Norway is one of the northernmost countries in Europe, which occupies a significant place on the map, possessing a fairly large territory, part of which is located beyond the Arctic Circle.
This country offers quite wide opportunities for various types of recreation, however, it is worth recognizing that a vacation in Norway is not suitable for everyone due to some of the specifics of this country, which should be taken into account by everyone who is considering Norway as a possible vacation option.
for whom a holiday in Norway is not suitable:
- people with a very limited budget
Although you can get to Norway relatively easily - by plane (tickets will not be very expensive) or even by car (this is most convenient for residents of the northern regions of Russia, which have a land border with Norway, equipped with international road checkpoints), but prices in Norway itself quite high - significantly higher than in Europe. Salaries and living standards in this country are also significantly higher than in Europe, which is associated with high prices for accommodation, food, entertainment, etc. Even the prices at McDonald's can be an unpleasant surprise for budget travelers - they are normal for Norway, but prohibitively high for Europe. Of course, there are hostels in Norway where you can save money on accommodation, but you still won’t get a budget trip to this country.
- people who love certain entertainment - luxurious shows, great nightclubs
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Cost of holiday in Stavanger. August 2017.
tour cost
We had a valid visa, which we had previously received when applying for another trip. We got to Stavanger from Stockholm by two flights: Stockholm - Oslo, Oslo - Stavanger. Tickets were purchased on Scandinavian Airlines (SAS). Both flights cost 8,000 rubles per person, but this is without luggage, only hand luggage. We got from the airport to the city by shuttle bus for 1000 rubles; we bought a ticket from the driver. We booked a hotel room 2 months in advance, the price per night was 6,000 rubles, breakfast included. The Skansen Hotel is old, with a retro elevator, but the view of the embankment from the window is excellent.
We did not use the services of excursion companies; we organized the climb to Preikestolen ourselves. We bought a single ticket for the ferry and bus, costing 3,200 rubles per person, they were bought on the ferry. In the morning at 9 on the embankment we took a ferry to the city of Tau, the sail was about 40 minutes. From Tau by bus to the final stop, the ride takes about 25 minutes. The same way back. As a result, this event will take almost the entire day.
Food and products
Prices in Stavanger are high, as throughout Norway. On average, prices are 4-5 times higher than Russian ones. For example, prices in a supermarket: bread 150-250 rubles, regular tea in bags 300 rubles, chocolate 250 rubles, beer from 200 rubles. By the way, beer and mineral water containers can be returned to the machine in the supermarket (the price of these drinks includes the price for the container, it varies depending on the volume of the bottle and the material). At McDonald's, a hamburger costs 700-900 rubles, and pizza in the most ordinary cafe costs about 1,500 rubles.
Vacation with children
Children in Norway are sacred. Here they build museums for them, come up with special attractions and organize special holidays. In Oslo, during the championship, a mini-biathlon, a real competition, was organized especially for children on the main square of the capital. The kids raced cross-country on one ski and received gifts for it. Their competitions, along with the real championship, were broadcast on the big screen, which delighted both the kids and their parents. We watched with affection the noisy crowd of children at the Royal Palace - the official residence of the current King of Norway. A mountain of snow, specially poured right at the foot of the monument to the once-king Karl Johan, and a crowd of children squealing with delight with sleds - an idyllic picture.
Youth recreation
There are many ski resorts in Norway, including one near Oslo. Every day we observed groups, large and small, of young people with equipment who went to neighboring Kongberg to ski and board. It's a pity that we only watched and did not participate in the ski races. We love it very much.
Family holiday
In Oslo there is a cult of family. An entire Vigeland sculpture park is dedicated to this topic. This is certainly a strange park. But only here the whole gamut of family and human relationships from grief to joy, from birth to death is expressed so vividly and poignantly in the sculpture. This is a philosophical park that not everyone understands. But I would recommend visiting it for those who are just planning to start a family and for deeply married couples.
What to take with you on vacation?
