From Bergen to Oslo up to the magnificent Lofoten Islands in the north. Ideal for a three-week journey. Experience majestic fjords, impressive mountain passes and scenic routes. Encounter trolls, stay in great summer houses and relax on splendid beaches. In this blog, you find a great travel route for a trip from south to north Norway.
In general
Norway is a huge country with splendid national parks, magnificent fjords, impressive mountain passes, great beaches and pleasant cities.
Driving distances are long and take a lot of time. The average speed limit is around 60 kilometers/hour. You often cross mountain passes with superb views so there is a lot to see.
So in essence, you have to choose what you want to do.
We started our itinerary in Bergen and traveled from there to Oslo. In Oslo, we took a flight up north to the Lofoten Islands in the north.
We drove from Bergen to Oslo in our own car, parked the car for a week at Oslo airport and rented a car at the Lofoten Islands.
You can easily flip the itinerary around and travel from Oslo to Bergen. You then take a flight to the Lofoten in Bergen.
You can even start first with traveling to the Lofoten Islands and then do the Oslo-Bergen itinerary.
For the Bergen – Oslo itinerary you need at least 12 days. For the Lofoten Islands, 5 days is a minimum.
For our detailed guide on transportation in Norway, read our blogpost ‘Explore splendid Norway: the ultimate transportation guide’.
Bergen – Oslo
A must see on a visit to Norway: Norway’s small and cosy capital: Bergen. So that’s where we start.
The route then goes to the fjorden area, where we stay in a small village, Skjolden.
From Skjolden, we travel to the queen of Norway’s fjords, the Geiranger Fjord. This ford is located a few hundred kilometers to the North. We stay in Stranda, a major getaway to explore the North.
In Stranda we head further north, to explore the art-nouveau town of Alesund and some small islands.
Next stop is the magnificent Rondane National Park, which we reach by Trollstigen towards Andalsnes.
Trollstigen, also known as the Troll Ladder, is an impressive 6-kilometre mountain pass. It features eleven hairpin turns on a steep 9% incline. This route ascends the steep mountain sides in Romsdalen valley.
From Rondane we drive to Oslo, from where we take a flight to the Lofoten.
Oslo – Evenes – Kabelvag
Entrance to the superb Lofoten Island is Evenes, a small local airport. From there, we drove around 2 hours to Kabelvag, a small town in the center of the Lofoten.
We stayed 5 days in Kabelvag. We took day trips to other towns in Lofoten. We drove up to Nusfjord and the southern tip Å, where the road literally ends.
And of course, visit world class beaches, such as the magnificent Ramberg and Unstad beach.
Norwegian Scenic Routes
Norway selected 18 Scenic Routes. These are roads that run through landscapes with unique natural qualities, along coasts and fjords, mountains and waterfalls.
The routes are intended as alternatives to the main roads. The drive usually takes a lot more time than the usual ‘direct’ road, but the views are splendid.
When mapping your itinerary, it’s important to map these routes upfront. They often connect one beautiful destination with another.
We explored 4 scenic routes with superb viewpoints, more than worth the detour.
Scenic route Aurlandsfjelle. The snow road between the fjords. From fjord to fjord across a barren mountain noticeably marked by the snow, and with the view of Aurdalsfjorden as the grand finale. One of the most characteristic features of this route is the desolate and apparently completely untouched landscape it runs through. The contrast between the fjord and the year round snow covered high mountains is splendid.
Scenic route Sognefjellet. A magnificent route ‘above the roof of Norway. The Scenic Route travels from the cultural landscape in Lom across the highest mountain pass in Norway to the innermost part of Sognefjorden, along the gateway to Jotunheimen. Towards Gaupne, the road runs down along the beautiful Sognefjorden whose clear waters change colour from green to blue in tune with the light and the weather
Scenic route Geiranger – Trollstigen. Bendy roads along precipitous mountains rich in tradition with the dramatic scenery that is distinctive to Western Norway. With lush valleys, sheltered strawberry farms and precipitous mountains.
Scenic route Lofoten. A drive through a well-established destination with breathtaking scenery and a vibrant coastal culture. Along the wall of jagged peaks rising from the expanse of ocean. The combination of the ocean, jagged mountain peaks, tiny sheltered fishing villages, and white beaches with crystal clear waters will never cease to enchant .
Itinerary
Our recommendations for a great itinerary
So in essence, you have to choose what you want to do.
- Map your itinerary carefully. Norway is a huge country. Driving distances are long and usually takes a lot of time. The average speed limit around 60 kilometers/hour, you often cross mountain passes and drive Scenic Routes with superb views. So there is a lot to see at the viewpoints or along the way.
- The first decision to make is what you really want to do in the time you have. Do you want to cover a lot of distances? Would you rather stay in one place and explore from there? Do you want to visit cities? Or combine nature and some culture?
- Even if you only cover a part of Norway, you won’t be able to see everything. So, there too, make a choice.
- Map the Scenic Routes in your itinerary. Sometimes they require a detour.
- Driving from south to north, up to the Lofoten, takes several weeks. For a holiday of 3 weeks, we recommend to spend 2 weeks driving around in the southern part. Afterwards, take a flight to Evenes and explore the Lofoten from there.
- Decide whether you want to take your own car or rent one. Taking your car is the most convenient, in particular if you are with a big family. Rental vans are extremely expensive and hardly available in the Lofoten. Further, if you are renting, drop-off charges are high, so better choose for a loop (Oslo-Oslo, Bergen-Bergen)
- Rent a car upfront. There are various websites offering special deals.
- Book the car ferry to Norway at least 6 months upfront if you travel in the high season. Often, various packages are offered. We were very satisfied of both Fjord Line and Colour Line.
- You don’t have to book local ferries upfront. We visited in July and never had to queue for a long time. Even on the Geiranger car ferry, there was plenty of space.
- Several companies offer reduction on car ferries and toll with special cards. I forgot to order and in the end, it really didn’t make a huge difference. Not all highways charge a toll – the Scenic Routes are free! – and if they do, it’s very reasonable, also for the ferry crossings. So in my opinion, not worth the hassle if you only travel for a couple of weeks.
- We left our car at the car park of Oslo airport for 6 days. You can book a parking place upfront in a secure parking.
- On the ferry to and from Norway, you can buy Norwegian products tax-free. The prices and quality are good.
- it’s an easy country to travel. As soon as you rent a car, you can drive along at your own pace
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