TLDR – Bergen to Oslo via Trondheim – Seeking Advice for a Scenic, Relaxed Road Trip

Hi everyone,

We’re two travelers (27/22) planning a trip to Norway from late July to August, and we’d love to get your advice! Last year, we did an incredible road trip from Kristiansand to Bergen via Odda, and this year we’re back for round two, this time driving from Bergen to Oslo via Trondheim. We’ll be staying in a mix of Airbnbs and camping huts along the way.

We’re all about scenic drives, charming towns, and easy-to-moderate hikes. To give you some context, we did Preikestolen last year, which was a slight challenge but not too difficult, so we’re looking for similar difficulty hikes.

Here’s our rough itinerary, and we’d really appreciate any thoughts or suggestions:

Breakdown:

Route: https://imgur.com/a/6EUpBis

  • Day 1: Arrive in Bergen
  • Day 2-3: Explore Bergen (Mount Floyen, museums, scenic views)
  • Day 4: Drive to somewhere around Dale
  • Day 5: Drive to Skjolden (Is this doable without a stop at Dale, or should we keep the break somewhere along the way?)
  • Day 6: Explore Skjolden area (llamas, scenic drives)
  • Day 7: Possible Hiking near Skjolden (Jotunheimen area)
  • Day 8: Drive to Ålesund (Is this too far in one day, or is it manageable?)
  • Day 9-10: Ålesund area (Is it adviseable to spend time here, or should we focus on other spots?)
  • Day 11: Drive to Kristiansund (via the Atlantic Road) (Would a quick stop in Kristiansund suffice, or should we stay longer?)
  • Day 12: Drive to Trondheim
  • Day 13-14: Explore Trondheim (sightseeing, maybe a hike)
  • Day 15: Drive to Røros (visit Olavs Mine, any other must-see spots? Should we stay an extra day?)
  • Day 16: Drive to somewhere around Ringebu through Rondane
  • Day 17: Stay somewhere special around Ringebu (Should we drive both Valdresflye and Rondane, or just one? Which would you recommend?)
  • Day 18: Drive to Oslo through Valdresflye (What should we do with one evening and morning in Oslo?)
  • Day 19: Explore Oslo & depart

Looking for Advice:

  • Does this itinerary look too packed with driving, or does it seem manageable for a relaxed trip?
  • We’re planning to use certain places as a "base" for a few days to explore the surroundings—any thoughts on this approach?
  • Any recommendations for hikes that are moderate in difficulty but still rewarding?
  • Are there any must-see attractions or hidden gems in the areas we’ll be staying that we might have missed?
  • Would love some input on scenic stops, local favorites, or things that make this trip extra special!

We’re really looking forward to this adventure and would greatly appreciate any tips, suggestions, or insights from those who know the region well. Thanks in advance for your help!

Edit: Spelling, added pictures of route.

by Chemical_Order_20

2 comments

  1. That sounds like a nice relaxed roadtrip. Nothing is really difficult or undoable. When I’m out driving I generally just want to get somewhere and I do Oslo-berge, Oslo-Trondheim and Oslo-Ålesund in a days drive. Those three are generally 7-8h trips plus stops.

  2. In general it looks ok. I am not extremely familiar with the second part of the trip though so can’t say much about anything let’s say past Ålesund.

    But for the first couple of days:

    Why do you drive to Dale ? Unless you already did that part last year I would drive the E16 via Voss and stay in Voss for a night. Then probably drive north over the Vikafjellet and join your original itinerary in Hella/Balestrand. Alternatively via Flåm and through the Lærdaltunnelen directly towards Sogndal.

    Your Skjolden -> Ålesund trip is too far imo, you pass a series of really nice vistas with Jotunheimen, Geiranger, … where you might want to take a bit of a longer 1 hour break to go around. Personally I would review this part of your trip and see if squeeze another stop in.

    When it comes to Ålesund itself, there are places to go, there is Aksla, the mountain in the center. Or you can drive to the lighthouse in Alnes. It is best to take a break from driving after such a long day on the road.

    For the record, what is too long to be doable ? I drove from Bergen to Tautra (north of Trondheim) in one day, so _technically_ your trip is perfectly fine.

    On the other hand, I usually recommend people to not try to see too much at once. Why not take your time and spread your 3 weeks over just Bergen -> Trondheim ? You will enjoy a slower pace more and see more. Vacation should be relaxing and not a race against time to cover as much as possible in a short time.

    You can come back next year to explore eastern Norway.

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