When coming to Norway, you should definitely have warm clothes with you. Although winters here are not cold, they are almost always snowy. Even if you don't plan to ski, it's worth taking ski pants and a warm down jacket to spend as much time walking as possible.
What to do at the resort?
Oslo is a fairly small city, although it is the capital. And quite modest, without showing off. However, there are a lot of iconic places here that are known throughout the world. The same Vigeland sculpture park, admission is free, by the way. You should definitely visit the Oslo Waterfront Art Museum. There you will also see the famous Oslo Opera. If you like to walk on the roof, the roof of the Opera is the easiest to get to. We spent a couple of hours at the Akershus fortress, from where there is a beautiful view of the Oslo Fjord and the city reflected in the sea water. There is also the famous Nobel Museum and the monumental brick Oslo City Hall, where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded annually. And if you come here for a couple of weeks, you can enjoy not only the sea coast and breathe fresh air, but also visit numerous ski resorts near Oslo.
I was born, raised and live in the city of Vilnius. It just so happens that, considering myself a non-professional traveler, blogger, musician and photographer, I have been doing all of this for a very long time and to some extent I can consider myself an expert in all these areas. Since 2004, he began to travel actively and has currently visited 55 countries around the world. At the same time, I started taking a lot of photographs. I have been playing music since school, I have given a lot of concerts, composed, and played in various groups and projects. Well, my interest in history, especially military history, apparently lies at the genetic level. I write about unconventional travel, interesting places, history and music from all over the world. My texts are all original, most of my photographs are the same.
Most of us think that traveling around Norway is a very expensive undertaking. But until you try it yourself, you won’t know. The secret of saving for this country is simple - stay away from expensive hotels and restaurants, do not neglect spending the night in tents, buy food in stores, give up alcohol, travel by car and come here in a small group. If you adhere to these truths, then this is what can happen...
One of my acquaintances remarked that visiting Norway should be left for dessert, when you have toured our globe to the maximum and it begins to seem that nothing in this world will surprise you. We did not listen to this advice and, like hungry children, pounced on sweets at the first opportunity. The win-win option with cheap air tickets Vilnius-Oslo could not remain unnoticed by us. The idea was born of itself to refuse to visit the most expensive city in the world, Oslo, and go straight to the coveted fjords for a week.
And now our small company of five people was already standing on Norwegian soil at the Gardemon airport. Here we rented a very small Toyota Caris car. After loading our sleeping bags, backpacks and tent, the neat little machine began to resemble a shed, which really didn’t bother us. After all, a better understanding of the world for such unsurpassed travelers like us could not be found. We had to travel two thousand kilometers along almost the entire western coast of southern Norway. The starting point of our pre-planned route was Lysefjord. Photos of the Prekistolen rock beckoned our inexperienced hearts and nothing could stop us. Although already at the very beginning of our journey many trials awaited us...
I have nothing to write about Oslo - we passed through this super-expensive city using high-speed tunnels. The initially set goal of getting to know the nature of the country drove us forward. An exception was made only for the “stavkirke” or in our language the church near the town of Heddal not far from Oslo. This wooden structure, amazing in its modesty and at the same time sophistication, was mesmerizing. The carved fragments of the roof were somewhat reminiscent of Viking ships, and the wall ornaments in the form of runic signs and figurines undoubtedly possessed some kind of magical power. In this church, it seemed that Christianity and paganism were intertwined together, and there were legends. There are many similar churches in Norway, but this one is especially vivid in my memory.
In the town of Kongsberg we saw the first rapids, and then it went on and on, as if on an inclined slope - the first mountain pass, the first mountain valley, the first snow and, of course, the first real waterfall. It seems to me that this happens to everyone in the mountains - the first powerful, rapid waterfall, somehow unreal for the inhabitants of the plains. Its power, beauty, and swiftness are difficult to describe. He put us into a state of wild delight, from which we practically never recovered throughout the entire week of this trip. For us, this nameless waterfall became the gateway to an amazing land of fairy tales and daydreams.
