Norway in a Nutshell / Hurtigruten

The "official" nutshell tour isn't an escorted/guided tour as such. It's a series of transport connections built into one ticket. I'm skeptical that it would be cheaper to purchase everything separately. In any event, the train segment from Oslo to Myrdal, is a busy reservation only inter-city train which, which the Nutshell package guarantees you seat......this reason alone makes it's worth it buy the Nutshell package. I've done it solo, and enjoyed, but you won't find the camaraderie that one experiences on a guided tour.

Sarah: In response to your questions to me, I think you should buy the nutshell package and not do it separately. I think it would be great to do a 5 day Nutshell tour. Mine was too short but I loved every minute of it. I did not go to Oslo, and my trip was short. I did not book the trip myself, my girlfriend's cousin who owns a travel agency in her villiage did. My girlfriend's family lives in Norway and she had been on the Norway in a Nutshell already so she knew what she wanted to do. I don't wear waterproof pants, but they may be a good idea to take. I do wear blue jeans and black jeans. I did not brink hiking boots as they are heavy in suitcase. They may be too heavy to wear, but a good pair of sneakers is important. Wear a jacket that you can wear with a hoodie or sweater and comfortable to layer and able to wear a knapsack on your back. My girlfriend who goes to Norway every year since she was young did all the planning and I just went to enjoy the scenery. I went back in 2004. I hope this helps but am sorry I don't have more exact recommendations on fjords and buying the package. Have a great time.

The allure of the "nutshell" trip is that it packs a lot into one day for the typical tourist who has more money than time. We did it as part of a longer trip in Scandinavia in 2008. Since we had rail passes we only needed to book the other legs of the trip and this can be done on the spot as you arrive. Couldn't be easier. It's really just a sequence of transport stops that happen to be scenic and emblematic of Norway. Since we had already spent a week in Norway and took another fjord trip farther north in Geiranger (better than the Nutshell trip in Flöm) we found the Nutshell day to be only somewhat pleasant, but too much sitting and too long. Many people who have been along this route suggest booking the legs of the trip separately and staying overnight in places along the way (Balestrand is a popular choice) and doing some walking/hiking in between transport legs.

I took the Hurtigruten a few years ago and found it a very economical way to see a lot of Norway. Part of the economy was because we had the food plan as well. Compared to our solo days in Oslo and Bergen, the food + lodging + transportation on the Hurtigruten line was a bargain! It's not "not" a cruise but it's a bit differentno nonstop food buffets, no casinos and no weird entertainment shows. But there were paid shore excursions, elderly couples and occasional cheesy moments like when "King Neptune" awarded us a certificate for passing through the arctic circle (I still have mine!). What we did was definitely not "get on and off as you please" but of course we had a cabin and a food plan reserved for the full round-trip. We did meet people who were using the ship as a ferry to go from one town to another. And since there were several opportunities to disembark each day and at least one would be a stop of several hours, we didn't feel too penned in.

Thank you to all who have posted for your helpful suggestions!
Sarah