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Norway by RV? Any experience? itineraries? tips?

Rented an RV for 3 weeks in July 2014 - pickup in Stockholm drive to Norway for 2 weeks and then a week for Finland to drop off in Helsinki...

Trying to see it all, and would like to make it up to Lofoten Islands before heading east and returning through Sweden and Finland.

Planning 3 nights at the campground outside of Oslo. Would like to see the Pulpit Rock, Bergen, Flam, and ???, and then continue north.

Are mosquitos and black flies a problem in July? I am thinking camping in Norway weather-wise will be much like Alaska and Canada? (We have driven our motorhome all across Alaska and Canada including the ferries to/from Newfoundland, and all through the lower 48 US states. We live in our motorhome for months at a time, so we feel confident on traveling with an RV.)

Would like some advice for basic routes to see the most impressive sights and national parks.

I am having trouble trying to figure out if ferries from Stavanger to Bergen are too expensive and if we will just have to drive? Are there short distance ferries that would pay for themselves in driving time and fuel?

Can one park at the top of the fjord above Flam, take the train down and back in a long day?

We are hikers, and would like to get in some long day hikes at least every other day.

Any thoughts, itineraries, camping/RVing in Scandinavia tips would be most appreciated.

Posted by
5835 posts

"We are hikers, and would like to get in some long day hikes at least every other day."

The Norwegian DNT is a good information resource for mountain activities. When you are in Oslo, the Oslo DNT store is located in the central city a few blocks from the Oslo S train station at: Storgata 3 a block from the Oslo Domkirke (church) with hours show on their webpage: http://www.dntoslo.no/group.php?gr_id=2&fo_id=76 The DNT store is staffed with knowledgeable people and they stock maps relevant to mountain adventure.

The national DNT website has an English page that include locations of DNT routes and huts. The DNT paints rocks a red "T" to denote routes and commonly signs routes with marked in hours not km. If you return to Norway, consider forgetting the RV and joining on a DNT lead hut to hut trip. http://english.turistforeningen.no/

Posted by
16893 posts

Rick mentions some books at https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/sleeping-eating/camping that you might find of interest, but note the publication dates. Scandinavia's tourist boards can be quite helpful for resources before you go and as you go. Fjord Line runs a Bergen-Stavanger-Hirtshals ferry route, it does not appear to book tickets for only half the route. See also http://www.visitnorway.com/us/getting-here-and-around/ferries-and-ships/.