Draft 2 weeks Norway - too hectic?

Posted by jysel (Memphis) on 04/22/25 03:21 AM

Hi!

I am excited to go to Norway in August this year. Lofoten looks stunning. Hesten, Trolltunga, Geiranger, Pulpit Rock, Kjerag all looks great too. I am going to rent a car for the entire trip but fly Tromso - Bergen - Alesund.

How does Lofoten 5 nights, Hesten 1 night, Trolltunga 2 nights, Bergen 1 night, Geiranger 2 nights sound?
Shall I skip Stravinger area (pulpit rock, Kjerag)?
Shall I skip Geiranger since there are plenty other fijords in Lofoten?
Is Hesten worth visiting or shall I spend more time in Lofoten?
Are there any pros or cons of going to Lofoten first vs South first?

Will appreciate any feedback. Thank you!

Posted by Kenko

Citizen of the World

04/22/25 04:27 AM

2679 posts

The Lofoten Islands are spectacular. They also are a 23-hour drive from Bergen which makes your plan tough to pull off in 14 days.

If you want to spend 5 nights out of 14 in the Lofoten Islands, you probably do want to focus on northern Norway for your first trip.

Posted by Cyn

Colorado Mountains, USA

04/22/25 08:46 AM

8280 posts

We spent several weeks with an electric car in Norway in 2023, except for when we were in Bergen and Oslo. A couple of personal notes:

Regarding 2., we considered staying in/near Stavanger for a night or two, then moving and sleeping at the place at the Pulpit Rock trailhead, to get a jump on the crowds of hikers going there the next day. Ultimately, we decided to skip both Stavenger and Pulpit Rock, based on reports of a crowded trail, up and back, and a mob of people on the rock itself. As we didn’t do the hike, I can’t confirm whether the reports of overcrowding are valid, but we always hike for some open space, elbow room, and some degree of peacefulness, and so many reports are that Pulpit Rock is none of those now. Your results may vary.

As for 3., we did get to Gerainger, late one afternoon. It wasn’t swarming with people, although it reportedly can be overrun when a huge cruise boat unloads its passengers nearby. We continued driving (and car-ferrying) northwest, to Stranda, and stayed there. We did a great hike from there, and saw two other people the whole day, and wonderful views.

Posted by jysel OP

Memphis

04/22/25 09:48 AM

29 posts

Forgot to mention I am going to fly Tromso - Bergen - Alesund due to proximity. Now it is added on the post.

Thank you for valuable information. I am going to spend more time in north and will skip Stravanger (and potentially Alesund too). This will allow more time in north - Aside Reine is there another scenic place to stay and browse around the area?