Land of the midnight sun, fjords, waterfalls and tunnels
Our travel goal is to explore a new country every year. This year we decided to explore one of the happiest countries in the world....Norway, to see what makes the country happy.
As always, Chander is responsible for planning and I am responsible for.....Ummmm.....I have no responsibility. Its vacation, who wants responsibility on vacation ? The only thing I do well is give him a hard time when I don't get good food. So, now he packs a suitcase full of stuff i like so my mouth is always busy and I don't trouble him.
My favorite part of flying out of O'Hare is that I get to start my vacation eating at Frontera. The Choriqueso sandwich with chorizo, poblano rajas and avocado is just delicious.
Chander spent weeks reading books / forums / articles and planned our route. Our plan was to spend a week in Northern Norway in the Lofoten Islands and then head on a road trip around Southern Norway. The country is very scenic and best way to enjoy is driving around the country side.
Lofoten Islands : Reine - Svolvær - Leknes - Henningsvær
Road Trip : Stavanger - Bergen - Tyssedal - Gudvangen - Flåm - Geiranger - Ålesund
We flew Chicago - Stockholm - Oslo - Bodø - Svolvær and finally a 3 hr drive to Reine. This is the most number of hops I've taken. Needless to say, our luggage is lost. MY FOOD IS LOST !!!!.
Apparently we we supposed to identify our bags in Oslo before boarding our connection but no one told us. This is the second time we've flown SAS and this is the second time our bags have been misplaced. 100% successful misplace rate.
Day1
- Scenic drive from Svolvær to Reine
- Midnight sun. Best place to see midnight sun close to Reine is Ramberg
- Bags did not arrive
Our first destination was Reine in Lofoten Islands is a small fishing village. The drive from Svolvær to Reine was very scenic and along the coast. We stopped at several points to see the midnight sun. Several other tourists had camped along the way to see the phenomenon of sun setting at midnight and rising at 1am. These pictures were taken at 11:30pm.
Two of the most distinct things about Reine are the Rorbuers (red and white fishing cabins) you see along the coast and dried fish farms.
Our home away from home was a AirBnB Rorbuer, very neat, minimalistic and tastefully designed cabin, surrounded by mountains (highly recommend). A grocery door next day made it easy to stock up on food. The cabin had goreous views of the surrounding mountains and the village of Reine, both of which casted dramatic reflections in the lake.
Being a fishing village, we saw dried fish farms at every nook and corner. The dried fish smell bothered us on the first day but we got used to it. Apparently the fish does not need to be cooked. The air salts it and you can just chew on it. Our host saw Chander admiring the dried fish and packed some for us.
Day2
- Hiked along Lake Ågvatnet. The hike starts from Sørvågen fishing village. It is a muddy hike. Make sure you have good footwear
- Chander slipped in the mud and messed up his clothes
- Bags arrived
We got lucky with the weather (especially since my jacket was in the bag). Tired from the long journey, we took it easy and toured the Village of Å. Lunch was Chicken salad at Brygga. We hiked along Lake Ågvatnet. The trail goes over Stokkvikskaret Pass and is a moderate hike but can be muddy and slippery. Chander slipped and messed up his pants. Thankfully our baggage arrived later that evening.
Day3
- Hike up the Lofoten wall. The trail entrance is cordoned off and there are multiple warning sings on the way to the trail entrance trying to prevent people from hiking up. We chose to go ahead
- Chander slipped again in the mud and messed up his clothes
- Washing machine door locked shut. Clothes stuck inside
Our plan was to hike one of the most spoken about trail, the Reinebringen aka The Lofoten Wall. It is only 448 meters (1470 ft) high but is very steep and challenging.
We walked to the trail entrance and saw a warning sign alerting hikers of dangers of landslide, slippery wet rocks and challenging path. The trail entrance was closed with another warning sign to avoid the hike. We could only see 2 hikers on the mountain, weather looked like it was going to rain so we chickened out. On our way back we met two fit hikers from Poland and they didn't seem to care about the warning signs. Further ahead we saw 4 more hikers heading to the entrance. That changed my mind and I pushed Chander into climbing up.
I have no words for how challenging, treacherous and steep the hike was (going up and down). We had to climb over rocks like monkeys using both hands to support ourselves, use twigs / tree trunks to pull ourselves up the slope. The trail was not marked so we had to navigate based on footprints. This complex trail had everything thrown at us - slippery slopes, muddy paths, loose rocks but none of that deterred us.
Panoramic views up top of Reinefjorden were breathtaking. Views of Lofoten Island and the village of Reine from top were totally worth it. We soaked ourselves in the beauty and fresh cool air and all the pain from the hike vanished.
