Discover Norway's Hidden Gems | Not In The GuideBooks

What You'll Do

Experience some of Norway's amazing hidden gems on this unique one week trip. From snorkelling through crystal clear waters above a submerged farm, and tasting the best local cuisine in the slick urban capital of Oslo, to baking traditional cakes with friendly local hosts and e-biking to cute, colourful villages, all the while immersed in some of the most spectacular scenery on earth.

From the moment you touch down in Oslo airport, you can be sure that your time in Norway will be spent experiencing the very best that this incredible country has to offer, getting off the beaten track to enjoy experiences you didn’t even know existed.

On your first day you’ll be transferred to your hotel, where you’ll have chance to relax and freshen up before joining a local guide for a food tour, ready to show you around this cosmopolitan European capital, bursting with character and incredible cuisine.

They’ll give you a taste of what Oslo is all about, helping you get under the skin of the city to truly understand the culture of the capital, all whilst trying local snacks ranging from traditional delicacies to current foodie hot spots.

The next day you’ll embark on one of the most scenic train journeys in the country, as you relax and drink in the views of dramatic fjords and mountainsides en route to Bergen, a city located on a beautiful bay near the west coast of the country.

Here, you’ll have free time to explore and head up the iconic Fløien Funicular, for sweeping views of the entire city. After a night in Bergen you’ll pick up your hire car, and head north through a series of beautiful mountain roads, stopping at idyllic villages perched on fjords and medieval churches.

Eventually you’ll reach Hafslo, where you’ll stay in the incredibly welcoming hotel of Bestebakken, owned by Lindis. Whilst here you’ll learn the secrets of traditional griddle cake baking, as well as having time to explore the local area by e-bike.

Once you leave Haflso it’s another jaw-dropping drive to Øye, where you can enjoy one of the most unique experiences the region has to offer, a snorkelling excursion in Lyngstøylvatnet. Swim through the crystal clear waters of the lake, seemingly floating in the air above the submerged farm and see the buildings, the walls, shrubs and trees of the once land based farm, for a truly memorable day, before you head on a guided e-bike tour of the local area.

After another night in Øye it’s time to take your car to the airport in Vigra, if you have time taking a detour around the Trolls Road and Åndalsnes.

Throughout your time in Norway you’ll be treated to delicious cuisine, warm hospitality and will be staying in some of the best hotels in the country for a truly comfortable, luxurious experience.

By the time you are on your flight home, you’ll already be planning your next trip to this incredible corner of Scandinavia.

Experience
Highlights

Snorkel through crystal clear waters above a submerged farm at Lyngstøylvatnet

Meet local people for authentic experiences such as cake baking and guided bike tours

Get to know the flavours of Oslo on a food tour through the Norwegian capital

Experience Itinerary

Arrival and a Taste of Oslo

Arrive into Oslo airport, where you’ll meet your driver for a private transfer to your hotel. Drop your luggage and refresh, before you get ready to meet your local guide for a food walk around Oslo!

Your tour will start at Karl Johan’s Gate, and your local guide will lead you on a walk through downtown Oslo where you’ll see the Royal Palace, the City Hall, where the Nobel Peace Prize is presented, and Norway’s Parliament.

Afterwards you’ll walk along Oslo’s chic waterfront lined with restaurants and the citys most expensive apartments, with a stop to taste some Norwegian seafood, the freshest in the world!

Then on to the trendy Grünerløkka district where we’ll make a few stops to try the favourite dishes at some of the current foodie hotspots. You will visit Oslo’s oldest building dating back to the 12th Century, and take a little known shortcut to pass by the Cemetery of our Saviour where Henrik Ibsen and Edvard Munch are buried.

You will stroll by a stretch of the scenic Akerselv River where salmon are fished during the summer and will take in any local events that may be happening along the route and you’ll have the opportunity to taste some seasonal delights.

Taste your way through some of the most famous – and hidden treats that Oslo has to offer, getting a taste of authentic local cuisine and learning where the very best spots to eat are.

Enjoy the evening at your leisure, and get ready for your Norwegian adventure.

Board basis: Bed & Breakfast

Transfers: Private vehicle – hotel

Info: Approx. 45 min airport – hotel transfer and 4 hours guided food walk

Hotel: Amerikalinjen or similar 4* hotel

double room in oslo

The Train to Bergen

Enjoy breakfast before you stroll over to the train station for your journey to Bergen.

Along this most scenic stretch of railway, enjoy the sights of the National Park of the Hardanger Plateau (can you see the kiters on the top there?) on your way to Bergen.

Upon arrival, meet your private driver and transfer to your hotel for the night.

We have included roundtrip tickets for the iconic Fløien Funicular, a mountainside car that takes you up for stunning views of Bergen and the bay it sits in, for you to stretch your legs in the afternoon.

Overnight, you’ll stay at the Bergen Børs hotel in a double room.

Board basis: Bed & Breakfast

Transfers: Train Oslo – Bergen, private transfer station – hotel

Info: Approx. 6 hours train ride, 5 – 10 min hotel transfer in Bergen. Roundtrip tickets with Fløien Funicular.

Hotel: Bergen Børs or similar 4* hotel

standard hotel room in bergen

Road Trip through the Fjords

Enjoy breakfast and take a stroll around the UNESCO Bryggen Wharf, before you journey on into the majestic fjords of Norway.

