Norway road trip: complete itinerary, tips & highlights
Norway had been on our bucket list for a long time, and finally, the time had come. We set out to explore southwestern Norway during an 18-day road trip, starting in Bergen. The first part of the trip consisted mainly of driving, with a few stops along the way. The second part was devoted primarily to hiking.
Our route through Norway
Day 1: Bergen
Bergen is an ideal city to start your tour. It is a cozy and small city where there is still plenty to do. Of course, we enjoyed the must-sees, such as the fish market, the colorful houses, and the view from Mount Floyen. We also enjoyed all the delicious things the city has to offer: cozy coffee shops with cinnamon and cardamom buns, fresh fish, and tasty beer. In this blog post, you can read all about what you can do in Bergen.
Day 2: pick up the car and head towards Skei
We pick up our rental car and head to the supermarket for some quick grocery shopping. We decide to buy everything we need for breakfast and lunch so that we don’t have to keep looking for places to eat. We then drive to Skei, a journey of about 3 hours and 45 minutes. Along the way, we are treated to beautiful landscapes, and we also take a ferry, the first of many.
Day 3: Glacier hike
Today, we have planned a glacier hike on the Nigardsbreen glacier. It’s a fun experience, and you can read all about it here.
Day 4: Briksdalsbreen – Geiranger
Today was a day of driving with a few stops along the way. First, we went to the Briksdalbreen glacier. From the lodge, it’s about a 3 km walk to the glacier and the lake.
The next stop was the idyllic village of Hjelle. It was located on a beautiful lake, and there was hardly anyone there. It was nice to stretch our legs. Then we headed for Breiddalen Valley. What a difference from the green valley a few kilometers earlier. A surreal, snowy landscape and a frozen lake. The last stop of the day was the Geiranger Fjord. It was extremely touristy, with not only buses full of tourists enjoying the view, but also cruise ships mooring in the fjord itself.
Day 5: Atlantic Road
Normally, we would have gone to the famous Trollstigen, but unfortunately, it was closed. So we drove towards Bud to take the Atlantic Road. On the way, we took a short walk to stretch our legs. Then we continued on the Atlantic Road itself: an 8 km long road that connects several islands to the mainland via bridges.
Day 6: Vinnufossen – Magalaupet – Snohetta
We continue our journey, making three stops along the way. The first was Vinnufossen, one of the largest waterfalls in Europe. 675 steps brought us closer to the waterfall and immediately gave us a beautiful view of the valley.
The next stop was Magalaupet (which means gastrointestinal tract). Here you will find a river that squeezes through a gorge of Augengneisses. It is an impressive sight to see how the fast-flowing water of the river moves through the rocks. The sound is also impressive. You can walk a short distance along the river, but be careful: the rocks can be dangerously slippery!
The last stop of the day is also the most impressive: Snohetta. This viewpoint is located in the Dovre-Sunndalsfjella National Park. The road to the parking lot is a toll road, but parking itself is free. From there, a 20-minute walk takes you to the impressive viewpoint. The building consists of a glass wall facing Snohetta in the north and a wooden structure in the south. It is truly a beautiful piece of architecture in the wild nature.
Day 7: Rondane NP
Today we planned to visit an old mine, but it wasn’t offering tours (even though this was stated on the website). So after a stop at the Sohlbergplassen viewpoint, we drove to Rondane National Park. We went on an 8 km hike that started at Hovringen and ended at Peer Gynt Hytta. It was a peaceful walk through beautiful scenery.
Day 8: Lom – Sognefjellet – Borgund
The first stop today was the stave church in Lom. Inside, this wooden church was very austere, but it was beautiful to see how they used the natural properties of trees to build the church.
Then we drove along Route 51, one of the most beautiful routes in Norway. Along the way, we stopped at various viewpoints to enjoy the scenery. We ate our lunch with a view of the snowy landscape in the sunshine. Our last stop of the day was the famous Borgund stave church. Inside, it is a lot smaller than the one in Lom.