The hike down was no different than the hike up. In fact it was more challenging because the slope was so steep that we had to be careful of the body's angle so that gravity wouldn't topple us down the mountain.
Chander slipped again and I climbed down on my butt messing up our clothes so we were forced to laundry. We put the clothes in the machine set it for a 60 min wash cycle. Well at the end of the cycle the machine door would not open. We called our host who reran the wash cycle for another 60 mins and the door still would not open. Finally it occurred to them that the filter might be clogged not draining the water and sure enough the filter had not been cleaned for several years. Cleaning that did the magic trick and we were relieved to get our clothes back.
Day4
- Hiked up Justadtinden. Really long trail and quite strenuous at times. The trail fools you multiple times into thinking you are there but theres more to go. Views are rewarding if there is no fog
- Friendly encounter with sheep
- Checked-into our next AirBnB at Svolvær (highly recommend)
Checked out of our AirBnB at Reine and started the drive to Svolvær. On the way we stopped at Leknes for food and hiked up to the peak of Justadtinden. The description of the hike is very deceiving. It is listed as easy in most places but it is moderate-difficult hike. No idea how people completed this hike in 3:30 hrs. It is a 12 km rountrip with elevation of 738m / 2400ft and took us 5:30hrs.
It was not a busy hike. Met few people along the way who said the top was foggy but we got lucky and got a clear peak when we reached there. I guess, being slow pays off.
Views along the way were gorgeous, lush green mountains with lots of small ponds along the way. The hike fooled us 5 times. Each time we felt we were at the base of the final peak but found there was still more to go. The final ascend is quite challenging and steep.
Day5
- Hiked up Glomtinden. Driving from Svolvær, the small parking lot for the trail is at the end of lake Rørvikvatnet and can be easily missed. Drive slow and keep an eye out
- Walked around the village of Henningsvær aka Venice of the North
- Ate at Lofotmat, a popular restaurant in Henningsvær (highly recommend). Make sure to try to local pilsner Lofotpil
- Another great hike is Festvagtind but we didn't have energy for this
Tired from previous day's hike, we took it easy. Toured the beautiful village of Henningsvær. If I had to plan my stay over, I would stay in this village. The cloud covered views of the mountains are beautiful and lot of little places to hike along the water and in the mountains.
Had early dinner at Lofotmat, a very popular restaurant in the village. Tried the Barley Risotto and Smoked Salmon and the local beer, Lofotpils is a must have.
It was a rainy, windy day so we went on an easy hike up Glomtinden. Views of the surrounding lakes were spectacular. A plateau right before the final ascend to the summit offers the best views. Slippery rocks made the climb to the summit risky so we turned around from the plateau.
Day6
- Learnt Mon-Sun in Norwegian
- Forced rest day due to rain and overly foggy conditions
- Skipped the Fløya hike due to weather conditions. This is a highly recommended hike offering great views of the village
We were forced to rest as the weather was very foggy and rainy making it risky for a hike. We planned to go on a boat adventure through the fjords but had to drop that due to the fog.
Walked around the village of Svolvær, saw local markets, learnt day names in Norwegian and rested which was needed after all the strain on the body from the treacherous hikes.
Day7
- Time to bid goodbye to Lofoten
- Arrived (along with bags) to Stavanger
After an amazing 6 days in Lofoten it was time to say good-bye. We took one last look at the amazing views around us, soaked it in and hopped on this little toy plane and flew off the island to Stavanger. This time our bags arrived with us.
If I had to plan my trip again, my ideal itinerary around Lofoten would be
Day0 : Arrival Svolvær
Day1 : Cruise to Trollfjord; Drive to Eggum for midnight sun
Day2 : Ferry to Skrova Island
Day3 : Hike to Floya (strenuous)
Day4 : Hike to Festvagtind; Lunch at Lofotmat Henningsvær; Hike to Glomtinden
Day5 : Drive to Reine; Stop at Leknes. Hike Justadtinden
Day6 : Ferry to Horseid and Bunes beaches
Day7 : Hike Reinebringen and tour village of Å
Day8 : Ferry to maelstorm and roast island of birds
Day9 : Return
Day8
- Pulpit rock hike. Start early or late afternoon to avoid tourist bus crowds. Parking is hard to find at busy times. If going during peak hours plan to spend an hour on top due to long lines for the iconic photo
- Stayed in Thon Hotel located in downtown by the port. Excellent breakfast options and great gym
- Walk around downtown Stavanger
We embarked on another adventurous hike to Pulpit Rock, mentally prepared for another treacherous climb but were pleasantly surprised by the relative ease of the hike. There were some portions that were steep and hard but for the most part it was a cake walk compared to the previous hikes.
