Walking the Fjords

Around 4pm in the hotel lobby, say hallo to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. We then head out for an orientation tour of Norway’s second city. Want more time in Bergen? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative. Stay: Thon Orion Hotel (or similar)

After breakfast, we load up the minibus and begin our journey into the fjords. After 2hr 30min on the road, we reach the village of Gudvangen, where we hop on a ferry for a two-hour cruise through the wild sheer cliffs of Nærøyfjord. Arriving in the village of Flåm, we jump back in the minibus and continue to Nes Gard, our hideaway in the fjords for the next three nights. Stay: Classic accommodation: Nes Gard (or similar) (B/L/D).

After a short transfer, we have a picturesque walk to the top of Molden (3,360ft/1,116m), where we can marvel at the profound chasm that is Sognefjord. Molden is often called the finest viewpoint in Sogn, with an amazing fjord view. With 1,970ft (600m) of elevation gain over 2. 6mi (4. 2km), the path is neither too steep nor strenuous. Halfway, we stop at the mountain farm of Svarthiller, where we get the first scenic views of the fjord. After, we visit Urnes Stave Church, the oldest stave church in Norway and a World Heritage site. Stay: Classic accommodation: Nes Gard (or similar) (B/L/D).

After breakfast, we have an approximately 40-minute transfer to Jostedal National Park, the home of Jostedal glacier, a mammoth ice cap covering vast swathes of the park itself. It has nearly 30 glacial arms and today we visit two, starting with a walk to the Nigards Glacier where we get really close to the glacier. If you'd like to get even closer, you can join an optional guided walk on the glacier, using crampons and an ice axe to help you navigate. After, we drive to the Bergset Glacier, a mighty ice wall covering the upper part of Krundalen valley. Here, we have a short walk towards this glacier fall before we head back to Nes Gard. Stay: Classic accommodation: Nes Gard (or similar) (B/L/D).

Hike into Mørkrisdalen today, one of the most scenic valleys in Norway. The walk starts in a narrow canyon dominated by a waterfall. As we continue, the canyon opens into a wide valley of moorland with wildflowers and traditional Norwegian summer cottages.

Afterwards, we say goodbye to Nes Gard and transfer (approximately 1hr 30min) to our second guesthouse in the fjords, the Fjærland Fjordstove in Fjærland, which has a waterfront location and views of a glacier. Stay: Classic accommodation: Fjærland Fjordstove (or similar) (B/L/D).

After a short morning transfer (approximately 20 minutes), we begin our walk by following a mostly flat gravel road, which offers panoramic views of the Barnakona peak. We arrive in Anestølen, a summer farm for goats, and enjoy our lunch while our tour leader tells us stories about how farming life has evolved here over the years.

The second part of the walk after Anestølen is a bit steeper and rocky in some sections. We return along the same path and continue our walk until we meet our transfer vehicle to take us back to the guesthouse. Stay: Classic accommodation: Fjærland Fjordstove (or similar) (B/L/D).

We start the day with a short transfer to the start point of today's hike. The route (which takes three to four hours) is one of the most popular in the area and when we reach the top of Besshovden viewpoint, we see why. From the summit, we enjoy majestic views of the Fjærlandsfjorden fjord and the Jostedalsbreen glacier. During summer, you may even see people securing hammocks here to spend the night under the stars.

After, we have a short transfer to the Norwegian Glacier Museum, an angular slice of modern architecture backdropped by the ancient mountain peaks. Here, we can spend 1hr 30min enjoying a fascinating insight into the local landscape, the glaciers and how the climate crisis is impacting them. Please note: the order of this day may be reversed, depending on the weather. Stay: Classic accommodation: Fjærland Fjordstove (or similar) (B/L/D).

After breakfast, we have a transfer (approximately two hours) to Flåm, where we ride the Flåm railway, one of the most beautiful and steep train journeys in the world. When we are back in Flåm, we continue to Bergen. We arrive around 4pm and then have time to explore the city. Stay: Classic accommodation: Thon Orion Hotel (or similar) (B/L).

The adventure ends in Bergen after breakfast. You can begin your return journey home, but if you'd like a bit more time to explore the city, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay (B).