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Scandinavia · Norway Fjords

Norway Fjords Escape: 7 Days

Bergen, the Flam Railway and two historic fjord hotels, all by train and boat, with a Naeroyfjord safari as an optional add-on. No car needed.

  • 7 days / 6 nights
  • Starts in Bergen (BGO)
  • No car needed
Snow-capped mountains above a calm Norwegian fjord

Attractions

What you will see as you travel the route, day by day, and how to make the most of each stop.

7sights on the route
3hotels
1Flåm Railway ride
2fjord boat journeys
BergenMyrdalFlåmBalestrandBergen
1Day 1

Arrive in Bergen

Bergen fish market

On your own

Why it is worth itThe harbor-side fish market in the center of Bergen.

Insider tipTry the fish soup or a shrimp sandwich.

2Day 2

Bergen and Bryggen

Bryggen

Why it is worth itThe old Hanseatic wharf, with its row of colorful wooden buildings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Insider tipWalk the narrow passages behind the front row of houses.

Fløibanen funicular

Optional

Why it is worth itA funicular from the center up Mount Fløyen, with a view over the city and the harbor.

Insider tipGo up on a clear day; the views are the point.

Optional add-on

Private Bryggen and Old Town Walk

A private 2-hour walk through Bryggen, the UNESCO-listed Hanseatic wharf, and the old town with a local guide. One price for your group.

$600 per booking

Optional. Not included in the trip price.

3Day 3

Train and the Flam Railway

Train and the Flåm Railway

Bergen Line to Myrdal

Why it is worth itThe train from Bergen across the mountains to Myrdal.

Insider tipSit by the window for the mountain scenery.

Flåm Railway

Why it is worth itOne of the steepest standard-gauge railways in the world, down from the mountains to the fjord at Flåm.

Insider tipThe train stops at the Kjosfossen waterfall so you can get out for photos.

4Day 4

A fjord day in Flam

Valley walks, or the fjord by RIB

Optional add-on

Naeroyfjord RIB Fjord Safari

A RIB fjord safari from Flam onto the Naeroyfjord, one of the narrowest fjords in the world, with waterfalls and goat farms.

$190 per person

Optional. Not included in the trip price.

5Day 5

Fjord boat to Balestrand

Up the Sognefjord

Sognefjord by boat

Why it is worth itA fjord boat up the Sognefjord, the longest and deepest fjord in Norway.

Insider tipStand out on deck for the views as the fjord opens up.

Kviknes Hotel

Why it is worth itA historic wooden hotel on the water’s edge in Balestrand.

Insider tipAsk the staff about the hotel’s history; it has hosted guests for generations.

The order of stops can shift with the weather, and access to some sites can change with the season or local conditions. See Day by day for the full plan.

Why this trip

This is the Norway in a Nutshell route done slowly and in style. You start in Bergen at Opus XVI, a boutique hotel in an 1876 bank building, a short walk from the old Bryggen wharf. Then the train climbs into the mountains and the Flam Railway drops you into the Aurlandsfjord, where you stay at the historic Fretheim Hotel with a RIB safari onto the UNESCO-listed Naeroyfjord as an optional add-on. A fjord boat takes you up the Sognefjord to Kviknes Hotel in Balestrand, a grand wooden hotel built in 1877 right on the water, before the express boat brings you back to Bergen. No car, no ferry timetables to work out.

  • Bergen and BryggenExplore Bryggen, the UNESCO-listed Hanseatic wharf, and the old town at your own pace, or add a private 2-hour walk with a local guide (optional add-on).
  • Train and the Flam RailwayThe train from Bergen to Myrdal across the mountains, then the Flam Railway down one of the steepest standard-gauge lines in the world to the fjord at Flam (tickets booked).
  • A fjord day in FlamWalk up the valley, or add a RIB fjord safari onto the Naeroyfjord, one of the narrowest fjords in the world (optional add-on).
  • Fjord boat to BalestrandA fjord boat up the Sognefjord to Balestrand (tickets booked) and the waterfront Kviknes Hotel.

Trip at a glance

Length
7 days / 6 nights
Starts / ends
Bergen Airport (BGO), round trip
Getting around
No car needed; trains, the Flam Railway and fjord boats
Pace
Three hotels, one train day, one fjord cruise day, three easy days, with a guided walk and a fjord safari as optional add-ons
Best time to go
Late May to early September
Great for
Couples and solo travelers
Accommodations
Superior
Flights
Not included. You book; timing tips in your pre-trip guide

Day by day

Day 1 and day 7 are travel days. The order of the days in between is flexible and can shift with the weather.