In Norway, it is worth choosing paths that are as difficult as possible, avoiding, if possible, the popular tunnels here that pierce through huge mountain ranges. Of course, it is convenient, fast and safe, but if you are guided by such considerations when traveling, then it is not worth going anywhere from home. But serpentine narrow mountain roads almost always lead to places where the real world loses its power, giving way to the harsh, fantastically beautiful scenery of Mother Nature, where you feel like a bug and forget about all your petty problems and joys.
A road marked on the map as an almost dotted line led to the small settlement of Lysebotn, located at the very beginning of Lysefjord. In fact, the excellent asphalt surface was an added bonus to the magnificent desert mountain scenery. This road, like most others like it, is closed in the winter and, perhaps for this reason, is not so popular in the summer. At the very end, this path ends in an unforgettable serpentine down to the mouth of the fjord from a height of thousands of meters. This was my first serpentine driving, it gave me a lot of emotions. When, after a long descent, I looked at the path I had taken from the bottom up, I couldn’t believe that it was possible not only to drive down from this almost vertical mountain, but also to drive up.
Despite the fact that our company did not plan to do this, fate had its own way and the very next morning we drove back to the top without any problems and then went down again quite normally. It was in Lysebotn that my fear of driving in the mountains disappeared forever. But this was preceded by other not unimportant events. Immediately upon arrival, it became clear that there was no gas station in this tiny settlement, which meant that going back with an almost empty tank was impossible. The ferry ran only twice a day, early in the morning and in the afternoon. I had to look for accommodation for the night.
There are no problems with this in Norway. There is no such extensive network of campsites and roadside hotels as here anywhere else in the world. Places for tents, campers, cabins and luxury rooms for the financially advanced - in short, a full range of services was observed in almost any populated area. In Lysebotn we settled, unbeknownst to us, in a very remarkable place. It turned out that extreme sports enthusiasts from all over the world settled in a campsite near the very shore of the fjord. Jumpers or jumpers come here all year round to parachute jump from the local steep cliffs more than a thousand meters high. All the walls of the small two-story hotel that hosted us were covered with excellent photographs taken during such jumps, and in a small diner nearby there were several parachute canopies hanging from the ceiling. Several broken-down mountain bikes, snowboards and a guitar, clearly often used here for its intended purpose, also fit well into the interior of the eatery. Later, the guys told us that parachute jumping with a bicycle or skis, depending on the time of year, was especially chic among the local company.
Our immediate goal was to visit the Prekistolen rock, so we were planning to leave here in the morning. Unexpectedly, our plans were changed by a conversation with a Dutch traveler whom we accidentally met in a cafe in the evening. It turned out that this guy had been traveling on foot around Norway for three months. According to him, there are not many more beautiful places than the local mountains, even with all the abundance of choice in Norway. Well, he called Prekistolen a tourist attraction for fat and lazy Americans. But Kjerag, according to him, was a completely different matter. This was the name of an egg-shaped stone stuck in a crevice at an altitude of 1080 meters from the sea. You only had to look closely to see the image of this stone everywhere in Lysebotn. Road signs, postcards, guidebooks and paintings - the legendary stone was depicted everywhere. To simply drive through this place would be madness.
The walk to Kjerag took more than two hours, during which we climbed along barely noticeable paths, crossed streams and cracks, or briskly slid through snow drifts that had not melted after the winter. Elevation changes from 600 meters to 800, and then an entire kilometer into the sky sometimes forced us to practically climb rocks on our knees. But all the difficulties of this first foray along the mountain steeps of Norway were blocked by the extraordinary desert landscapes of Lisefjord. Despite the abundance of melt water, on these rocks, with traces of a glacier once sliding down, practically nothing grew on the plateau except moss. The severity of these places was added by dizzying abysses, in which the neighboring shores of the fjord and the lost village of Lysebotn were visible in the haze. Childish delight on the verge of insanity filled us when we approached the cliff from which paratroopers were jumping. I haven’t often complained about my fear of heights before, but here I didn’t want to approach the edge of a kilometer-long abyss. Unless you crawl up and look into the abyss with a mixed feeling of horror and intoxicating euphoria. The second shock awaited us near Kjerag himself.
