THE MAJESTIC MOUNTAIN ROUTE
We were contacted by a couple that wished to see as much of Norway as possible in just 2 weeks but still be able to relax and enjoy the places that they stayed. There were just two ideas that they were adamant about; firstly, they wanted to visit Ålesund and the village of Fjærland and secondly they wanted plenty of hiking and boat trips. With that mind we set about creating them a 14 day road-trip of a lifetime:
Leif Johnny Olestad visitnorway.com
The trip began with a flight to the Art Nouveau port town of Ålesund and one and a half days to explore the area. A particular highlight for these clients was a visit to the beautiful working Alnes lighthouse and it’s remote coastal location.
After collecting a hire car, they began their road trip adventure through the fjords, with a three-night stay in Åndalsnes. Here, they spent a day partaking in some of the finest self-guided hiking that Norway has to offer. The following day was shared between the World famous Rauma Railway, which passes over the unique and breath-taking Kylling Bridge and a 6-hour E-bike safari in the Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park. The mountains here are a unique and almost intact ecosystem that is home to the last of the Fennoscandian Reindeer and many other rare plants and animals, including the magnificent Musk Ox.
Day 6 brought our clients to the longest drive of the whole trip, approximately four and a half hours in totally but what an fantastic drive that was! Firstly there was one of the Worlds most amazing roads, the mighty Trollstigen and then the car ferry and beautiful drive to Geirangerfjord. On arrival in Geiranger, they parked the car and took the round trip on the Geirangerfjord Cruise, sailing passed the Seven Sisters Waterfalls to Hellesylte. In this small fjord village, they visited the wonderful and interesting Peer Gynt Gallery, a totally unique and beautiful exhibition of craftsmanship by the local artist, Oddvin Parr.
Once reunited with the car, they continued driving to their next hotel, which is situated on the shoreline of the tranquil and stunning Stryn Lake. This family-run historic hotel, with it’s amazing and ever changing views, offered a wonderful, cosy base in which to relax for the next 3-nights. From this location the clients experienced some of the holidays most enjoyable hikes.
After recharging their batteries, they took to the road again travelling for just over 2 hours, through Loen and onto Fjærland where they arrived at yet another historic and romantic fjord side hotel. This hotel is situated close to several Glacier arms and they enjoyed visiting Bøyabreen and the Glacier Museum. The second day was spent unwinding in Mundal Booktown and kayaking along the stunning Fjærlandfjord. After 2 nights of excellent food and good sleep, they were ready to continue their journey southward.
Taking the car ferry over Sognefjord and driving over the mountains, they arrived for their penultimate stay in Voss, with the afternoon free to explore the town. The next day they were met by Derek, our favourite local mountain guide and they embarked on a hike that took them high above Hardangerfjord. There they sat and ate freshly cooked waffles whilst admiring the stunning view of the valley below. That night they slept well!
In the morning after breakfast they caught the train from Voss to Myrdal and connected to the World famous Flåm Railway, which is rated as one of the most beautiful journeys in the World, as well as one of the finest feats of engineering! The train descends from high up in the mountains to the fjord village of Flåm, passing en route beautiful scenery and the famous Kjos waterfall. Continuing this round trip, they boarded the boat to Gudvanger, sailing through the UNESCO World Heritage Nærøyfjord and finally caught a scheduled bus that was waiting to return them back to their hotel in Voss, for their last nights stay in the area..
On the penultimate day of the trip, they drove through the mountains and on to the city of Bergen, for an overnight stay, where they still had almost a day and a half left to explore the city and it’s many attractions. They left Bergen ready to start planning their return trip to Norway!
“We had a great holiday and a wonderful introduction to Norway. But there is so much more to see! The main feedback is that the itinerary worked really well. We managed to travel and see a lot but did not feel that we were on the move too much. The hotels worked very well. Activities were too numerous to mention all - loved the Alnes Lighthouse, the Rempestreken in Åndalsnes, both of our fantastic railway journeys and the hiking everywhere. The two day excursions were real highlights. Ole, in Dombas, gave us a great tour, he is a great guide. Derek’s hike was also great, my wife’s best day of the holiday. We’re looking forward to planning exploring another part of Norway in the future”
Each holiday is individually tailored to meet our clients wishes. For an accurate quote and costs of any optional activities please contact Love Norway Limited on +44 750 890 6178.