• Home
  • About
  • Travel
    • USA
    • Canada
    • Europe
    • Scandinavia
    • Asia
    • Central America
    • South America
    • Africa
  • Review
    • Thursday Traveler
  • Contact
  • My PhotoBucket
  • Quiz
Facebook Twitter Google+
The Talking Trails
Think like Adventurer, Travel like Wanderer.
  • Home
  • About
  • Travel
    • USA
    • Canada
    • Europe
    • Scandinavia
    • Asia
    • Central America
    • South America
    • Africa
  • Review
    • Thursday Traveler
  • Contact
  • My PhotoBucket
  • Quiz
Home » Travel » Scandinavia » 8 Day Itinerary for Norway
ScandinaviaTravel

8 Day Itinerary for Norway

Kanika January 27, 2016 Aurlandsfjord, Eidfjord .Voringfossen, Flam Train, Hardangervidda National Park, latefossen, Nærøyfjord, Norway, SayheloNorway, Skervsfossen, The Stegastein viewpoint, Travel, waterfalls glacier 33 Comments

 

8 Day Itinerary Norway by The Talking Trails

Norway is the most beautiful country I’ve ever visited. Whether it be the fjords, the Northern Lights, the midnight sun or the hikes that present you with the unimaginable vistas, this country has it all and is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Yes it is expensive but you know what it is totally worth it  :) . SO this September when we got the opportunity to visit this country, it was no brainer that “We Had to GO!!!”. It took us more than 3 months to plan this trip as we did not want to miss on anything and wanted to make best use of our time. Norway is one destination where googling “things to do” or “best places to see” really does not help. Now I know not all of us are travel nerds like me who take 3 months to plan but I hope my this blog post “8 Day Itinerary for Norway” answers most of your questions and inspire you to plan your trip to Norway soon :)

 

Eidfjord, Norway by The Talking Trails

 

Why Norway ?

Well I am sure you will not need much convincing as to why to visit Norway. It is one of the safest countries in the world. People are super friendly. I know for most of the people  it is an expensive destination but once you are there you will realise that it is totally worth it . For hikers , Norway is a dream land with views so spectacular that you will never forget. If you decide to go in winters , you can enjoy  northern lights. There is ample opportunity to spot wildlife which makes driving so interesting that you would not want to blink your eyes.  It’s home to more natural wonders than you can count and it has stunning cities, charming coastal towns , breathtaking fjords , fascinating history and really happy people.

 

How to Reach : 

 

By Air: All major cities in Norway have airports catering for both international and domestic flights. Depending on  which route you intent to take to explore Norway you may want to land in Oslo or Bergen or Trondeheim. In my experience while travelling from Boston the tickets were cheaper for Bergen.

 

By Train : An extensive rail network links Norway to the other Scandinavian countries and the rest of Europe , so if you plan to travel to Norway from any of the places in Europe or Scandinavia , train can be an option too. However the cost of train is dependent on your time of booking so depending on how early you book it might be cheaper or otherwise more expensive than air.

 

By Ferry : There are many ferries between Denmark and Norway. I’ll suggest this option only if you have a lot of time as ferries generally take much longer than any other mode of transport.

 

Breheimen national park by The Talking Trails

 

Luster by The Talking Trails

 

 

Tips for first time travelers :

Now I know everyone is different but these tips will definitely help you to plan your trip wisely. There were some shockers for us even after planning our trip in so detail but then that is what I love about travel , always come with learning experience.

  • Do not underestimate the distances and travelling time while planning your trip . Topography of Norway along the coast, fjords and mountains is complex, and public transport is often limited to one ferry a day at some places. So do your homework on how to and when to reach your destination.
  • It is not possible to “see” Norway in a few days. 8 days were certainly not enough for us considering we were not even able to enjoy any of the iconic hikes of Norway. If you are planning to visit Norway focus on one region or few cities and plan your itinerary accordingly. Driving from Tromso to Stavanger in a week , might seem doable but is certainly not enjoyable.
  • Norway’s restaurants are expensive. For cheap food options, supermarkets like Kiwi and Rema offer good products at far more reasonable prices . These supermarkets are easily available and you can buy snacks and produce at affordable prices.