Not a single postcard or even the most reliable story can convey the virgin beauty of this place. This, in general, not at all a small piece of rock seemed to hang in the air, ready to slide down into the abyss. While we were all trying out which angle would be best to capture this unforgettable sight, my wife suddenly appeared at the top of Kjerag.
It should be noted that even at the car site I noticed a remark at the end of the information stand: “Few of those who reach Kjerag dare to climb it. For most people, it’s enough just to admire it from the outside.” As I rushed after my wife, I realized what the compilers of this information had in mind. The stone could only be approached along a narrow sloping path from the outside of the high rock. Moreover, there was nothing to grab hold of with your hands. It was enough for me to look down to give up the risky idea. Don’t consider me a coward, but the instinct of self-preservation turned out to be stronger and I joined the very majority for whom it was enough to simply see this place.
It's a pity we didn't get to see one of the 2,000 jumps that are done here every year. On the way back to the car, we met more than one group of extreme sports enthusiasts with parachute backpacks on their shoulders. When, after a long descent, we finally found ourselves in our hotel, many of those guys were already, as if nothing had happened, looking through the recently filmed footage of the jumps. Undoubtedly, one advantage of this entertainment was the sheer speed of descent. What took our company more than three hours and buckets of sweat, they only needed a few minutes of free fall.
We continued our journey on the ferry, which took us along the entire Lisefjord to the village of Forsand. On the way, we were lucky enough to see fur seals, whose colony had chosen this wild corner of Norway, and the world’s largest wooden staircase with 4444 steps, and admire the absolutely correct square shape of that same Prekystolen rock. It seems to me now that your first trip to Norway should not begin, but end with Lisefjord, one of the most romantic places on Earth.
Having crossed the Lysenfjord road bridge, from Forsand we steadily began to move up to the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Despite the average speed, which does not exceed 50 km/h in the mountains, in four days our Toyota Caris almost reached the ancient capital of Norway, Trondheim. True to our plan to avoid big cities, we then turned back towards Oslo. This amazing route ran along high mountains, eternal snow, huge lakes, fast rivers and, of course, a myriad of waterfalls. Norway can rightfully be called the queen of waterfalls in the world. Sometimes it seemed as if there was one waterfall for every house here. Among the high rocky mountains with caps of snow on top they cannot be counted. Nevertheless, it is not at all difficult for me to single out among the abundance I saw the three most impressive ones.
One of these prizes in my ranking undoubtedly belongs to the double Latefossen waterfalls. There is no way to get past it. The road passing through an ancient stone bridge goes right next to the waterfall itself. Two powerful streams rush down with a deafening roar literally a few meters from the freaking motorists. The entire bridge is constantly shrouded in a cloud of water spray. Tourists who decide to stay here do not stay long, risking getting wet to the skin and going deaf from the constant noise of falling water.
Having turned a little from the planned path, we decided to visit the place marked on the map with the name Våringfossen. A long, drawn-out climb up through numerous tunnels and winding turns brought us to a large parking lot with a huge number of people and cars. The Voringfossen waterfall turned out to be the highest and most majestic of all we saw on this trip. Several powerful streams of water fell in strange white streams from the edges of the semicircular depression. The height of the waterfall reached almost 200 meters. From the observation deck the entire waterfall was in full view. Not far from the edge of Vorigfossen was a three-story oblong motel building. Next to God's gigantic creation, the hotel looked like a matchbox built by people. I felt like I was just a grain of sand here in the eternal cycle of life.
And one more waterfall that is undoubtedly worth mentioning is Tvindefossen. Unlike the others, we went to it, knowing in advance where we would end up and what we would approximately see. Image Tvindefossen is one of the most common natural brands in Norway. Nevertheless, the almost ideal stepped shape of the waterfall, its beauty and royal grandeur cannot but delight tourists who come here. The 60-meter-high waterfall seems to be woven from hundreds of small cascades and streams. With its shape it resembles some kind of royal throne or pedestal. There is a large campsite at the foot of Tvidefossen. Fascinated by the fabulous beauty of this place, we, along with many others, also decided to spend the night here. Here we managed to pitch a tent almost at the very edge of the waterfall on a small island formed by streams from Tvindevossen. Despite the rather loud roar of falling water, I slept very soundly that night, and the stunning morning landscape from the tent opening could even replace a hearty breakfast. In short, a decent waterfall in a beautiful place in the fabulous country of Norway - this is the assessment of an inexperienced tourist like me.
