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8 days - Independent tour of the Western Fjords, travelling along the coast of Norway and then through the fjords by ferry and premium 50 Degrees North mini-coach
Join our tour visiting the Western Fjords of Norway, starting from Bergen and finishing in Ålesund. Discover Western Norway's deep, sea-drowned valleys covered by steep, rugged terrain scoured and gouged by glaciers. It is a landscape that is utterly unique and profoundly beautiful.
Although overshadowed by the sublime fjords, the coastline is none the less extraordinary. Follow along this coastline from Bergen to Kalvåg on an express ferry with the locals. These ferries make navigating the insane geography possible, but are also an enjoyable part of your journey as they offer staggering, otherwise inaccessible, panoramas. Meet your premium 50 Degrees North mini-coach as you come off the local ferry and enjoy three days of travel through a very remote and enchanting area of Norway. Stop along the way for glacier hiking, waterfalls and cultural visits, such as small, local folk museums.
The trip runs from June to September from Bergen on selected Fridays. This trip links up with our 'Beautiful Norway' tour.
All transportation (buses, trains, and boats) between destinations is included in the price. This includes travel between Kalvåg (remote Norwegian coastal town) and Ålesund by premium 50 Degrees North mini-coach, which will accommodate spontaneous photo stops, as well as food and rest stops. The scheduled Mercedes mini-coach has space for 1-12 people and this partly self-guided tour with a driver gives you greater independence combined with the safety of being in a group. A great option for solo travellers!
International flights, lunches and dinners that have not been detailed in the program, and items of personal nature. A small tip for the bus driver will be appreciated.
Please note that there is no guide for this tour. However, your bus driver will offer help and answer questions when possible.
Last departure for the season is the 20th September from Bergen.
Arrive and transfer to your hotel.
Bergen offers many attractions and sights, many of them within walking distance. Recommended sights of interests are the Hanseatic harbour Bryggen, Fløibanen Funicular, Troldhaugen, the Fish and Flower market, Bergen Aquarium and Gamle Bergen (Old Bergen Open Air Museum).
Bergen is surrounded by mountains - it is one of the things that make this city so unique. Several of the mountains, such as Mount Fløyen and Mount Ulriken, surround the city centre. To get to the top of Mount Fløyen, you can take the 100 year old Fløibanen Funicular, which winds its way straight up the mountainside.
Be sure to visit the Fish Market for lunch or dinner.
Enjoy a morning sightseeing around Bergen before you head to the ferry port (180 metres walk from the hotel) for the 4:30pm ferry to Kalvåg. With a small cafe on board, you can relax while you take in the stunning Norwegian coastline. The ferry stops along the way to drop off and pick up locals before arriving at Kalvåg at 8.20pm. You will get a short transfer up to the hotel and check in.
Kalvåg has one of the best preserved fishing village milieus in Vestlandet. The little houses stand closely together around the small bay to create a charming setting. When you are in Kalvåg, take time to wander around the houses and meet the locals.
This morning, meet your minivan and driver around 10am - be sure to enjoy the port before he arrives. Make yourself comfortable in this private van that will take you through the fjords for the next 3 days. Follow along the magnificent Nordfjord today. Along the way to Loen, you will first stop at the Sagastad Viking Exhibition (optional entry), followed by a stop at the Nordfjord Folk Museum with entrance and a guide included. Explore the old historic buildings of Nordfjordeid with a collection of 44 old houses of historical interest. Many of the houses are furnished and show different periods of time, mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries. There is also a cultural-history collection in the main building.
Arrive at Loen in the middle of the afternoon and check in at Hotel Alexandra. Loen has a lovely little wooden church to visit late in the afternoon, or you can relax by the pool and day spa. This evening, dinner at the hotel is included.
After breakfast, meet your driver and head out to walk up the Kjenndalen valley to the Kjenndalen Glacier, Jostedal Glacier's lowest glacier arm. Afterwards, at the end of Lovatn Lake, you'll find Kjenndalsstova, a cafe which is open from May to September and you can stop for lunch here.
Next is a visit to the Loen Sky Lift, a cable car that climbs 1,011 metres to the top of Mount Hoven, above the Nordfjord. There is a cafe at the top with a spectacular viewing platform at the roof. You can have a walk around the top and marvel at the view.
Return to the hotel for dinner.
