Starting and ending in Bergen, this self-guided journey takes you along some of Norway’s most magnificent fjords on your way to the charming cities of Ålesund, Kristiansund and Trondheim. You'll drive on exciting routes like the Atlantic Ocean Road and the twisty Trollstigen pass. To top it off, you will get to explore the fjords by sea as the tour also includes an overnight cruise on the Hurtigruten Coastal Voyage, one of Europe’s top attractions.
Just a few of the majestic sights you’ll take in during your trip.
A day-by-day plan to guide your journey.
On arrival at Bergen Flesland Airport, you will pick up your rental car. Then drive to Bergen’s city centre, where your hotel for the night is located. For those arriving early, we recommend spending the afternoon strolling the city and exploring the lovely sights of scenic Bergen. City highlights include the old wharf of Bryggen – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an interesting range of museums, as well as the city’s vibrant fish and flower market. For a good overview of Bergen, we recommend taking the “Fløibanen” funicular up the mountainside, which reveals spectacular views.
Spend the night in Bergen.
Start the first leg of your self-drive trip by heading to Norway’s adventure capital, Voss, which is home to the beautiful Tvindefossen waterfall. Your journey will then continue to Sogndal along the Sognefjord – Norway’s longest and deepest fjord – taking in sights including the towns of Stalheim, before reaching the beautiful Aurlandsfjord and the town of Flåm.
We recommend stopping in Flåm and riding the renowned Flåmsbana railway, a steep train ride between Flåm and Myrdal – a treat for photographers or train enthusiasts alike! A stop at Stegastein viewpoint is recommended, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Aurlandsfjord. You will then take a short ferry ride before driving towards Sogndal, where you will spend the night.
Spend the night in Sogndal.
Driving distance: 237 km / 148 miles
Estimated driving duration: 4 hours (without stops)
Today you have a short drive ahead of you and a full day to explore. Drive along the Fjærlands road towards the Jostedal glacier, which is mainland Europe’s largest icecap. We recommend stopping at the Norwegian glacier museum to learn more about the geology of the region. Before you reach the quaint village of Loen, you will drive along the magnificent Nordfjord and enjoy the dazzling turquoise lakes, cascading waterfalls, vast glaciers and steep mountains.
For those that want the ultimate panoramic view over the region, the Loen skylift is a must. The skylift takes you to the top of Mt. Hoven where you can take enjoy the magnificent views of the fjord landscape and Jostedalsbreeen National park.
Spend the night in Loen.
Driving distance: 128 km / 80 miles
Estimated driving duration: 2 hours (without stops)
Today your journey will take you to the UNESCO-protected Geirangerfjord. Board the 65-minute ferry from Hellesylt to Geiranger, where you learn about the wondrous waterfalls, and deep history and diverse geology of the Geirangerfjord. You will have spectacular scenic views during the ferry ride, as the ferry captain navigates the deep fjord.
With its fairytale landscape, Geiranger has a lot to offer nature lovers like snow-covered mountain tops, delicate waterfalls like the Seven Sisters and Bridal Veil, lush green vegetation and the deep blue fjord. For panoramic views of the fjord, we recommend driving up to Flydalsjuvet.
Spend the night in Geiranger.
Driving distance: 61 km / 38 miles
Estimated driving duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes (without stops)
Get ready for some especially exciting drives today! From Geiranger, drive up the steep and winding Ørnevegen, known as “the Eagle Road”, to Eidsdal, where you will take a short ferry ride to Linge. If you enjoy twists and turns, you will be very impressed with the drive up Trollstigen, “the Troll Ladder”, which is one of the most visited attractions in Norway.
After passing towering mountains along the drive, you will reach Ålesund, a captivating city that was almost completely destroyed and rebuilt after a great fire in 1904. Therefore, it looks very different from any other Norwegian town with its Art Nouveau architecture. The myriad of turrets, spires and beautiful ornamentation give the town its distinctive character, like something out of a fairytale. Here you also have the opportunity to visit the Atlantic Sea Park and enjoy stunning views from Fjellstuen.
Spend the night in Ålesund.
Driving distance: 191 km / 119 miles
Estimated driving duration: 3 hours and 40 minutes (without stops)
After breakfast at your hotel in Ålesund, get behind the wheel and drive to Vestnes, soaking in the scenery along the way. You will then board a ferry for a short ride to Molde before driving to the small fishing village of Bud. This charming town has historical significance as it was the centre of trading in the 16th and 17th centuries between Bergen and Trondheim. From there you will drive on the Atlantic Ocean Road, with the vast sea on one side and majestic snow-clad mountains on the other. End the day in Kristiansund, a cute city built on five islands with beautiful views from its natural harbour.
Spend the night in Kristiansund.
Driving distance. 179 km / 111 mi.
