Norway in a Nutshell review: is it worth it? (+ 22 tips)
If you dream of visiting the Norwegian fjords, the popular Norway in a Nutshell tour from Bergen is a great way to get a taste of the Norwegian landscape in a short time.
At a glance
- Norway in a Nutshell is a self-guided tour through some of Norway’s most beautiful landscapes; fjords, waterfalls and mountain passes
- You can do Norway in a Nutshell in one day, or break up your journey along the way for hikes and outdoor activities
- Start or end your trip in either Bergen or Oslo. You can either do a round trip or a one-way trip between the two cities.
- You can buy your tickets as a bundle, or it’s easy to plan your own DIY itinerary
We did Norway in a Nutshell as my 40th birthday trip. Here’s everything I learnt about the tour while I was doing research for our trip, plus 22 tried-and-tested tips for making the most of your Norway in a Nutshell experience – all checked and updated for 2026.
Contents
What is Norway in a Nutshell?
If you want to visit Norway and have started to research potential routes and itineraries, you might already have come across Norway in a Nutshell (sometimes shortened online to NIN).
Norway in a Nutshell is the brand name for a range of itineraries that aim to show you some of Norway’s best sights in a short period of time. We did a one-day, one-way Norway in a Nutshell tour from Bergen to Oslo, but you can also do it in reverse from Oslo to Bergen, or do a round trip; Bergen to Bergen or Oslo to Oslo.
If you don’t want to spend a full day on Norway in a Nutshell, you can still see the fjords. On my second visit to Bergen I went on a half-day fjord cruise to Mostraumen which was still a wonderful experience. See my Bergen to Mostraumen fjord cruise review.
It’s also possible to do a trip starting in the small towns of Voss or Flåm, or split your trip over several days with stays along the route.
Planning the perfect Norway in a Nutshell trip for 2026 requires more than just booking a ticket; you need to navigate new reservation rules and unfortunately, the permanent closure of one of the route’s most famous roads.
Where do you go on a Norway in a Nutshell tour itinerary?
The itinerary for Norway in a Nutshell varies a little depending on which route you do, but each schedule involves:
- A train ride on part of the Oslo-Bergen railway, described as one of the world’s great railway journeys
- A bus ride to a tiny port on the Nærøyfjord
- A boat ride through the UNESCO Heritage-listed Nærøyfjord and Aurlandsfjord
- A train ride on the Flåm Railway, a stunningly scenic branch line which travels from the banks of the Aurlandsfjord at Flåm up to join the main Oslo-Bergen railway at Myrdal.
Bergen to Oslo and Oslo to Bergen itineraries also include the section of the Bergen railway which travels across the amazing Hardangervidda mountain plateau.
There are other Nutshell itineraries, such as Sognefjord in a Nutshell, but the original Norway in a Nutshell is the classic version.
Norway in a Nutshell route maps
There are four main options for Norway in a Nutshell routes.
Bergen to Oslo and Oslo to Bergen
The longest Norway in a Nutshell options are Bergen to Oslo (which is what I did) and the other way round, Oslo to Bergen.
For the Bergen to Oslo itinerary, you’ll take the train from Bergen to Voss, a bus from Voss to Gudvangen, then a boat trip on the Nærøyfjord and Aurlandsfjord to Flåm. From there, you’ll take the Flåm Railway to Myrdal, then a train along the rest of the Bergen railway to Oslo.
Which direction is the best?
I recommend doing Bergen to Oslo rather than Oslo to Bergen. It’s a long way from Oslo to Bergen, and the first part of that Oslo to Bergen trip is the least interesting.
I did Norway in a Nutshell in June, when daylight lasts late into the evening, and even so it was dark when we arrived in Oslo. If we’d been doing it the other way around, from Oslo to Bergen, we would have spent the nicest scenery of the trip in low light and darkness. In any other month, it’s even more important that you choose a route that lets you see the scenery during the day.
I highly recommend flying into Bergen then flying out of Oslo, making it an open-jaw trip.
A Bergen to Bergen round trip
The Bergen round trip itinerary is an easy day trip and particularly popular with visitors using Bergen as a base.