Getting to Pulpit Rock parking requires a drive, a ferry ride (car goes in the ferry) and drive again. You can drive your own car or take public transport. Be aware in advance of ferry timings otherwise you could be waiting for long.
The hike itself is a 3-4 hr roundtrip with an elevation of 604m / 2000ft. If you park in the upper parking lot that already takes you 270m / 900 ft up. The rest of the hike is a roller-coaster, full of ups and downs. Take time and enjoy views along the way. Try and get to the parking lot by 9am to avoid long lines for the iconic photos on top and also there is limited space in the parking lot.
Heres a highlight video of the hike.
Walked around Stavanger downtown at night. Beautiful little city, very colorful, full of restaurants and shops.
Day9
- Boat ride through the fjords (not worth the money)
- Lunch at Fisketorget (recommended by our hotel staff)
- Evening at Flor & Fjære, a privately owned estate on an island
Spent the day in Stavanger, took a boat ride through the fjords (wasn't worth the money). Had seafood lunch at Fisketorget. Tried the steamed mussels and baked cod. Both were very flavorful.
Spent the evening at the Flor & Fjære estate. A boat ride took us to the estate and we landed in this amazingly manicured sea of flowers and gardens. The estate is based on 12 acres of land and was started in 1965. It has 7 gardens inspired from different themes and is vert well maintained. It is like taking a walk in Chicago's botanic garden. Grass was trimmed by robot lawn mowers which I have never seen before.
The expedition included dinner as well. We were lucky to be seated by the window and enjoyed the gorgeous surroundings. Met a couple at our table who were local and lived in Stavanger for 67 years but were visiting the estate for the first time.
Day10
- Drive from Stavanger to Bergen
- Try the McDonalds McVeggie, served with sweet potato fries. Its the best
- Fløibanen funicular to the top of Mount Fløyen. Saw picture of goat named Obama
Flying from Stavanger to Bergen is quicker and cheaper but the drive between the two cities is very scenic. Chander always wanted to do a road trip. His original plan was to do the road trip in Spain last year but we flew / took the bus everywhere so this time he made his wish come true.
We spent few hours at the wharf in Bergen, took the Fløibanen funicular ride to Mount Fløyen, approx. 320 meters above sea level. From here you can enjoy the beautiful view, study the cityscape in detail and the seaward approaches and fjords surrounding Bergen. One of the cabins on top had pictures of goats and names assigned to each goat. One of the goats was called Obama. Everyone found that to be very funny.
The highlight of the trip was the McVeggie burger at McDonalds. it was the most flavorful meal i've had at McDonalds. And the best part if they offer sweet potato fries. I've been longing for crisp sweet potato fries for so long and finally my wish came true in Bergen.
We then drove from Bergen to Tyssedal and stayed at Trolltunga guest house (highly recommend). Its a home away from home with great views of the mountains & valley from each room. They have a complimentary washer and dryer and also an area for washing and drying hiking shoes. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Front desk is equipped with noodle / pasta cups, snacks, beer, non-alcoholic drinks.
Our plan was to hike Trolltunga next day.
Day11
- Mother of all hikes....Trolltunga...23Km roundtrip, little more than a half marathon. If you encounter foggy weather up top wait there for an hour and the fog usually clears up. Carry a sweater as it can be cold & windy on the summit
Hiking the Trolltunga is harder than running a half marathon. There are portions in the hike that are so treacherous that you will regret embarking on the hike.
We were kind of lucky in a way that the weather was extremely foggy with a visibility of barley 10 ft. So we had no idea what we were climbing. On the way back when the weather cleared up and we saw what we actually hiked up, we were in awe.
It was a 8 hour hike inclusive of 1.5 hrs break. The fog masked the intensity of the hike but also blocked our views from the summit. The pictures on the 'tongue' / tunga are very foggy and you cannot see the fjord below. Oh well....We did get some good pictures on the way back when the fog cleared.
This is a well marked and busy trail. Just look for the red 'T' along the way. There are no facilities so when mother nature calls find an area behind the rocks.
Ended the day with a flavorful meal at Glacier Restaurant and Bar along with a glass of Aass, a local pilsner. The owner is rom Bangladesh, very enterprising and hard working young man. He has done Petroleum engineering and is currently pursuing PhD. He owns this restaurant and also has a AirBnB to fund his education. Middle eastern dishes are the best (the chef is middle-eastern)
Highlights of Trolltunga hike
Day12
- Day of waterfalls and scenic drive through the countryside
- Stop at Stalheim Hotel to see the view from their lobby is a must do. Take the winding road back down to see the Stalheimsfossen waterfall
- Braved walking through an unmarked rocky trail to the base of Stalheimsfossen. Once you reach there you would not want to come back
- Celebrated Dad's birthday sitting by the lake and eating a decadent chocolate cake
We drove from Tyssedal to Gudvangan. The drive was through the countryside, along the fjords. Saw several cherry farms on the way with little 'honor system' stands where you put money in a jar and pick up a box of cherries from the local farm.
