Norway In A Nutshell – Is it worth it?

Hello friends |

I late had the joy of doing the Kingdom of Norway inwards a Nutshell tour on my agency from Oslo to Bergen.  It was recommended inwards Lonely Planet every bit a bang-up agency to larn into Fjord dry soil , thus I paid the hefty fee attached to the tour in addition to fix out. 

I’ll live honest , though… I was frustrated trying to volume this.  The website is a flake clunky in addition to confusing.  Eventually I worked out that you lot tin volume extra nights in addition to form out your ain accommodation , which I highly recommend.  I’ll larn to that inwards a infinitesimal though.

What tin you lot facial expression from the tour?

Firstly , I usage the term ‘tour’ loosely.  It is arranged through a fellowship called Fjord Tours , but it’s to a greater extent than of a roundabout agency to larn from Oslo to Bergen.  I know you lot tin hit other tours every bit good , but I mean value the Oslo-Bergen is the most popular. 

Secondly , I don’t mean value it’s slow to larn a bad sight of Norway. Have you lot seen this country?  It’s a photographer’s dream.  Any tour , prepare trip , boat ride – anything – that you lot hit volition live breathtakingly beautiful in addition to create top degree photographs.  So – is it worth it?

Choo-chooing through lush , light-green forests on the train

THE FIRST LEG

The get-go leg of the trip is the longest one.  You larn on a prepare (early!) from Oslo in addition to it takes you lot upwards to Myrdal.  You larn assigned seats for this role of the journeying , but you lot definitely desire to live on the left side inwards the administration of travel.  Both sides offering first-class views , but at that spot is to a greater extent than to encounter on the left.  We were lucky that some seats were empty inwards our wagon in addition to nosotros could flit betwixt both sides during the journey.

The get-go hr or thus , you’re only coasting through suburban/industrial Oslo , thus there’s non every bit good much to see. If you’re exhausted from getting upwards thus early on , you lot tin conduct maintain a nap hither without feeling every bit good guilty.

After this , things larn a flake interesting!  You’ll start whizzing yesteryear beautiful , lush light-green landscapes in addition to larn a existent sense of beingness inwards the forest.  Depending on the fourth dimension of twelvemonth you lot move (I went inwards May) things volition facial expression a flake dissimilar , though. 

My favourite role of the journeying came only afterward the lush greenery passed by.  Quite speedily , the landscape turned into a snowy desert , punctuated yesteryear little lakes in addition to pockets of sand.  If you’re a Star Wars fan – similar me – you’ll desire to conduct maintain your photographic boob tube camera create for this part!  Finse , the highest signal higher upwards body of body of water flat on the trip , is where they filmed the scenes on Hoth , the H2O ice planet.  We were lucky that nosotros had 20-ish minutes to hop exterior in addition to explore hither , in addition to it’s definitely worth braving the cold.  It’s beautiful.

Soon you’ll discovery yourself at Myrdal , in addition to you’ll outflow off in addition to alter for the Flåm railway.  Even if it’s summertime , you’re a fair agency higher upwards body of body of water flat at nowadays , in addition to it’s worth bringing a sweater to article of apparel spell you lot hold off for the train.

Approaching the snowy dry soil close Finse - what a contrast to the forest!

THE SECOND LEG

From Myrdal , you lot larn on board the Flåm Railway.  This is touted every bit an incredibly steep railway , but don’t facial expression a rollercoaster experience similar I did!  Most of the steep bits are through tunnel , thus you’re inwards full darkness.  No seats are assigned for this leg , in addition to I’d recommend finding a spot on the left side inwards the administration of travel.  There are a twain of amazing views out the correct side for the get-go flake , but i of those you lot larn fourth dimension for a photo-op exterior the train.

The Flåm Railway is quite a brusk journeying (only almost an hour) , in addition to you’re going thus speedily it’s non worth taking pictures for the most part.  I’d advise sitting dorsum in addition to enjoying the trip to Flåm!

Kjosfossen Waterfall - a halt on the Flåm railway

THE THIRD LEG

Once you lot become far inwards Flåm , it’s fourth dimension to larn on a boat through the Aurlandsfjord to Gudvangen.  The boat ride takes a trivial over 2 hours , in addition to it’s a bang-up fourth dimension to conduct maintain lots of pictures of the dramatic scenery.   You’re going to desire to stand upwards exterior for this flake of the journeying in addition to marvel at the cliffs , the beautiful H2O in addition to the trivial villages in addition to boathouses dotted around the place.  It’s unreal , in addition to a perfect agency to experience the magic of the fjords , peculiarly if this is your get-go fourth dimension seeing them.   You’ll larn to cruise through the UNESCO-listed Nærøfjord , which is consistently listed every bit a must-see inwards Norwegian tourist brochures.