 

Briksdal Glacier by The Talking Trails

 

  • Alcohol and tobacco are definitely the most expensive pleasures in Norway. A glass of beer can cost up to 10- 12 $. If you want to save some money buy alcohol from duty free shop at the airport. Please note that drinking in public places is illegal in Norway, so observe how the locals do it before you pull out your beer bottle.
  • Norwegian Coffee is the best coffee in the entire world. For once I will suggest to skip on Alcohol and embrace coffee . Trust me Norwegian coffee gives the same kick as any alcohol :)
  • Tap water is as good as bottled water. Do not waste your money in buying bottled water.
  • The best way to enjoy Norway is by driving and renting a car is indeed expensive. You can try using public transport but this is one thing where I think you should not compromise.

Note : Norwegians are very particular about the speed limits. Roads or  tunnels they have cameras everywhere  to monitor your speed.

 

Nærøyfjord, Norway by The Talking Trails

 

  • Norway has a lot of toll roads , keep that in your budget.
  • I was pleasantly surprised to see that almost all the places in Norway accept credit cards. So if you do not plan to carry cash, that is just fine. There is no minimum purchase limit anywhere in Norway to use the credit card.
  • I cannot stress this enough but switching to T-mobile cellular company has been the best decision of my life. Unlimited text and data in Norway , I can’t tell you what a relief it was.

 

 

IMG_1077-Edit-Edit

Itinerary:

Here is the list of all the places we visited and hotels we stayed in during our time in Norway. I will cover the detailed log of best scenic drives , glacier hiking experiences and driving through National parks  in my upcoming blogposts but here is the snapshot of all that we covered. If you cannot pronounce half of these places do not fret over, just remember to bookmark them :). All I can say about Norway is that it is definetly not about reaching the destination but the journey that takes you through. My Itinerary below certainly does not cover thousands of places where we stopped to enjoy nature and take photos. We were stopping to take photos in every 5 mins and I am not kidding.

 

8 day itinerary for Norway by The Talking Trails

 

Schedule Destination Hotel We Stayed In Things We Did
Day 1 Fly from Boston to Oslo. Night Stay in Oslo. Friend's House Sightseeing in Oslo
Day 2 Oslo to Odda. Night Stay in Odda Hardanger Hotel Hardangervidda National Park -Eidfjord –Voringfossen- Skervsfossen
Day 3 Odda to Skolden. Night stay in Luster Tørvis Hotell Latefossen – Flam Train – Nærøyfjord -Aurlandsfjord-The Stegastein viewpoint
Day 4 Skolden to Geiranger via Breheimen National Park Hotell Gerianger LustraFjorden – Brehemian National Park – Nedre Oscarshaug-Vegaskjelet – Videfossen – Old Strynefjell Mountain Rd
Day 5 Geiranger to Volda via Alesund and Trollstigen Friend's House Geiranger Fjord – TrollStigen Scenic Byway – Alesund
Day 6 Day trip  around Volda to Jostedalsbreen Friend's House Hike Briksdalbreen glacier – Sightseeing in Volda
Day 7 Volda to Bergen Clarion Hotel Admiral Hike Haugabreen Glacier – Skei Jolster
Day 8 Sightseeing in Bergen Clarion Hotel Admiral Entire day of sightseeing in Bryggen and areas around.
Day 9 Fly from Bergen to Boston. Back to Home Sweet Home Lifetime of Memories

Breheimen national park by The Talking Trails

 

Whether you enjoy hiking, biking, kayaking, fishing or simply taking in the amazing views, there is something there for everyone in Norway to enjoy . If you need any more travel inspiration see my last blog post on Norway  here. You will indeed agree with me that it is a fabulous destination that you can enjoy when you’re travelling solo, with a partner or with family.  It is a once-in-a-lifetime destination and the reason of its appeal is remarkably simple: this is one of the most beautiful countries on earth. Have you ever been to Norway. Did you visit any of the places I listed above. I would love to hear about your explorations. If you want any more information feel free to message me or leave me a comment. Thank you for stopping by :) .