It is worth noting that, despite the delightful natural scenery of all these overnight stays, breakfasts, lunches and dinners, which never ceased to amaze us with their diversity and sophistication, there were places from which we wanted to escape, and quickly. None of our modest company will forget our third overnight stay in Norway. Here, as soon as we paid for the place and began to set up our tent, we were fiercely attacked by local midges. She literally covered all the uncovered parts of the bodies in a swarm, clearly taking great pleasure in our fury over this matter. The only thing that saved us from this hopeless situation was the inappropriate behavior of insects indoors. As soon as the midge hit a tent or car from the air, it immediately lost all its aggressiveness, apparently dreaming of only one thing - to get out into the wild. But in the morning, our company managed to set a time record for closing the camp. Within 15 minutes of waking up, the tent and all our things were thrown into the trunk and interior of the car, and a couple of seconds later we were already racing away from this version of the Norwegian hospitality of the little bloodsuckers.
Probably everyone imagines that the roads of Norway are magnificent. However, we must not forget about the huge differences in elevation of its mountainous part. Apparently tired of this endless winding up and down the rocky slopes, the Norwegians decided not to spare money on building convenient through tunnels. It's no joke to cut many kilometers of holes in the rock! Those travelers who prefer these convenient, but so dull paths lose a lot to the splendor that can only be seen by following old crooked and inaccessible routes. There is nothing more amazing than watching how quickly the landscape changes from the bright green coast of the fjords to the deserted, improbable gray background of the slopes of the ridges. The most interesting thing awaits the traveler at the top. Here the road continues in the middle of eternal snow, blue ice and only in places a thawed surface with numerous streams and puddles. Sometimes three-meter-high snowdrifts surrounded our path, threatening to take away our memory of the summer from which we had arrived only a few minutes ago.
Somewhere beyond the Jostedalsbreen glacier, our Toyota again rose to a height of thousands of meters above sea level, and around the next snow-covered turn we suddenly saw an active ski resort. As expected, there were lifts, rental points for the necessary equipment, snow removal equipment, and the inevitable cozy cafe. I probably looked wild from the outside in shorts, a T-shirt and a baseball cap among young people wrapped in overalls with skis and snowboards. But now it became clear why the Norwegians are the constant champions of winter sports.
The Jostedalsbreen glacier itself turned out to be a remarkable local attraction. Unfortunately, we were not able to climb it ourselves. But the view from below of this shapeless block of compressed bluish ice could not leave us indifferent. There was something very cold and gloomy about this ancient glacier, which was slowly disappearing from the face of the earth, a silent witness and participant in the glorious tales of Vikings and trolls.
Having traveled around the glacier along its western side, we began to look for accommodation options for the night. For this purpose, it was decided to turn onto a narrow path leading into the mountains to a place called Bodal. The higher we rose, the more anxious our souls became. There was something subtly eerie in the mountain walls on either side and the quiet lake surface along the road. There was also obvious tension with spending the night here. Somehow the whole thing looked unusually wild and deserted; in general, it was a very picturesque mountain valley. About halfway along the route, we made a short stop at a roadside information stand. The history of this place turned out to be sad and instructive for the king of nature - man. In 1905, a natural disaster occurred here near a small village. A giant mudflow, undermined by the annual melting of snow, descended into the valley. Part of a steep mountain range collapsed into a deep-sea lake. In a matter of minutes, tons of rock filled the water surface of the lake stretching for many kilometers. Just a few kilometers away, a village was overwhelmed by a giant wave. More than 35 people are missing. But something else was surprising. Exactly 33 years later the disaster repeated itself. A new gigantic collapse occurred in exactly the same place. This time, the village that had grown up nearby over the years was washed away. Again more than 70 people died. Oddly enough, people still live in this seemingly God-cursed place. The reason for this was not only the fertile soil of these places, but also the fact that, according to scientists, such a catastrophe can no longer happen, since the underwater space of the lake is already completely littered with rock from previous disasters.