Norway has an extensive network of tunnels, some as long as 25km. Some of the tunnels are quite fancy with roundabouts built inside the tunnel. We drove through several of these and saw several waterfalls.
First waterfall stop was Vøringfossen Falls. Best vantage point for viewing the falls is Fossli Hotel. If you want to hike to the base of the fall then stop at Vøringfoss Kafeteria.
Next we stopped at Stalheim Hotel which is up on a hill and saw this amazing panorama view from the lobby of the hotel (open to public from 10am - 5pm). Drive down from the hotel is a steep descend full of U-pin turns and a waterfall vista at each turn. At the end of the road is 0.9Km Stalheimfossen Falls hike. The hike ends at a viewing platform which does not offer great views of the falls. For the ultimate experience go off the beaten path, over the rocks and you can seat yourself right in front of the fall. It is the most refreshing and satisfying feeling.
Final stop for the day was check-in at Gudvangen Fjordtell Hotel. The hotel is located in a small town of Gudavangan and is surrounded by mountains on both sides with a lake in between. Today (July 15th is my Dad's birthday). We celebrated his birthday by eating this decadent chocolate cake sitting by the edge of the lake and admiring the vista surrounding us.
Day13
- Spent the day in Flåm. Did the Fjord Safari (not worth the money)
- Train ride from Flåm to Myrdal (which is a money making tourist trap). The trip is only worth it if you bike down on return from Myrdal to Flam which was like a thrill ride
- Drove through the longest tunnel, Lærdalstunnelen (24.5 km or 15.2 miles)
Drove from Gudvangen to Flåm. Started the day with Fjord safari. Group of 12 people go on a speed boat for a 2 hr journey through the fjords. It is the highest rated activity on Trip Adviser but it was not for me. I like my expeditions to be calm with a lot of story telling, much like the Chicago Architecture tour. This trip had very little narration and most of it was just struggling to keep your eyes open with the strong wind that hits you on the speed boat.
Had lunch at Torget cafe. The meal was delicious. We had the beet salad, pork shank and cheesecake. Highly recommend.
After lunch we took the train up to Myrdal. The 20km train ride took us through mountainous terrain with lots of waterfalls. On one of the waterfalls stops this Asian lady dressed in red appeared from nowhere and started singing.
Highlight of the trip was the bike ride down from Myrdal to Flam. The route snakes down through 21 steep slopes and hairpin bends. It was the scariest bike ride ever. Gravel road with lots of stones made the initial part of the descend nerve wrecking. I was so glad we made it to the bottom in one piece. Rest of the ride is long but enjoyable. We made several stops along the way to admire the vistas.
Next stop of the day was Stegastein lookout viewpoint. It is 650 meters high (thankfully you can drive there although the drive is very tricky) and there is a 30 meter long wooden viewing platform that juts out from the mountain. This is the best vantage point to get a killer picture of the fjords (early morning light is better than harsh evening light). The road is extremely narrow with 2-way traffic. Make sure you have a small size car.
After that we drove to stave church, a medieval wooden Christian church building. It is Norway's oldest stave church and gets its name from the corner posts and load bearing pillars known as "stavers"
Day14
- Saw the Bøyabreen glacier
- Chander shot the most iconic photo of the trip with me capturing reflections of mountains in the fjord
- Had the best yellow curry chicken sandwich lunch at Stryn Kaffebar & Vertshus
- Visited highest fjord viewing point at Dalsnibba
Halted the night at a Sogndal for a good night rest. Started drive to Geiranger next morning. The beauty of road trip is that you have the flexibility to stop anywhere you want. Our first unplanned stop was at Bøyabreen glacier. We could drive very close to the base of the glacier. It is located inside Jostedalsbreen National Park, and it is a side branch of the large Jostedalsbreen glacier.
We then stopped at Jølstervatnet lake where the surrounding mountains cast beautiful reflections in the pristine glacial waters. Chander took this great shot of me shooting the reflections. There is a hike to the top of the glacier only recommended for people with mountaineering experience (we didn't dare to climb).
Stopped at Jostedalsbreen National Park Center and watched a movie showing the history of how the valleys of Norway were carved with Glaciers.
