This 10-day road trip leads you to some of the most breathtaking fjord landscapes in Norway. Starting and ending in Oslo, you will get to explore unrivaled scenery along Sognefjord, Geirangerfjord and Hardangerfjord. Attractions include the wondrous waterfalls of Seven Sisters and Bridal Veil, time in the beautiful cities of Bergen and Oslo, as well as the Olympic town of Lillehammer.
Just a few of the majestic sights you’ll take in during your trip.
A day-by-day plan to guide your Nordic adventure.
When you arrive at Oslo Gardermoen Airport, pick up your rental car and make your way into Oslo‘s city centre where your hotel is located. For those arriving early, we recommend exploring Oslo by foot, spending the afternoon at sights including the Royal Palace, Akershus Fortress, Oslo City Hall, Oslo Opera House, and the Aker Brygge area. Other notable attractions include the beautiful Vigeland Sculpture Park and Karl Johans Street.
Spend the night in Oslo.
Start your day by driving to Lillehammer, the host of the 1994 Winter Olympics.
Here you can visit The Norwegian Olympic Museum and the Lysgårdsbakken Olympic arena, the Lillehammer Art Museum, and the Maihaugen open air museum which includes a collection of more than 200 houses from as far back as the 12th century and until today, including the Garmo stave church. After sightseeing, visit one of Lillehammer’s cosy restaurants for a meal and Lillehammer Bryggeri for a local pint of beer.
Spend the night in Lillehammer.
Driving distance: 168 km / 105 mi
Estimated driving duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes (without stops)
Kick off your morning with a drive north to Geiranger, through the magnificent Gudbrandsdalen valley, which is surrounded by several national parks like Rondane National Park, Breheimen and Reinheimen. Along the way, you will pass the historic village of Lom and the Lom Stave church, one of the largest and most beautiful stave churches in Norway.
To survey the surroundings, we recommend visiting Dalsnibba skywalk on your way to Geiranger. It’s Europe’s highest fjord viewpoint by road and you will enjoy sweeping views of Geirangerfjord, as well as across to the mountains and the mighty Blåbreen glacier. After the skywalk, continue to Geiranger through twisty roads and beautiful mountain scenery.
Spend the night in Geiranger.
Driving distance: 265 km / 165 mi
Estimated driving duration: 4 hours (without stops)
After breakfast you can spend the morning exploring Geiranger until noon. We recommend soaking in the fantastic fjord scenery during a morning hike or an optional activity like kayaking. For those after some pampering, the nearby spa at Hotel Union is ideal to relax and get a treatment or two, followed by a trip to the chocolate factory in town for a little more indulgence.
In the afternoon we recommend that you head to Loen on a 65-minute ferry ride, with your car, through the UNESCO-protected Geirangerfjord where you see famous waterfalls like the Seven Sisters, and the Bridal Veil, along with abandoned fjord farms in the mountains. The sightseeing ferry ends in the small village of Hellesylt where you drive south to Loen.
Spend the night in Loen.
Driving distance: 61 km / 38 mi
Estimated driving duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes (without stops and including ferry)
You will kick off your morning in lovely Loen. We recommend an optional activity boarding the magnificent Loen Skylift, a cable car to the altitude of 1011 metres with amazing views of the fjord, or to do some hiking in the region. Your journey will continue south along Jostedal glacier, mainland Europe’s largest icecap and the Fjærlands road. We recommend stopping at the Norwegian Glacier Museum in Fjærland before reaching Sogndal, a village beautifully situated by the Sognefjord, Norway’s longest and deepest fjord.
Spend the night in Sogndal.
Driving distance: 128 km / 80 mi
Estimated driving duration: 1 hours and 54 minutes (without stops)
Start the day with a short ferry crossing from Sognefjord towards Aurlandsfjord, an especially beautiful slice of Norway. We recommend a stop at the Stegastein viewpoint for panoramic views before reaching the village of Flåm, where you find the famous Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana), a steep train ride between Flåm and Myrdal - a treat for photographers or train enthusiasts alike!
After a stop in Flåm, your journey continues to Bergen through villages including Gudvangen, Stalheim and Norway’s adventure capital, Voss before ending the day in Bergen.
Spend the night in Bergen.
Driving distance: 237 km / 147 mi
Estimated driving duration: 4 hours (without stops)
Spend the day exploring beautiful Bergen. Here you’ll find Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage site, along with remarkably preserved old houses, a lively fish and flower market, cable cars offering stunning views, great museums and more. We recommend riding the Fløibanen Funicular to Mount Fløyen to enjoy stunning views over the city or to take a cable car up Mt. Ulriken. Bergen is surrounded by 7 mountains, so this is an ideal place for hiking.