We found ourselves in a creepy place! But it was too late to turn back. Suddenly we saw a roadside sign for Bodan Camping. Having gone down almost to the very shore of the lake, we stopped at a deserted, but, nevertheless, neatly trimmed clearing. Judging by the state of the half-rotten benches and the collapsed toilet (exotic for Norway!), one could assume that the campsite had not been in operation for many years. In all other respects, this place was ideal for our first free overnight stay in these parts. Of course, it was not difficult for us to guess that we found ourselves somewhere nearby near a lost village. The ill-fated rock was clearly visible from the side, with really visible traces of the mudflow. And a kind of melancholy appeared in my soul... When I went to get water from the lake, I unexpectedly made an amazing discovery for myself. Looking at the mountain range on the opposite shore of the lake on the rocks darkened by moisture, I suddenly began to notice some regular shapes. From these shapes a giant, slightly sloppy design was formed. I did not have to make much effort to see in these contours the figure of a giant warrior with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. Of course, it is not difficult for the reader to accuse me of having an overly wild fantasy, but my friends could also easily confirm these lines. Although I agree that we were all very overexcited that evening. Sleep could not come to us for a long time that night. We listened to the slightest rustle and creaking in the night forest, and the image of a merciless Viking warrior could not leave our crazy heads.
But the first rays of the sun quickly dispelled our fears, and the natural pattern on the rock no longer seemed so scary in the morning. We were racing forward again! Ahead of us was one of the most advertised places in Norway - the Troll Road.
This day was no exception from the rest. There would probably be enough adventures and stunning sensations in Norway for the next year. Our company even started a morning joke: Well, what will surprise us this day?! - and every new day he never ceased to amaze. Along the way, we first found ourselves in winter again. Moreover, the further north we went, the more Norwegian June looked like late January, and the more amazing it was to go down to the shores of the fjords into the realm of bright green summer. This was especially felt in the town of Gerenger on the shores of one of the most famous Norwegian fjords included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Although, in my opinion, the whole of Norway should be included there as a resting place for human illusions and tensions.
But now the curtain is up - we are on the deserted plateau of the Troll Valley. Here, suddenly, amazing unearthly scenery began to appear on our way. The giant rocks on both sides of the road suddenly came to life right before my eyes. Silent, formidable guards, petrified for centuries, looked without emotion at the earthly cockroach whirlwind. Mount “Bishop” really resembled a minister of religion in a cassock sitting down to rest. Well, the huge rock “King” looked like a bearded Viking, slightly bowing his head with a crown. Ancient legends came to life right on our way. Neither numerous crowds of tourists, nor heaps of souvenirs, nor extreme skydivers could knock down the feeling of the insignificance of our human existence. The ancient spirits of the Trolls paid absolutely no attention to the human rubbish at their feet, condescendingly allowing themselves to be seen through the eyes of photo and video cameras: “Vanity of vanities, gentlemen! You are insignificant, but we are eternal!
Our time was running out. For dessert we wanted to see the Atlantic, and only after that we could calmly return home through Oslo. However, before that, luck smiled again and we managed to taste the delights of Norwegian fishing.
On the way to the Atlantic, we stopped for the night at a campsite right on the shore of another fjord. Our attention was immediately attracted by a huge number of fishing people, from young to old, both from the shore and from various floating devices. You should have seen our faces when the guy from the camping reception immediately gave us a fishing rod without further ado, in response to our question about how we could go fishing here. Imagine my surprise when, after the first attempt to throw a hook into the water (and it should be noted that I had not fished from the shore since childhood!), I pulled a huge starfish ashore. Following it, a pink sea urchin soon found itself in the bucket, and my friend and comrade Zhenya soon caught a medium-sized cod. Apparently, underwater life was in full swing here. It seemed that this night in Norway was supposed to be fun, but a fishing rod suddenly snapped in half and a spoon that sank to the bottom of the fjord radically changed our plans. The reception was no longer working and my friend and I dejectedly trudged off to bed. Nevertheless, I will never forget the taste of morning cod fish soup and the sparkle of Zhenya’s eyes from such unexpected Norwegian bites!
