Greetings to all my travel friends!
I had sent out preliminary information on this trip months ago and have since been working with those who expressed interest to shape it. Here is the trip we have come up with. It looks like a great one and I’d love to have you join me!
Norway was probably not on your radar screen as a hiking destination. Cruising the fjords, yes. But hiking??? The Norwegians themselves are avid hikers and Europeans enjoy exploring Norway’s beauties on foot. But we Americans don’t know much about it. So let me tell you. It is a land of rugged beauty. The fjords are emblematic of that. The landsape is filled with deep valleys, steep mountains, rushing streams, and placid lakes. Snow covers much of the land in the winter and will be still melting when we are there in early July so there are many, many waterfalls–from roaring displays of majestic power to wispy slivers of water disappearing into wind-blown spray. On my previous trip, at one point, I counted 32 waterfalls surrounding us, cascading down from the high plateaus above. Quoting from The Rough Guide to Norway, “In a tamed and heavily populated continent, Norway remains a wilderness outpost. Everything here is on a grand scale, with some of Europe’s finest and wildest land- and sea-scapes. Behind the rough and rocky coast are great mountain ranges, harsh upland plateaus, plunging river valleys, rippling glaciers, deep forests, and, most famously, the mighty fjords which gash inland.”
The trip is set for July 3-13, 2007. It will start and end in Oslo and include time to explore its museums and cultural sites. We’ll use buses, trains, ferries, and our feet to travel around. Most of our nights outside of Oslo will be spent in basic but quite comfortable lodges run by the Norwegian Hiking Association. Some have private rooms, others have more dormitory style sleeping arrangements (up to 6 per room). Most have shared baths and one has outdoor toilets. Breakfast, dinners, and picnic lunches are provided and I recall them as tasty and filling, but not gourmet.
The hikes will all be day hikes, with no camping or backpacking. The most strenuous (and most beautiful!) hike is a 14 mile jaunt down a valley, dropping about 2500 ft. On the hiking days, there will be two options listed - M for moderate, and C for Challenging. The challenging hikes are described in more detail because they follow a hiking route defined by the Norwegian hiking association. The trails are rocky and uneven, much like the Appalachian trail, and could be muddy or even snow covered in stretches. The moderate hikes are less well-defined as they will often involve exploring the area around the lodges, with distances varying based on the interest of those doing it. Each hiking day you will carry just your daypack, with lunch, raingear, camera, etc. Our trip luggage is transported for us between lodges. The weather is not always the greatest–expect to see some rain. But there will be lots of daylight–at that time of the year the days are blissfully long.
The most important person on the trip is Gerd Brunsvold, or guide. Gerd is a social worker by trade but loves to hike and has used her vacation time to guide trips for 10 years, including the one I went on 8 years ago. Her English is excellent and her knowledge of her country and its customs is extensive. I enjoyed her company on my previous trip and I know you will too. Her niece, Astrid, will accompany us, leading most of the challenging hikes. Astrid is a physical therapist by training with extensive hiking experience, including the summit of Kilmanjaro. Gerd’s husband, Dick, may join us for part of the trip.
The hotels in Oslo and Bergen will be pleasant tourist hotels. The lodges in the hiking portion are uniquely set up just for hikers. They provide simple, but comfortable, accommodations for exploring Norway’s natural beauty. Rooms are mostly dormitory style, with 4-6 people per room and shared bathrooms (although doubles may be available since the lodges are likely not to be full this early in the season). Each has a lounge and a dining area, with beer and wine available for purchase. Tasty, filling food is provided for dinner, a big breakfast starts the hiking day, and fixings for lunches are put out so each can pack their own lunch (don’t miss the pickled herring!).
Itinerary
July 2 - depart US. (You can certainly leave earlier for some time in Norway on your own prior to the group trip.)
7/3 - Arrive Oslo (Icelandair 12:20 pm, Newark 9:50 am) Transfer to hotel. Spend the afternoon gently exploring Oslo on foot, perhaps to the seaside fortress, a stroll down the main street, and coffee at a streetside cafe. One goal is to simply stay awake! Overnight SAS Radisson.