For those after some culture, Bergen is known for its museums that cover the city’s history, architecture, music and art and we recommend visiting the Edvard Grieg museum and the KODE art museum, which is Scandinavia’s largest museum for art and music. If you wish to explore the fjords further, optional fjord cruises are available.
Spend the night in Bergen.
From Bergen, you will embark on a scenic drive along Hardangerfjord and past Hardangervidda National park, a region of great natural beauty. On your way you will pass the impressive waterfall, Vøringfossen—the highest in Norway with a 182-metre cascade—and the dramatic and narrow Måbødalen valley, along Eidfjord.
Upon reaching Geilo, we recommend visiting Geilojordet which is an idyllic area with ancient buildings from the 1700-1800's and a lovely place to spend some time exploring.
Spend the night in Geilo.
Driving distance: 244 km / 151 mi
Estimated driving duration: 4 hours and 10 minutes (without stops)
Before heading back to Oslo, we recommend passing the town of Gol which is known for Gol Stave Church, a Viking village and the Hahaug trolls cave. From Gol, continue to Oslo where you can choose to return the rental car tonight or the next morning. Spend the remainder of the day exploring highlights of Oslo.
Driving distance: 220 km / 136 mi
Estimated driving duration: 3 hours and 17 minutes (without stops)
Your time in Norway has come to an end. When you are ready for departure, head to the airport and return your rental car before flying home. If your flight is in the afternoon, take the opportunity to do some last-minute shopping, visit one of Oslo’s many museums or just relax at a café after this amazing journey.
We recommend adding your extra activities to the tour now for the best booking experience and to secure your spot, as activities are likely to sell out.
Here’s a map of your travel route, to help put things in perspective.
Don’t worry, we’ve got this covered.
We recommend that you read carefully through the following information before booking this self-drive tour in Norway. We’ve answered the most frequently asked questions here so you know what to expect. You’ll also find more practical advice and attraction recommendations in our online Norway Travel Guide.
We recommend you wait to book flights to Scandinavia, and other parts of your travels, until we can confirm your desired travel dates for this tour. This is due to varying availability for this package. Contact us for more details.
On a self-drive tour, Nordic Visitor supplies you with a quality rental car and a detailed personal itinerary. You act as your own tour guide and driver, and you get to pick the road trip music!
All your services will be pre-booked by your personal travel consultant at Nordic Visitor. This includes your rental car and accommodation in Norway, along with any other services specified in your itinerary, such as cruises and planned activities.
During your tour, we’re with you every step of the way. On arrival, you’ll receive personalised information, including an itinerary, map and detailed Norway Travel Guide. Plus, you’ll have access to our 24/7 helpline during your trip should you need to contact us.
Driving in Norway might be slightly different than what you’re used to. For this reason, you’ll want to make yourself aware of local driving laws and potential road hazards, such as:
And finally, with all the beautiful scenery, you’ll want to take it slow and enjoy the drive!
For more information, we strongly recommend taking a few minutes to read through our guide to driving in Norway. You’ll also receive more guidance ahead of your arrival in the Norway Travel Guide.
Upon arrival at the airport, you will pick up your vehicle from the car rental office here. At the end of your rental period, you will return the car back to the airport.
We recommend using Google Maps or a search engine to find car parks near your accommodation. You can also ask your hotel for assistance. You might find you have a short walk between the car park and your hotel.
A GPS service is available for an additional fee. You can book this directly with the rental agent.
Alternatively, you may want to ensure you have adequate mobile roaming that you can use during your travels. This way you can use Google Maps or another navigation service on your phone.
It’s also good to note that Google Maps offers more up-to-date information as well as traffic navigation, compared to traditional GPS devices. You’re also able to pre-download maps of areas you will be visiting, so you can use them offline.
Please wait to book flights to Scandinavia until we can confirm your desired travel dates for this tour. This is due to varying availabilities on services included in this package.
After making a booking with Nordic Visitor, it might take a few weeks to confirm your travel arrangements. We recommend booking your flights once your personal travel consultant gets in touch to confirm your itinerary.
If you have any questions about your flights and itinerary, please contact us for more details.
Yes, you can customise this tour online. During the booking process, you can add extra nights to your itinerary as well as optional day trips, excursions and upgrades.
If you have something specific in mind, get in touch with your travel consultant and they’ll create your dream trip.
On your Norway tour, you’ll stay in accommodation that’s been hand-picked by our travel experts. We’ve partnered with local businesses and selected hotels and guesthouses based on excellent ratings, comfort and our personal experience.
During the booking process, you can select whether you want Comfort Plus or Superior accommodation. Comfort Plus usually consists of standard rooms in good quality and comfortable 3-star hotels. Superior is standard rooms in 4-star hotels combined with Superior rooms in premium 3-star hotels.
You will also be able to choose between single, double or triple rooms. Please note that in Norway room types are based on European standard sizes, which means they are smaller than in North America.
