My partner and I have rented a campervan (thank you kind Norwegians for your suggestions!) and now have a route mapped out. It’s a long distance, but we have done even more (through New Zealand) and we are confident it is not too much driving for us – we will drive 2-5 hours daily, with a few “no drive” days throughout to rest or catch up.
https://goo.gl/maps/JNEaS82sJNJnkN296
Specific questions:
1. I expect the Flåm railway will be incredibly busy. Any input on this? Recommendations on other things to do instead?
2. Same question about Geiranger – I assume it very popular. Can you recommend an alternative for similar scenery? Bonus points if it’s on the route from Alesund to Bergen.
3. We want to hike in Hardangervidda, hence the stop in Ryukan – is there a better place to stop for a day hike? Is the drive on the north side of the Park prettier than the south? I know it’s a “tourist route” but it looks like mostly flat freeway from Google Maps. We are looking for hikes that are under 8km, and without lots of steep climbs (we are hikers, but can’t hike as much when traveling due to tiredness!) – hopefully less than 250m in elevation gain.
4. Any recommendations AT ALL are welcome!
Tusen takk!
2 comments
No specific input to your questions. I will, however, confirm, that you will see some spectacular scenery. Hope you have a good trip. Enjoy!
1) yes it will be busy, mostly advisable if you love trains. It is interesting from an engineering point of view that it is possible to have a train there, but there are train rides with a more spectacular scenery. For instance the Dovre railway and the rauma railway
2)Geiranger for sure is nice, and the road on the south side is beautiful but challenging with a camper in the tourist season. But keep in mind that it is mostly famous since it is the smallest fjord that is accessible for large cruise ships. So on a bad day there wille be 2 bug cruise ships I the fjord spoiling your view and the small town crowded with thousands of tourists etc. If you have a camper, there will be a lot of places you can visit, that are perhaps 10% less spectacular, but you have them for yourself
3)small hikes, less then 10k. Pick a different place than the Hardangervidda. It is.mostly amazing for the fact that you can walk for days with hardly seeing someone else. (If you go anyway, take a GPS with you, you can get lost there within a few km from te edge)
For walks check ut.no. they are everywhere. It also gives you information about the difficulty and heights. Beware of what we call Norwegian flat… a lost of walks seem flat on the map, but go up and down like 20meters ever 100 meter and are extremely tiresome.
Along the roads you picked are literally thousands of small <10km walks that are stunning. Avoid the famous ones.
BTW, if a sign says it us a 2 hour walk it will be at least. The times one the signs (and in the apps) are based on local Norwegians. So you it us possible that a 2 km walk will take you 1 hour and 15 minute’s
4) keep in mind that on the routes you picked you will not be able to gave an average of over 60km/h and each ferie will add at least an hour to you trip.
Not sure how many days you plan but if it is a 7 day trip, I would skip Ålesund or Trondheim
Furthermore consider Røros instead of Trondheim. (Very nice city, but cities take up a lot of time)
If you have some time around Stryn, drove down to Olde vannet, at the end of the road there is a nice camping, not as busy as the ones at the lake, with a nice view on 2 glaciers