I have felt guilty for a couple months now about not writing up a trip report for our almost 3 week trip to Norway starting in mid June. I’ve always highly anticipated and appreciated all the great reports that I’ve read on the travel forum so wanted to give back a bit.
We chose a small group tour offered by Pål Johansen, on YouTube and Instagram as Norway with Pål, who advertised his tour under the Guided-by.com website. Previously we had only taken Rick Steves tours but by the fall of 2025 when we got around to making plans for 2026, all the Scandinavia tours had been booked. We were feeling sorry for ourselves as the only travel my husband and myself had done in ‘25 was to and from the hospital for various maladies including a knee replacement for me. Pål’s tour would only hold a maximum of 15 people and was strictly Norway. His tour was 4 days in Oslo and then 3 days in Gulbrandsdalen valley for a historic farm stay at Sygard Grytting near Lillehammer.
First of all, we have had really wonderful tour guides for most all of our 9 Rick Steves tours. Our Best of Italy guide was one we held up as the most fantastic guide ever. However, Pål went above and beyond that high bar we mentally set years ago. He was the most knowledgeable and genuine guide we’ve ever experienced. He does guide for Rick on the Scandinavia tours and those who get him as their guide are lucky. The tour got us up close and personal with Oslo, Oscarsborg/Drobak in the Oslo fjord and then the valley setting near Lillehammer where we visited 2 Seter mountain farms where sheep and cows are raised in the summer months.
Pål also helped us put together a trip to western Norway to see the fjords. With great advice from him, we planned and accomplished a 10 day Norway in a Nutshell trip to Flåm, Balestrand, Bergen, Ålesund and Geiranger to see the gorgeous Norwegian fjords. He had great suggestions for hotels and restaurants.
There ended up being 12 of us on the Oslo/farm stay tour, typical Rick tour members, all friendly and knowledgeable frequent European travelers that we thoroughly enjoyed. Meals were all excellent with an especially divine dinner at Vinland in Oslo that had wine pairings with each course.
The natural beauty of Norway reminded us of the Pacific Northwest and the genuine friendliness of the Norwegian people made the whole trip a wonderful experience.
Happy to answer any questions you might have about our experience.