see_the_world7

We're considering traveling to Norway this summer...probably July. We travel quite frequently, but for Norway I just am having trouble getting started. We would be traveling independently but I've been looking at different tour routes to give me ideas. Here are the main reasons I'm struggling a bit with Norway:
1) Usually we try to have a base in one location and rent an apartment or cottage. It usually is less expensive and is less stressful. However, it seems that we'd probably be wanting to move around more and cover more area is Norway so we'll have to look for hotels or B&Bs in several different locations.
2) Usually there are 4 of us traveling, 2 adults and 2 younger children (ages 7 and 8). This time we'll have my stepson, who is 15 and possibly my stepdaughter, who is 21. That makes it harder and more expensive to find places to stay.
3) Because we mainly want to see the scenery, I'm not sure how long to allow in any one place.

We want to see main sites, but mainly want to go for the scenery, especially the fjords. My husband's serious hobby is landscape photography and he would want to be up early for photos most days. We enjoy hiking and visiting small towns. I expect we'd stick to the southern area of Norway and probably fly into Oslo, rent a car, and do a circular route.

Can you give me some don't miss sites? Any specific places to stay along the way if we have 5-6 people? Any suggested hikes? Any other tips to get me started? We probably would still try to spend at least a couple days in each location just so we aren't driving everyday.

Thanks for the help.

see_the_world7

I've just looked around a bit today and have come across a new problem. So far all of the sites I've looked at for renting vehicles in Norway don't have any vehicles that seat 6 people. Can anyone recommend a particular company or site for renting a minivan/people carrier in Norway?

lanejohann

cant help with the vehicles sorry
but i think norway is hard to plan cos it is so long

we had to cut out lots of sights

people who have just come back tell me that fjords are beautiful but you dont need to see lots of them- like anything- castles churches beaches - it becomes the same after a while

find out how far north and south you want to go and try to do some of the east so that youre not just doing coast and fjords

we wanted to do the lofoten islands but that meant a plane trip and you lose so much time when you start including airtrips

we wont go to pulpit rock
we wanted to but
it is a two hour hike and really if the weather turns then it seems a waste

that was a hard decision to abandon the idea of going to stavanger and getting down to that rock

we also wanted to go as far north as trondheim but it cant be done in the ten days we have
so we will go to geiranger and then do a trip to alesund and maybe molde which is as far north as we will aim to go

we want to do as many two night stays as possible rather than keep travelling and we have been warned by all that even though it may look doable on the map the distances take longer cos of ferry crossings and single twisty lane roads from time to time so we will allow a lot more travelling time this trip

we too love scenery thats why we are hovering between geiranger and flam with only a daytrip out to bergen although i know bergen wouldve been more fun at night and therefore a better base than flam

i think cabins is the way for you
start emailing the tourist bureaus - they will reply im sure and give you the specific info youre after for a bigger group of travellers
the accommodation is expensive otherwise

good luck!

Viajero2

lane is by now quite the expert on travel planning to Norway She has provided you with great advice; get brochures and guidebooks from Norway Office of Tourism; they are actually very good and useful.

Given the crowd you will be traveling with and their likes I recommend the Geiranger/Bergen/HardanGervidda National Park area for sure. That's your loop, let go of branching too far. Bergen has excellent B&B's, I have also had great experiences with holiday-rentals.com and vrbo.com.

see_the_world7

Thanks. We have a couple Norway guide books and we think we'd be focusing on the west. I'm not sure whether we'd fly into Bergen (which is possible but more expensive) or fly into Oslo and then just quickly head to the west. We plan to not go too far north although I don't know that we've given ourselves an upper location yet. My husband has been making a list of places he'd really like to see from the guidebooks and we'll have to look at a map and see what is possible.

lanejohann, I looked at some old posts and saw where you had listed some of the places you are staying, so I'll take a look at that. I did see that some cabins have beds for 6 people, but most I've found want you to stay a full week.

Viajero2

At less than $1K/week and the location, it would be tough to beat these rentals: http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p98102, http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p83213.

lanejohann

haa ha viajero!
quite the armchair expert i am

havent set foot in the joint but it feels like ive been there done that lol

has been the longest and hardest to plan for sure, this trip to scandinavia and russia but im beyond excited!!!!!

see the world, the cabin we have had no such stipulation- we couldve stayed one night im pretty certain
and there were places u the mountain a bit in geiranger too just thought itd be handier near the water
but i wont know til we experience it all and make the inevitable mistakes as well as the joyous accidental discoveries!

gard

Hi

Being from Stavanger I do have to recommend coming here July normally brings good weather and it is perfect for hiking up to Preikestolen/Pulpit rock (see http://gardkarlsen.com/preikestolen.htm ) and the amazing Kjerag (see http://gardkarlsen.com/kjerag.htm ). But June/July is also a good time as there is a world championship in beach volleyball and the courts are in the middle of town and the city will be buzzing. There is also an annual food festival in the end of July which is normally great if the weather cooperates

Get in touch if you need some more info about the Stavanger region

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

see_the_world7

After looking more at the guidebooks and the map, we are leaning toward staying completely in the southwest. Mainly from between Bergen to Molde although it's possible we'd venture south of there...possibly toward Stavenger. I know many people would say we should see some in the eastern part as well (and we might), but we normally like to take our time in one area. So assuming we would focus on this area (which I know is still a large area), could people give me some specific towns/locations that would be good as a base for 3 or so days before moving to another location further on? I've been searching on the cabins that several of you have mentioned and many of those look great. Is one town particularly good as a central location? We'd have a car with us and we'd probably do 3 different bases for about 3 days each.