If you’re doing a Bergen to Bergen round trip with Norway in a Nutshell, you can either choose to get off the train from Bergen in Voss and do the route I’ve described above in the Bergen to Oslo itinerary, or you can get off at Myrdal and take the Flåm Railway down the mountain to the Aurlandsfjord.
Is Norway in a Nutshell a guided tour?
No, a standard Norway in a Nutshell itinerary isn’t a guided tour. Or at least not really. When you book Norway in a Nutshell you’ll receive tickets for each part of your journey, and details of the itinerary you’ve chosen, but it isn’t a guided tour in the traditional sense. It’s up to you to get yourself to the right bus, train or boat at the right time, but it really isn’t difficult and there will be lots of other people taking the same route.
On the boat and on the Flåm Railway there were screens showing where we were and points of interest along the route.
If you do want to be accompanied by a guide, you can book a guided version of the Norway in a Nutshell itinerary through specialist companies. I can imagine that there’s a lot of extra information that we could have gained from having a guide with us, and if you’re anxious about making all the connections or have additional needs then it could be worthwhile.
DIY Norway in a Nutshell: how to save money by booking it yourself
The easiest way to book Norway in a Nutshell is direct from the owner of the Norway in a Nutshell brand name, Fjord Tours or from some of the other tour companies in the area – it doesn’t really matter if you book with one of these as the itinerary is the same.
It is possible to book each part individually though, and if you book far enough in advance it’s possible to save money by going DIY.
How to book Norway in a Nutshell DIY tickets
| Journey step | Price (Norwegian Krone) | Where to book |
| Bergen to Voss train | 278 kr | Book on vy.no |
| Voss to Gudvangen bus | 185 kr | Book on vy.no |
| Gudvangen to Flåm boat tour | 665 kr (electric boat) 550 kr (classic boat) | Book electric boat tickets Book classic boat tickets |
| Flåm to Bergen train (via Myrdal) | From 847 kr, usually around 977 kr | Book on vy.no |
| Flåm to Oslo train (via Myrdal) | From 837 kr, usually 1000 to 1400 kr | Book on vy.no |
| Total price (Bergen to Bergen) | From 1860 kr | |
| Total price (Bergen to Oslo) | From 1850 kr, but more realistically around 2013 kr |
The most significant step where you can make savings is on the train journeys. Tickets for trains between Bergen, Voss, Flåm, Myrdal and Oslo are all available on the Norwegian Railways official website Vy.no. Tickets go on sale three months in advance and the earlier you book, the cheaper it is.
An official Norway in a Nutshell tour from Bergen to Bergen costs between 2600kr and 3000 kr, depending on when you’re travelling and how far in advance you book, so you could save over 1000 kr if you’re smart with when you book and you choose the cheapest options.
Benefits of booking a bundled Norway in a Nutshell tour
However the bundled tours do have some benefits, including the option to cancel. The official Norway in a Nutshell provider, Fjord Tours, allows cancellations 7 days before you travel for a small-ish fee. Other providers, including the ones on Get Your Guide, tend to offer the same experience with free cancellation (of course, you should always check the terms of your booking!)
The other benefit of a bundled tour is that you don’t have to think about anything. I love a spreadsheet and itinerary planning so I’d be ok with working out all the timings for each step, but if that sounds like too much admin for a holiday, then a bundled tour might suit you better.
If you’re planning to do Norway in a Nutshell DIY, you should still book tickets in advance for each section of your journey, especially if you’re travelling in the summer months. Each part can be booked individually, even the bus, and some sections do get very busy and often sell out in peak season.
I did try to book cheap DIY tickets for our trip but overall it worked out only a few pounds cheaper to do a DIY tour so we opted for the reassurance of the official supplier Fjord Tours.
Planning your Norway in a Nutshell trip: Tips for before you book
Decide whether you want to do a one-way Norway in a Nutshell journey or a round trip from Oslo or Bergen
This is the most important thing to decide when planning a Norway in a Nutshell trip. Since Norway is stunningly expensive compared to most other European destinations, we wanted to see as much as possible in the shortest possible time so we decided to do a one-way trip from Bergen to Oslo.
Our itinerary for our trip to Norway was:
Day 1: We flew into Bergen airport
Day 2: A day seeing the sights in Bergen
Day 3: Norway in a Nutshell from Bergen to Oslo. We left Bergen at 8.43am, took a train, a bus, a boat, and another two trains and arrived in Oslo after 11pm. Our tour was in June, when the sun doesn’t set until after 10pm, so we were able to see the scenery for all but the very last approach into Oslo.
