Norway West Fjord Self Drive Itinerary Feedback appreciated

Looks like a good first approach imo.

Rent car on D3 - rest is waste of money. You will not need it in Bergen and parking is expensive.

D4: I recommend Gaularfjell scenic route.

D5 Which way you plan to drive?

D6: Do Dalsnibba (morning) and ferry.

D10 is really filled up, can become little stressy.

Hi Mark

Thanks for your helpful comments.

I think initially I'd struggled to find car rental I could pick up downtown and drop at the airport but I've run searches again and it looks like both Budget & Avis have offices in Solheimsgaten so I could taxi/uber to them from a downtown hotel with bags on Day 3 and collect the car there. It doesn't seem to add a one off drop to leave at the airport so that's perfect and a good change to make to the plan.

Day 5- I was planning to take route 55 which passes near Jotunheimen and then the Hella-Dragsvik ferry. It looks to be about 6hrs maybe so slower than going via Skei, Olden, Loen & Stryn which is what google maps has as the fastest route (at more like 5hrs Balestrand to Gerianger) but hopefully more scenic?

Day 10 - Does look to busy so I was thinking day 9 I could go end in Flam (rather than Sogndal) so I'm already in Flam for start day 10. Then day 10 do the boat to Gudvargen, bus to Voss, train to Myrdal & onto Flam. I think based on this years timetables a 9:30 am boat out of Flam (the first one?) the various legs link up so I'd be back in Flam by 5pm, then with a 3 hour drive or thereabouts from Flam to Bergen airport. It's still busy but not sure if there's any better way to do it? It doesn't matter what time the day ends as we'll overnight at a Bergen airport hotel and the flight home is morning day 11.

D5: route 55 is a good choice, includes Sognefjell scenic route and very interesting. Even if you pass Dalsnibba in the afternoon I recommend to do this in the morning; except you have sun in the afternoon and forecasted rain for the morning.

D10: Try to catch a day in Flam without cruise ship in this tiny port and town. Check Flam port's arrival list. Optional overnight locations are Aurland and Gudvangen, maybe Myrkdalen. Flam is often overpriced.

I think it would help other travelers if you would post a travel report after your journey.

I did a self-drive in Norway in August 2022 but did a one-way car rental. I figured the drop-off cost, at that time, was not much more than the cost to drive back to Bergen (with a hotel stay, etc). I spent 9 days total in Norway - with 2 days in Bergen to start. I rented a car at the end of my time in Bergen, as Mark indicted - a car in Bergen would have been problematic with parking and congestion. I rented from Hertz (thru Gemut) and took a taxi to their office which I think may have moved locations but was at Kanalveien 48, 5068 Bergen (not self-service, had in-person agents). I was given a hybrid which got excellent gas mileage! My route was Bergen to Flam, then I drove up Stegastein and across "snow road" to visit the Borgund Stave Church which is magnificent! Then to Loen (actually stayed in Stryn which I liked- and Skylift was great which I did first thing in the morning), and on to Geiranger via Dalsnibba. I did drive Trollstigen to Molde - stayed one night then drove up to Atlantic Road and down to Alesund where I dropped the car and caught a flight out of Alesund (after 2-night stay). In Flam, I stayed at the Youth Hostel which had a single room with ensuite which was quite nice for the price and easy walk to town. Plus, one of the days there was a cruise ship so it was away from that hustle-bustle. I booked a dinner reservation a week ahead of time which was smart since it was busy! I drove Stegastein early in the morning which helped avoid running into too much traffic. I stayed 2 nights in Flam and did both the cruise and the Flamsbana in the same day which worked just fine for me. There was time between the two to take a nap/eat/etc. You could look at just driving back from Andalsnes/Molde/Alesund to Bergen. I did this all by myself. I was told that since it was later in August, it was after the main tourist season - so the traffic was not too bad. In July, you may want to plan on things taking even longer due to more traffic and definitely make reservations for meals if there are places you want to dine. There will also be lines at things like the Loen Skylift - so may have to wait which I didn't have to (but was there for first lift up the mountain). All this to say - you should be able to see and do a lot in 10 days with driving and it is such a wonderful, scenic place. I stopped a lot for amazing photos - so plan your time around that as well!