spectacular views and wild tunnels (including the world’s longest land tunnel!). Our hotel in Aurland (Hotel Aurlandfjord) was very nice, and the room was very nice too. Breakfast was great, with lots of options. It was nice staying outside of Flåm, but it was a bit of a hassle getting to and from the city. There are only a handful of busses going back and forth, so you don’t have a lot of options if you have things scheduled for specific times in Flam. Figuring out the busses was tricky. You definitely have to get to the bus stop early, and they can also be late. Sometimes the busses are big, sometimes they were small and we barely were able to get on with the other people waiting or already on there. We didn’t have any issues, but we saw people that did.
Kayaking in Flåm was a lot of fun, and the weather was great. After kayaking we did the private fjord sauna, which was AWESOME. This was GREAT. We are so glad we did it and so glad we booked a private one. This was a great way to unwind after a recent long hike.
E-bikes in Flåm was also a GREAT idea. It was our first time on them and we had so much fun conquering hills. We were able to see things we definitely would not have without the e-bikes. We explored a waterfall, (Brekkefossen), and rode along Flåmsdalsvegan taking pictures of waterfalls and mountains.
From Flåm we took the 5+ hour ferry back to Bergen, which was nice, but it was cloudy a bit dark most of the way so we didn’t get the weather we were hoping for.
Hotel Reviews
The hotel was nice, and in a great location to the city center. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Our room (and bathroom) was quite small, however, which made it tricky with larger suitcases. At the end of our trip we stayed here for one night and had a larger, upgraded room which would have been nicer to begin the trip with. The breakfast each morning was great, with a vast abundance of choices and options.
The Trolltunga hotel was much nicer than we both expected. We expected it to be pretty rustic, but the room was VERY nice (I honestly liked it more than our previous hotel). We got a great view, and the breakfast also has lots of hot and cold options. It was great. Since we were doing the hike to Trolltunga the next day, we both bought lunch vouchers, which allowed us to make some sandwiches while at breakfast, and get a bottle of water, apple, and chocolate.
Hotel Aurlandfjord was very nice, and the room was very nice too with a great view. Breakfast was great, with lots of hot and cold options. Dinners were set menus and generally very delicious, with very polite wait staff. It was nice staying outside of Flåm, but it was a bit of a hassle getting to and from the city. There are only a handful of busses going back and forth, so you don’t have a lot of options if you have things scheduled for specific times in Flåm. However, it was nice staying in a less tourist-congested area. There only a service elevator for luggage (not people). Our room had a small balcony, and no TV, which we enjoyed.
Activity Reviews
we did the private fjord sauna, which was AWESOME. This was GREAT. We are so glad we did it and so glad we booked a private one. This was a great way to unwind after a recent long hike.
E-bikes in Flåm was also a GREAT idea. It was our first time on them and we had so much fun conquering hills. We were able to see things we definitely would not have without the e-bikes. We explored a waterfall, (Brekkefossen), and rode along Flåmsdalsvegan taking pictures of waterfalls and mountains.
This was a lot of fun. There are tandem kayaks with foot pedals for steering, which are way easier to maneuver the kayak. We saw waterfalls, goats, and heard stories and history of the area. Our guide Victor was great.
Absolutely incredible. It was a challenging hike mostly in the sense of time and distance. The up-hill portions were not impossible. We saw lots of people under 15, and even lots of dogs. We had a small private group with a guide, Hanna. She was new but she was great. She kept a quick pace but allowed for many stops for rest, snacks, and water. We loved her. We had a great time doing this hike as it was on our bucket list for this trip. It did not disappoint. The views were out of this world. There is paid parking at the Trolltunga starting point but it fills up FAST.
Great views when the weather is great, and plenty to explore at the top, including a zip line. If you have time to kill (before checking in to your hotel, for example) there is also a restaurant at the top which provides great views to the city below.
Dear Rob.!!
Thank you for your detailed and thoughtful review, I really appreciate it.!
I am super glad you had a lot of memorable moments, and Norwegian scenarios that i am sure will last for ever. Thank you for letting us be part of this and for the trust you gave us,
Best
-Maria