Day 4: Seeing the top sights in Oslo, flew home in the evening.
A Norway in a Nutshell round trip from Bergen to Bergen is a more relaxing option, very popular with cruise ship passengers. This option leaves Bergen railway station between 8 and 9am and brings you back just before 6pm, in plenty of time for dinner.
If one-way from Bergen to Oslo is a bit of a slog, then a round trip from Oslo, while possible, is an epically long day – a full 24 hours which sees you taking the night train back from Bergen to Oslo, arriving back in Oslo at 6am.
If you’re travelling in winter, double-check the itinerary
If you’re visiting Norway in winter, you can still do Norway in a Nutshell. The benefit of doing the tour in the colder months is that it’s likely to be much less busy, but the days are a lot shorter, with sunset at around 3.30pm in mid-December.
Josie from Josiewanders.com told me what it’s like to do Norway in a Nutshell in winter:
I took the one-way trip between Oslo and Bergen in late April. It was unseasonably cold, and snowed from outside Oslo until just before we got to Flåm, so we got to see the scenery looking very different to the summer photos. While some people may have been disappointed to not see blue skies and green hills, I was mesmerised by the snowy landscape. This was, in fact, the first time I had seen snow!
The only disappointment was not seeing the waterfalls. Most of them, including the Kjossfossen the Flåm train stops for, were almost completely frozen over. In my opinion though, this is still a worthy trip to take in winter, but just go with different expectations. The scenery is stunning any time of year.
You can follow Josie on Facebook and Instagram
If you’re travelling to or from Oslo, consider upgrading your train tickets
While the normal seats on the Oslo-Bergen train leg are perfectly comfortable, for around an extra 100 NOK (around £10 or $12 USD) per person, you can upgrade to reserved seats in Plus class.
You might be wondering if Vy Plus is worth it; it absolutely is! These seats are in their own carriage and give you mains power at your seat (very important on a 5+ hour train trip), and free bean to cup coffee (also very welcome). All in all it’s probably the best-value thing you’ll buy in Norway!
The only downside to upgrading your Norway in a Nutshell train tickets is that you can’t buy a package and then upgrade, so you’d need to plan a DIY Norway in a Nutshell tour. Unfortunately the cheapest train tickets don’t have the option to upgrade, so you won’t be able to save quite as much going DIY if you want Vy Plus seats.
If you’re travelling with children, then many trains also have special family carriages with a soft play area and cartoons showing on a TV screen. Kaylie from Happiness Travels Here has more information on doing Norway in a Nutshell with kids on her blog.
The train wifi was free and surprisingly good.
Tips for packing for Norway in a Nutshell
If you’re doing a one-way trip, try to pack light
While it’s absolutely possible to do Norway in a Nutshell with luggage, we witnessed lots of people struggling with big suitcases. Getting onto the Flåm Railway train looked particularly difficult, and on the boat, the people with luggage had to stay inside with their suitcases while everyone else could roam around the ship to get the best views.
Porterservice.no have a convenient luggage service which can pick up your suitcase in Bergen (or Oslo) and deliver it to your hotel in Oslo (or Bergen) for 500 NOK.
What to wear for Norway in a Nutshell
We were exceptionally lucky with the weather for our Norway in a Nutshell day trip. We didn’t have any rain and in both Flåm and Gudvangen it was too hot to stand in direct sun. The best thing to wear for Norway in a Nutshell in summer is layers, remembering to pack light. A raincoat is an absolute must – this part of Norway is one of the rainiest places in the world. I had a lightweight raincoat in my bag and wore a t-shirt and hoodie.
Even in the lovely weather we had, it got very blowy on the deck of the boat tour and it was a little chilly on the station platform at Myrdal.
Josie, who did Norway in a Nutshell in winter says: “If you are doing Norway in a Nutshell in winter, dress warmly. It is warm enough on the trains, bus and boat, but you will have time outside as you transfer between each method of transport, and on the boat you will likely want to spend some time outside taking photos. Also, be aware of what you take outside with you – we saw one man lose a pair of sunglasses as the wind whipped them off his head.“
Unless you’re likely to be doing one of the more strenuous hikes at Flåm, you don’t need hiking boots to do Norway in a Nutshell, although you might want the reassurance of waterproof shoes in the summer and warm boots in the winter. I wore trainers for our entire trip to Norway and was just fine.
