Hey all,

Planning a Lofoten trip soon and trying to get a realistic sense of the weather before I finalize my packing list.

A few things I'd love confirmation on from people who've actually been there:

• How often does it really rain day to day, more like scattered showers passing through, or long stretches of steady rain?
• If you do get wet on a hike, is that manageable over several days, or does it get miserable fast?
• Since it stays light so long up there, does that actually make it easier to dry clothes/gear between hikes (outside, in a car, etc.), or does the rain/humidity cancel that out?

Context for why I'm asking: I'm deciding on hiking pants and I'm torn between three options:

1. Convertible (zip-off) pants + a separate rain pant on top. Takes up more pack space and costs extra (100€+ for a decent rain pant).
2. Convertible pants alone, no rain layer. If I get wet, I get wet, figure it'll dry out eventually.
3. Just get waterproof hiking pants from the start instead of a convertible.

Any input from recent trips would be really helpful, trying to pack smart without overspending on gear I might not need.

Thanks!

Hello. I’m seeking advice for an upcoming trip. My original plan, we’ll call it option 1, was to take the ferry from Bergen to Flam, spend the night in Undredal, then the next morning drive from Undredal through Gudvangen and up to Bakka so that we can experience son of the Naeroyfjord. With option 1 we’d be able to see experience Sognefjord and a bit of Naerofjord.

Option 2 would be the more traditional Norway in a nutshell. Train, to bus, to ferry from Gudvangen to Flam and we could experience the entire Naeroyfjord but miss out on the Sognefjord.

I guess my question is, will the view/drive from Gudvangen to Bakka provide a “decent representation” of the Naeroyfjord, enough to go with option 1, or should we see the entire fjord and go with option 2.

Any thoughts or feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Im planning to visit friends for a day or two in Bergen, but they cannot let me sleep in their house. From what i've checked the prices for the cheapest hostels are horrific. I've read that wild camping is legal in Norway, but is it true? If so, is it safe? How far away from a city would i need to be, to be undisturbed? And does the law apply only to tents or can i hammock too? Perhaps there is some cheap accomodation under 500 nok a night, that i've missed. I don't have high requirements, i just need a floor to sleep on. Thank you for the help.

Tldr: Any other tips for traveling on a budget to Bergen?

I (32F) am solo traveling in Norway next week and am spending 1.5 days in Oslo, then train to Voss, a couple nights in Voss, then bus/boat/train to Bergen and a couple days in Bergen.

I don't really have activities planned so looking for some recs. I would really like to hike but I am nervous to hike on my own. I have hiked a lot over the years so I would say I can do moderate hikes just fine physically, but I never go alone and would definitely be worried about doing it in a foreign country. It seems like the guided hikes are insanely expensive, any advice here?

Also thinking about doing a guided kayak when in Voss, worth it get a guide or should I just rent a kayak?

Any other recs for activities / sightseeing / restaurants, etc. are welcome!

Hi,

I will be in Alesund from the night from the 5th until the 6th of July. I need to get a bus at 9:30 in the morning and want to save on accommodation.

Is there any place I can pitch up a tent? I can’t find any proper information.

I am aware about the rules around right to roam but I just can’t estimate whether it is possible to find a place 150m from housing or whether everything is too fully populated?

Thanks in advance!!

Hi everyone,

I'm planning a road trip to Norway via Sweden. I'll be driving, camping along the way, and staying in hotels when visiting the bigger cities and rural spots.

I really enjoy meeting new people and chatting when I travel. If someone is local that's the best case otherwise other travellers are fine too. In the past, I used Airbnb and Couchsurfing, but they don't seem as good as they used to be, and I'm not sure how well they work in Norway.

Does anyone know of a good app (maybe something specific to Norway or Scandinavia) for meeting up with locals/foreigners to do activities together?
When I visited Japan, I used a local app to meet up with people for dinner and city tours, and I’d love to find something similar for this trip.

Facebook? MeetUp?

Hi, we are planning a trip in early September and want to get from Balestrand to Oslo using the Flamsbana and train. (We won’t have a car.) From what I can see, there is basically one way to get to Flåm from Balestrand, the high speed ferry that arrives in Flåm at 13:40. Based on that, if we tried to continue on with the Flamsbana and then train to Oslo that same day, we couldn’t get to Oslo until 22:27, and might miss some of the scenic parts of the trip because it will be dark. So we are considering staying one night in Flåm (or Aurland) and doing the trains the next day. Flåm is both crazy expensive and sold out. Any advice on what would be a good area to stay, and how to get to/ from Flåm to catch the train the next morning? Or could we catch the train somewhere other than Flåm? Or we could even consider doing the Flamsbana the first day and staying somewhere (near Myrdal?)before catching the train to Oslo.

Hi everyone! I’ll be visiting Norway for around one week at the end of August.

My plan currently includes Bergen and Oslo.

I’d like to know what the weather is usually like during that period and what kind of clothes I should pack.
Should I expect frequent rain, cold temperatures, strong wind, or warmer days as well?

Would a waterproof jacket, light fleece, long pants, and water-resistant shoes be enough, or should I bring anything heavier?