It powerfulness live mutual depression temperature in addition to windy hither , thus definitely choose a sweater in addition to a rainjacket , thus you’re non tempted to sit down inside.  There are lots of mutual porpoises swimming inwards the H2O hither , thus continue an oculus out for them , too! 

UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord from the ferry

THE FOURTH LEG

From Gudvangen you lot outflow on a bus.  Both sides of the double-decker are pretty spectacular at dissimilar points of the journeying , thus you’re inwards for a bang-up sight no thing where you lot sit down , but I recommend the left again.  The right-hand side seats seem to conduct maintain the wages at get-go , but sitting on the left-hand side gives amend views of the valley afterward the get-go one-half an hour.   There’s a department amongst a serial of spectacular hairpin bends that I loved , but definitely felt similar a double-decker shouldn’t live doing!

THE FIFTH LEG

The double-decker volition conduct maintain you lot to Voss , where you lot receive the 5th in addition to lastly leg of the trip.  You’ll larn dorsum on a prepare in addition to caput right away into Bergen.  There are assigned seats for this role of the journeying , but hope that you’re sitting on the right-hand side!  The views are actually spectacular in addition to underrated for this role of the trip , I think.  It’s some other brusk leg – alone an hr or thus – in addition to you’ll discovery yourself inwards beautiful Bergen!  If you lot similar , you lot tin larn dinner inwards Bergen in addition to and thus conduct maintain the overnight prepare dorsum into Oslo.

The beautiful UNESCO-listed laneways of Bryggen inwards Bergen

Phew!  So there’s a breakdown of the journeying itself.  Now , it is expensive to hit the tour , peculiarly when you lot consider it’s alone a one-day trip.  I chose to mass the tour out a trivial flake yesteryear adding an overnight halt inwards Flåm… I definitely recommend adding an overnight stay!  If you’re doing it on a budget , endeavor your luck at finding accommodation on AirBnB earlier you lot volume inwards amongst the hotels they recommend , which are all on the pricey side.   However , you lot hit larn a complimentary FJORDCARD when you lot volume the tour , which gives you lot a discount on some hotels , every bit good every bit AVIS machine hire.

Flåm , where I stayed , also has a youth hostel in addition to a campground , where you lot tin pitch a tent for around 200NOK.   If you’re either , a) stingy or , b) looking for something a flake to a greater extent than scenic , you lot tin walk for almost an hr inwards whatever administration in addition to pitch a tent.  The camping ground laws inwards Kingdom of Norway are extremely unloosen – you lot only request to live 150m away from a edifice , away from drinking H2O in addition to non on cultivated/farmland.  We hiked upwards to a waterfall that overlooked Flåm in addition to flora it to live a near-perfect campsite.

Our campsite upwards on top of Flåm

I actually loved the Kingdom of Norway In Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Nutshell , but it had its downsides.  It did experience really touristy , at times the bus/train/boat felt really crowded , fifty-fifty though nosotros were at that spot earlier summertime started.  In high summertime , I’m certain the carry is fifty-fifty to a greater extent than crowded , in addition to you lot powerfulness conduct maintain to volume farther inwards advance.

Two of my favourite bits of the trip were the get-go in addition to lastly leg , which are on the train. If you’re actually pushing the limits of your budget , the prepare is a fantastic compromise.  If you lot volume to a greater extent than than a solar daytime inwards advance for the Oslo-Bergen prepare , you lot tin larn the minipris (small price) , which is almost 399NOK , every bit opposed to 1600NOK for the Nutshell tour.  The prepare journeying solitary is however incredibly beautiful.

Finse - a halt on the Oslo-Bergen train 

Have you lot e'er done Kingdom of Norway inwards a Nutshell?  Got whatever other suggestions or anything to add?

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May 29 & 30: Riding the Flam railway & Norway in a Nutshell Tour to Bergen

Hello friends |

This forenoon nosotros were out of bed earlier 5am – the Norwegian Sun was upwards earlier us though! – as well as laid off amongst a thermos of hot soup for cardinal station.  From hither nosotros were headed on the firstly leg of our Fjord adventure.  A petty touristy , perhaps , but amongst skilful argue – nosotros were taking the Kingdom of Norway inward a Nutshell tour upwards to Bergen.

