10 day self-guided hiking vacation norway
from 24250 Nok p.p.
18+
10 days
moderate - advanced
2 - 14 people
june - september
Highlights of your hiking vacation in Norway
The itinerary will include hikes on islands along the Atlantic coast with white beaches and high sea cliffs. Handpicked nice hotels with that little extra local scent. A trip from the coast to high alpine glacier terrain and dramatic fjords in between. Taste some good locally produced food, and spend time on ferries and boats for a different perspective. Hiking the fjords gives a special backdrop, but also makes travelling exciting.
With our planning and detailed road book, you can travel safe and without any practical concerns. You will get all the insider tips and we will include a variety of hikes to choose from at every location, including some of our personal favourites.
This trip can also be offered to private groups and can be done as a fully guided trip, including private guides, transportation, dinners etc. For groups we love to include all kinds of cultural/historical visits like: historic farm visit, farm museum, meet the locals, cider farm and such. Contact us if you would like more information
Information
What to expect
- An independent self-guided vacation, off the beaten track, getting around by driving your own rental car
- Hiking by yourself every day by choosing hikes according to the weather and your abilities. The hikes are self-guided this means that it is required that you can read maps or use GPS or compass when hiking.
- Get a taste of the local cuisine
- You will stay in charming small scale hotels
- With our planning and detailed road book, you can travel safe and without any practical concerns. You will get all the insider tips and we will make sure to include our favourite hikes.
Prices
The price starts from 24250 NOK, per person.
This estimate is based on 2 persons sharing a standard double room in 3-4* hotels including many dinners. If your rather downgrade the accommodation or remove some dinners from the package, please let us know.
Final price and availability are subject to price and availability upon time of booking.
The price includes VAT according to the 2023 regulations. If the Norwegian Government decides to change the VAT regime, the price might increase.
Exact prices depend on date, amount of people, and a few choices you can make. Contact us and we are pleased to send you an offer.
On all our tours our terms & conditions apply.
Included & not included
The above mentioned price estimate includes:
- 9 nights accommodation in standard double rooms in 3* hotels including breakfast
- Dinner on 8 evenings
- Car package ferry Geirangerfjord
- City visit in Ålesund
- Telephone assistance 7 days a week for urgent matters while traveling in Norway
- Detailed trip itinerary description with must do/see suggestions, routes, hikes and vouchers
- All services provided by Norway Adventures and our suppliers will be in English
- Transaction fee for using the online, secure, payment platform
The above mentioned price estimate does not include:
- All items not specifically mentioned under ’included in price’
- International nor domestic flights
- Airport transfers
- Car rental, petrol, parking, toll, small ferry costs
- Entrance fees, activities, museums etc., if not specified under ‘included in price’
- Optional activities if not specified under ‘included in price’
- Drinks
- Insurance (we advise all our guests to buy a travel insurance)
- Personal expenses
- Visa fees (if applicable)
- Other options and extensions
Possible add-ons
This trip can also be offered to private groups and can be done as a fully guided trip, including private guides, transportation, dinners etc. For groups we love to include all kinds of cultural/historical visits like: historic farm visit, farm museum, meet the locals, cider farm and such. Contact us if you would like more information
It is also possible to choose a cheaper alternative where we arrange different accommodation for you, or remove some dinners from the package. If you would like more information about the possibilities, feel free to contact us.
FAQ
For tips and advice for travelling in Norway, click here, The section about ‘hiking in Norway provides some usefull info as well as our packing list for a summer day hike.
If you have any other questions, feel free to contact us or send an email to info@norway-adventures.com
Day to Day
Itinerary
Day 1: Art Nouveau city of Ålesund
Arrive at Vigra airport in Ålesund. Pick up your rental car and get ready to explore our country. A visit to the city of Ålesund cannot be missed. This cozy small town with Art Nouveau architecture is known for the myriad of turrets, spires, and beautiful ornamentation. Stroll along the harbor and see the fishermen returning from the sea. Walk up the 418 steps to the top of Mt. Aksla for a great view over the city. Stay at a 3* city centre hotel.