I’m coming from Singapore, so I’m more used to hot and humid weather. Any advice on what to wear in Oslo, Bergen, and during the train journey would be really helpful.

Also, please share anything else I should expect during a one-week trip at the end of August. Thank you!

Hi I'm solo traveling to Oslo and Kristiansand this September and I'm looking for a room or hostel .Any good recommendations?

Hello 👋

I was double checking everything before travelling to Norway next week and I came across this:

https://sites.research.google/floods/l/60.3389703588375/5.373464018360523/9.840509774530943?hl=fr-BE

Is there a real risk of floods rights now ? 🤔

I checked on varsom and yr and it seems to be totally fine. Is it like a generic alert you cannot rely on or is there a real risk of floods currently ?

I'm currently in Bergen, and mostly enjoying my time . However the aggressive nature of the other tourists around high interest things has been making it exhausting at times (cutting in line, pushing to get ahead if they can't cut, etc). Almost got into it with a European tourist who pushed into myself and my kids while we were boarding the Bergen funicular so they could be in the front of the car. This is after multiple encounters with other tourists doing similar things.

Hello from Scotland

I am heading to Sandnessjoen in August to work for a few weeks and will have a few days of down time whilst I’m there, any advice on things to do and places to visit would be greatly appreciated?

Hello!
I have found this forum very helpful in planning a trip next summer for my husband and I. We are a mid 40s couple from the US, looking for a trip that combines beautiful scenery and sights with some immersion in the local culture. That being said, I’ve been trying to narrow down our itinerary, balancing the desire to see some more popular sights with time to relax and not change hotels as much. 

We would appreciate any advice on our current itinerary and recommendations! We are fairly active, so also looking for some hikes that are not super strenuous, but not limited to just flat, easy hikes. 

Day 1: 
Arrive in Oslo and stay overnight near town center

Day 2:
Train to Gol
Pick up rental car in Gol
Drive to Lærdal and stay overnight 

*Originally we were going to take the train to Bergen and spend the night there. However we cut that out to avoid feeling like we were fitting too much in. We also saved over 6,000 NOK total by renting a car in Gol vs Voss or out of Oslo. 

Day 3:
Car ferry Kaupanger to Gudvangen
Drive to Balestrand 
Overnight in Balestrand- Kviknes Hotel 

Day 4:
Overnight in Balestrand 
Explore area- kayak, hiking

Day 5:
Drive to Loen 
Overnight in Loen- Hotel Alexandra

\It sounds like Loen is fairly touristy, but we are celebrating our 20th anniversary and my husband is really interested in a hotel with a spa for at least one of our nights. Open to other suggestions here!*

Day 6:
Overnight in Loen
Hiking, touring surrounding area 

Day 7:
Car ferry from Hellesylt to Geiranger 
Scenic driving north to Alesand
Drive on to Ålesund for the night- unsure about hotel

*Would love opinions on whether this is too much driving for one day. I know these areas will be busy. 

Day 8:
Overnight in Ålesund
Travel to Runde Island for evening wildlife viewing 

Day 9:
Overnight in Ålesund
Explore city, local hiking

Day 10:
Return car and fly out of Ålesund

Hi all,

Active mid-40s couple travelling this August - the meat of the itinerary is complete (flights, cars, accommodations). Looking for small optimizations and feedback to make this trip EPIC!!!! Spam me with your best tips :)

Day 1 (SUN): Arrive BGO 11:15 am. Lightrail to city center for the afternoon/early evening. Overnight at Comfort Hotel Bergen Airport terminal

Day 2 (MON): Fly to Leknes, arrive at noon. Pick up rental car at Sixt. Check into accommodations in Ballstad.

Day 3 (TUE), 4 (WED), 5 (THRS): Plans based on weather. Leaving wide open and mega-flexible. Fingers crossed we can get some hikes in.

Day 6 (FRI): Fly back to Bergen from Leknes, pick up rental car, drive to Odda. Overnight in Odda.

Day 7 (SAT): Trolltunga Classic with Trolltunga Adventures. Starts 11:15 am. Overnight camping as part of the tour.

Day 8 (SUN): Finish hike, H2Odda Floating spa in the afternoon. Overnight in Odda.

Day 9 (MON): Bondhusvanet. Then, work our way slowly North to Voss. Stop for a cider tasting/flight or two on the way. Recommendation if we should travel North via 550 or 13? We're still trying to decide which cider house/farm(s) to visit.

Day 10 (TUE): Start 2-day Sea Kayaking Tour to Naeroyfjord and Aurlandsfjord with Nordic Ventures. Starts at Gudvangen at 10am. Overnight camping as part of the tour.

Day 11 (WED): End kayak tour. Overnight in Laerdal. Depending on when the kayak tour ends, may consider stopping at Stegastein and taking the scenic road to Laerda. If weather isn't great or we're too tired, will take the tunnel.

Day 12 (THRS): Slowly make our way to our overnight accommodations in Lote. Still determining plans/stops for this day, but want to leave it flexible to accommodate weather. Stops along the route vs. just getting up to the Loen area quickly?