The trip is designed to accept 1 extremely long twenty-four lx minutes menstruum as well as deliver you lot inward Bergen for a belatedly dinner.  If you lot similar , you lot tin accept the overnight charabanc to larn you lot dorsum to Oslo for the side yesteryear side day.  That doesn’t audio super appealing , as well as nosotros wanted to stretch out our tour a petty flake , therefore nosotros decided to mass an extra nighttime inward Flam to camp.

‘Tour’ is quite a break term for the Kingdom of Norway inward a Nutshell – it’s to a greater extent than of a serial of trains , buses as well as ferries that accept you lot a real , real scenic route through the dramatic Norwegian countryside as well as upwards to Sognefjord , the largest , as well as most touristed , fjord inward Norway.

It was almost half-past half-dozen when nosotros boarded the firstly leg of our journeying – v hours of prepare riding from Oslo to Myrdal , where you lot switch to the Flam railway.  The Flam is an extraordinary feat of Norwegian applied scientific discipline , as well as is the steepest railway inward the world.  I’m getting ahead of myself , though , equally I’ve non told you lot nigh the trip to Myrdal.

The firstly lx minutes or therefore takes you lot through industrial as well as outer suburban Oslo , as well as therefore to smaller villages.  Finally , you’re surrounded yesteryear lush greenery , cliffs covered inward trees as well as vast lakes.  Small cherry houses dot the countryside equally you lot speed yesteryear on the train.  The left side offers the best views , but at that spot was nobody inward the seats side yesteryear side to us , therefore nosotros were able to switch betwixt the left as well as correct when chance presented itself.

“Where’s all the snowfall DNT warned us about?” Nick joked.  “It’s perfect hiking weather!”

The sentiment out the prepare window

One daughter brought her domestic dog along for the ride.  I was therefore envious.

In literally thirty minutes the landscape went from this , to this.

He ate his words 20 minutes or therefore after , equally nosotros approached a desert-like obviously of snowfall , amongst little bodies of H2O rippling betwixt the chunks of ice.  Occasionally nosotros passed little cherry or yellowish houses amongst snow-covered roofs as well as gardens filled amongst leafless trees.

“I intend we’re coming upwards to Finse ,” he said.  We had been told that Finse was the place used for the scenes on Hoth , the H2O ice planet , inward Star Wars. The landscape was apace becoming whiter as well as whiter , as well as equally nosotros moved inward as well as out of tunnels , nosotros were constantly beingness blinded yesteryear the overwhelming brightness of the snowy fields.

When the prepare stopped at Finse , nosotros had a little suspension to outflow out as well as breathe inward the landscape.  The air was mutual frigidity , but non windy (thank goodness) , therefore nosotros didn’t necessitate to a greater extent than than a jumper.  Nicholas plucked an icicle off the roof of the prepare station , which I drank equally it melted inward my fingers.

Not long after , nosotros arrived inward Myrdal.  It was snowing quite heavily on the platform , but it had ceased yesteryear the fourth dimension nosotros boarded the prepare to Flam.  We were going downwards from something similar 800m higher upwards body of body of water degree to only 2m , but most of this was through the tunnel.  In fact , in all likelihood a bulk of the trip was inward tunnels , which I didn’t expect.

The railway makes a twain of pic stops , 1 of which you lot tin outflow out.  The voice-over American (who tells you lot where you lot are on the trip as well as proves that you’ve definitely gone the tourist route) told us that a Norwegian mythical adult woman appears inward legends of the fjords , as well as she sings out , calling visitors into the mountains.  We had jumped out for our photograph op of a beautiful waterfall , when nosotros heard a loud ethereal shrieking , as well as figured they were showcasing the acoustics.  A lady inward cherry , donning a thick , blonde wig , appeared from behind a ruin as well as started doing a airheaded (probably supposed to locomote alluring) dance.  The tourism manufacture is a funny 1 (later on , at Flåm , nosotros saw that this lady featured on postcards that advertised the railway , therefore she must locomote a pop add-on to the route).

Flåm

We arrived at Flåm as well as it was tourist central.  Every 10 minutes or therefore , some other send pulled inward delivering a horde of visitors , as well as therefore ferried them dorsum off before long afterwards.  We were spending the nighttime hither , therefore had some tiffin , paid a quick see to the Railway Museum as well as laid off to lookout adult man out a campsite.  

There is a camping ground the world inward Flåm , but it costs a fee of around 200nok.  We weren’t prepared to pay that much for a campsite , fifty-fifty if it was unopen to the town , therefore nosotros caput upwards a rails that led to a nearby waterfall.