Total driving time today: approx. 40 minutes.
Day 2: Scenic drive to the Coast with a great hike along the way
Leave Ålesund and drive Southbound. You will take the car on the ferry, like the locals. Venture into the spectacular Hjørundfjord, driving the road alongside the Fjord. Today you will go for an easy hike in a beautiful valley in between spectacular peaks.
After the hike you will take two more ferries before you get to your destination. A picturesque fisherman village in Bremanger where the hotel exists of all different wooden houses and fishermen cabins. Stay here for two nights. The local restaurant is famous for its great seafood, dinner is included both nights.
Hike duration: appr 3-4 hrs
Elevation: 400m up & down (1300 ft)
Total driving time today: approx. 5,5 hours (including 3 ferries)
Day 3: Sea cliff hike Bremanger
This area is also called Little Lofoten with its rugged, windblown landscape with little vegetation, some surprisingly exotic white sandy beaches and endless ocean views. Depending on the weather and your hiking expertise you can choose to do a medium level hike to Veten, a point right by the ocean where you can look all the way to the West Cape.
Duration: 4 – 6 hrs
Elevation: 550m up & down (1800 ft)
Or do an expert hike to Hornelen, Europe’s highest sea cliff. At 860 meters (2800 ft), the view of the fjords below is well worth the hike, and maybe even more spectacular than the Trolltunga.
Duration: 7 – 8 hrs
Elevation: max 860m up & down (2800 ft)
If you would rather do a day of cycling, you can rent bicycles at your hotel and explore the area by bike.
Total driving time today: approx. one hour
Day 4: Viking history and hiking in Nordfjord
Today you will venture deeper into the fjords and indulge in local history and culture along the way. Do a short hike to a day cabin with a view over the fjord and the glacier at the other side of the fjord.
In the town of Nordfjordeid you can visit Sagastad and go aboard a Viking Ship. This impressive replica is built according to the remains of the ship of a Viking King that once lived in this fjord. Buy a cinnamon roll at the local bakery and stroll through the historical mainstreet with charming wooden houses.
Continue to Sandane. If you did not hike earlier today you can hike the trail through the ‘Love forest’ to the spectacular view point over the Holvikfossen waterfall.
Stay at a 3* historic hotel for two nights. Enjoy your dinner and try some of their locally brewed beer.
Hike duration: 1,5 – 2 hrs
Elevation: 350 m up & down (1150 ft)
Total driving time today: approx. 3 hours (including 2 ferries)
Day 5: Hike with 360 degrees fjord view
The hike to Haugsvarden will reward you with a 360-degree view over the different fjords around you. A nice gimmick at the top is a plaque with all the names and altitudes of the surrounding mountain tops. This area is also known for having a great network of trails for downhill mountain biking. Maybe you want to try that today? Bikes can be rented locally, or you can go cycling with a guide. After your hike or bicycle trip, you can enjoy your dinner at your hotel.
Hike duration: 2,5 – 3,5 hrs
Elevation: 350 m up & down (1150 ft)
Total driving time today: approx. 30 minutes
Day 6: Lodalen valley and glaciers
Drive over Utvik mountain pass and along the Nordfjord to Lodalen. Do a historic walk along Lodalen lake, where villages were wiped out by a 70 meter (230 ft) high Tsunami twice at the start of 1900. If you wonder how the boat ended up in the valley, you now know why.
Continue with a hike to the Bødalglacier, a hidden glacier that only the locals know off, with a lunch break at the summer farm. Maybe the cows come to greet you. These hikes give you a full day without too strenuous hiking. If you rather do more advanced hikes we will suggest those for you later. The next two nights you will stay at a historic 3* waterfront hotel, the family that runs the hotel are great hosts. Dinner is included.
Hike duration: 3-4 hours
Elevation: 200 m up & down (650 ft)
Total driving time today: approx. 1,5-2 hours
Day 7: Mastering the challenge
This inner area of Nordfjord, which is still quite unknown, is known for the combination of the scenic fjord and the mountain tops surrounding it. There is a lot to explore in this area.