Pick up your rental car and start your journey through some of the most spectacular scenery in the country.

Some of the highlights that we recommend you visit today are Flåm village, what surely must be one of the most dramatically situated villages on earth, along with the incredible medieval Borgund Stave Church.

Arrive in Bestebakken, where Lindis and her team will welcome you! A three course dinner is included for you tonight (drinks not included).

Board basis: Halfboard (dinner & breakfast)

Transfers: Bergen – Hafslo (own rental car)

Info: Approx. 4 hours drive from Bergen to Hafslo

Hotel: Bestebakken hotel

bestebakken hotel in norway

Cake Baking and E-Bikes

After breakfast, Lindis will welcome you for a local cake “svele” course where she will teach you the secrets of making the perfect Svele.

Lindis will greet you as you arrive and take you out to her kitchen garden where she grows vegetables, fruit, and herbs and flowers. She will introduce you to traditional Norwegian produce and explain how the different plants are used to flavour food or for their health benefits. Then she will welcome you into her Orangerie where she will teach you how to make the local griddle cakes Svele! She will share with you her tips and secret ingredients to make them just the perfect texture and flavour.

You’ll enjoy a locally sourced two course lunch whilst Lindis tells you more about local Norwegian way of life, culture, traditions and food and of course you will get to try the delicious griddle cakes.

The cost of the tour includes up to 2 people joining the course, with an additional cost per person up to 8 people.

In the afternoon, you have the choice to grab some rental e-bikes so that you can zip around and explore the area. You might want to bike down to Solvorn and enjoy the sight of the ferry crossing, or explore any of the other beautiful local sights that your host will be more than happy to recommend to you.

Another optional tour is to visit the local Northernmost Vineyard of Slinde, a short 30 min drive from Bestebakken, where Bjørn and Halldis will show you their amazing work – and make sure that you taste so much wine that you can not drive back to Bestebakken…

A 3 course dinner is included this evening, along with another night in your double room in the Bestebakken hotel.

Board basis: Halfboard (dinner & breakfast)

Transfers: n/a

Info: Cake baking course approx. 3 hours and e-bike rental (biking under own)

Hotel: Bestebakken hotel

standard room in a hotel in norway

Mountain Roads

After breakfast, it is time to pack your bags and make your way north to the stunning Hjørundfjord.

You will drive a truly spectacular route over Mount Utvik, or detour around the national tourist route of Mount Sognefjell (depending on the weather and road conditions).

Upon arrival to Øye, make yourselves comfortable and drink in your surroundings, it’s hard not to be blown away by every new panoramic view that greets you here.

Your three course dinner is included (drinks not included), and overnight you’ll have a double room in the Union Øye hotel.

Board basis: Halfboard (dinner & breakfast)

Transfers: Hafslo – Øye (own rental car)

Info: Bestebakken – Øye hotel normal route apx 3.5 hrs or Bestebakken – Øye hotel via Mt Sognefjell apx 5.5 hrs

Hotel: Union Øye hotel

hotel in norway

Snorkelling and E-Bikes

After breakfast, your local guide will meet you and you will transfer into the stunning Norangsdal where you will get to enjoy an experience of a lifetime!

A truly unique experience, this is your chance to dive into a real-life northern Atlantis, on a snorkelling expedition to a lake hiding a submerged farm surrounded by dramatic mountain landscapes.

Norangsdalen is probably one of the most scenic valleys you can find in Norway. Here you will meet your snorkelling guides at Lyngstøylvatnet and get changed into either wet or dry suits. Your guide will give you all the information you need, and a safety briefing before you dive into the beautiful lake and go in search of Norway’s secret Atlantis!

Snorkel around in the fresh water and see the submerged summer farm building in the clear blue water surrounded by the steep and majestic mountains, immerse yourself in breathtaking natural scenery and a truly memorable experience!

Later, your guide will take you biking along the Norangsvalley.
A 3 course dinner is included (drinks not included).

Overnight in a double room

Board basis: Halfboard (dinner & breakfast)

Transfers: Øye – Lyngstøyl lake

Info: Approx. 3 hours snorkelling and 3 hours bike

Hotel: Union Øye hotel

double room in a hotel in norway

Departure Day

After breakfast, it is time to say goodbye to Øye and journey towards the Vigra airport.

If time allows for it – we strongly recommend to detour around the Trolls Road and Åndalsnes (but that makes for a full day program).

Make sure to fill your tank before delivering the car at the airport.

It is time to say goodbye to Norway for now.

Transfers: Øye – Vigra airport (own rental car)

Info: Approx. 2hrs 15 min

Location Information

Your adventure begins in Oslo, where you’ll be picked up by your driver and taken directly to your accommodation in the capital. From there, you’ll catch the train to Bergen, before picking up your hire car to drive through the fjords to Hafslo.

Your final stop is in Øye, where you will spend a couple of nights, before dropping your rental car off at the airport in Vigra for your return flight.

This trip runs from 1 May to 31 October.

Oslo Bergen Haflso Øye Vigra

FAQs

This tour is priced based upon 2 people sharing a twin or double room. For other configurations, please get in touch with us via the chat function.

Yes, simply select the "excluding car hire" option when booking on the calendar.