singercpa

My 25 year old daughter and I are visiting Norway for first time, travelling from USA. We have been doing trips to Europe every 1 to 2 years the last 10 years. I am from San Antonio, Texas, and my daughter lives in Chicago. We are avid photographers. I need advice on the planned itinerary listed below, especially whether the planned drive is reasonable on the Alesund to Molde section.
1. Should we instead switch the two Hurtigruten ship legs (currently Bergen to Alesund, then 2 day driving ending in Molde, then explore Atlantic Road, etc around Molde and then Hurtigruten ship Molde-Bergen)? Is it better to do in reverse perhaps or doable as listed.

2. Finally, on the drive day from Alesund to Hellstadt with car ferry to geigeranger then after sightseeing driving add'l hour or so to stay in hotel at Hjelle -- worried it will be too long a drive for late May; could instead stay on Hwy 63 above Geigeranger to shorten the following day's planned drive on the Trollistyn scenic drive.

Wednesday, May 23, 2018 Flight arrive in OSLO arr 12:30
Thursday, May 24, 2018 Sightsee Oslo
Friday, May 25, 2018 Train: Oslo-Bergen 6.5 hr (side trip Flam)
Saturday, May 26, 2018 Sightsee Bergen
Sunday, May 27, 2018 Hurtigruten Ship: MS Midnatsol to Alesund 13 hr (leave 10:30 pm)
Monday, May 28, 2018 Arrive Alesund noon
Tuesday, May 29, 2018 Drive Alesund to Hellesylt, Ferry to Geiranger, then drive to Hjelle
Wednesday, May 30, 2018 Drive Geiranger to Trollstigen (FV63) to Andalusa to Molde (6 hrs)
Thursday, May 31, 2018 Drive Atlantic Rd and return car; Hurtigruten Ship: MS Verteralen to Bergen (lv 9:30 pm)
Friday, June 1, 2018 Arrive Bergen 2:30; overnight at airport hotel
Saturday, June 2, 2018 Bergen to ORD or Austin 7:10 am

singercpa

Add'l consideration on #2 if reversed order:
27th: Hurtigruten ship Bergen-Molde, 2 night Molde

29th: Drive Molde to Andalusa then Trollisydt to Valldal (overnight there).

30th: Then drive to Geiranger, ferry to Hellesylt, drive to Alesund.

31st: all day Alesund; evening Hurtigruten ship to Bergen.

Michael

I wrote a trip report that included driving from Bergen to Trondheim; click on my name to find it.

Here are the pictures of our Norway trip, including Oslo:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...070576316/show

dyoll

25th - Norway in a Nutshell https://www.norwaynutshell.com/origi...in-a-nutshell/ is longer than 6 1/2 hrs.
Note that one-way car hire can be incredibly expensive between small towns in Norway.
30th - this is only about 4 hrs net drive - a reasonable amount for one day.
If you reverse the order then you have to hang around in Ålesund until after midnight for the Hurtigruten.
If it's photography you are interested in then why not drive a round tour from Bergen - there is plenty to see and you don't have to join the crowds in Geiranger - you could be more adventurous and explore other areas such as Hjørundfjorden. You actually have 6 days available for driving which is a comfortable time to explore this area with max 4 hrs net driving a day.

Michael

<i>Note that one-way car hire can be incredibly expensive between small towns in Norway.</i>

When we did our tour, driving one way with hotels and meals was no more expensive and perhaps cheaper than what we were quoted for the Hurtigen section between Bergen and Trondheim.