Tips for each part of your Norway in a Nutshell trip
The tips below are from my own experience of a Bergen to Oslo one way trip but I hope they’ll be useful for the other Norway in a Nutshell itineraries.
Bergen to Voss (by train)
Arrive early at the station in Bergen
The train from Bergen to Voss is a small local train, and there aren’t any seat reservations. When we arrived at 8.20 for our 8.43 train to Voss there was already a long queue of Nutshellers waiting to get onto the train. We were lucky and got seats together by the window but people who arrived just before the train left were stuck in seats without windows. Seat reservations are now mandatory on some trains.
Sit on the left-hand side of the train from Bergen to Voss
The line between Bergen and Voss passes some beautiful scenery, including stunning lakes and pretty villages. Unfortunately, it’s mostly on the left-hand side of the track as you head from Bergen into the mountains. If you can, try to get a seat on the left-hand side of the train.
Try to sit in a carriage close to the front of the train
If you’re travelling from Bergen to Voss to get the bus to Gudvangen, try to get a seat in a carriage as close to the front of the train as you can. When the train arrives in Voss, the station exit to get to the bus stop is at the far end of the platform; if you’re in a carriage at the back of the train like we were, you’ll also be at the back of the bus queue with less chance of getting a good seat.
There’s plenty of space for luggage
It’s a local train, but there are large overhead racks which are big enough to take a medium-sized suitcase (although heaving it up there may not be wise!).
There’s zero mobile signal
You’ll either be in a tunnel or about to go into a tunnel for most of the journey between Bergen and Voss, so put your phone into airplane mode and save your battery.
Voss to Gudvangen (by bus)
Don’t worry about missing the bus or not being able to get on
The bus from Voss to Gudvangen is just a local bus route, albeit a very popular one! The bus stop in Voss is less than five minutes’ (level) walk from the station platform. When we got to Voss there were at least eight buses waiting to carry passengers on the next part of the journey, so there’s no need to worry that you won’t be able to get on the bus. They were all clearly labelled Norway in a Nutshell so there’s no chance of getting on the wrong bus either.
But don’t dawdle
The buses are timed with perfection to meet up with the train from Bergen and get you to the boat tour in Gudvangen, so unfortunately there’s no time to look around the town of Voss. If you do choose to split your Norway in a Nutshell trip over several days then you could spend a night in Voss to try some of the many outdoor activities available around town.
It doesn’t matter which side of the bus you sit on
As you leave Voss, there’s a pretty river on the left-hand side of the bus. Unfortunately the glorious old Stalheimskleiva road with its 13 hairpin bends has been closed to vehicles as there’s a risk of landslides, but you’ll still travel along the lovely valley road past little farms and waterfalls.
Gudvangen to Flåm (by boat)
Choose the electric boat
When you get to Gudvangen, it’s straight onto the boat. Most ferry departures are now on super-futuristic electric catamarans – what was called the “premium” cruise when I booked my trip. The premium boat was stunning; very smooth and almost completely silent. Because we were going all the way to Oslo we only had the option of the premium cruise but I thoroughly recommend it.
Don’t worry about claiming a spot on deck
You’ll be on the boat for an hour and a half to two hours, so there’s plenty of time to move around and see the scenery from lots of different angles. The electric vessels in particular are very cleverly designed, with sloping walkways which let everyone on board get a great view, although there’s no seating outside. If the weather is too bad to stand outside, the lounges inside have large windows so you won’t miss a thing.
There are toilets and a cafe on board.
Keep an eye on the screens inside
There are screens inside the cruise boat which show where you are in the fjord and mark points of interest, such as the pretty village of Dyrdal; a huge waterfall which crashes down the mountainside; and the point where the boat rounds the corner from the Nærøyfjord into the Aurlandsfjord (look out for seals on the rocks below the headland).
Exploring Flåm
At Flåm we had a couple of hours between arriving on the boat and leaving on the Flåm Railway. The village of Flåm is actually a little way further up the valley, while the area at the dock-side is more touristy. There are a few souvenir shops, some cafes and restaurants, a small railway museum and a supermarket.