For example, a double bed often consists of 2 single beds pushed together. Twin rooms are 2 separate single beds. Triple rooms include a double bed along with an extra single bed, rollaway or sofa bed. And single rooms are often smaller than the standard double.
If you have anything specific in mind, please contact us to discuss customising your accommodation options.
By booking with Nordic Visitor, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that there’s always someone there for you throughout your trip.
For support and advice during the day, you can call our office. And if anything unexpected happens outside working hours, you can reach us on our 24/7 helpline.
During your tour, there will always be a travel expert on call to handle any unforeseen situations, such as unusual weather or events.
If you have a passport from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand, you won’t need a visa to visit Norway. This visa-free entry is valid for up to 90 days.
Visiting from another country? You can find out whether you require a visa to enter Norway on the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. Select your home country to view details. If you do require a visa, you will be directed to your local embassy website to learn about the visa requirements.
Your passport must also be valid for at least 3 months from your departure from Norway. It’s good to check your passport expiry date early in case you need to renew it.
Travelling with your kids? No problem! You'll be able to enter your children's ages during the booking process. This lets us know whether to arrange either a baby cot or roll-away bed for your trip.
If you'd like us to arrange for a car seat to be provided for your trip, please let us know ahead of time. It's also possible to book this directly with the car rental agency. This will incur a small, extra cost.
Only you can pick the best time to visit Norway for your trip. It’ll depend on how much time you have to explore and what you want to see and do in Norway.
During the summer months, June to August, you’ll have the warmest temperatures and longest daylight hours of the year. This is ideal for outdoor excursions and taking full advantage of your days for sightseeing.
If you’d like to experience the top attractions with fewer visitors around then you could book your summer trip in May or September. These shoulder season months generally have more tour and attraction availability.
Our self-drive tours are only available from May until September when driving conditions are ideal. That means that if you want to travel at other times of the year, you can pick from train and cruise tours or partially guided adventures.
The winter months are also popular, but generally quieter. Travel to Norway at this time of year to see snowy mountains, sail along frosty fjords and try to spot the magnificent northern lights. If you head north in December and January, you could experience the polar night.
At this time of year, the conditions are also ideal for winter activities such as dog sledding, snowmobiling and more.
Read more about the best time to visit Norway on our blog.
From Oslo in the south, Norway stretches hundreds of kilometres into the Arctic Circle. The country is so long that it spans the latitudes of 58°N to 81°N. For that reason, daylight hours vary greatly depending on where you’ll be visiting. That said, summer in Norway brings long days with plenty of daylight.
In the south, around Oslo, Bergen and Stavanger, you’ll experience 15–20 hours of daylight. If you visit the north, including locations such as Tromsø and Kirkenes, you can expect 20–24 hours of daylight.
In fact, within the Arctic Circle, from mid-May to late July, you’ll experience the midnight sun. This is when the sun never fully sets.
Norway’s long summer days give you plenty of time to explore. That said, you may want to pack a sleeping mask if you are a light sleeper or tend to wake up at dawn.
Find out what the daylight hours will be during the month of your visit in this guide to time and daylight in Norway.
During the summer months, you can expect fairly stable weather in Norway. That said, because the country spans such a large distance from north to south, temperatures are likely to vary depending on your location.
For example, the west coast is usually warmer thanks to the Gulf Stream, while the far north is usually cooler.
The months of June, July and August boast the warmest weather of the year. In Oslo, you can expect average temperatures around 16°C (61°F), with potential highs of 20–25°C (68–77°F). In Bergen, it is closer to 13°C (55°F) and in the north, around Tromsø, you can expect temperatures around 10°C (41-50°F)
It’s also good to know that weather conditions are often changeable in Northern Europe, so you should come ready for sun, rain and wind. For more information on the local climate, read the page Norway weather conditions.
Please note that sightseeing is dependent on weather and road conditions. This means that your itinerary might need to be altered if these conditions are not favourable during your visit.
Summertime is the most stable time of year in Norway. That said, you should still be ready to experience all seasons in one day. Especially if you will be spending a lot of time outdoors, you’ll want to pack for a combination of weather conditions.
Bring lighter clothes for the warmer, sunny days, and extra layers for chilly nights in the mountains or for taking in the view from cruise ship decks.
Here is an essential summer packing list for your trip to Norway:
An umbrella can also come in handy. If you are a wildlife watcher, you may wish to bring binoculars.
For more information, check out this Norway packing list.
In most major Norwegian cities and towns you will be able to find coin-operated launderettes, with self-service facilities, and dry cleaners. Most hotels on your trip will also offer a laundry or dry cleaning service for an additional cost.
