karytse

Hello all. I am planing travel to Norway with my wife and parents (70yrs) in the coming June. Below is my prelim plan:
Day 1: Arrive Oslo in the afternoon
Day 2: Morning flight from Oslo to Svolvaer, pick up car and start Lofoten
Day 3: Lofoten area sightseeing
Day 4: Back to Svolvaer and take afternoon flight to Bergen
Day 5: Bergen area sightseeing
Day 6: Afternoon flight to Alesund, pick up car and go to Geiranger
Day 7: Geiranger area
Day 8: Geiranger area
Day 9: Back to Alesund and flight to Oslo
Day 10: Good bye to Norway

On Day 2 and 3, I planned to stay in the same place (somewhere in the "middle" of Lofoten) and drive out to visit Lofoten. And on Day 6, 7 and 8, will also stay in the same place in Geiranger. The reason for this is that we don't need to pack and go that often, so less stress to my parents. Do you have any recommendation for place to stay in these 2 places? Do you think 3 days in Geiranger is too long? Or 2 days in Lofoten is too short? What other activities will you recommend in the Geiranger? Will the Glacier tour too difficult for us?
Thank you.

tower

The pics below (a month covering from Oslo to Tromso by train, car, Hurtigruten) will give you some ideas, landscape, towns and villages. we ferried to the Lofotens from Bodo with our rental car and drove from "A" to Svolvaer...2 days...continued ferry-ing to mainland and drove to Narvik and on to Tromso, 3 days. Backtracked to Narvik to drop car (arranged by the Bodo agent..no drop charge). In all, we covered a good bit of Norway without rushing it. Took overnight train from Narvik to Stockholm. Enjoy the scenic sights of Norway. Bring money!

tower

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...uHk6iIgbSEgAE#

Karytse: We did three nights on the Hurtigruten, from Bergen to Bodo, getting off at the Black Ice Glacier (Svartsisen), bussing from there to Bodo. From Oslo to Bergen, Norway in a Nutshell.

Michael

There are cabins in Geiranger. Bring your own towels and sheets, or pay extra (fairly steep) for them. They include cooking facilities.

According to Mapquest, it's a 5+ hour drive from Bergen to Geiranger. That's what I would do, getting a one-way rental to drop off in Alesund.

dyoll

GoogleMaps and http://www.visitnorway.com/uk/VN/Map/ shows 7 - 8 hrs net driving time Bergen til Geiranger, in addition you have to allow time for ferries and other stops - it's not really doable in one day unless you are a travelling salesman. Allow at least 2 days and do the inland route not the E39 near the coast as the fjords are more impressive in the deeper and narrower parts inland.

dyoll

You are trying to cover too much in a short time and wasting a lot of time at airports - even the shortest flight consumes 4 - 5 hrs with airport transfers and waiting time. All that travel for 1 day on Lofoten is crazy - you could spend all you time there.
You don't need to spend 2 days in Geiranger area - it's the travelling through the fjord scenery between Bergen and Ålesund that is really great - have a look at the National Tourist Routes - http://www.nasjonaleturistveger.no/en
Geiranger itself is often crowded by cruise ship tourists.
Ideally I would advise flying directly into Bergen - overnighting in Oslo if you are not going to spend any time there is a waste of time. Spend a couple of days in Bergen to get over flight and jet lag (please consider 70 year old parents!). then hire a car and do a circular tour through the fjords reaching as far north as Ålesund. Take a couple of nights in a couple of places to give you some relaxation.

BritishCaicos

I'd agree.

This is a lot of travel and changing for a short trip.

We have just turned from the Lofotens.