7/4 - Using the Oslo Pass, and with Gerd as our guide, explore Oslo!! A possible route would be a walk along the docks to the ferry to Museum Peninsula, Bygdoy. There are no fewer than 5 museums there! Gerd suggests a half day, with time to explore the Kon-Tiki Museum, displaying the balsa wood raft Thor Heyerdahl used to sail from Peru to Polynesia, the Maritime Museum with all kinds of maritime artifacts, and the Folksmuseum, with exhibits of folk life in the 17th to 19th centuries. We might also check out the Frammuseum which features Amundsen’s ship which made the first sailing of the Northwest Passage, or the Vikingship Museum which displays a trio of 9th century Viking ships. The afternoon could include the Munch museum, with its incredible collection of art, a stroll through the amazing statuary of the Vigeland Park with a drink at an outdoor cafe, or more time on the Peninsula. In the evening we’ll have a special treat. Gerd will arrange to have some of her English speaking Norwegian friends join us for dinner, giving us a chance to meet and interact with local people and learn more about their amazing country.
7/5 - Our bus picks us up at the hotel and we travel to Torpo to see the Stave church built in 1150 (Norway is famous for its stave, or wooden, churches). It has paintings dating to 1300. Lunch along the way and perhaps a short walk, then on to Tovikan, where the bus drops us off for the 1 1/2 hour hike in to the lodge at Iungsdalen. We are now in the starkly beautful highlands at about 5,000 ft, well above tree level (which is just 3300 ft.in this latitude!!), with snow in the hollows, and abundant waterfalls from snow melt on the high plateaus. Dinner and night at the lodge there (outdoor toilets, indoor hot showers).
7/6. A “warm-up” day of exploration in the Iungsdalen area. This will be a chance to check out your equipment, protect potential blisters, and get a sense of what the hiking is like in the Norse highlands. Overnight again at Iungsdalen lodge.
7/7 C. - A spectacular and challenging hike, beginning with a steep climb up about 1700 ft. to a pass, then across the highlands, down about 2000 ft. finishing with a boat ride across a lake to Raggsteindalen. It will take us about 9 hours, with breaks. M. - explore the area around Iungsdalen and its lovely lake, then by boat across the lake and bus to Raggsteindalen where you greet the exhausted C-hikers as they stumble in. Dinner and overnight at the Raggsteindalen lodge, where a private double with bathroom is available for a small additional charge.
7/8 C. - A lovely day of hiking through the Norse highlands. The first section is 4 hours and leads us to Steinbergdalen. From there to Osterbo is 5 hours and includes a hike up a steep hillside then a walk along a ridge with excellent views. The total elevation change is about a 1200 ft. drop, but there are a lot of ups and downs not counted in that total! M. - Take the bus to Steinbergdalen and join the other hikers on the same trail to the lodge at Osterbo. Dinner and overnight at Osterbo.
7/9. - C - The famous Aurlandstal hike to Vassbygdi, (this hike was the high point of my trip in ‘99). We start at 3000 ft., and descend to 300 ft. through a lush green valley, quite a contrast from the stark landscape of earlier days. It takes about 8-9 hours. The distance is 14 miles and (quoting from the Rough Guide to Norway) “incorporates an extravagant range of scenery, from upland plateau to deep ravines. It is strikingly beautiful.” M. - explore the area around Osterbo, then catch the bus for Aurland and explore the village there. When the C.- hikers arrive, we board a public bus to Flam and hop on the famous Flam railroad. Quoting again from the Rough Guide, “Plummeting 900 metres down the Flamsdal valley to Flam, this 50 minute, 20 km. ride is not to be missed under any circumstances.” (We’ll be going UP the valley, but the views are the same!) Dinner and overnight at Hotel Vatnehalsen (private rooms and baths).
7/10. Free day! Your can spend the day giving those tired feet a break, wander around the gorgeous countryside (which is what I did), or take the train to Voss. Voss is a 40 minute train ride away (cost not included in trip price) and has an attractive lakeside setting ringed by snow capped hills, with a lot of tourist attractions and a 13th century church. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
7/11. C.and M. - Hike from the hotel down the old road to Flam. It is a beautiful valley with waterfalls always in view, cascading down from the mountains around. For those wanting a little less exertion, take the Flam train part way to Berekvam and walk the rest of the way down. In Flam catch the fast ferry for a beautiful trip through narrow fjords to Gudvangen. There our bus meets us for a spectacular ride to Bergen. After a quick shower, we’ll enjoy a “farewell dinner” together and settle in at a cozy hotel.