When you travel with Nordic Visitor, breakfast at your Norway accommodation is always included. For the rest of your meals, the amount of spending money you need will depend on the standard of restaurants you decide to go to.
That said, we recommend budgeting between 100–400 NOK for lunch per person, each day. Dinners at casual restaurants might cost between 500–1,000 NOK. Meanwhile, at upscale restaurants, you can expect to pay 1,500 NOK or more. This does not include the cost of alcoholic beverages.
It’s best to book as soon as you can to secure your preferred travel dates. Once you have picked your tour, check the availability calendar to see which months are open for booking. Then, select the date you want and complete your booking.
We recommend waiting for a confirmation from your travel consultant to ensure your travel dates are available. You’ll then be able to purchase your flights with confidence.
If you like to plan well ahead, you’ll find that it’s possible to book many tours for the following year. And if you have any questions or need advice, you can always contact us.
After booking your tour package online, you will be contacted within 2 business days by your own dedicated travel consultant. They will be your point of contact for all your travel needs before, during and even after your trip.
We aim to complete bookings within a few weeks. During this time we take care of booking your accommodation, activities, and transport, confirming all parts of your journey. Once this is done, your travel consultant will provide you with all the details of your trip.
When we get back to you might depend slightly on how far ahead you’ve booked your travels and other tours running at the time.
No need! Nordic Visitor is already working on offsetting the estimated carbon footprint of your package. We’ve partnered with an environmental fund in Iceland to carbon offset all our tours.
Carbon offsetting your international flights is not included, but we highly recommend you look into possibilities with your airline or directly through a local environment fund.
If you have any questions before your trip, you can get in touch with our Norway travel experts. The live chat option is useful for getting a quick reply as someone answers live every day during office opening hours.
Once you’ve booked, we’ll provide you with a travel guide packed full of local tips and top attractions for your visit. You can also check out our online Norway Travel Guide where we’ve compiled useful information about topics, including:
After you have booked your tour, we will begin the booking process for your trip. We aim to complete the preparation within a few weeks. This includes reserving your accommodation and confirming all your services in Norway.
Once your trip details are finalised, we will prepare your personal itinerary and booking overview, and send all of this to you via email. When you arrive in Norway, you’ll receive a welcome bag with hard copies of your itinerary, attraction and tour vouchers, the Nordic Visitor Norway Travel Guide and more.
So when do you check in? And what can you expect upon landing in Norway?
After picking up your luggage, you’ll collect your rental vehicle or head directly to your accommodation. Your personalised itinerary will be clear on your car rental details, pick up and drop off.
Check-in times vary between hotels and guesthouses, but it normally starts between 2–4 PM.
You are welcome to request an early check-in for an additional fee. Although this isn’t always available, you’ll be able to store your luggage at the hotel if you have to wait. Please contact your travel consultant well in advance of your arrival if you’d like an early check-in.
When you depart may depend on the time of your return flight. Check out early if you’re heading to the airport for a morning flight. On the other hand, if you’re flying home later in the day, you might like to enjoy a leisurely day or visit one more attraction.
You will usually need to check out from your room around 10–11 AM. If you’re staying in town longer, you will be able to store your luggage at the hotel reception. Simply return later to collect your bags before making your way to the airport.
All bookings are billed in Euro (EUR). Prices displayed in other currencies are indicative only and based on the daily exchange rate. This means conversions from EUR to other currencies will fluctuate from day to day.
Just wait until you see this with your own eyes.
We don’t like to brag, so we’ll let our happy customers do it for us.
We are self-reliant travellers that like to see and do things on our own. Nordic Visitor is exactly the model that fits our needs. They do an excellent job of finding quality accommodation, provide good maps and itineraries, and are willing to customise trips where needed. We'll travel with them again.
Had a brilliant time, first visit to Norway and hugely impressed! So many amazing views.
We had an amazing time on our 10-day tour but our one complaint is that we did not have a chance to visit the southern portion of the country. We would have been fine with a single night in Bergen and no stay in Lillehammer to have the chance to visit Kristiansund and Pulpit Rock.
Really positive from booking through holiday documentation and to experience on the ground. We were reassured by the email alert about the flooding just before our holiday and by subsequent email exchange with Malgorzata about possible impacts on itinerary; in the event it caused only some minor diversions.
The self-guided tours are the best way to go. Nordic Visitor provides a very complete and comprehensive itinerary that is very easy to follow. We were on our own daily time schedule so could stop wherever we wanted with no time constraints. The route took us through some extraordinary scenery and views. Norway is a gorgeous country with very friendly people.
Annie, our travel consultant, was fabulous, and every element of the tour was fantastic, and "as promised."
Sleep soundly, in the accommodation type of your choice, and wake up ready to enjoy another day of exploration.
Enjoy the journey, in the rental car of your choice.
Whether you have a single question or a special request, we're here for you.