Day 9: Mt Prest hike
Today we went hiking again. But first, we made a short stop at the Stagestein viewpoint. What a view! Then we did the Mt Prest hike: a hike of only 5 km, but a very challenging one; it took us about 3.5 hours. We encountered some mountain goats along the way and had a beautiful view of Flam and the Aurlandsfjord from the top.
Once back down, we stopped in old Laerdalsoyri on the way to our cottage. Here you can still admire old houses from 1700-1800. We also enjoyed a cold drink in the sun. On the way, we drove through the longest tunnel in the world: the 24.5 km Laerdal Tunnel.
Day 10: admire waterfalls
We only did a 13 km walk past four waterfalls. At the parking lot, we could already feel the power of Hjellefossen: lots of wind and water. Then there was Avdalsfossen and the smaller Holjafossen. Finally, there was Vettisfossen.
The first 5.5 km were fairly flat, but the last kilometer was tough with quite a few rocks. However, the view of Vettisfossen made up for everything. It was the perfect location to enjoy our lunch. We had some rain along the way, but luckily we were able to take shelter in the cozy café with coffee and waffles.
Day 11: Flam
Today was a busy day. We took the train up from Flam: this is the most beautiful train ride in Norway. On the way, we stopped at a waterfall before continuing our journey upwards. We passed beautiful valleys on our way up. We got off at the penultimate station. We went back down in two parts. The first part was the 1.3 km zipline. Afterward, we cycled another 15 km back to Flam (all downhill).
After all that adrenaline, we set off again. On the way, we stopped at two waterfalls (Tvindefossen and Skjervsfossen) and an interesting toilet with a view of the river.
Day 12: Trolltunga
We did the famous Trolltunga hike. The well-known rock is the endpoint of the 10 km hike. And then another 10 km back. It rained for most of the 8.5-hour hike. But what a beautiful view and a fantastic experience. Fortunately, because of the rain, we didn’t have to wait long to take THE photo.
Day 13: Easy day
After Trolltunga, we have a quiet day planned in Odda today. We take a short walk to Bondhusvatnet and explore Odda a little.
Day 14: Stavanger
On the way to Stavanger, we stopped at Latefossen, a double waterfall. Once we arrived in Stavanger, we visited the petroleum museum. It was very interesting to see how Norway became so rich from oil and gas. And now they are using their knowledge to switch to renewable energy. Afterward, we enjoyed a nice meal and drinks in the most colorful street in Stavanger.
Day 15: Preikestolen
Today was our last hike in Norway: Preikestolen. The hike was 8 km in total and we started early: at 6:30 a.m. When we got to the top, there were already several people there, so we had to queue up to take a photo. On the way back, a lot of people came up. Because there was no wind, there were also quite a few midges.
We were back in Stavanger around noon and continued exploring the city. We went to the harbor and the old quarter with all its wooden houses. We also enjoyed a beer at a local brewery.
Day 16: Bergen
We left early for Bergen to drop off our rental car. After dropping off our suitcases at the hotel, we headed to the center of Bergen. We enjoyed a coffee and a cardamom bun before doing a bit of sightseeing in Bergen. We had the famous hot dog for lunch and also stopped by Apollo, a nice record store and beer bar.
Practical tips for your road trip
When is the best time to travel around Norway??
We went to Norway at the beginning of June and were quite lucky with the weather: only a few days of rain during the two weeks we were there. We also had a number of days with lots of sunshine. June is also the ideal time to explore everything because almost all roads are already free of snow. The summer period is often nicer and warmer in terms of weather, but it is also a lot busier. Autumn is also a beautiful season to visit, but snow can fall at high altitudes from the end of August onwards.
No matter when you go, there is always a chance of rain in Norway, so keep that in mind.
Where to start your road trip through Norway
We chose to start and end in Bergen, mainly because we thought the most beautiful things were in and around Bergen. We also decided not to include Oslo in the route because it would have been driving for the sake of driving. And that gives us the perfect excuse to go on another city trip to Oslo.
We booked our trip with Wideroe directly from Brussels. If you book well in advance (and are a little flexible), you can find some great deals. We ended up paying €250 for two people, each with 23 kg of checked baggage.
You can find the best deals via Skyscanner.