 

PhotoCredits  : PHOTOSTAINS

||||| Like It 13 I Like It! |||||
GuestGuestGuestGuest

Sharing is caring

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
Previous Article 10 Pics That Will Make Norway Your Next Destination
Next Article Travel Bucket List 2016

About Author

Kanika

Her love of travel and documenting it has led to the start of this blog which she hopes keep evolving and turns into something more broadly-encompassing with time. She holds a full-time day job and is here to inspire people to travel more with their 9 to 5 jobs. Through this blog she intends to share her stories from trips, give travel preparation tips and pointers for where, when and how-to's.

Related Posts

  • corona virus safe to travel

    Summer vacation – Is it safe to travel yet?

    July 1, 2020
  • Nepal Travel

    10 Days in Nepal – A Complete Itinerary

    June 16, 2020
  • Coronavorus by TheTalkingTrails

    10 things I always wanted that Coronavirus gave me

    March 19, 2020

33 Comments

  1. Steph Reply
    January 28, 2016 at 2:24 am

    Thanks for the tips, wonderful article, will be very helpful for my upcoming Fjords vacation.

    • Kanika Reply
      February 11, 2016 at 1:55 am

      I hope you enjoy :)

  2. Victoria Reply
    January 28, 2016 at 2:30 am

    Astonishing. I am definitely going to Geiranger Fjord.
    I have heard a lot about Norway in Nutshell. Any ideas on the pricing and authenticity of the trip?http://www.norwaynutshell.com/en/explore-the-fjords/geirangerfjord-norway-in-a-nutshell/#about

    • Kanika Reply
      February 11, 2016 at 1:55 am

      It is indeed a must see. If you are going to Norway for very short time , then yes of-course Norway in Nutshell is really helpful. If you could tell me when r u going and for how long, I would love to give you suggestions.

  3. Ankita Reply
    January 29, 2016 at 12:01 am

    Great post. Totally enjoyed reading it. This place is on my bucket list now and beautiful pictures btw :)
    http://peacheswithpearls.com/2016/01/28/10-things-know-planning-trip-costa-rica/

    • Kanika Reply
      February 11, 2016 at 2:00 am

      Thanks Ankita and I am totally digging in your series on Costa Rica.. can’t wait for more of your awesome posts..

  4. anna Reply
    February 6, 2016 at 12:28 pm

    Norway has always been a place I have wanted to go. Your photos look incredible. Will be bookmarking this for future trips!

    • Kanika Reply
      February 29, 2016 at 3:10 am

      Thank you so much. Do let me know if you ever plan to go :)

  5. Charles McCool Reply
    February 6, 2016 at 1:19 pm

    Some really nice tips in this article about visiting Norway. I am not a coffee drinker but kind of wish I was, to compare Norwegian coffee to Kona, etc. I like to spend as little as possible so I would probably eat almost every meal from the supermarkets.

  6. Carol Colborn Reply
    February 7, 2016 at 1:48 pm

    We were in Oslo for a couple of days in late spring of 2014. Oh how I wish I had another six days in Norway. Your itinerary looks great and your photos make me cry!

    • Kanika Reply
      February 29, 2016 at 3:08 am

      Thank you so much. How did you like Oslo? I myself wish to have few more days in Norway :)

  7. Bell | Wanderlust Marriage Reply
    February 7, 2016 at 3:55 pm

    Wow, beautiful photos! I’ve not been to Norway, the cost has always been a little bit of a barrier, as there are just so many amazing places to visit in the world! But this sounds like a great itinerary to really see the country in a short time, but I think 8 days is never enough anywhere!