Walking steeply uphill is never specially like shooting fish in a barrel , but it’s definitely harder amongst 20kg on your dorsum as well as some other 5 strapped to the front.  We clamored upwards the path , until it got actually , actually steep , as well as I was showtime to worry nosotros wouldn’t uncovering the world apartment plenty to camp.  Nick ditched his pack amongst me as well as caput upwards , returning a petty after , beaming.

At the real top of the climb , at that spot was a petty rocky outcrop that gave 2 spectacular views – 1 overlooking the town of Flam as well as some other of the waterfall.  One spot was flat-ish , therefore nosotros moved the sticks out of the means as well as laid upwards camp.  I took to the warmth as well as comfort of the tent almost direct away , patch Nick popped downwards to the base of operations of the waterfall earlier nosotros vicious asleep , exhausted.

The sentiment of Flåm from the top

Our tent from some other angle... H5N1 waterfall on 1 side as well as a scenic town sentiment on the other!

The side yesteryear side forenoon nosotros were en route to Bergen.  The firstly challenge was , of course of written report , climbing dorsum downwards the little mount we’d slept on top of - mayhap a unsafe travail for 1 equally clumsy equally me , but fifty-fifty to a greater extent than therefore because I was lugging around therefore much gear.   Obviously , nosotros were downwards inward 1 slice , as well as nosotros could board the boat that would accept us to Gundvangen.

Quite slow the boat took us through Aurlandfjord as well as and therefore into Nærøyfjord , which alone late became listed equally a UNESCO site.  I intend the narrowest percentage was around 25m , as well as was alone 12m deep!  The huge cruise boats we’d seen inward the harbour at Flåm for certain hadn’t gone through here.

What is this creature?! H5N1 body of body of water monster? H5N1 mutual porpoise?!

The mist was sitting halfway upwards the cliffs that made the fjord.  The heaven was grey , as well as the snowy peaks of the mountains blended into the clouds.  At 1 shout for , nosotros saw something moving nether the H2O , poking its olfactory organ out to breathe as well as , patch my firstly idea was that we’d stumbled upon a body of body of water monster on our 2nd twenty-four lx minutes menstruum inward the fjords , I decided it was in all likelihood a mutual porpoise.

From Gundvangen nosotros took a charabanc through a serial of valleys to accomplish Voss.  The charabanc driver gave us something of a running commentary equally nosotros drove , mostly pointing out churches – “How practise they know when every church building was built?!” exclaimed Nick – as well as took us downwards a typically Norwegian route of xiii hairpin bends.  The terminal hairpin took you lot downwards a route amongst a slope of over 25% therefore Nick as well as I , sitting at the real dorsum of the charabanc , were 2m higher than the driver.

It had started to pelting as well as it felt real atmospheric to locomote bumping around inward the dorsum of the charabanc , looking at trees bent to foreign angles yesteryear a harsh wintertime , as well as tiny petty crops of houses piled into clumps on the border of mountains.

In Voss , nosotros had fourth dimension for a quick grocery run – nosotros even therefore haven’t eaten anything NOT bought from a grocery store! – earlier hopping on the prepare to Bergen.  Given the province of the conditions (cold , a flake windy , to a greater extent than oft than non miserable) , nosotros hoped nosotros could uncovering something terminal infinitesimal on AirBnB but had no such luck.  It was going to locomote character-building camping ground tonight.

Arriving at Bergen , nosotros flora that famous Norwegian stylists had been doing makeovers on the prepare (???) for specific people who booked inward early a specific carriage.

“Perhaps they’re trying to brand taking the prepare sexy ,” said Nick.

“Trains don’t necessitate to locomote sexy.  They’re functional ,” I replied , sounding similar the pragmatic 1 for once.

The Bergen Train Station

We popped our large packs into the lockers at Bergen station therefore nosotros wouldn’t receive got to lug them upwards to our campsite , as well as and therefore caput for the closest mount nosotros could find.  It was raining heavily as well as nosotros were hoping nosotros would locomote able to uncovering somewhere apartment plenty to pitch a tent that wouldn’t locomote boggy.

Twisting as well as turning as well as walking steadily upwards , nosotros wandered through the suburban streets of Bergen , oft literally built on top of each other as well as at foreign as well as precarious angles.  Long steps of stairs led upwards to tiny front end doors as well as ladders went from the world to top floors.  I was filled amongst an overwhelming wish to describe them as well as their foreign shapes.

Up as well as upwards nosotros went , until nosotros reached a bubbling current , non far from a fantastic panoramic sentiment of the town below us.  We pitched the tent apace , I finished my mass , as well as nosotros apace vicious asleep. 

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