Norway won our hearts, and the spirits of ancient Trolls and Vikings moved into our souls, but, as if wanting to finally trample our heads, swollen with impressions, a few more exciting adventures were finally prepared for us. Trollkirka or Troll Church was a complex of interconnected caves located an hour's walk from the highway to the Atlantic.
These caves are located on three levels and are connected to each other by a complex system of manholes and passages of various sizes. We decided to overcome the first level of the caves, about 70 meters long, together with my wife. To put it mildly, it was eerie walking along a passage devoid of sunlight, every now and then, climbing over rubble of slippery stones and jumping over numerous channels. But what a reward awaited us at the end of this path! Having squeezed through another rubble on our way, we found ourselves in a huge grotto up to 7 meters high. Daylight came through from numerous crevices in its vault, and a powerful cascade of water fell right in the center from somewhere above. Truly, Mother Nature herself created a real altar here. And the sophistication of her fantasies could be the envy of any architect in the world. Anyone could go down to the second grotto on a higher level, including those who are afraid of the dark and suffer from claustrophobia. This grotto was not inferior in beauty to the first one we saw, although it lacked the effect of surprise. Here, too, there was a waterfall in the center, and the height of the vault reached 9-10 meters. I managed to find the entrance to the third level of caves, which were much narrower and less passable. But here the arguments of reason turned out to be more powerful than my eternal passion for new adventures. Moreover, time was running out. We set off on our way back to the car abandoned on the side of the road.
The final chord of our trip was a visit to the so-called Atlantic Road. This was the name of the path passing through several dozen islands, connected by long dams and fancy arched bridges. Some of them wriggled in all conceivable and inconceivable directions, as if trying to violate the imaginary laws of mathematics and logic. The guidebook advised driving along this route in the fall during storm season. Surely we should have done this another time.
Well, it is here, dipping my feet into the cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean, that I can put an end to my story. There was no doubt left; I found myself in a kind of captivity in Norway. These colorful mountains, deep fjords, fierce waterfalls and quiet villages with their ancient spirit inhabitants easily won a piece of my heart and soul, forever leaving in them an inexorable desire to return to the boat again and again...
The journey lasted 2½ weeks. In the first days we quickly swept through the whole of Finland from the south almost to the very north. Then we leisurely drove through Norway from northwest to southeast, visiting a large number of natural, historical and urban noteworthy places - from the North Cape to Preikestolen. And in recent days they have rushed no less rapidly from west to east through Sweden and Finland back to St. Petersburg. The total was approximately 6800 km (according to the car odometer) plus numerous short and long ferry crossings that we did not count.
The main impression of the trip: the harsh northern nature is beautiful! Sea, fjords, mountains, glaciers, wild rivers and waterfalls, unusual vegetation in the north - mosses and lichens, deer roam everywhere as if there were no people around, the sun shines all night, dozens of bridges and tunnels every day, the height constantly changes from 0 to 1000 meters above sea level, which really stuffs your ears. I wanted to stop every 50 kilometers and photograph it all en masse so that I could show it for three years.
The main disappointment of the trip: on the fifth day of the trip my camera died, unable to withstand the harsh northern climate, so there will be no photographs.
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2. The journey began through Finland, and Finland gives us unexpected surprises every time. This time the surprise was the open-air bell museum, which we met near the 4th road somewhere in the south of northern Ostrobothnia.
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3. We stopped in Oulu to walk for a few hours and spend the night. Oulu turned out to be a big and nice Finnish city, as expected. The photo shows a sculpture of a policeman on the market square, one of the symbols of the city.