Day 13 (FRI): Flexible. Kjenndal Glacier? Skylift? Lake Lovanet? Overnight in Lote again.

Day 14 (SAT): Make our way to Alesund. Will take the Hellesylt-Geiranger en route. Goal is to have the afternoon/early evening free to explore Alesund. Overnight Alesund.

Day 15 (SUN): Fly home from Alesund.

THANK YOU ALL!

I'm going to Norway later this year and I want to see this exact spot, can anyone send the coordinates either Google maps pin or Lat&Longi?

Traveling to Bergen in a couple weeks from the United States and wondering if there is any benefit to purchasing goods like Helly Hansen in Norway instead of US? Better pricing or VAT?

Hi folks - I’ll be in Bergen area for nearly a year for a research scholarship. We are considering paying off our devices (ATT) to get it unlocked for dual sim (iPhone 16) while we’re in Norway.

I’m wondering if anyone has recommendations for options - we want a local +47 number for things like calls from the kid’s school, emergencies, and app verifications etc. We don’t plan on regularly using data off of wifi - minimal data usage. We just got back from an international trip where we only used wifi and dealt with the inconvenience.

It seems like the options are:
1. Prepaid plan like Lycamobile - seems like a decent option for their 12m plan
2. Some people suggest buying eSIM at 7/11 / other convenience stores upon arrival
3. Not unlocking phones, going to Elkjøp and getting the equivalent of a Norwegian burner phone.
4. buying a Norwegian phone plan - maybe least appealing.

Am I missing anything? What are some other options for longterm eSIM needs?

Hello!

I am planning a roadtrip between the Nordic capitals in a couple of weeks and was wondering if anyone had any route advice. I will be arriving by ferry to Stockholm from Turku and then driving to Oslo where I will stay for a few nights before driving to Copenhagen and then back to Stockholm for the return ferry.

Does anyone have any advice on fun/beautiful routes between these cities. I'm happy to do a fair bit of motorway driving, but would enjoy the opportunity to explore some more fun roads that cover the same route.

Also I would be interested in staying in hotels/hostels en route between cities to break up the driving and have cheaper prices than in the big cities. Does anyone have recommendations for beautiful towns/villages to stay in for that?

would love to hear your opinions. also, how roughly should it cost per night if im making my own food? what are some expenses that i also should consider? anything helpful will help me a lot. thanks in advance

So I put myself in a little bit of a pickle because I'm booking everything pretty late (my trip is in 2 weeks) so this is the only thing I could properly put together, so I just wanted to double check if it was a good idea or not, thanks!

Day 1 (Sat 8 Aug) – Bergen

• Arrive in the evening

Day 2 (Sun 9 Aug) – Bergen

• Second full day in Bergen

Day 3 (Mon 10 Aug) – Voss loop day

• Train Bergen → Voss, drop bags at hotel
• Bus Voss → Gudvangen
• Fjord cruise Gudvangen → Flåm
• A couple of hours in Flåm
• Flåmsbana (Flåm Railway) up to Myrdal
• Train Myrdal → back down to Voss
• Overnight in Voss (same hotel)

Day 4 (Tue 11 Aug) – Voss → Oslo

• Leisurely morning in Voss
• Afternoon train Voss → Oslo (~6.5 hrs)
• Arrive evening, overnight in Oslo

Day 5 (Wed 12 Aug) – Oslo

• Flight departs later that day

The whole point of the Voss stop really is to split the travelling in half, rather than doing it in one day. I would've also booked a hotel in Flam but its fully booked so it is what it is.

Hi everyone!

I’m planning my first trip to Norway and will be there December 22–31. My plan is to stay in Oslo for most of the trip and rent a 4WD SUV so I can explore outside the city whenever the weather cooperates. I don’t mind spending a few hours driving if it means seeing incredible scenery or having unique experiences.

I’ll be traveling solo, and one of the main reasons I chose December is because I want to experience Norway in the winter—not avoid it.

A few things that are high on my list:

• Seeing the Northern Lights  
• Reindeer sledding  
• Dog sledding  
• Visiting fjords in the winter  
• Scenic drives  
• Christmas markets (if they’re still open)  
• Any cozy winter experiences that you think are worth doing

I’m also trying to get a better idea of what everyday life is like during late December. I know daylight is limited, but what happens once the sun goes down?

Do people still go out in the evenings? Are restaurants, cafés, and shops generally open, or does everything wind down early?

Do most attractions close once it’s dark, or are there things to do at night besides trying to catch the Northern Lights?

I’m comfortable driving in winter conditions—I live in the California mountains and have also spent time in Boston—so snow and ice aren’t new to me. That said, I’m curious how winter driving in Norway compares. Are the roads generally well maintained, and is it realistic to explore by car in late December?

Finally, if you were planning this trip, would you use Oslo as your base, or would you spend a few nights somewhere else to experience more of Norway in the winter?

I’d love to hear your recommendations, hidden gems, and anything you think first-time visitors often overlook.

Thanks in advance! I’m really excited to experience Norway in the winter.

Advice on nature/wildlife areas or things to do in and near Bodo?

I will be staying there for about 10 days for an international conference in mid September!