We then drove along a 27km national scenic route called "old road 258" or Gamle Strynefjellsvegen. There are several waterfalls along the way and you get to see the expansive landscape when you reach on top.
Our last stop before reaching Geiranger was Dalsnibba. It offers Europe’s highest fjord view by road (toll road). Best part is you can drive all the way to the summit and view the Geirangerfjord, surrounding village and cruise ships arriving / departing.
Finally reached our hotel. The lady at the front desk said that we are getting a room with the best view and sure enough it was.
Day15
- Hiked to see Briksdalbreen Glacier
- Ørnesvingen viewpoint
Next day we caught the ferry to see the Briksdalbreen glacier. It is an arm of the Jostedalsbreen Glacier, and located inside the Jostedalsbreen National Park. From 1200 meters the glacier plunges down into the beautiful Briksdalen Valley. You can see the Briksdalen valley by foot or catch a ride with one of the "Trollcars" up to the glacier. The hike is an easy 2 hour roundtrip from the parking lot and take you right to the base of the glacier. You can enjoy views of soaring waterfalls along the way.
On our return trip we went up to Ørnevegen which is the name of the eleven hairpin bends that ascend the steep mountainside from Geiranger towards Eidsdal. At the top lies the Ørnesvingen viewing point, with its own waterfall. From here the view opens towards Geiranger, across the Geirangerfjord.
Norway Glaciers
Day16
- Drive from Geiranger to Ålesund
- 3 trips to Trollstigen viewpoint. Got lucky with the view third time around
- Tour Aksla viewpoint and downtown Ålesund
Said good-bye to the beautiful views we had at Geiranger and started our drive to Ålesund. Along the way we stopped at Trollstigen aka "The Trolls Road". This road is one of the most famous tourist routes comprised of 11 hairpin bends taking you up 858 metres above sea level to the viewing platform. On a clear day you can see all 11 bends from top along with the Stigfossen waterfall. The visitor center is a modern piece of architecture itself.
When we arrived the area was completely covered with fog. Disappointed we left after few mins. As we started our drive down it felt like the fog was clearing so we braved a U-turn on one of the hairpin bends and drove up again. Well, this time there was more fog. Frustrated we drove down again. At one point we stopped to look at the waterfall and when we looked up we could see the viewing platform point clearly. So, we turned around again and drove up. This time we got lucky. The fog had cleared and we got good views of the surroundings.
Satisfied with the view we continued our drive to Ålesund. Found a McDonalds and enjoyed the veggie Mac plus sweet potato fries again.
First stop at at Ålesund was the Aksla viewpoint from where you get panoramic 360 view of the city. Parking up top is very hard to find so most people hike up 418 steps from the city. We got lucky with parking and didn't have to hike up. There is a cafe on top. Plan to spend some time sipping on tea/coffee/beer or having a bite while enjoying the views. You can walk around to many little spots in the area to gain little more elevation.
Spent some time walking / driving around downtown. Ålesund seemed like a quite little town, not many people on the streets. It was the same at the airport. We were the only two in the security line, no lines for checking-bags. Arrived at Oslo, our final stop before flying back. Had delicious Indian dinner at Benares. The tandoori shrimp is to die for. Went for a walk along the port of Oslo and enjoyed some nice architecture night views.
Day17
- Explore Oslo
- Visited the Ski Museum, Sculpture Garden, Norwegian Opera and Ballet center
- Evening walk around promonade
Bought the Oslo pass and explored Oslo. The pass can be used in all public transport modes (except going to airport) and gives t=you entry to attractions. To us the pass seemed like a waste of money because we did not have to scan the pass when boarding trains and no one checked our pass at the attractions.
We started by visiting the Holmenkollen ski museum. Holmenkollen is one of Norway's most visited tourist attractions, and includes a ski museum, jump tower, souvenir shop, ski simulator and café.
The viewing platform at the top of the tower is open to the public and offers panoramic views of Oslo and the surrounding forests.
I am not a big museum fan but loved this one. They had displays showing how the ski jump area evolved between 1892 and 2011. There were two movies, one explaining the phenomenon of Northern Lights and other showing amazing feats by skiers.
Next stop was the Vigeland Sculpture Park. The park is Gustav Vigeland's lifework with more than 200 sculptures in bronze, granite and wrought iron and is the world's largest sculpture park made by a single artist
Next we visited the Norwegian National Opera House located at the harbor. Modern architecture, free to enter and explore. The rooftop offers panoramic views of the city and fjords.
Spent the evening at the harbor walking on the promenade, Havnepromenaden. It is a 9 km stretch full of bars, restaurants, residential buildings with interesting modern architecture. The promenade connects east side of the city to west and is great for history, art and architecture buffs.