Flåm is a lovely place to relax and have some lunch after a busy morning, but if you want to get more active, there are a few short walks and 1-2 hour hikes around the village and the surrounding scenery. If you do take one of these hikes, make sure you’re back in plenty of time for your train ride to Myrdal.
Flåm to Myrdal (by train): tips for travelling on the Flåm Railway
For the best experience on the Flåm Railway part of the trip, you’re going to want to get tactical.
Get to the station early
There are no reserved seats on the Flåm Railway, so getting to the station early is absolutely key. At the station in Flåm there were two queues – one for independent travellers (this includes Norway in a Nutshell travellers), and another for passengers from the two cruise ships moored in the fjord. Each group queues up, and 10 or so minutes before the train is due to leave, the guards lower the barriers and let you onto assigned carriages – one set of carriages for the cruise ship passengers/tour groups and another for the independent travellers.
Once those barriers go down, it’s a mad dash for seats on the train. If you want a good seat (or even to be sat with your travelling companions) then you need to be near the front of the queue.
Try to sit on the right-hand side of the train from Flåm to Myrdal
The ideal seat on the Flåm Railway from Flåm to Myrdal is on the right-hand side of the train, by a window which opens. The seats are in sets of three on one side of the train and two on the other; you want to be near the window on the three-seater side of the train for the best views.
If you are on the other side of the train, all is not lost. You’ll be on the best side to see the mighty Kjossfossen waterfall, and there’s still plenty to see for the rest of the journey.
Don’t bother getting off at Kjossfossen
The train stops at the Kjossfossen waterfall for a few minutes – just long enough for a mountain nymph to emerge and tempt unwary travellers away from their tightly-planned itineraries with a mysterious dance set to very loud piped music.
Most people on the train dash for the platform at this point, but if you stay on the train you can see the whole show and take photos of the waterfall over everyone else’s head.
At Myrdal station
Myrdal station is a pretty lonely place. There’s no road access, and besides the station there’s only a handful of houses. At the station there’s a small souvenir shop, a cafe and an enclosed waiting room so you can stay warm. Myrdal is high up in the mountains and even in the middle of June there were patches of snow on the hills around the station. If you want to return to Flåm under your own steam, there’s a cycle hire shop in the station building.
If you have time, make sure you see the Flåm Railway train set off back down the mountain – the gradient as it leaves the station is just amazing.
Myrdal to Oslo (by train)
The final leg of the trip from Bergen to Oslo on our Norway in a Nutshell trip was by far the longest, at nearly five hours. Thanks to our upgraded seats in the NSB Komfort (now rebranded as Vy Plus) carriage, our phones were kept powered-up and we had all the coffee we could drink.
Try to sit on the right-hand side of the train from Myrdal to Oslo
Both sides of the train between Myrdal and Oslo have gorgeous scenery, but soon after leaving Myrdal the train climbs further into the mountains and skirts around a stunning ice-covered lake. The landscape is dotted with cabins, and for the best view you’ll want to be sat on the right-hand side of the train.
Don’t worry about missing the approach into Oslo
The final couple of hours before the train arrives in Oslo sees you travel through heavily wooded valleys. It’s very pretty, but after a day of amazing scenery on Norway in a Nutshell you’re bound to be a bit weary. Relax and enjoy a book or use the excellent free train wifi – it’s been a long journey.
Where to stay for Norway in a Nutshell
I found it really useful to stay overnight near the station in Bergen and again in Oslo.
Bergen
In Bergen we stayed at the Zander K hotel which is just across the street from the train station. We found it very comfortable with a great breakfast – exactly what you want to set you up for a very full and active day!
Other hotels near the train station in Bergen include the Grand Hotel Terminus and the Scandic Ørnen. The City Hostel Bergen is only a short walk away and has dorm beds, private rooms and family rooms.
Oslo
In Oslo we stayed at the Scandic Byporten which again is right next to the train station (Oslo S). It wasn’t the cheapest option but by the time we arrived in Oslo I was relieved to roll off the train and practically straight into bed.
Other hotels near the train station in Oslo include Clarion Hotel The Hub, Comfort Hotel Grand Central and Scandic Oslo City.
Is Norway in a Nutshell worth it?