Estimated driving duration: 3 hours and 40 minutes (without stops)
Continue north towards Trondheim, the "Capital of the Vikings". The day is free for you to explore this vibrant port city that was once the capital of Norway during the Viking Age, back when the city was called Nidaros. Here you will find the remarkable Nidaros Cathedral—with architecture to rival Paris’s Notre Dame, as well as countless other attractions like the Ringve Museum and Gardens, the Trøndelag Folk Museum, Munkholmen, the Old town bridge, and the charming neighbourhood of Bakklandet by the old wharf.
Spend the night in Trondheim.
Driving distance: 197 km / 123 mi.
Estimated driving duration: 3 hours and 30 minutes (without stops)
Today, you board a Hurigruten cruise ship to discover the martitime beauty of Norway. You will head to Trondheim‘s harbour to board the ship for the Norwegian Coastal Voyage, which will set sail along the Trondheim Fjord and past Hitra Island. The ship will weave along inlets exposing the raw beauty of wide fjord.
In the evening, the boat will dock at the city of Kristiansund and the town of Molde. This journey passes through some breathtaking coastal landscapes, and the final port of the day is a brief stop in Ålesund, after midnight.
Spend the night in a private cabin on the cruise ship.
During the night, the ship calls at Torvik, Maløy, and Florø coming within view of its final destination—Bergen. Here you will disembark in the early afternoon to enjoy some leisure time and to drop off the rental car either this evening or tomorrow morning. In Bergen, can take time to explore attractions you didn‘t have time to visit at the beginning of your trip, or spend some time shopping or visiting a cafe or two.
Spend the night in Bergen.
When it’s time for your Norwegian adventure to come to an end, drive to the airport and return your vehicle at the car rental office. If your flight is in the afternoon, you can choose to enjoy some last-minute shopping, visit one of Bergen’s many museums or relax at a café, enjoying the last few moments of this amazing journey.
Customise your adventure with these Optional Extras.
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.
These pictures may be small, but Norway’s mountains & fjords are massive.
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.
Our best price per person when booking for two.
We recommend that all our travellers read through the following information about driving in Norway, what the tour includes, accommodation, deposit payment and other useful information for your travels.
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 availabilities aboard Norway cruises, as included in this package. Contact us for more details.
ABOUT OUR SELF-DRIVE TOURS
This is a self-drive tour, which means you will follow a detailed and personalised itinerary during your road trip in Norway. No dedicated driver or tour guide is included. All accommodation, rental vehicle, and other planned activities or added services will be pre-booked by Nordic Visitor (as specified in the itinerary). As this is a self-drive tour, you are welcome to stop when and where you wish on your drive. Except for accommodation and booked activities, other highlights we’ve listed in the itinerary are suggestions based on Nordic Visitor favourites.
For inexperienced drivers who still want to explore and discover Norway, we recommend one of our guided small group tours, where you will have a local, experienced guide leading the way.
ACCOMMODATION
Our team of Norway travel experts carefully selects hotels around the country based on excellent ratings, personal experience and comfort. Please note, that in Norway our room types are based on European standard sizes. For instance, a double bed often consists of two single beds pushed together. Triple rooms include a double bed along with an extra bed, a rollaway or a sofa bed, and a single room is often smaller than the standard double.
HURTIGRUTEN CRUISE
The cruise includes cabin accommodation (unspecified cabin with windows/port holes) with private facilities, and breakfast is included. All ships have restaurants, a cafeteria, laundry room, WIFI and on-board activities. The Hurtigruten Coastal voyages are not like conventional cruises as there are 11 different ships that vary in size and age that sail the Norwegian coast on different dates. Optional shore excursions are available onboard, and we recommend that you pre-book them. We are unable to offer guaranteed cabin numbers for port-to-port and short voyages. You can disembark the ship in ports where the stop is for more than 30 minutes. Please note that you will be taking your rental car on board the cruise ship.
DRIVING IN NORWAY
For information on driving in Norway we recommend that you take a look at our online travel guide. There you will find handy information on tolls, ferry routes, tunnels and more! In general, the roads in Norway are of high standard and are well-maintained. Rural roads are generally two lanes and can be narrow and winding, particularly in mountainous areas. Norwegians drive on the right side of the road.
ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE FROM OSLO
If you are planning on arriving in Oslo, you can add on an extra night in Oslo and/or a direct train from Oslo to Bergen (and return). An alternative option is adding to the tour the Norway in a Nutshell package where you travel a scenic route on board a ferry, train and bus or you can book a domestic flight from Oslo to Bergen. Please contact your travel consultant for further details.
CURRENCY RATE
All bookings are charged in Euros (EUR). Prices displayed in other currencies are indicative only and based on the daily exchange rate. Therefore, conversions from EUR to other currencies will fluctuate from day to day.
AFTER BOOKING WITH NORDIC VISITOR
After booking your package with Nordic Visitor, you will be contacted within two working days by one of our travel consultants, who will serve as your dedicated contact person for all of your travel needs before, during and even after your holiday. Your travel consultant will provide you with details about your booking and your remaining payment (if not paid in full). You will also receive more information about what to expect during your holiday.
Whether you have a single question or a special request, we're here for you.
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