Norway is widely known as one of the happiest countries on the planet. It’s got a lot to offer for its nature-loving tourists and residents, including snow-capped mountains, sheer cliffs, quaint villages, waterfalls, and so on. If you’re more of an adventure person, here are the top adventures to pursue when you’re headed to Norway:
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Family Adventures in the Mountains
If you’re travelling as a family and the kids are on the older side (preteen at least), one of the best options is an adventure holiday in the mountains. There are packages available that offer you lots of activities, tours of places like Sognefjord (the deepest and longest fjord in the world), and walks with breathtaking scenery such as glacial values.
There are also places where you can rest up before getting started on these adventures, mostly located in cities like Bergen. After the walking, you can go the extra mile and freewheel down a river valley on a rented bike. A safari rib ride is also a thrilling option, where you can even spot animals like seals if you’re lucky.
Whale Watching
If you opt for a whale watching adventure, you can get a cabin stay and cruise off the Vesteralen Islands as one of the packages available. These islands are located in Northern Norway, within the Arctic Circle. The region has plenty of interesting wildlife such as killer, humpback, and fin whales. Sea otters and eagles are also part of the wildlife there, so you’ll have several photo ops throughout your adventure.
Other fun things to do on this trip include ice fishing, exploring lakes and valleys in Buksefjord, and keeping an eye out for moose, Arctic foxes, etc. The ground control center of a space center is also situated close enough for a visit.
Paddling Adventures
Norway has some of the most grouse and unbelievable landscapes in the world, and one of the top ways of viewing them is through a camping or paddle boring tour. Many travel packages might offer both activities. The paddling trip will allow you to interact with purposes, seals, and other forms of ocean wildlife. Paddling while standing up is an adventure in itself, and you’ll be able to do that in Norway. There are places for this available near Naeroyfjord and Sognefjord. While paddling, you’d be able to take in the steep mountain cliff, picturesque villages, and some spectacular snow-covered peaks.
You’ll also be able to camp under the open sky and fall asleep looking at the stars if the weather allows for it. Make sure the package you choose includes instructions, guided tours, and basic equipment. It’s also best if you can opt for a service that provides meals so that all your focus is on the adventure at hand.
Cruising
If you really want to experience Norway’s fjords up close, opt for the ferry line called Hurtigruten. This is a UK ferry line that offers a daily shipping service in Norway. It takes you around the Norwegian coastline starting with Bergen, which is around the southern fjords. You’ll then go up and across the Arctic Circle and to Lofoten. Taking in the scenery along the way will be adventure enough for most people, but there are also a number of excursions included to make it even more interesting.
Chasing the Northern Lights
The Northern lights are a phenomenon that many travelers strive to experience all their lives. There are now short tours that you can book in order to chase some wild Northern Lights and tick that off your bucket list. The best way to go for this adventure is right by the northern doorstep of Russia.
If the weather allows for it, you can get in the magical experience of aurora gazing as well as other classic winter experiences in Norway. The latter include snowmobile trekking, husky sledding, etc.
Sollia Gjestegard is the number one guesthouse to visit while on this adventurous trip. Whether you’re fueling up before your adventure or have just come back from an exhilarating tour, this place is guaranteed to give you some of the best food in the region.
Visiting the Land of the Giants
If you’re up for a challenge and love hiking, book a climb up Galdhopiggen, which is the highest point in the country. This is part of the Jotunheimen ranges, which roughly translates to ‘land of giants’ within Norse mythology. You’ll be hiking all the way up to a height of 8,100 feet. On the way, you’ll also be able to witness the spectacular sigh of the Utladalen valley. Don’t forget to check out this valley’s 650-feet waterfall! If you’re up for an overnight stay after all that exertion, there are well-equipped mountain refuges as well as some farmsteads to take you in for the night.
If you do decide to opt for this adventure, keep in mind that it requires walking for at least five hours each day. Plus, you’ll have to carry around a kit weighing about 22 pounds when out hiking.
Getting Food from the Sea
You’ve heard about foraging for food in the forests, but Norway offers you a chance to do this in the sea. There are many fruits that come from the beautiful Trondelag sea in Norway. You can go on a gourmet tour for an amazing and unique culinary adventure if that’s where your interests lie. You’ll get some memorable foodie adventures this way.
The highlights of such tours include wild salmon fishing, matauk shore foraging, seeing the process of making aquavit, a food safari, and diving to get scallops. The safari is located on the Roros streets, which are a very pretty sight on their own.
Exploring the Backcountry
If you’d really like to get back to nature, Norway, consider visiting Ortnevik. This is a small village just south of the Sognefjord and around 2.5 hours north from the city of Bergen. Here, you can check out Sogn Aqua, the first sustainable aqua farm that’s also land-based. Due to this farm, people are returning to the village and settling down for good.
You have a lot of picturesque scenery here, including vast hillsides, horses, barns, and white houses with a backdrop of snow-capped mountains. When you’re here, remember the allemannsretten, or the ‘right to roam’ in Norway. This edict is a part of the 1957 Outdoor Recreation Act and means that anyone can explore, camp on, and generally access public uncultivated land in the country. In Ortnevik, you get several hiking areas that are both beautiful and remote.
If you want to have a more guided experience, there are several thousand miles of walking trails marked out. The Norwegian Trekking Association also has around 550 cabins in operation along with 4000 ski track miles. You can experience a waterfall up close while staying at the Solrenningen, which some up after eight hour of trekking form the village. On your return, you can relax using the hot tub services at the Brekke Cabin in Ornetik.
Conclusion
Travelling in Norway is a humbling and uplifting experience, with many thrilling adventures on offer along the way. The natural landscapes are a sight to remember, and you’d probably never get your fill of them. Try out any one of the adventurous trips we’ve discussed above, and your next trip to Norway will probably be very fulfilling and exciting. When you’ve had your fill, it might be worth checking out the top places to visit in Iceland as well.