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Norway and Iceland in one trip: Suggestions

Posted by dsp61849 on 10/13/25 08:45 PM

My wife and I are looking at a possible trip to Norway and Iceland. Like all who use Rick's WEB site and books, we love to travel independently. We generally stay in Airbnbs/ VRBOs, small hotels. In the past we have driven, but as we get older trying to minimize driving, but are willing to. We are looking at August/September and we generally travel for 4-5 weeks, so we have lots of time. I am looking for suggestions from veterans of a combined trip, Norway and Iceland, is it reasonable and any suggestions for must see places, even those off the beaten path. We love to hike, take photos, and explore at a leisurely pace. Look forward to hearing from fellow travelers.
Thanks
Don in Tucson

Posted by Lane

Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico

10/13/25 09:53 PM

2181 posts

It's very reasonable and convenient. There are almost unlimited opportunities for hiking and nature photography in both countries. You get the RS guidebooks (or others) for all the suggestions for must-see places. Maybe start by checking https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/iceland and https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/norway.

Posted by dsp61849 OP

10/14/25 03:49 AM

14 posts

Thanks for your quick reply. I have used Ricks books for all trips, last one last summer to see the Netherlands. Ordered Scandinavia and Iceland today. The links you sent were very helpful.

Regards
Don

Posted by Trotter

10/14/25 04:38 AM

1876 posts

I did a similar trip 10 years ago. It’s very doable, I’m traveling now but when I return home I’ll dig out that itinerary and post it to this thread. I think it was about 2.5 weeks.

Posted by Frank II

Freedonia

10/14/25 05:06 AM

18008 posts

Both SAS and Icelandair offer nonstop flights between Keflavik Airport in Reykjavic, Iceland and Oslo Airport in Norway. Icelandair also flies nonstop to Bergen, Norway.

Posted by greg1262002

10/14/25 12:57 PM

299 posts

Definitely doable especially with Icelandair free stopovers. We've taken advantage of that a few times.

Posted by Mardee

Minnesota🌲

10/14/25 04:03 PM

10455 posts

Hi, Don, my daughter and I are planning a trip to Iceland and Norway (plus Stockholm) in July of next year, and I've been compiling information. I'll send you some links that you can go through that I have found helpful. There are a lot but take your time, and you should find some good information in there.

Okay, I'll stop there before I overwhelm you too much! 😂

Posted by mikliz97

Snohomish, WA

10/16/25 03:26 PM

3556 posts

We have only been to Norway twice, but have been to Iceland many times. The stopover with Icelandair is limited to 7 days, but I highly recommend at least 2 weeks there, especially since you have the time. If you can swing 3 weeks even better as that would allow you to see much more, of course.

As for Iceland itself, the ring road has a lot to offer, but the Westfjords are especially nice and since they are more remote, there are fewer people. Check out the hiking in Hornstrandir with Borea Adventures. We have done the Green Cliffs of Hornstrandir with them and it was excellent!!! You might also like a few days at Thorsmark, off the south coast. The Volcano Huts there are a great place to stay. There are day trips there to go hike, but we did it on our own. Again, off of route 1, in the north is the Trollasskagi Peninsula which has a lot to offer, as well as up around Husavik, etc. Westmann Islands is down off the south coast and is nice as well. There is a puffin lookout on the south end of the island that is a really good place to see them. The one thing to keep in mind with Westmann Island though is the first full weekend in August is the largest music festival in the country. The islands normal population is just 4k people, but the festival brings in an additional 22k people, so you may want to make sure if you go there that you look at your dates carefully. Snaefellsness is also off of route 1 but well worth at least two days. It is sort of a mini Iceland as there is a lot of diversity.

If this sounds interesting to you, I recommend posting on the Iceland page for more detailed answers.

The best source that I have found for information is Iceland With A View. She has a website as well as a You Tube channel and her information has always been spot on for us.

Also, the Lonely Planet Ring Road Trip book is excellent. These two sources far outweigh RS books/video's for Iceland, unfortunately.

Posted by geovagriffith

10/18/25 03:54 PM

9370 posts

We did a cruise that included ports in Norway, the UK, Ireland and Iceland.

Later, we did a six port cruise from Copenhagen up the coast of Norway to the North Cape. It was amazing. Going up the fjords on the ship was magic and then we did excursions from each port.

On another trip we did a tour of Iceland with a couple do days in Rejkivick (sp) and the Ring Road. It was with a company called Nordic Visitor and excellent. One great place to visit was the a place where warm water heated by volcanic activity in a large pool where we could warm ourselves (Blue Lagoon). Also, we went close to a volcano west of that lagoon.

Posted by Trotter

10/19/25 10:16 PM

1876 posts

Don, as promised here's our itinerary from 2015. It's rather bare bones. We did a lot on the fly. For example, we bought our Flamsbana tickets when we arrived in Flam. Same with taking the Naeroyfjord tour. Now you would probably need reservations weeks if not months in advance. Cars were delivered to our hotel. We'd leave them with the keys inside. Doubt you can do that now. Having said that, here goes:

June 3 6:45 AM: Arrive Reykjavik - Bus Transfer to Blue Lagoon
2:00 PM: Check in, Northern Light Inn; Grindavikurbaut , 1 Grindavik, 240, Iceland, +3544268650

June 4-5 10:00 AM: SS Car-Rental delivers car to Northern Light Inn, +3544212220
Explore south coast of Iceland, including the Seljelandsfoss waterfall, Skogafoss, Vik

June 5-8 Lights Apartments, Reykjavik, Laugavegur 94, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland, +3548963420
Explore Thingvellir Park/Golden Circle and Reykjavik; Lopapeysur wool sweaters; Saturday Morning Flea Market by Harbor; Thorvaldsen’s Bazaar; Hand-knitting Association of Iceland; Alafoss Outlet, 23 Mosfells baer, Snaefellsnes Peninsula

June 8 Flight to Bergen, Norway

June 8-10 Grand Terminus Hotel (chosen for its whisky bar), Zander Kaaes gate 6, 5015 Bergen, Norway, +47 55 21 25 00
Explore Bergen including Bryggen District, Hike Mount Floyen, Edvard Grieg House and concert, Fantoft Stave Church

June 10 Ferry to Balestrand

June 10-13, 2015 Kviknes Hotel, +47 57 69 42 00
Hiking package, Half Board with packed lunch

June 13, 2015, Pick-up car Balholm Car Rental at hotel, +47 41 24 82 53
Drive to Solvorn

June 13-16, 2015 Eplet Hostel, Solvorn.
Hike Nigardsbreen Glacier, ferry to Urnes Stave Church

June 16, 2015 – Ferry to Flam/Brekke Gard Hostel, 5742 Flam, Norway, +47 93 00 59 70. Fjord Safari, RIB boat tour of Naeroyfjord, Hike Flam waterfall

June 17, 2015 – Train to Oslo, Flamsbana

June 17-19 Thon Hotel Oslo Panorama, Raadhusgaten 7 B, 0151 Oslo, Norway, +47 23 31 08 00. Frogner Park, National Museum

June 19 - Fly to Dusseldorf

Obviously there's a lot more you can do with twice as much time. We only hit a fragment of the highlights of both countries. But with the little I learned I would suggest spending less time in Balestrand and more exploring the Solvorn/Lustrafjord area.

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