I loved my Norway in a Nutshell trip from Bergen to Oslo and would recommend it to absolutely everyone. The itinerary sounded complicated at first, and I worried about making each connection, but it was so easy.
The scenery was amazing, and although every section was busy (apart from the train from Myrdal to Oslo), it didn’t detract too much from the experience. My two favourite parts were the cruise through the Nærøyfjord and crossing the snowy Hardangervidda plateau – so beautiful!
I hope you’ve found these Norway in a Nutshell tips useful. If you decide to do Norway in a Nutshell, either from Bergen to Bergen, Bergen to Oslo or Oslo to Bergen, do come back and let me know what you thought – I’d love to hear about your trip!
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Extreme useful info. Thank you so much
You’re very welcome, thank you!
Thanks for your great report! As I plan to carry my luggage, I was curious about your comment “on the boat, the people with luggage had to stay inside with their suitcases while everyone else could roam around the ship to get the best views.” Why couldn’t they go outside? Is it not permitted if you have luggage?
Hi Ian, it was more that the people with the suitcases didn’t want to leave their luggage unattended. As long as you don’t have loads of bags you should be ok. I’d definitely try to travel light though, as dragging suitcases around Flåm and on and off all the different modes of transport could be a real pain.
Amazing detailed advice and tips. Very helpful. Thank you so much for your effort!
Thank you, I’m so pleased you found it useful!
Hi Helen,
Thank you for providing the tips and other details for NiN. We are planning to do this trip in July. Our route will be from Oslo-Bergen. We would like to give more time for this area rather than doing it in 1 day so we can plan some hikes, exploring the area in or around Flam. What is your recommendation for adding 1-2 nights stop?
Thanks,
Smile
Hi Smile, if you’re setting off from Oslo in the morning then I’d be tempted to stay in Voss, where there are lots of outdoor activities, do the section of NiN via Gudvangen to Flam, stay a night in Flam then make your way from Flam to Myrdal on the Flam Railway then the train to Bergen. Hope you have a brilliant trip!
Amazing page. The wealth of info that I have found on Norway in a nutshell is like no other. I have been reading for a long time about the tour; I wish I had found this page sooner. Thanks a million!
Pia
Thank you Pia, I love it when people find my posts useful 🙂
Thanks, Helen for your wonderful tips and advices. I am planning to follow your route in next month. For Myrdal Station, do you think if 10 minutes is sufficient for me to transfer from Track 11 (arriving Myrdal from Flam) to Track 1 (depart from Myrdal to Oslo)? Thanks. 🙂
Hi Cecilia, absolutely! Myrdal station only has two platforms so all you have to do is cross the platform. 10 minutes should be plenty 🙂
Thanks so much for all this great advice Helen. We used your tips when we took our trip from Bergen to Oslo in July 2019. A few updates for you:
The Norwegian rail service is now called Vy. Here is the new website: https://www.vy.no/en.
You can reserve seats and buy tickets on all trains on the Norway in a Nutshell route through this website (although no seat reservations on the train from Flam). If you have reserved your seat, you don’t have to get to the Bergen station early. The premium boat is a zero emission ship and is a great way to see the fjords.
Thanks Julie, I hope some of my tips were useful and that you had a good time! Thanks so much for the information about Vy and especially the seat reservations, that’s such good news! I’ll update the post with your tips 🙂
Hi Helen,
Thank you for this great article on the Norway in a Nutshell tour! Hope it is OK that we share it on Visit Flam’s FB page.
Thanks Anne! Yes I’d love you to share it 🙂
I am planning a trip to Norway for the beginning of June. I want to add some stops in this tour but I’m not sure where. If you could do this trip again and add an overnight stop, where would it be?
Hi! I think I’d stay an extra night in Bergen to see a bit more of the city and maybe do one of the half day tours, and I’d stay overnight in Flåm. We had a couple of hours there in between our boat trip on the fjords and our train ride on the Flåmsbana to Myrdal, but it wasn’t enough time to do any of the lovely walks around Flåm. An overnight stop there would have been really nice. Hope you have a lovely trip to Norway!
