Norway is an expensive place to travel and, in spite of its minuscule population, a large one as well. I was limited in the amounts of both time and money I had to travel in Norway, but still wanted to see the best of what the country had to offer.
One place I found is appropriate called “Norway in a Nutshell.”
Whether you’ve arrived here because, like me, you wanted an affordable Norway tour you could take in a few days, or because you’re looking for a candid review of the services Fjord Tours offers, you’re in the right place.
Train from Oslo to Myrdal
The scenic town of Myrdal
I opted to go one way from Norway’s capital Oslo to Bergen. The first leg of this trip is a trip on a regional train from Oslo to the small town of Myrdal, located approximately four hours west.
This portion of the Norway in a Nutshell tour is beautiful, although you don’t get to enjoy much of what you see around you — which will probably be snowy, regardless of when in the year you take the tour — for long, thanks to the train’s brief and infrequent stops.
The Scenic Flåm Railway
Your competition on-board the Flåm Railway
Myrdal’s railway station on has two platforms, so when you get off the train here, you simply walk to the other side and wait until a toy-looking train pulls up. The Flåm Railway caters exclusively to tourists: No seats are assigned; and it’s fucking crowded.
The scenery the Flåm Railway passes as it winds through the Norwegian wilderness is spectacular — waterfalls, mountains and rivers, oh my! Unless you were lucky enough to snag a seat by the window, however, you’ll need to be aggressive if you want a picture.
Boat from Flåm to Gudvangen
One of the many waterfalls you see en route from Flåm to Gudvangen
My personal favorite part of the “Norway in a Nutshell” tour was, well, the actual fjord. Once I arrived in Flåm, I boarded a medium-sized boat that was bound toward the town of Gudvangen.
The boat, which takes about two hours, passes not only through a breathtaking fjord, but also provides views of charming fjord towns, waterfalls, agriculture and, in my case, seabirds. From Gudvangen you take a bus to the town of Voss, and a train to Bergen.
The breathtaking Hardangerfjord, Norway’s second-largest
After a day in the amazing city of Bergen, I took a took a trip called: “Hardanger in a Nutshell.” The highlight of this tour is not surprisingly the Hardangerfjord, Norway’s second-largest.
After two hours cruising the fjord you arrive in the town of Eidfjord, where you see a beautiful (but pointless) video that teases you with images of places you won’t have time or money to see. You end the day with a brief trip to the stunning Vøringfossen waterfall.
Robert Schrader is a travel writer and photographer who’s been roaming the world independently since 2005, writing for publications such as “CNNGo” and “Shanghaiist” along the way. His blog, Leave Your Daily Hell, provides a mix of travel advice, destination guides and personal essays covering the more esoteric aspects of life as a traveler.
