Luxury fly-drive Norway touring holiday with 6 nights on the Norangsfjord with excursions possible by car and boat
This holiday starts with your arrival into Alesund via a connecting flight in Oslo. You then drive to the Norangsfjord where you will spend the next six nights. The Norangsfjord and its surrounding area are teeming with incredible natural phenomena, all of which are easily explored from your base here. Hiking is a popular activity due to the incredible views you are rewarded with en route, and the world-famous Geirangerfjord offers chances to go kayaking and partake in RIB boat safaris. A special attraction not to be missed is the Trollstigen mountain road, a series of hairpin bends surrounded by some of the country’s most spectacular scenery. The nearby city of Alesund provides some more cultural attractions, including fascinating art nouveau-style architecture and the Alesund Museum, which gives an insight into the history of this western port city. Finish your holiday by driving back to Alesund where you will drop your hire car off and fly back to the UK via Oslo.
Highlights
Norangsfjord • Geirangerfjord • Alesund • Trollstigen
Day by day
This holiday starts with your arrival into Alesund by plane, via a short stopover in Oslo. Collect your hire car and drive the two and a half hours’ journey to Norangdal. This route will introduce you immediately to the beauty of Norway’s fjords and islands as you use numerous bridges and two car ferries to get across to the mainland. The final stretch of your journey takes you alongside the incredible Hjørundfjord, giving you views of the water and the surrounding mountains. Arrive in Norangdal and check in to your hotel for the next six nights.
The area around the Norangsfjord is one of the most beautiful in Norway. The Sunnmøre Alps provide some excellent hiking opportunities, the finest of which is arguably the hike up to the Slogen summit. Patchellhytta cabin is a popular starting point for the ascent, or it is possible to start the hike from Øye, a round-trip of 5-6 hours. You will be rewarded with spectacular views of the fjord and the surrounding mountain range. For a hike with a unique aspect we recommend visiting the popular Storsæterfossen waterfall, where the trail passes behind the waterfall itself. The Geirangerfjord is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers an abundance of activities, from more hikes allowing you to take in the views from up high, to kayaking on the calm waters. For a truly breath-taking driving experience en route to the Geirangerfjord the Trollstigen is Norway’s most visited tourist road, consisting of eleven hairpin turns, each with its own name. This mountain pass was traditionally an important transport passage between mountain villages and has been a popular tourist attraction since the road opened in 1939. There is also a restored hiking path if you wish to experience Trollstigen by foot which crosses an impressive natural stone bridge. Slightly closer to home, the Norangsdalen (Queen’s route) is one of the narrowest valleys in Norway and home to Lyngstøylvatnet Lake where you can still see the remains of the old road and foundations of the farmhouses which were destroyed by a rockfall in 1908 beneath the surface of the water. It is possible to hire bikes from the hotel to explore this area and its lakes in more depth. Boat trips are also common on the Hjørundfjord, giving you a different perspective of the fjord and the surrounding Sunnmøre Alps. For a more cultural experience we recommend spending one of your days here visiting the nearby city of Alesund. A port town on Norway’s west coast, Alesund is known for its art nouveau architectural style following a fire in 1904, and you may want to spend some time here taking in the architecture in its downtown district. For a true appreciation of this, Fjellstua is a famous viewpoint over the city which gives the best outlook on the townhouses and the surrounding waters. Alesund Museum provides an insight into the history of the city, from the great fire to the German occupation. It also features many exhibitions on fisheries and boats, an important part of Alesund’s history and culture.
Today you retrace your journey back across the series of islands to Alesund airport. If you have time before your flight you may want to stop off along the way for a photo stop at one of the viewing points along these beautiful stretches of road. Return your hire car and board your flight back to the UK via a short stopover in Oslo.
It was an excellent holiday - due to excellent planning on your side. Super efficient, very professional.Mrs F, Holiday to Norway, Oct 2023
Holiday price guide From £2,620 per person low season, from £3,070 per person high season.