Incredible place, I personally would split the time between Oslo and the Lofotens.

karytse

Thanks all. I have made some adjustment to the plan as below:
Day 1: Flight direct to Bergen, stay Bergen
Day 2: Bergen
Day 3: Take car, Bergen -> Flam -> Sogndal -> Lom (via Aurlandsfjellet and Sognefjellet route), stay Lom
Day 4: Lom -> Geiranger
Day 5 Geiranger
Day 6: Geiranger to Trondheim, return car, stay Trondheim
Day 7: Flight from Trondheim to Leknes via Bodo
Day 8: Lofoten
Day 9: Lofoten
Day 10: Flights from Leknes to Oslo via Bodo, stay Oslo
Day 11: Evening flight back home.

I have eliminated the flights between Alesund and Bergen and replace it by driving. A few questions:
1. Will Day 3 be too rush?
2. I checked from Google map that Day 6 Geiranger to Trondheim will takes about 7 hours. Shall I stay somewhere between Trondheim and Geiranger, instead of driving all the way to Trondheim?
3. The connecting flight on Day 7 and Day 10 is about 1 hour only, is it OK?
4. Shall I remove Day 5 and put one more day on Oslo?

Thank you again

BritishCaicos

Try

http://www.wideroe.no/en

They are a local airline and this should avoid the need to change in Bodo. From memory they fly direct to Leknes in summer.

We stayed in Trondheim last week, loved it.

We used the Radisson, great breakfast but that's it!

This :

http://www.scandichotels.com/Hotels/.../#.VPXslxEgGSM

Had a similar location, same price but better rooms.

Michael

You might want to take a look at my trip report; click on my name to find it. We stayed in Alesund and one more place between Geiranger and Trondheim.

menachem

Your day 3: you'll have to leave early, it's nearly 530 km and there are spots where you won't be able to drive fast, so it will take you a full day, also if you want to have time for lunch and the odd stop. I think you're pushing it on day 3. If you take the E39 via Stryn, you can speed up a little the less interesting first part up to Stryn and then take more time on the drive to Lom and it will take 80km off your drive.

Can I once more recommend Elveseter as your hotel near Lom? And Lom is home to a famous bakery.

http://www.nordicnibbler.com/2010/10...om-norway.html

dyoll

Day 3 is not 530km via road 55 - Google maps does not show routes in winter over roads that are closed in winter, but still a long drive. Your day 6 is also crazy much driving. With 70 year old parents I think you are planning on far too much driving - the point of a fjords holiday is surely to have time to stop and enjoy the views, not to drive through as quickly as possible.
Fly straight to Lofoten, spend a week in a cabin there with day trips and really live the place. Fly to Bergen - do a day or two round trip Hardangerfjord and Sognefjord - it really is not necessary to drive through the whole of Fiordland as quickly as possible - you'll see and experience more by doing less!

menachem

I think it is if you go via Flåm, which was the original idea, I think.

I second the idea of going straight to Lofoten. Amazing scenery and much more relaxed.

Hardanger Fjord can be done as a daytrip by bus and ferry, in that case you end up in Eidfjord.

Norway is a big place

bilboburgler

I'm worried about the shear travel you are planning, I think I'd work at it a bit to reduce as much as possible. One thing you will like is that the days get pretty long in June. Last time I was there I remember having supper and then going for a long hike in "daylight"

My own view is that looking at human habitations in Norway is kinda weird, look out the old churches sure, look to the fjords and the fjells for vistas, but apart from "troll road" and a few odd towns (Bergen being one) the stuff that interested me was the people, the odd little craft shop and just getting out in the fresh air.

Sitting in a car kinda fights that spirit a bit.

dyoll

Menachem - try the route planner at visitNorway - http://www.visitnorway.com/uk/VN/Map/
Bergen-Flåm-Sogndal-Lom via Sognefjellet is about 370km, but slow going with net driving time about 6 ½ hours which is probably an underestimate and which you need to add ferry times, stops etc. etc. Still far too long for a day's drive unless you are a travelling salesman.

menachem

yes you're right, it's by E55. I see. Google takes me via Stryn, hehe.

But still, it's slow going, especially Sognefjellet.

dyoll

FV55 is one of the National Tourist Routes http://www.nasjonaleturistveger.no/en