Day 1Arrive in Bergen
Land at Bergen (BGO). Your private car takes you to Opus XVI (about 25 minutes). Walk the harbor and the fish market.
Stay: Opus XVI, Bergen (night 1 of 2).
Day 2Bergen and Bryggen
Explore Bryggen, the UNESCO-listed Hanseatic wharf, and the old town at your own pace, or add a private 2-hour walk with a local guide (optional add-on). Ride the Floibanen funicular up for the view if you like (optional).
Stay: Opus XVI, Bergen (night 2 of 2).
Day 3Train and the Flam Railway
The train from Bergen to Myrdal across the mountains, then the Flam Railway down one of the steepest standard-gauge lines in the world to the fjord at Flam (tickets booked). Your hotel is right by the station.
Stay: Fretheim Hotel, Flam (night 1 of 2).
Day 4A fjord day in Flam
Walk up the valley or try a cider tasting. Or add a RIB fjord safari onto the Naeroyfjord, one of the narrowest fjords in the world, with waterfalls and goat farms (optional add-on).
Stay: Fretheim Hotel, Flam (night 2 of 2).
Day 5Fjord boat to Balestrand
A fjord boat up the Sognefjord to Balestrand (tickets booked) and the waterfront Kviknes Hotel.
Stay: Kviknes Hotel, Balestrand (night 1 of 2).
Day 6A free day on the fjord
Nothing booked: rent a bike, hike above the village, or take a short boat to the Fjaerland glacier museum (optional).
Stay: Kviknes Hotel, Balestrand (night 2 of 2).
Day 7Express boat to Bergen and home
The Norled express boat down the Sognefjord to Bergen (about 4 hours, tickets booked), then a private car to the airport. Plan an evening flight, or add a night in Bergen.

What’s included

Included

  • 6 hotel nights: 2 at Opus XVI in Bergen, 2 at Fretheim Hotel in Flam, 2 at Kviknes Hotel in Balestrand (breakfast included)
  • A private car from Bergen airport to your hotel, and back
  • Train tickets from Bergen to Myrdal, and Flam Railway tickets
  • Fjord boat tickets from Flam to Balestrand, and the express boat to Bergen
  • A day-by-day plan, and one point of contact from booking to landing

Not included

  • International flights
  • Lunches and dinners
  • Optional extras (Floibanen funicular, glacier museum, bike rental, cider tastings)
  • Tips for a guide or boat crew if you add one
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal spending

Optional add-ons: Private Bryggen and Old Town Walk ($600 per booking), Naeroyfjord RIB Fjord Safari ($190 per person). Add them in the booking box or in Attractions.

Your hotels, experiences, transfers and guides are booked for you. Flights are up to you, and your pre-trip guide includes timing tips.

Questions

What if I need to cancel?
Plans change. If you need to cancel, you'll receive trip credit toward another itsTripEasy trip: within 24 hours of payment, 100% trip credit, so you can swap to a different destination; 90 or more days before your trip start date, 100% trip credit; less than 90 days before, no trip credit, unless you added Flexible Cancellation: with it, you get 100% trip credit if you cancel at least 10 days before your trip start date, for a trip you take within 12 months. Other trip credits never expire. To cancel or change your dates, use the cancellation request form. For a date change, choose the reason "I'd like to change my dates".
How many people can share a room?
Rooms on this trip are for 1 or 2 people, so the booking box offers own room or 2 sharing. A group of 3 is booked into 1 shared room and 1 own room; a group of 4 into 2 shared rooms, all on one booking. For a larger group, use Plan My Trip.
Do I need a car?
No. A private car meets you at Bergen airport, then trains, the Flam Railway and fjord boats link the hotels (all tickets booked), and a private car takes you back to the airport.
Are flights included?
Flights are up to you, and your pre-trip guide includes timing tips so your arrival and departure fit the plan.
Can the trip be customized?
Yes, right in the booking box: add up to 3 extra nights at the start or end of your trip and choose how many travelers share each room. You can also add optional extras like the Private Bryggen and Old Town Walk or the Naeroyfjord RIB Fjord Safari.

Good to know

  • Weather and nature. Weather, road and natural conditions are outside anyone’s control and can change quickly. They may change the plan, close roads, or delay, shorten or cancel tours and activities, and the order of days may shift.
  • Your choices. You are responsible for your own decisions, safety and choices while traveling, including which activities you take part in, and following local guidance, posted warnings and your guides’ instructions.
  • Photos. Photos on this page are for inspiration. They may not show the exact location, hotel, season or conditions of your trip.
  • Not included. Flights aren’t included; you book those yourself.
$11,218
2 travelers · 7 days / 6 nights
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