Holiday Code SCFD02
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury fly-drive Norway touring holiday with 6 nights on the Norangsfjord with excursions possible by car and boat
This holiday starts with your arrival into Alesund by plane, via a short stopover in Oslo. Collect your hire car and drive the two and a half hours’ journey to Norangdal. This route will introduce you immediately to the beauty of Norway’s fjords and islands as you use numerous bridges and two car ferries to get across to the mainland. The final stretch of your journey takes you alongside the incredible Hjørundfjord, giving you views of the water and the surrounding mountains. Arrive in Norangdal and check in to your hotel for the next six nights.
The area around the Norangsfjord is one of the most beautiful in Norway. The Sunnmøre Alps provide some excellent hiking opportunities, the finest of which is arguably the hike up to the Slogen summit. Patchellhytta cabin is a popular starting point for the ascent, or it is possible to start the hike from Øye, a round-trip of 5-6 hours. You will be rewarded with spectacular views of the fjord and the surrounding mountain range. For a hike with a unique aspect we recommend visiting the popular Storsæterfossen waterfall, where the trail passes behind the waterfall itself. The Geirangerfjord is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers an abundance of activities, from more hikes allowing you to take in the views from up high, to kayaking on the calm waters. For a truly breath-taking driving experience en route to the Geirangerfjord the Trollstigen is Norway’s most visited tourist road, consisting of eleven hairpin turns, each with its own name. This mountain pass was traditionally an important transport passage between mountain villages and has been a popular tourist attraction since the road opened in 1939. There is also a restored hiking path if you wish to experience Trollstigen by foot which crosses an impressive natural stone bridge. Slightly closer to home, the Norangsdalen (Queen’s route) is one of the narrowest valleys in Norway and home to Lyngstøylvatnet Lake where you can still see the remains of the old road and foundations of the farmhouses which were destroyed by a rockfall in 1908 beneath the surface of the water. It is possible to hire bikes from the hotel to explore this area and its lakes in more depth. Boat trips are also common on the Hjørundfjord, giving you a different perspective of the fjord and the surrounding Sunnmøre Alps. For a more cultural experience we recommend spending one of your days here visiting the nearby city of Alesund. A port town on Norway’s west coast, Alesund is known for its art nouveau architectural style following a fire in 1904, and you may want to spend some time here taking in the architecture in its downtown district. For a true appreciation of this, Fjellstua is a famous viewpoint over the city which gives the best outlook on the townhouses and the surrounding waters. Alesund Museum provides an insight into the history of the city, from the great fire to the German occupation. It also features many exhibitions on fisheries and boats, an important part of Alesund’s history and culture.
Today you retrace your journey back across the series of islands to Alesund airport. If you have time before your flight you may want to stop off along the way for a photo stop at one of the viewing points along these beautiful stretches of road. Return your hire car and board your flight back to the UK via a short stopover in Oslo.
It was an excellent holiday - due to excellent planning on your side. Super efficient, very professional.Mrs F, Holiday to Norway, Oct 2023
Holiday price guide From £2,620 per person low season, from £3,070 per person high season.
Holiday Code SCFD02
Our prices include
● Return flights with British Airways from London to Oslo
● Scheduled return flights from Oslo to Alesund
● Hire of a group B car for 6 days
● 6 nights’ half board in a Standard double room at Hotel Union Øye, Norangdal
● Concierge service and Expressions Holidays regional helpful hints
Our prices do not include
● Early check-in or late check-out at any hotels (although we can arrange this on request at additional cost)
● Any other services not mentioned above, such as transfers and meals except breakfast at hotels
● Personal holiday insurance. This is essential and cover should be in place from when you book the holiday.
● Possible local tourist tax, usually the equivalent of £1 to £3 per person per night, and payable locally to the hotel
● Transfers in any cities
Additional information This holiday can be arranged throughout the year. Timings can vary depending on the month and day of the week.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury fly-drive Norway touring holiday with 6 nights on the Norangsfjord with excursions possible by car and boat
It was an excellent holiday - due to excellent planning on your side. Super efficient, very professional.Mrs F, Holiday to Norway, Oct 2023
Holiday price guide From £2,620 per person low season, from £3,070 per person high season.