A fantastic hike for experienced hikers, with good knees, is the hike to Mt. Skåla, 1848 meters (6000 ft) above sea level. Only advised in good weather. This is Norway’s longest uphill stretch with 22% ascent/descent. The view from the top is spectacular. You see the glacier tongues of the Jostedal glacier, all the mountain tops around you, the Lovatn glacier lake and the fjord below. If you would rather do this hike with a private guide, this is also possible.
Duration: 12-14 hours
Elevation: 1850 m up & down (6000 ft)
Another adventure in this area is climbing the Via Ferrata, an iron road. Also non-experienced climbers can master this challenge. Alternatively you can take the gondola up the mountain and do an easy hike at the top with great panorama views, eat lunch at the restaurant at the top and take the gondola back down.
There are many hikes you can choose from (more details will be provided in your road book)
Total driving time today: approx. 30-60 minutes
Day 8: hike in the UNESCO listed Geirangerfjord
Leave Nordfjord and enjoy the view when driving along the scenic winding road down to Geiranger. You can take the small sightseeing boat that takes you out on the fjord. They will drop you off at the base of a steep hiking trail leading you to a mountain farm on the ridge. Look around at this historic site and enjoy the view of the Seven Sisters Waterfall at the other side of the fjord.
Hike back to Geiranger, passing an old dairy farm on the way. The trail is sometimes steep and exposed but the views are incredible.
Continue your journey by a one hour ferry ride through the UNESCO World Heritage listed Geirangerfjord to Hellesylt. Drive through the magnificent Norangsdalen, with its spectacular craggy peak. here you can view the drowned summerfarm, in a lake in the valley, and learn about its’ dramatic history.
Tonight you will stay at a quirky and luxurious 3* historic hotel in Øye. This historic (and wooden) hotel is almost like a museum. Kings, queens and emperors have stayed here throughout history. You will stay here for two nights, dinner is included.
Hike duration: 5-6 hours
Elevation: 550 m up & down (1800 ft.)
Total driving time today: 2,5- 3 hours
Day 9: William C. Slingsby’s tracks to Slogen
Finish your Norway hiking vacation with a spectacular hike in the Hjørundfjord area.
Experienced hikers that are not afraid of heights can hike towards a summit which was one of the favorites of William C. Slingsby. An English mountaineer who discovered many of Norway’s peaks and has many first ascents/crossings around the 1900’s. He visited Norway 21 times! The peak is called Slogen, 1564 meters (5100 ft) above sea level. With it’s steep summit it might be too much for you, but you will be able to enjoy fantastic views and peek over the edge at 900 m (3000 ft) high (Jenteskaret) before turning around.
Duration: 9-10 hours
Elevation: 1550 m up & down (5100 ft)
An alternative is the hike to Saksa, which is also rated as expert, but a shorter one. From here, you can watch the overwhelming rock towers around you, and you will have a great view of the Hjørundfjord and Norangsfjord.
Duration: 6-7 hours
Elevation: 1070 m up & down (3500 ft).
There are many other hikes with spectacular views to choose from in this area, for hikers with different abilities. We will give you more suggestions in our road book.
Enjoy your last evening in the Fjords.
Day 10: Ålesund and flight home
After breakfast drive for approx. 2,5 – 3 hours (including one ferry) to Vigra airport (Ålesund) and take your flight home. Thank you for visiting our country! If you rather add a few days and discover another part of Norway, this is also possible. Please contact us if you want us to tailor this vacation.
Testimonials
Jenny
We wanted to be challenged and stretched and each day was a hike/activity that pushed us to our limits and made us feel like we had accomplished something outside of our comfort zone. Every one of our hikes was memorable and challenging, each in a different way. We can’t wait to go back! We were also absolutely spoiled by the glorious weather we had each and every day.
Darcy
We are a mature (ages 40-70) group that has hiked many places in Europe over the past 10 years, mostly using local guides. Without question Rogier and Anne are the best we have ever worked with. The hotels and food were perfect for us, neither too spartan nor too upscale, all with spectacular views. I cannot recommend them too highly to anyone wanting to hike