Norway 10 Day Itinerary
This 10 Day Norway Itinerary provides an adventurous overview of things to do and explore while in Southern Norway. It also includes how to get there, when to visit, where to stay, and how to get around.
I went to Norway with one of my best friends in September 2016. We were so excited to explore the drastic fjords, small towns, and breathtaking scenery! Read below to see details about our trip and my tips for visiting.
Overview
How to Get to Norway:
When visiting southern Norway, there are a few different international airports to fly into. For the cheapest flight for our trip, we ended up flying into Oslo. However, Bergen was another airport we considered. Within this itinerary, there is a good amount of driving included (with about 36 hours of driving time, we were ready to explore!). If you are looking for a little bit less driving time, I recommend flying into Bergen or Stavanger. I flew Icelandair from DC with a 24-hour layover in Iceland. Check out my tips for what to do on a long layover in Iceland here.
When to Visit:
It really depends on what you’re going for. If you want the warmest weather, I recommend going between June and August. However, you will likely run into the highest amount of tourists during this time. If you go in the spring or fall, you’ll still get amazing weather and there are fewer tourists. If you are looking for a winter wonderland, going in the winter is your best bet.
Where to Stay:
There are a lot of great Airbnbs throughout Norway. There are also great camping spots (many free/no reservations) and hostels if you are on more of a budget and looking for a little adventure. Within this itinerary, there is a mix of all three as you travel from town to town.
How to Get Around:
Renting a car is a must in my opinion. However, there is a great train available that takes you throughout the country. For a more flexible trip, a car is definitely the way to go. Within the fjords, you’ll see that ferries are a common theme. Be ready for these and do your research ahead of time to see when they leave the dock.
Alesund
After picking up the rental car from the Oslo airport, we headed west towards Alesund. While there is plenty of history in Oslo, our goal was to head west to see the fjords. If you want to make it to the west coast on your first day, make sure you book a flight where you land early in Norway. Although this was about a 7-hour drive, the magic of being in Norway and taking in the views (especially the fjords) made the drive fly by! Once we got to Alesund, we explored this quaint little town by the water with beautiful surrounding mountains. For our 1 night in Alesund, we found the perfect place to rest our heads at this Airbnb for just $45/night: Private separated room with a view & free parking.
Geiranger Fjord
This is just over a 2-hour drive through the fjords. The views keep getting even more stunning as you drive. Along this road, there is one ferry you’ll have to catch to cross the water. This is a very common thing to have to do in Norway. You’ll simply wait in line in your car on the road until the ferry comes. Once unloaded from the previous load of cars, they will start loading cars onto the ferry. When you get up there, you simply pay with a credit card (if no one is taking payments, they will come around while you’re on the ship) and drive your car onto the ferry as guided to a specific parking spot. On most ferries you can get out and take in the views or grab a snack or drink while you ride to the next stop.
Bergen and Hiking Trolltunga
Stavanger and Hiking Keragbolten
I hope this 10 day Norway Itinerary helps plan your trip! Feel free to reach out on my Contact page if you have any questions!