Holiday Code SCFD02
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury fly-drive Norway touring holiday with 6 nights on the Norangsfjord with excursions possible by car and boat
About Norway
Norway is a fascinating destination for a luxury, tailor-made holiday. The land and the culture of Norway lend themselves to a diverse and rich array of holiday experiences and a choice of mode of transport. At first glance, Norway offers magnificent, dramatic, severe and wild natural surroundings in its glaciers, Arctic snow and ice, majestic fjords, crashing waterfalls and mystical natural phenomena such as the Aurora Borealis and Fata Morgana. However, Norway also offers cultural ties, a shared history dating from the days of the Vikings, a cosiness in its orchards and pastures, brightly-painted wooden houses, folk tales and mythology, world-class art, literature and music in the works of Munch, Ibsen and Grieg, to name but three, and international philanthropy as exemplified by the Nobel prize. Many towns have superb museums, ancient wooden stave churches are well-preserved, the heritage of the Vikings is visible not just in major centres such as Oslo but all around, and seemingly small places are rich with music and drama festivals. Whilst the length of Norway with is 2518 km poses a challenge to the visitor, this also means that it makes sense to use a variety of transport modes to travel around; scenic trains, sleeper trains, boat rides, coastal cruises and car-hire can all be incorporated. The landscape lends itself well to hiking and cycling and there are many national parks that offer a variety of conditions depending on your ability. Norway’s cities are vibrant and manage to blend modernity with tradition. The iconic Oslo Opera House sits a short distance from the Akershus fortress, the Old Town Hall dating from 1641 is a stroll away from the Akrobaten pedestrian bridge, a near-futuristic construction of steel and glass.
Highlights of Norway
The numerous fjords: Eidfjord – branch of the Hardangerfjord, Geirangerfjord – precipitous, one of Norway’s signature images, Hardangerfjord – rolling hills and pretty villages, Jossingfjord – vertiginous fjord in the flatlands of the south, Lysefjord – plunging cliffs, cruises and look out points, Naeroyfjord – narrow and very pretty, Sognefjord – Norway’s longest and one of the most beautiful, Trollfjord – very steep fjord on Lofoten, Vestfjord – sheltered bays and pretty villages separating Lofoten from the mainland. The Hurtigruten ferry that covers over 2500 km from Bergen to Kirkenes with over 30 stops. The Midnight Sun and the Northern Lights. Stave churches, beautifully preserved in wood, dating from Viking times, for example at Borgund, Lom, Ringebu and Urnes. Viking ships and artefacts, burial mounds and trinkets in museums throughout the country. The red, wooden houses perched stilts over the sea on the Lofoten Islands. The modern architecture of Oslo. Picking wild blueberries, sampling aquavit made from potatoes and caraway, and tasting reindeer steak with cranberries. The charm of Oslofjorden with its pretty, arty village and towns, harbours with sailing boats, islands offshore and beaches. Hike over the Jotunheimen and relish the natural landscape of this stunning National Park.
Cultural highlights of Norway
The architecture of stave churches dating from the Viking era and Viking treasure in museums around the country. The literature of Henrik Ibsen and Knut Hamsun. Folk tales and mythology. The music of Edvard Grieg and the art of Edvard Munch. Contemporary jazz and folk music.
Gastronomy of Norway
Norway’s gastronomy is a clear reflection of its land and sea. From the land come reindeer, venison, lamb, cured meats and potatoes of all types: boiled, roasted and fried. From the freshwater lakes and streams come salmon served grilled and smoked, and freshwater fish. Sea fish is a vast array of cod, haddock, shrimps, mackerel, fish soup, fish balls, salt cod. From the orchards particularly around the Hardangerfjord come apples, cherries and plums as well as berries of all sorts including blueberries, cranberries, bilberries and, a great delicacy, cloudberries. Cheeses include Jarlsberg and brown cheese. Coffee is almost certainly the national drink, followed by beer, of which there are all sorts of craft beers brewed locally, and Aquavit is the national spirit made from potatoes and caraway.
Facts in brief
Capital OsloAirport Oslo Gardermoen
Size 323,878 sq km
Population 4.4 million