Renting a car in Norway
Electric driving is already well established in Norway, so you can rent an electric car with confidence because there are plenty of charging points. We didn’t have any experience with this yet, so we decided to go for an old-fashioned gasoline car. The selection was a bit more limited than in other countries we’ve been to. We rented an SUV-type car from Rentalcars. When you rent a car, all insurance is included, so you don’t have to worry about that.
Gas prices are comparable to those in Belgium, and because the driving distances weren’t very long, we didn’t have to refuel very often. There are also plenty of gas stations.
The handy thing is that there is also a toll box in the car. This means that toll roads and ferries are automatically registered. After your trip, you will receive a statement, and the amount will be automatically debited from the credit card used for the deposit. License plate recognition is widely used in Norway, especially for parking. Parking without paying is therefore almost impossible.
Driving in Norway is quite pleasant: the roads are well-maintained and there are regular places to stop and use the toilet. If you notice that you are driving slower than the people behind you, it is best to pull over. There are plenty of places to pull over if necessary. Due to the sometimes mountainous landscape, driving times are also a lot longer. So even though the number of kilometers is often limited in a day, it can often take longer than expected.
Ferries in Norway
As mentioned earlier, most ferries are paid for via the box in the car. We looked up the ferries in advance to get an idea of the sailing times and prices. We only took ferries that could not be reserved. It is first-come, first-served, but most ferries run so frequently that you never have to wait long (at least not in the low season).
Be sure to take the ferries into account when planning your route, especially in high season when you may not be able to take a ferry right away.
Accommodations and overnight stays
We booked all hotels in advance through Booking. In some places, availability is limited, so it’s best to book well in advance. We had a combination of hotels, B&Bs, and campsites, almost all of which had their own kitchen.
Some accommodations may not include sheets and towels, but you can request these in advance (for a fee). Of course, you can also buy them when you arrive in Norway or bring them from home.
You can always choose to camp, which is possible almost anywhere in Norway. This also gives you much more freedom in the route you can follow.
Food and drink in Norway
Norwegians don’t often go to restaurants (outside the big cities), so there aren’t many restaurants in remote areas. We bought breakfast and lunch at the supermarket, and always went out for dinner in the evening. If you want to save money or don’t want to spend all your time looking for restaurants, it’s best to find accommodation with a kitchen so you can cook in the evening.
The price of food in supermarkets and restaurants is comparable to Belgium (at the time we were there), but alcohol is extremely expensive (especially in restaurants). Beer can only be bought at certain times in the supermarket, and for wine and spirits, you have to go to special alcohol shops. Keep in mind that all shops are closed on Sundays, even in the big cities.
Paying in Norway
Paying by bank card is extremely common, both with your regular bank card and with a credit card. We didn’t withdraw any Norwegian kroner and didn’t miss it.
Keep in mind that when you pay with a regular debit or credit card in Norway, you often have to pay exchange fees. You are often given the choice between paying in euros or Norwegian kroner: always choose euros, because your own bank’s exchange rates are often more favorable than those of the store or restaurant where you are paying.
If you don’t want to pay any exchange fees at all, you can use Revolut (both as a physical card and on your cell phone). This is a prepaid credit card, so you can’t use it to pay the deposit for a rental car. You also need to know in advance how much you are going to spend to make sure you have enough money.
Want to try Revolut in Norway? Read all about Revolut here!
What clothing should you bring to Norway?
Check the weather forecast in advance to get an idea of the temperatures. But especially in June and summer, you’re best off wearing layers and, of course, a good raincoat. If you plan to go hiking, good hiking boots and rain pants are also necessary. I would also bring gloves and sunglasses.
The weather can change very quickly: sometimes you’re driving in the sun, then you go through a tunnel and it’s snowing.
Tips for hiking
If you would like to do a specific hike, such as Trolltunga or Preikestolen, it is best to block out two (or three) days to do so. This way, you can easily decide when to do the hike depending on the weather. For Trolltunga, it may also be useful to reserve parking in advance and/or a seat on the shuttle bus between P2 and P3.
For the well-known hikes, it is always advisable to start early (or very late in the summer). Also, try to avoid weekends as much as possible.
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