9 Errors Folks Make on Their Norway Holidays

I’ve now lived in Norway for over 9 years and it’s nonetheless my favourite nation to journey round and to put in writing about. 

Plenty of my weblog posts listed here are impressed by questions individuals have requested me about planning their Norway journeys, as I get numerous the identical questions again and again. However I additionally see so many individuals making the identical errors whereas planning their Norway trip, and oh wow how I want I may cease these errors earlier than they occur.

So right now I’m going to strive! Listed below are the highest issues it’s best to keep away from doing whereas touring in Norway:

Budgeting too little (or an excessive amount of?) on your Norway journey

Okay, most individuals have heard by now that Norway is an costly nation, however the costs can nonetheless come as a shock while you get right here.

Plainly the 2 issues individuals most frequently below price range for are meals and fuel.

You may discover that you find yourself visiting extra supermarkets than eating places in Norway, so it could possibly be a good suggestion to search for lodging with a kitchen – after which you may make a few of these price range Norwegian meals! Reserving.com has numerous cabins and residences that normally include a kitchen.

And in case you’re renting a automotive in Norway (which I believe it’s best to, in case you can) do not forget that on prime of the rental value you’ll even be paying loads for fuel, except you lease an electrical automotive (which is changing into extra widespread right here). You possibly can examine the present fuel costs in Norway right here.

Although on the flip aspect, I believe lots of people delay visiting Norway as a result of they assume it will likely be far more costly than it truly must be.

Today the Norwegian kroner is extremely weak in opposition to the US greenback and euro, so proper now your total Norway journey will primarily be 20% off. That is the most affordable Norway has been to guests in many years, so it’s a good time to plan a visit to Norway! 

Reserving lodging + excursions too late

Lodging in Norway can e book out actually rapidly, particularly in case you’re visiting through the excessive season. You’ll probably be visiting some small cities and villages, which frequently solely have one or two lodge choices. Even Norway’s greatest cities aren’t that huge, so lodging is restricted. 

For those who’re headed to the fjords in the summertime or northern Norway within the winter, then it’s best to actually attempt to e book your lodging not less than six months upfront, or as quickly as you make your journey plans. This manner you’ll have the perfect probability to get the most affordable/nicest accommodations. Costs usually shoot up final minute, so that you’ll undoubtedly get a greater deal reserving earlier. 

And in case you e book on Reserving.com, you’ll be able to usually cancel at no cost in case you change your plans afterward!

I’ve written up lodging guides to a few of the areas I do know finest in Norway, together with my prime selections starting from price range to luxurious lodging, all of which you could find right here. I’ve additionally shared the most unimaginable accommodations in all of Norway here, and Norway’s finest northern lights lodging right here. 

And the identical goes for reserving excursions in Norway! Many excursions can solely accommodate small teams, which signifies that as soon as they’re booked they’re fully full. 

You possibly can e book excursions in Norway on Manawa, GetYourGuide, or Viator. All of them supply wonderful and dependable service, however my private favourite is Manawa because the excursions are usually a tiny bit cheaper via them and I like supporting a smaller firm. 

Get 10% off your Manawa tour with the code MANAWA (code legitimate till October 31)

Attempting to cowl an excessive amount of of Norway

Norway is a tiny nation of simply 5.5 million individuals, so it may be straightforward to assume that each one the distances in Norway may even be tiny. Oh how I want that had been the case, however truly, Norway is large! It extends over 1,000 miles and is the longest nation in all of Europe.

Even taking a look at a map will be misleading, as small distances can find yourself taking surprisingly lengthy to cowl while you’re navigating winding mountain roads with low velocity limits and catching ferries throughout fjords. So in case you’re planning to spend a number of days in Oslo, then jump over to Bergen for a bit, after which drive as much as Tromsø to catch the northern lights, you may need to seek the advice of Google Maps first.

For those who want some inspiration, you could find my prime 30 Norway itineraries right here, and skim my information for the place to go to in Norway in case you can solely go to one place. 

Forgetting a method automotive rental charges

In all probability the only best, or not less than most costly, impediment in planning a Norway street journey is the a method automotive rental payment. In fact it might be nice to select up a automotive in Bergen they usually drive up via the fjords and drop off your automotive in Ålesund, and even farther north.

However earlier than you get your coronary heart set on that itinerary, ensure that to examine how a lot additional you’ll need to pay to drop off your rental automotive in numerous cities. A technique rental charges differ loads however they’re usually fairly excessive, and a few automotive rental corporations received’t allow you to drop off your automotive in a distinct location. You possibly can evaluate automotive rental costs in Norway and e book your rental right here. 

I’ve written extra about planning a street journey in Norway right here. 

Not accounting for winter street closures

I nonetheless make this error on a regular basis. I’ll plan a street journey alongside the prettiest routes after which notice later that, oh wait, Could continues to be winter in Norway and that scenic mountain street shall be closed.