We did a variant of NiN called “Sognefjord in a Nutshell” and added some extra days to get more out of it. First day we flew to Oslo and stayed in an Air BnB in a cheap part of town, and spent a day exploring Oslo on foot. On day 2 we took the train from Oslo to Myrdal then transferred to the Flam railway, but we broke our journey at the Vatnahalsen Høyfjellshotell for 2 nights, and I highly recommend this if you can do it. There is no road access to this hotel; you can only reach it by train, mountain bike or on foot. It’s a lovely, friendly little hotel and my kids have often fondly recalled it. We had some great walks in the area, round a lake near the hotel, and down the mountain to visit a goat farm. We met many cyclists who stay there on a route through the mountains; it seems there are some package tours where you can hire a bike and get a train ride to the top of the mountain, then ride downhill to various destinations, staying at some hotels along the way. We also fitted in a kayaking trip and a speedboat ride in Flåm , which I booked independently because the NiN package deals couldn’t accommodate our itinerary. These were booked through http://www.njord.as and they really did go above and beyond in looking after us – their kayaking tour ended after the last train back up the mountain, so they drove us as far as the road extended (about 20Km!) and we walked the last mile or so up the mountain back to the hotel.
After our stay in the mountain hotel, we got the train down to Flåm again and caught our boat for the final leg of the Sognefjord In A Nutshell tour. This took us through beautiful scenery all the way to Bergen. The boat ride was unforgettable, passing between tiny islands on a beautiful, clear, sunny day. We stayed the final night in a cheap and grotty Air BnB in Bergen, then returned the next day direct from Bergen airport.
Hi Angela, that sounds amazing! I would have loved to have spent more time in the Flåm area. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you for this excellent recap of your trip to Norway. My husband and I are planning to visit next year. Due to my work schedule, I can’t take vacation in the summer months. Do you think early May will be too cold to enjoy the trip? Also, if we are considering a round-trip from Oslo, what is the ideal number of days (including overnight stops along the way) to allow? Any other side trips you recommend?
I don’t think May would be too cold, it might be a bit chilly if you’re unlucky with the weather but I’ve read it’s best to be prepared for any kind of weather in Norway! If you’re doing a round-trip from Oslo, you might want to get the train straight to Bergen, spend 1-3 days in Bergen then do Norway in a Nutshell on the day you go back to Oslo. We only had one day in Bergen so we explored the town a little and went up Mt Fløyen on the funicular, but we didn’t have time to go to the museums. If we’d had an extra day it would have been nice to do a different fjord tour where you can drink from a waterfall. Hope you have an amazing trip!
Norway is so high on my bucket list and this post has made me even more excited 😍 I’ll definitely refer to it when I finally book my trip XX
Thanks! Norway is so beautiful that you forgive it how expensive it is!
I thought Norway in a Nutshell was a clever blog name that you came up with. haha! Seriously though, this looks AMAZING, and I would love to do a tour like this maybe next summer.
Haha no I’m not that clever 🙂 It’s an amazing trip and so beautiful.
This tour looks so amazing! I would love to visit Norway one day! Thanks for the super detailed post! So helpful
Thanks! I hope you get your trip to Norway one day 🙂
I cruised Norway so didn’t get this exact itinerary but got to do Bergen, Flam railway, and many Fjords. Love Norway. Wish it weren’t so expensive.
I would have loved to have spent more time in Norway but funds just wouldn’t allow. Did you do the Hurtigruten? That’s a dream of mine.
This looks like a dream trip! I’m a big fan of Jo Nesbo books (that mostly take place in Norway) and it’s fun to recognize the town names 🙂
What was the tour group size? Does it get quite crowded?
Haha I love to read a book set in the place we’re going! It’s a bit difficult to count since people are doing different itineraries so you’re never a group in the traditional sense. The only really crowded bit was the Flåm Railway which is why it’s so important to get there early. We were there just before high season as well so perhaps not quite as busy as it gets in July/August. It does sell out though so anyone wanting to do a DIY version needs to book well in advance to be sure of getting tickets for the boat and the Flåm Railway sections.
The design of that “premium” boat is fantastic – if only ever sightseeing boat could be designed with so much attention to viewpoints and photography perspectives! It must be an absolutely breathtaking journey!
I was a bit worried about having to get the premium boat since it looked like it would be difficult to get outside. We shouldn’t have been concerned though. The design is so clever and the boat is so quiet and smooth, it’s amazing.