Norway: Fjords and Glaciers

Velkommen til Bergen! Norway's second city is a place of colourful wooden warehouses, fish market chatter and the kind of cool, clean air that makes you breathe a little deeper. As the evening light settles over the harbour, you'll meet your Tour Leader and the small group of fellow travellers sharing the journey. Tonight's welcome dinner is the first of many memorable meals to come. Settle in, say your hellos and let the adventure begin.

This morning, lace up your walking shoes. Bergen rewards those who explore on foot! A local guide will take us through the UNESCO-listed Bryggen wharf, where the crooked timber facades of 14th-century merchants' houses lean together as if sharing secrets. Peek into passageways and let the city's Viking history wash over you, with the sounds and smells of the famous fish market drifting up from the harbour below.

Then it's time to leave the coast behind and head east into the heart of the fjord country. Our route winds through Eidfjord, where we'll stop at the Norwegian Nature Centre to discover the sweeping landscape that surrounds us. Stretching from the Hardangervidda plateau (Norway's largest national park) to the wild edges that tumble off into the valley below, it's a setting that puts the sheer scale of this country into perspective. Keep your eyes peeled for the gift shop's resident goats grazing on the roof!

We'll end the day in the peaceful village of Ulvik, nestled at the innermost tip of the Hardangerfjord, with the rest of the evening free to unwind and enjoy the stillness of the fjord.

Norway's relationship with the sea runs deep, and today you'll get a glimpse into a story at the heart of Norwegian life. Our first stop is the Hardanger Bridge, among the longest suspension bridges on earth at 1,380 metres across the fjord. Set against the surrounding mountains, the bridge is genuinely jaw-dropping.

Next, we'll head to Hardangerfjord Akvasenter in Steinstø, where a local guide will reveal the art and science of Norwegian salmon farming. Watch the fish glide through the deep blue water before sitting down to an included lunch of the freshest salmon you're ever likely to taste – straight from fjord to fork.

This afternoon brings a cider tasting at an orchard on the banks of the Hardangerfjord. This sheltered valley has a surprisingly mild microclimate, making it one of Norway's most productive fruit-growing regions. The Hardanger apple variety produces a cider that's perfectly balanced – sharp, sweet and utterly refreshing. Back in Ulvik, the rest of the afternoon is yours to enjoy the stille (the quiet).

Today brings the tour's great centrepiece: the legendary Flåm Railway. We'll travel by minicoach to Voss, then hop on a local train to Myrdal, before boarding one of the world's most scenic train journeys, a descent through steep valley walls, roaring waterfalls and wild mountain terrain. The engineering alone is remarkable – 20 tunnels hand-drilled into the rock, the whole line taking 20 years to build. Sit back, keep your camera close and let the drama unfold outside your window.

This afternoon, we'll continue north to Sogndal, pausing at the Borgund Stave Church along the way. Built around 1180 AD and preserved almost entirely in its original form, this extraordinary wooden structure with its dragon-head carvings and layered roof is among the finest examples of medieval Norse craftsmanship in existence. Here, a thousand years of history feels close enough to touch.

What was the world like 10,000 years ago, when glaciers covered much of Northern Europe and the landscape we know today was still being carved into shape? The award-winning Norwegian Glacier Museum in Fjærland answers that question better than anywhere else. Wander through its exhibits and you'll leave with a genuine sense of just how much ice has shaped the world around us.

Then it's time to see some of that ice for ourselves. We'll stop at both the Supphellebreen and Bøyabreen arms of the mighty Jostedalsbreen, mainland Europe's largest glacier. Standing close to the snout of an ancient river of ice, listening to it creak and groan as it slowly inches forward, is a humbling display to behold. The blue-white light that filters through the ice is like nothing else on earth.

We'll end the day at Stryn, where we'll enjoy one of the most memorable dinners of the tour. Tucked out in the fjords, our hotel kitchen here leans into whatever the season offers: expect beautifully fresh, simply prepared Norwegian ingredients, the kind of meal that deeply satisfies after a day spent among glaciers.

This is the day that photographs simply cannot do justice. This morning we'll board a local ferry and sail into Geirangerfjord – one of the most celebrated natural wonders on earth, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As the boat glides between cliffs that rise sheer from the water, the Seven Sisters waterfall comes into view. Seven separate cascades tumbling 250 metres down the rockface in a breathtaking curtain of white. Look across the fjord and you'll spot their counterpart, the Suitor – the legend goes that he's waiting for the Sisters to accept his marriage proposal for centuries. So far, no luck.

If the weather's on our side, we'll then ascend to Dalsnibba Summit, Europe's highest and most dramatic fjord viewpoint. With Geirangerfjord laid out far below you and nothing but open sky above, the Geiranger Skywalk Platform has a way of making everything else feel very small. Take your time here; this is one of those moments you'll be describing to people for years.

This evening back in Stryn is yours: explore the town, relax at the hotel or find a local spot for dinner.

Our final full day begins with a journey to Briksdal Glacier, an arm of the vast Jostedal Glacier (Jostedalsbreen). A Troll car, a charming little open-air vehicle, will carry us up through a valley of birch trees and rushing meltwater streams to the glacier's edge, where a wall of ancient blue ice rises before you. It's as close as most of us will ever get to a glacier, and near enough to feel its cold breath.

Afterwards, we'll stop at De Heibergske Samlinger, a folk museum that brings to life the rural traditions of the Sogn og Fjordane region. Farmhouses, boat sheds and historic artefacts tell the story of the people who have called these ancient valleys home for generations.

Tonight, we'll press south to the orchard-fringed shores of Leikanger and our farewell dinner at our hotel, a place as quirky as it is remote. Think a taxidermy bear keeping watch in the reception and the most spectacular setting imaginable: right on the edge of the Sognefjord, with the water and mountains filling every window. A fitting final night, and one you won't forget in a hurry.

After a final breakfast buffet served from a Viking ship (yes, really!), we'll catch the ferry back to Bergen, passing once more through the fjord scenery that has been the backdrop to the week that's passed. As the city comes into view, there's time for one last wander by the harbour, a final photograph of those colourful Bryggen facades and the warm glow that comes from knowing you've truly experienced a landscape unlike any other. Safe travels and thank you for sharing the back roads with us.