We have a car an will be driving to the fjords and mountains from Bergen or Oslo. Any recommendations on routes/places to stay? we want to minimize expensive ferry rides taking our car, but have the extra mobility and flexibility to drive where we want and stay for as long as we want (in September). Thanks in advance!
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8319 posts
We were in Oslo the first of September, and the weather was unusually nice. You've got to be careful that time of the year because the weather often turns bad all of a sudden. August and before is more of a sure thing when it comes to weather that far north.
We took the Norway in a Nutshell train from Oslo to Flam, switched off to the Flam Railroad that went down into the fjord. There we got on a fast ferry and went on into Bergen. It was an all day excursion and a very popular tour for travelers. Once we got to Bergen, we really like the place and the incredibly tall and beautiful people there.
We found ground travel in Scandinavia to be deadly expensive, and we wouldn't think about a car rental because of the cost.
Posted by
Berlin
3004 posts
Did you already discover the official scenic routes of Norway?
Another very scenic route which is closer to Oslo you can find here: Skien - Rjukan.
Posted by
Australia
1072 posts
The scenic routes includes one from Bergen around Hardangerfjord - the tourist information website has good information including maps and suggested activities: https://en.hardangerfjord.com/highlights
Posted by
20 posts
We planned our drives with a map of Norway from Michelin (#711 National) and online maps to see the roads in more details. Our trip began in the first week of June. We stayed two nights in Oslo, rented a car with GPS (our own good Garmin failed for some reason) from downtown location, left Oslo bound to Flåm on route E16 including Lærdal tonnel. Flåm’s hostel was our base for two or three nights to explore Bergen and the area. Next, we drove from Flåm all the way to Åndalsnes through steep claims, snow fields, along the bays, taking a couple of ferries, with stops at Aurlandsfjorden viewpoint, stunningly beautiful Gerangerfjord, and Trollstigen pass. It was barely dark outside at midnight and we just kept exploring. From Åndalsnes, we drove the Atlantic road and returned back to Oslo through Lillehammer.