7/12. Explore Bergen. This was a vital Hanseatic port in the 14th century and still has remnants of those ancient times. I remember the incredible variety of shapes and smells of the fish market and a pleasant ride up the funicular to Mount Floyen followed by a walk through the extensive park there with remarkable views over Bergen and the surrounding islands and inlets. For those heading back to Oslo, the train leaves at 4 pm and arrives at 10:30 pm (probably just getting dark!). Overnight Oslo hotel.
7/13. Depart for the US. The Newark flight leaves 11:30 am, and the Icelandair flight at 2:45 pm, giving ample time for some last minute shopping or exploration. Of course, you are welcome to linger in Norway for your own explorations.
Trip extension - This for those who would like to experience a cruise ship-like ride up the fjord-filled Norwegian coast. July 12 ends boarding the “Finnmarken” at 8 pm. 7/13 is spent on the ship, watching the coast of Norway slip by as the boat heads north, stopping at several small towns, and a side trip into the famous Geiranger fjord. On 7/14, disembark at Trondheim around 8:15 am, and have the morning to explore that city before catching the train at 2:45 pm for the trip back to Oslo. The colossal cathedral there is the largest medieval building in all of Norway, dates back to the 13th century, and has been the traditional burial site for royalty and the site of all coronations since 1814. Overnight at the Oslo hotel and board flights for home on 7/15. I called the ferry line (212-319-1300) and learned that the price per person for the two nights on board the Finnmarken from Bergen to Trondheim would be $482 for an outside cabin with porthole, $517 for an outside cabin with window, and $500 for an inside single. Meals are not included but restaurants serve all the food you need on a cash basis. Go to http://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/index.asp for more info about this remarkable ferry system. There is an additional cost of about $15 for the extra train fare from Trondheim to Oslo compared to Bergen/Oslo.
Flights - These are arranged on your own. If we have 10 or more leaving from the same city, I might be able to get a 5-10% discount. My quick check showed a direct flight on Continental from Newark to Oslo for $989, from BWI on Icelandair with a stop in Rekjavik for $883. (For those of you with memories of our youth when Icelandair was the hippie’s way of getting to Europe, all that has changed–it is a very modern, up-to-date airline.)
Cost - The land cost of the trip is $2500 for a minimum of 8 people (including me). With 12 the price will drop $2200, because the fixed costs are split between more people and some discounts become availalble. This price includes Gerd’s guidance, the assistance of Astrid for the hiking part of the trip, three nights in an Oslo hotel (two at the beginning, one at the end of the trip), sightseeing and museum entries in Oslo, all lodges, all meals and transportation during the hiking portion of the trip, the hotel in Bergen, breakfast at the Oslo/Bergen hotels, the “Norwegian fellowship”dinner in Oslo, the farewell dinner in Bergen, and the train from Bergen back to Oslo. It does NOT include airfare, airport/hotel transport, lunches in Oslo and Bergen, alcoholic drinks (expensive), souvenirs, guide tips, and items of a personal nature.
A payment of $1,000 per person is required as the initial deposit. The remainder will be due May 15 and I’ll send a notice at that time. It may be necessary for me to make an adjustment (up or down) in the final trip cost at that time based on currency fluctuations. (I’m pricing the trip based on today’s exchange rate of $1.00 = 0.16 kroner. A change to 0.17 kroner per dollar means a $140 increase in the trip price.) If the price goes up by more than $100 you may cancel without penalty.
Single supplement - I hate this but it is a fact of travel life. For those of you who plan to travel alone, I will match you with a roommate if you’d like and one is available. If not, the single supplement is $250.
Cancellation policy - If I have to cancel the trip, for whatever reason, you will receive a full refund. If you cancel before May 15, I’ll return your deposit, less a $100 charge. If you have to cancel after making the final deposit, I’ll return as much as I can minus a $200 charge. I recommend you obtain trip cancellation insurance, at least for the airfare. If something were to happen to Gerd’s health, the trip might have to be cancelled or signiicantly altered.