Some roads in Norway are closed for winter as late as Could and even June and as early as October. You possibly can see which roads are closed in the intervening time on the map right here.

And in case you’re new to Norway, you could find my information to driving in Norway right here, together with ideas for driving on Norway’s icy winter roads. 

Not reserving trains upfront

For those who’re planning on taking trains in Norway, please, please e book them as far upfront as you’ll be able to! You possibly can normally e book tickets as much as three months upfront, and will reap the benefits of that. Trains right here will be actually costly, however in case you e book your tickets upfront you should buy the low value tickets, which may price solely round 250 – 400 NOK for the whole route.

This may nonetheless appear costly in case you’re solely masking a brief distance, but when you will get a low ticket for an extended route you might find yourself paying one thing like 300 NOK for a 19-hour practice journey (the usual value could be about 1500 kroner).

And in case you’re touring to 2 locations on the identical day, you’ll be able to normally nonetheless e book the journeys on the identical Minipris ticket. So if I plan on taking the practice to Oslo within the morning, spending 5 hours in Oslo, after which getting the practice to the airport, I’ll simply change the instances when reserving the ticket (click on on “present particulars” on the search outcomes) in order that I’ve 4 hours in Oslo.

Counting on buses to get round

You possibly can normally discover public buses even in actually distant areas of Norway, however usually these buses will solely run a couple of times a day. So in case you’re planning on utilizing buses to get round, remember to examine the schedules beforehand to just be sure you received’t spend all day ready at a bus cease.

Once more, it is a purpose why I actually advocate renting a automotive in case you’ll be touring in rural areas.

Shopping for meals at comfort shops or fuel stations

You may need heard horror tales of individuals spending $10 for a bottle of water and a chocolate bar in Norway, and it’s true, that’s in all probability how a lot they’ll price you at a comfort retailer or fuel station in Norway.

However I promise you could find those self same precise snacks at a grocery store for a fraction of the worth! And as for that bottle of water, Norwegian faucet water tastes like elvish elixir, so carry a reusable bottle with you and replenish on the faucet as an alternative.

You could find extra about methods to eat cheaply in Norway in my information to consuming on a price range in Norway.

Visiting Oslo to see the fjords

This may be actually complicated as a result of Oslo technically is on a fjord, but it surely’s not the kind of fjord you’re visiting Norway to see. If you wish to see these gorgeous mountain drops, head to the west coast as an alternative!

In reality, lots of people fly into Oslo after which instantly get a practice or one other flight throughout the nation to Bergen, spending most of their time exploring Norway’s tremendous scenic west coast.

Verify right here for the place to remain in Bergen and right here for a weekend information.

Skipping Northern Norway

For some purpose most individuals head to Bergen and even Oslo for his or her first journey to Norway. And whereas I do dwell in Bergen and like it, I additionally assume Northern Norway is way more spectacular. It hurts my coronary heart a bit bit when individuals take a as soon as in a lifetime journey to Norway and simply do Norway in a Nutshell from Oslo to Bergen. This loop is so crowded with vacationers, and also you’re definitely not going to see the perfect of Norway right here. 

The mountains within the north are extra dramatic, the summers are much less crowded (and gorgeous below the Midnight Solar that by no means units!) and naturally within the winter you’ll be able to see the northern lights. 

So cease sleeping on Northern Norway! 

Forgetting in regards to the lack of daylight up north

Okay I do know I simply mentioned that you want to head north, however there are specific daylight points to remember in case you head to Northern Norway. 

Most individuals are conscious you could’t see the northern lights in the summertime, because the solar by no means units up north, however generally individuals overlook that the alternative applies to the winter – the solar won’t ever rise.

It received’t be pitch black all day (except you’re visiting Svalbard in December). Polar night time in Northern Norway kind of seems like simply after sundown for many of the day – however you should have restricted hours of sunshine (and no daylight) within the north within the winter, which you’ll need to remember when planning your actions. For those who’ll be touring round Tromsø in December you’ll have about 4 hours of daylight a day.

That is loads of time to do some sightseeing and enjoyable out of doors actions like visiting reindeer and canine sledding. However in case you’re planning an extended street journey through the day, you’ll be driving largely at midnight. 

Attempting to identify the Northern Lights in southern Norway

If you wish to have probability of seeing the Northern Lights, head north of the Arctic Circle. Sure, numerous locations in southern Norway will promote images of the Northern Lights, however seeing them within the south actually isn’t the norm.

For those who actually need to see the northern lights, I like to recommend flying into Tromsø. I used to dwell in Tromsø, and I’ve shared a information for seeing the northern lights in Tromsø right here, and a extra basic information for seeing the northern lights in Norway right here. 

Have you ever been to Norway but? Do you will have any recommendation so as to add?