Today you will travel from Loen via Hjørundfjord to Ålesund - your final leg of the journey by mini-coach. First stop today is the small town of Stryn. The driver stops along the way on request as you spend the day travelling through this beautiful section of road. Highlights include Horndøla Bru (Bridge), built between 1810 and 1813 and Norangsdalen, one of the narrowest valleys in Norway. This route follows the 'Queens' Route', rich in both spectacular sceneries as well as cultural memories.
Pass by Hellesyltfossen, one of the most well-known waterfalls of the Sunnfjord region, an area which encompasses dozens upon dozens of waterfalls. This lake was formed when an avalanche dammed up the river more than 100 years ago. Drive along the Hjørundfjord and catch the ferry across from Leknes to Sæbø before enjoying a 2 course lunch at Sagafjord Hotel.
Then it is time to make your way to Ålesund, a drive past lakes, Norwegian farms and ocean view. Say goodbye to your driver on arrival in Ålesund.
At your leisure, you have the day to explore Ålesund. Ålesund is known for its art nouveau architectural style in which most of the town was rebuilt after a fire in 1904. Explore on your own or add an adventure into your day. Options include kayaking trips around the historic waterfront buildings, wildlife sea safari, climbing Mt. Aksla for lunch (418 steps), 6 hours hike up the most famous summits in Norway Mt Saksa or perhaps a guided walking tour around the city centre.
After breakfast, transfer to the airport or travel back to Oslo.
All prices listed are per person, twin/double share.
The trip runs from June to September with selected departures from Bergen.
All listed departures are guaranteed. Status on request means accommodation is subject to availability.
Short of time? It is possible to join this tour in Bergen on the evening of Day 2.
Our 'Beautiful Norway' and 'Beautiful Norway Express' tours work alongside this itinerary. All three of these tours work a little like a hop-on, hop-off mini-coach for a certain section so, depending on the date, you can be travelling with 1-12 other people. This is a great option for a solo traveller.
Please note that the driver isn't obliged to join you for dinner or activities such as the Loen Skylift.
Minimum age for the mini-coach tours is 12 years old.
SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL:
As a Nordic specialist we are keen to show travellers the hidden gems of the countries we visit, and as an anti-dote to over-tourism to reduce the environmental pressures on the traditional and busy routes that most travel companies will take. This itinerary has been designed to do just that.
Our premium mini-coach tours are one way in which we are looking at how we can reduce carbon emissions over all styles of travel that we offer, not just on our group tours which by their nature have shared transport, but also on our private options. This tour is a private tour however the transport 'mini-coach' between destinations is shared (with more of our clients doing the same tour, max 12 pax), therefore reducing the overall carbon footprint for each traveller.
Throughout your stay we have hand-selected accommodations which are locally owned, have deep roots in their communities, and pride themselves on supporting local facilities and producers. This is done through shopping locally, and buying sustainably sourced options, so in the words of one of the chefs in the accommodation you will be staying in 'you should taste what’s here in the surroundings, from lakes, mountains and farms'
On this itinerary we also support Nordic Choice Hotels, a collection of hotels renowned for their environmental efforts. The hotels are ISO 14001 certified, have launched plastic free initiatives in partnership with WWF, where possible are powered by renewable energy and are taking great strides to reduce water consumption and reduce the use of chemicals. Even though access to water is not an issue in Norway compared to other parts of the world, this hotel group is conscious of the energy consumed for heating, and chemicals required for purification, so reduction makes up part of their overall environmental policy. In addition to this they provide sustainable, organic, fair-trade food, and only use sustainably produced palm oil.
Our premium 50 Degrees North mini-coach represent a new style of travel: 2-12 independent travellers traverse exceptionally beautiful, yet hard-to-reach areas of Norway, thus experiencing something unique and authentic while contributing to more modest local economies. With five different tours available for 2023 (and more in the works), the choice is yours!
Our Western Fjords hiking tour guides you to some of the best hikes that the area has to offer. Aimed at all active adventurers with a reasonable fitness level and a love for the outdoors, this tour takes you into the heart of the unique, secluded and exceptionally beautiful Western fjords in Norway, away from the summer crowds.
From the Norwegian fjords to the mountaintops in the blink of an eye on our Bergen to Trondheim self drive itinerary.
If you want to commit to a booking please use the Book Tour form below.
