8 Days Road Trip in Norway
This 8 days road trip starts from Bergen to Oslo. This road trip is part of a round trip from Oslo where I took a cruise from Oslo to Bergen in the first part of the trip. However, I will omit the cruise part in this guide as there is nothing much in that cruise as compared to the 7 Days Coastal Voyage in Northern Norway.
Summary of this itinerary:
A. Day 1 & 2 – Bergen
B. Day 3 – Norheimsund
C. Day 4 – Flam
D. Day 5 – Gudvangen
D. Day 6 to 8 – Oslo
About Norway
Norway is a Nordic Country in Northern Europe and it is a part of the Schengen Area where one can travel freely across borders without any passport.
The currency of Norway is Norwegian krone (NOK).
Day 1 & 2 – Bergen
On day 1, take a stroll in the Bryggen wharf area. The Bryggen is the most famous landmark in Bergen as several Hanseatic heritage commercial buildings are lined up together to form the picturesque view. Remember to explore the quaint passageways in the interior of Bryggen buildings and luxuriate in the smell of the ancient wood. If you have spare time, feel free to explore Statsradd Lehmkuhl and Festning as it is nearby.
When it is evening, go to the Floygen and enjoy the panoramic sunset view of Bergen.
On day 2, it is time for hiking in Ulriken. If you are not keen in hiking, you can take the cable car to the mountain top and enjoy the scenic view. Ulriken is also a popular spot for paragliding other than hiking. If you are interested, you can also try tandem paragliding in Ulriken.
Day 3 – Norheimsund
On day 3, go to Steinsdalsfossen Waterfall in Norheimsund. The Steinsdalsfossen Waterfall is unique as it allows visitors to go behind the waterfall and have a different view without getting wet at all.
After visiting Steinsdalsfossen Waterfall, walk to the Norheimsund town and enjoy your lunch in the harbour area. The view is scenic and it is quite nice to take a stroll towards the vikoyvegen highway.
There is a small hill along the vikoyvegen highway which provides a good photography spot.
Day 4 – Flam
On day 4, visit Flam, a small tranquil village in Norway. Take a stroll in the stampeviki area and immerse yourself with the peacefulness of the calm lake. After that, you can take a small hike in Fretheimshaugane and enjoy the bird eye view of the town. If you have time to spare, you can also walk to the Hareina station and explore the farms along the way.
Day 5 – Gudvangen
On day 5, take a ferry from Flam to Gudvangen. The ferry will begin its journey sailing through the
idyllic Aurlandsfjord and continues through the narrow Naeroyfjord before arriving Gudvangen. After taking the ferry, you can explore the small town of Gudvangen. Remember to visit the viking village in Gudvangen to have a memorable experience.
Gudvangen Fjordtell is the best place to buy your souvenirs as there are a lot of shops with local crafts that are inspired by vikings.
Day 6 to 8 – Oslo
On day 6, visit the Oslo Royal Palace and take a look at how the Norwegian King live. The Royal Palace sits on top of a hill and it also provides great views of central Oslo. After visiting the Royal Palace, go to the Oslo Harbor area where Oslo Opera House and City Hall are located. If you have time to spare, visit the Aker Brygge Marina and Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park.
On day 7, it is time to explore the outer part of Norway. Go to the Viking ship museum and Norwegian Museum of Cultural History to understand more about Norway and their viking background. After that, go to the Frogner park, the world’s largest sculpture park with sculpture installation made by a single artist.
On day 8, visit Holmenkollbakken and the ski museum and tower. The ski museum presents more than 4,000 years of skiing history and also exhibits several Norwegian polar exploration artifacts. There is also an observation deck that provides great view of Oslo city.
If you have interest in arts, you should visit the Oslo National Gallery and take a look at “The Scream”.
Ending Remarks
The duration of this trip is fairly adequate except that you might want to add in 1 or 2 days in between to cater for resting and traveling time. There are certainly more exciting attractions to see/do in the western Norway such as Trolltunga, Kjerag and pulpit rock. However if you are not so adventurous, I feel that this trip is sufficient to have a taste of Norway. Overall, I like this trip as I get to enjoy both the natural scenery and city vibes from the west to east.