This summer, I had the chance to visit the beautiful country of Norway. I have a friend who lives in Oslo, and got to stay with her for a few days. Although the city itself is gorgeous, I really wanted to experience something that Norway is famous for. Its fjords.
After doing some research, I found the Norway in a Nutshell tours. When I first started looking, my first thought was: WOW this is expensive… At the time I didn’t realize how expensive Norway was in general. But I was determined to see the fjords one way or another. So I signed myself up for the one-day round trip ticket.
Prices vary depending on where you start and where you turn around. I personally did the round trip Oslo-Voss tour. Doing this particular tour makes for a very long, 16 hour, day. With an early departure time and getting back late at night, it ends up being exhausting; but it is totally worth it! Some people sleep on the first train, but you will miss out on the beautiful countryside and mountain views.
The tour includes the train from Oslo to Myrdal where you board a smaller train on the Flam Railway that takes you through the mountains to the tour boat. Even though it was summer, we were far enough up in the mountains at one point that there was snow everywhere. At certain points in the tour there are stops where you can get out and take pictures, including Kjosfossen, a 93 meter waterfall in the mountainside. When you reach Flam, you board on to a large boat that looks like a ferry. The views from the boat are absolutely spectacular. On the ride you go around Sognefjord, the largest and deepest fjord in Norway. Be prepared for it to be chilly even in the summer, my fingers were numb by the end of the boat tour. There is an indoor cafe area on board, but if you’re like me you will want to be on deck the entire time soaking in the views. After the 2 hour boat tour, the boat docks in Gudvangen. A bus will take you along Stalhemsklevia road to Voss. The road goes down steep slopes and weaves 13 hairpin turns with views of multiple waterfalls. When you get to Voss you head for the train that will take you back to Oslo.
Take a look at some of the pictures that I took while on the tour:
I had a blast touring the fjords on the Norway in a Nutshell tour. If I would have had more time, I would have made it a two day trip and explored Flam or Voss more. And even though I went by myself, I met and talked with other travelers in the group. Simply asking someone to take your picture can lead to some great conversations and unexpected friendships. That’s one of my favorite things about travel – meeting new people and sharing stories about our adventures.
Have you been to Norway? I want to hear about your experiences!
If you’ve done Norway in a Nutshell, what did you think?
Bucket List Traveler 