    • Kanika Reply
      February 29, 2016 at 3:05 am

      Thank you so much for stopping by . Personally I felt you need to live in Norway to see it in its entirety. There is just too much to see :)

  8. Natasha Reply
    February 7, 2016 at 7:55 pm

    I agree that Norway is a must see destination! The whole country is swarming with beauty, and although it is expensive – totally worth it. We had friends in the country so luckily we were able to stay for free. That helped a ton!

    • Kanika Reply
      February 11, 2016 at 1:52 am

      I know having friends at such a place works out to be so good. The hidden gems that locals know , nobody else does :)

  9. chetna Reply
    May 19, 2016 at 6:27 am

    hi kanika, we are a family of four with two adult children and are planning a trip to norway in mid september. need your guidance. we have eight days and we want to see a little of everything from norway in a nutshell to northern lights(tromso or lofoten) to north cape. i know it is difficult but life is short and so many places to go within a budget too. our start and end point will be same. not keen on seeing city scape. all the way from mumbai we would in fact like to see helsinki as well if possible. thanks in advance

    • Kanika Reply
      May 21, 2016 at 8:00 pm

      I have sent you an email. Please check and let me know.

  10. Kelly Reply
    September 15, 2016 at 8:52 pm

    Thank you for posting this! This definitely came in handy when planning our budget. We did not realize the toll roads and ferry rides would be so expensive. We took your advice and bought most of our food at Rema. Such an amazing country; beautiful beyond words! http://ramblinmurph.com/2016/08/29/norway-self-drive-itinerary-western-fjords/

    Thanks again for your help in planning our itinerary!

    • Kanika Reply
      October 2, 2016 at 8:51 pm

      I hope you had fantastic trip. I did look at your blog post and your pics look fantabulous. Norway is expensive indeed but its so beautiful that it makes it up for everything 😉 isn’t it.

  11. Carina Reply
    April 17, 2017 at 8:31 am

    Hi, your itinerary looks amazing!! Unfortunately we have very limited time but are planning to fly out of Copenhagen early on the 8th August and do the west fjords before a flight to Helsinki on the 11th
    Would you recommend flying into Bergen and doing Norway in nutshell either odda eiderfjord area return Bergen then do Norway in nutshell to flam railway etc return to Bergen and fly out on the 11th or just do Bergen to Oslo Norway in nutshell??
    Not sure if the part to Oslo is worth it etc
    Which fjord area did you prefer if you had such a short amount of time!???
    Thanks for your help

    • Kanika Reply
      April 19, 2017 at 7:57 pm

      Hello,

      I will definetly advise to go to Bergen and skip Oslo completely . Skip on FLAM part rather rent a car and explore the fjords nearby. Once done and if you want to see the landscape take the train to OSLO and then fly out. If you can skip OSLO completely even better , there are many things that you can see around Bergen and Odda. You can drive to the base from where flam starts and rather than going up in train , drive around the fjord and go to mountain top ( ill send you directions shortly) , there is beautiful view of the valley. let me know if you need more help in planning , will be happy to do for you.

      • Eckoca Reply
        May 2, 2017 at 9:35 pm

        Could we do this trip in reverse? My family of 4 will arrive in Oslo but leave from Bergen and we have 8 full days in Norway. We don’t know much about Norway but my husband’s longtime wish has been to see the fjords. Is there a way to start the trip in Oslo and end in Bergen with only public transportation? Not excited to rent a car because my husband is not good with directions even with GPS and I don’t want to do all the driving.

        • Kanika Reply
          May 10, 2017 at 5:07 pm

          Hello,

          You can totally do the trip starting from Oslo to Bergen all by public transport. There is train from Oslo to Bergen n if you want to enjoy senery , I will suggest to take that in day time. The landscape is beautiful. Also from Bergen you can take the train to Flam ( which will also come on your way to Bergen from Oslo) or a cruise that will take you through the Fjords. Its very very nice. Let me know if you need any more help.

