Visit Norway
Quiet roads that pass through endless green forests, along the deep blue fjords, over snow-covered mountain passes, through deep gorges and past thundering waterfalls – it’s no surprise that Norway is one of the world’s most popular holiday destinations.
Whether it’s in one of the large and varied parks, where the only traffic jam might be a herd of reindeer crossing the road, or along the rocky coastline, where you can go to sleep at night to the sounds of the sea, we never tire of all the wonderful experiences that await us on the other side of Skagerrak.
Here are our best tips on how to get acquainted with Norway’s fantastic nature
Three beautiful national parks
Endless expanses, rich animal and plant life, ancient monuments – and countless fantastic experiences in nature.This is what awaits you in Norway’s national parks. Here we present three selected destinations that can be easily reached from Bergen.
Foto: Gettyimages
Did you know that Norway has a total of 47 national parks?
Hardangervidda National Park
In Norway’s largest national park, with an incredible 3442 km2 to enjoy and with your imagination as the only limit to what you can experience! The area offers kilometre after kilometre of signposted hiking and cycling routes, excellent climbing opportunities, rich fishing lakes and rivers and hundreds of stone age settlements – and it’s also home to some of the world’s largest herds of wild reindeer and various Arctic plant and animal species.
Jotunheimen National Park
Jotunheimen’s name, ‘Home of the Giants’, makes perfect sense when you see the rugged landscape of more than 200 mountain peaks higher than 2000 metres above sea level! The region is one of Norway’s most popular hiking areas, which, in addition to the impressive mountains,is also home to a cornucopia of glaciers, rivers, waterfalls, mountain lakes and valleys. Apart from hiking opportunities, the area also offers canoeing and horse riding.
Jostedalsbreen National Park
Almost half of Jostedalsbreen National Park is covered by the Jostedalsbreen glacier, Europe’s largest mainland glacier. When you go on a hiking tour here, you get the feeling of going from one season to another. The area offers such varied landscapes as green valleys with a wealth of lush vegetation to bare, rugged mountains and an ice-cold glacier landscape. The adventurous can go on a glacier hike, where the tour goes over the impressive ice-covered landscape.
Three fantastic walking tours
Some people prefer to just lie on the beach, soak up the sun and let life take its quiet course while on holiday. Others dedicate several weeks to going from cabin to cabin in some of Norway’s most beautiful national parks. Why not hike up to the top of Gaustatoppen – or perhaps Preikestolen? Here you’ll find inspiration for some of Norway’s best mountain hiking trips.
Foto: VisitNorway/Sverre Hjørnevik
Did you know that the Norwegian Tourist Board has over 550 cabins and that you can walk from cabin to cabin?
Besseggen, Jotunheimen National Park
This is perhaps the most popular of all mountain hikes among Norwegians and was also featured in the National Geographic magazine in 2014 as one of the world’s best hiking tours, with its steep paths and invigorating surroundings with views over Jotunheimen National Park. If you look down you’ll see a blue lake on one side and a green one on the other. The hike to and along Besseggen takes around seven to eight hours.
Preikestolen, Lysefjord
Preikestolen is a mountain shaped like a large pulpit that towers over Lysefjorden. There is a well-marked trail from Preikestolen Mountain Lodge to the 604 metre-high mountain plateau. Allow four to five hours to get to the top of Preikestolen and back again, and another hour or two to enjoy the plateau itself.
Aurlandsdalen, Norwegian Fjords
The mountains meet the fjords in Aurlandsdalen. The terrain varies from rocky peaks to lush valleys. You’ll pass majestic waterfalls and abandoned mountain farms. The hike starts at Geiteryggshytta Mountain Lodge (or Østerbø Mountain Lodge for a shorter walk) and ends in Vassbygdi.
Three beautiful fjords
From Olso fjord in the east to Varangerfjord in the north-east, there are over 1000 fjords in Norway: some are long, some are short, others are deep and still others are so breath-taking they’ve become UNESCO World Heritage Sites. But the most famous fjords – the ones you usually find on postcards – are found in Western Norway.
Foto: Ladiras / Getty Images.
Did you know that Norway’s longest fjord, Sognefjorden, stretches more than 200 km inland?
Geirangerfjorden
Like Nærøyfjorden, Geirangerfjorden is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a true cornucopia of spectacular nature experiences. The route along the fjord winds from one hairpin turn to another, offering several awe-inspiring lookout points. Step out onto Geiranger Skywalk, Europe’s highest landscaped fjord viewpoint 1500 metres above sea level, or make a stop at Flydalsjuvet, where you watch the fjord’s many cruise ships go by.
Hardangerfjorden
Hardangerfjorden is the fourth-longest fjord in the world and the second longest in Norway. This beautiful fjord meanders through a wild and impressive landscape and the area is home to a number of Norway’s national symbols, such as the Hardanger fiddle and Hardanger embroidery. The region is also known for its fertile agricultural areas, where apple orchards are found in abundance.
Lysefjorden
Lysefjorden near Stavanger is best known for its spectacular tourist destinations like Preikestolen and Kjerag, but the 40 km long fjord also offers countless other nature and cultural experiences. For example, you can take the route along the world’s longest wooden stairway (an impressive 4444 steps) in Flørli, visit the historical village of Landa Park or go on a guided kayak tour between the fjord’s steep cliff walls.