Description

DAY 1 ARRIVE OSLO
On arrival, you are transferred to the hotel for overnight.
The rest of the day is free at leisure.

ACCOMMODATION: Scandic Oslo Airport – 1 NIGHT

DAY 2: OSLO – STAVANGER
Today, you will take a short flight to Stavanger, a town and a region in South Western Norway – well known for it’s oil industry. However, it is also lovely to visit as a tourist due to it’s high degree of 18th and 19th century wooden houses at it’s centre, creating an intimate and welcoming village feel. Of course, with this comes lovely old cathedrals, museums, markets and cobblestone streets.

Settle into your hotel and then head out to enjoy the atmosphere of this lovely town. Please request a lunch pack for your early start next morning.

ACCOMMODATION: Scandic Stavanger Park 2 NIGHTS

DAY 3: FULL DAY KJERAG BOULDER HIKE

Before breakfast, head out early for this summer hike to the famous Kjerag boulder and experience Norway’s wilderness at its peak. Wake up your senses in the summer’s bright sunlight while enjoying a cruise through the spectacular Lysefjord. Hikers that make their way up to Kjerag are awarded with an abundance of breath-taking views of the Lysefjord…but for many, the trip’s highlight is simply standing atop Kjerag’s famous boulder.

Your journey begins early-morning when your professional nature guide picks you up at your hotel. While being transported to the edge of the fjord, which takes about 1 hour, you’ll be able to catch glimpses of some of Norway’s stunning landscapes. Upon arrival at the shore of the Høgsfjord, you’ll board a speed-ferry.

Once ashore, you’ll be driven through 26 hairpin turns along the (one and only!) road from the village of Lysebotn up to the Sirdal mountains and then onward to the Eagle’s Nest trail-head (one can speculate it got its name because it sits a lofty 640 meters above sea level). Before the crowds of tourists have begun to arrive, you’ll be well on your way up to the Kjerag boulder.

The hike to Kjerag is relatively demanding: you’ll trek 11 kilometers (round-trip) with an ascent of 800 meters in 5.5 hours. During the approximately 2.5-hour hike to the boulder, you’ll encounter 3 periods of steep climbing interspersed with 2 shallow valleys. Once you reach the edge of the mountain’s plateau, while standing on a 1000-meter-high cliff, you will be rewarded with panoramic views of the 42-kilometer-long Lysefjord.

Cliff-side, you’ll have plenty of time to rest and enjoy your packed lunch. If you’re among the brave, you’ll have the opportunity to stand atop the Kjerag boulder.

After the lunch break, your guide will lead you back down to the Eagle’s Nest, which takes approximately 2 hours.

The tour ends in Stavanger at approximately 17:00 (5:00pm).

Included in this tour:
Pick-up and transportation to/from the trailhead
One-hour fjord cruise through the Lysefjord
Professional guide with navigation, safety, and emergency equipment
Personal-use of hiking poles
Hot beverages and a snack during the hike
Suitable for adults (16 yrs. +) who are in very good condition, and have previous hiking experience.

DAY 4: PULPIT ROCK HIKE, CANOEING AND THEN TRANSFER TO ODDA
Avoid the crowds by joining an ‘off the beaten track’ hike and enjoy a unique Preikestolen experience. Hike in near-solitude while encountering out of this world views of Preikestolen and the Lysefjord – which only few have seen.

This tour is organized in cooperation with the Norwegian Trekking Association and Preikestolen Mountain Lodge.

You’ll embark on your trip by canoeing across Refsvatn Lake. During 70% of the hike, you’ll follow off-the-map trails which are overgrown and have (almost) been forgotten. These trails are rarely used and the cairns that lead the way through dense forests are difficult to find. Once above the tree-line, the trail completely disappears: the remaining 30% of the hike is thus comprised of off-trail hiking & scrambling.

During this portion of the hike, you’ll experience out-of-this-world and rarely-seen views of Preikestolen and the Lysefjord. After about 3,5 hours on foot, you’ll reach a viewpoint of Preikestolen that the majority of others only get to see in tourist brochures.

You will then hike down to Preikestolen and enjoy a well-deserved break atop the impressive plateau that towers 604 meters above sea level. There, you’ll get to view the 1000 meter-high mountain walls surrounding the 42 kilometer-long Lysefjord from a new perspective.

At that point, as you begin the long descent back to civilization, you’ll start by joining the masses of people who are following the main trail away from Preikestolen. After about 20 minutes, you’ll escape the crowds by detouring back onto one of the off-the-map trails. You’ll be able to enjoy the remainder of the hike in near-solitude while you take in the beauty of the Norwegian wilderness from ever-changing perspectives. The hike back to Preikestolen Mountain Lodge will take approximately 2 hours.

Then you will transfer by express bus to Odda, in preparation for your next hike to Trolltunga.

Included in this tour:
Transportation to/from the start of the trail (including ferry crossings)
Professional guide with navigation, safety, and emergency equipment
Personal-use of hiking poles
30 minute-long canoe trip including necessary equipment
Hot beverages and a snack during the hike

ACCOMMODATION: Trolltunga Hotel – 2 NIGHTS

DAY 4: HIKE THE TROLLTUNGA, ONE OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR SCENIC CLIFFS IN NORWAY
Today you will hike to Trolltunga – one of Norway’s most spectacular sight. After breakfast, transfer to the start of the hike in Skjeggedal, and with your guide, follow the path by foot to Topp with the stunning views of the Folgefonna National Park. The trip continues on foot towards Tyssebotn. Here you’ll find giant marmites, deep holes in the mountain, made by sand and stone rotating in the now dry Tyssestrengene waterfall. This was the world’s fifth tallest waterfall, before the power station was built.

The hike ends at Trolltunga. A memorable nature attraction, with a stunning view of the Ringedal lake and the Folgefonna glacier. Plus, it should add some butterflies to your tummy.

Hike is recommended if you are in normal good shape and over 15 years of age. Please bring hiking clothes/shoes according to the forecasted weather, food for 10 hours, a 30-40 l backpack, and some extra warm/change of cloths in your backpack.

Duration: 8-12 hours

DAY 6 : TRAVEL TO BERGEN BY BUS/BOAT
Local bus from Odda to Rosendal, a lovely village, famous for its little castle, Norway’s only Barony, surrounded by a beautiful renaissance garden and famous for its many cultural events.

Catch an express boat to Bergen and check into your centrally located hotel.

,em>ACCOMMODATION: Scandic Bergen City Hotel – 2 NIGHTS

DAY 7: EXPLORE BERGEN
Enjoy the back streets, restaurants and harbour of Bergen if you have had enough activity over the last few days.

Alternatively, why not spend your last day in Norway hiking – the Fløibanen Funicular takes you directly to the summit of Mount Fløyen, which is an excellent vantage point for vistas of Bergen and its harbour and outlying archipelago.

DAY 8: BERGEN DEPARTURE
After check out, proceed to the Cruise Terminal in Bergen or transfer to the airport for onward flight.