  12. Han Reply
    June 21, 2017 at 2:06 pm

    Hi Kanika

    Thank you for sharing your experience and photos – it looked like you had an absolutely amazing time!

    We are planning our Iceland / Norway trip for mid October this year and after coming across your page, have decided to try to follow your itinerary for Norway as closely as possible. As you’ve said, it’s impossible to cover everything in 8 days, but your holiday definitely covered a LOT of must do’s.

    Is there any chance you could shoot us an email with any tips at all, or any must see’s along the way for your itinerary. Our main concern was whether the driving was long / tiring, and whether it would be difficult to hire a car in Oslo and drop it off in Bergen (and possibly a 4wd in case the roads are slippery as we’re coming from Australia where the roads are really quite easy).

    We’d appreciate any help. Thank you again for your post – it was very inspiring (we’re also now considering upgrading all our cameras!).

    Cheers
    Han

    • Kanika Reply
      July 7, 2017 at 9:36 am

      Hello,

      Awesome that you are planning a trip to Norway. Sending you email right now :)

  13. Mubeen Mehr Reply
    August 18, 2017 at 9:20 pm

    Hi Kanika. It was an absolute joy to read your adventure. Me and my girlfriend are planning to follow your foot steps and itinerary. I was wondering if you could throw me an email with your detailed itinerary giving the route details as well as how much time you spent on the main attractions (listed above column 4 “things we did”). Thanks a lot.

    Cheers
    Mubeen

  14. Mubeen Mehr Reply
    August 19, 2017 at 3:48 pm

    Hi Kanika. Thanks for sucb a fabolous post. Could you kindly email me the details of your trip ?
    Cheers
    Moby

  15. Charmy Reply
    June 7, 2018 at 7:02 pm

    Hi Kanika. Thanks for the wonderful post. It has really inspired me to plan my trip. We are also planning to rent a car and drive around. Would you be able to email me the details of your trip as that will help me plan a lot better.

    Thanks so much
    Charmy

    • Kanika Reply
      June 14, 2018 at 2:19 am

      Hello,

      Please let me know the details you want and the time frame when you going so that I can send you relevant details.

  16. Cindy Reply
    September 14, 2018 at 7:25 am

    After a long overdue NEEDED vacation my friend and I have decided to visit Norway! In the beginning we didn’t have a destination in mind but we came across some photos and we fell in love with what we saw. We are flying into Oslo and departing from Bergen. We will be there from sept 25th-oct 2nd for 8 days. We will be using public transportation and want to get the most out of our days. What destinations do you recommend? I really want to go to Tromso and see the northern lights but I’m not sure if we’ll have enough time. What is the weather like around that time? We would really appreciate your recommendations and thoughts. Thanks

    • Kanika Reply
      September 27, 2018 at 9:27 am

      Hello,

      I am sure you are going to have a trip of lifetime – yayyyyyyyyy. So September end it starts getting cold and it is a little windy there so i will definitely suggest you to take warm clothes , closed shoes and for some mountain tops even woolen cap and mittens. Norway has good transport system and you can definitely check in Oslo or Bergen the Fjord tours that people take. If you need any help with itinerary let me know .

  17. Pingback: Travel Bucket List 2016 - The Talking Trails
  18. Pingback: Bergen - A Complete Travel Guide - The Talking Trails

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Travel Inspiration

Free ebook by TheTalkingTrails

Subscribe

Recent Posts

  • corona virus safe to travel
    Summer vacation – Is it safe to travel yet?
  • Nepal Travel
    10 Days in Nepal – A Complete Itinerary
  • Coronavorus by TheTalkingTrails
    10 things I always wanted that Coronavirus gave me
  • Paris by TheTalkingTrails
    Paris in 5 days – Create your own itinerary

Get Connected

© Copyright 2014. The Talking Trails. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material without written permission from author is strictly prohibited.