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4. The next day was Rovaniemi - the largest city in Europe by area, but quite small in population. I didn't like Rovaniemi, unlike Oulu. The development is chaotic and uninteresting; there is no sense of Finnish comfort. Pictured is Lordi Square, the central square of Rovaniemi, named after the famous modern Finnish punk rock band.
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5. Near Rovaniemi we crossed the Arctic Circle back and forth several times :-) and walked around the “museum” village of Santa Claus, more precisely, Joulu-pukki, in Finnish. We also wanted to go to the underground Santa Park, located under the Arctic Circle, but in those days it was closed due to “summer Christmas”. This is the last Finnish photo, and next will be Norway itself.
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6. The northernmost point of our journey is the North Cape, the northernmost point of mainland Europe, located on a 300-meter cliff on an island connected to the mainland by a 6-kilometer tunnel 250 meters deep. We tried to get here during the week of the summer solstice and certainly at midnight to enjoy the highest possible midnight sun. Unfortunately, we were unlucky with the weather at midnight (the raining clouds started at 50 meters altitude, and the North Cape is at 300 meters altitude), but the northern weather suddenly changes several times a day, and after a couple of hours it was already quite sunny.
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7. The glacier (or snowfield?:) on the mountain in summer on a sunny night is beautiful! All snow glaciers are located at different heights, so they begin to melt at different times, which is why mountain streams and waterfalls flow continuously in the Norwegian mountains throughout the summer.
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9. But Hammerfest is considered the northernmost real city in Europe, although it is located somewhat south of Honningsvåg. There are almost no attractions in the city, there is only a polar bear museum, which is located right in the city administration building. After the wet Hammerfest, my camera became damp and refused to turn on, so there will be no more detailed photographs; all other photographs were taken on a mobile phone in order to somehow dilute the text of this post with pictures.
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10. In Alta we went to the rock art museum. In the second half of the 20th century, numerous hollowed out rock paintings were found here quite by accident, the age of which is from 6 to 3 thousand years, they were cleaned and completed. touched up and put on display for everyone to see. Moose-deer, bears, people, boats, scenes of hunting and fishing and other shamanic actions. And in the upper right corner we saw something similar to a computer keyboard.
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11. The next day we were in the Lofoten Islands. Previously, they were engaged in fishing, but now they are mainly engaged in tourism (since a few years ago the new E10 road was laid here and a couple of dozen bridges and tunnels were built). The photo shows the historical fishing (and now museum) village of Nusfjord. Previously, fishermen lived here, and now these houses house a museum, hotels and fish restaurants.
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12. The Lofoten Islands are also located above the Arctic Circle, so the sun shines here at night in summer. Taking pictures with your phone in backlight is, of course, a perversion. But, unlike the North Cape, this picture was honestly taken at astronomical midnight.
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13. Another former fishing and now tourist town on the Lofoten Islands - Oh! The settlement with the shortest name. In Norwegian its name is written as "Å". By the way, the houses are on legs not only because it is more convenient for fishermen, but because this is the open Atlantic Ocean and there are ebbs and flows several times a day, the water level fluctuates by about a meter.
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14. To avoid taking the same single road again, we crossed from the Lofoten Islands back to the mainland on a 100-kilometer ferry to Bodø. The view of the Norwegian mountains from the sea is also beautiful. Unfortunately, this cannot be conveyed in a mobile photo.
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15. On the same day (more precisely, on the same polar day, because by this time we began to have a complete disconnect between day and night, and the calendar day was already completely different) we crossed the Arctic Circle again and gradually began to return to more common latitudes. The Arctic Circle in Norway on the E6 road is more severe than the one near Rovaniemi: here it is on a plateau at an altitude of 680 meters above sea level on a bald plateau, blown by all the winds, and all this plateau has been built by visitors with traditional Sami cairns.
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17. Trondheim, also known as Nidarus, is the ancient capital of Norway. There is an ancient fortress, an ancient Gothic cathedral built in the 11th–13th centuries, and an embankment with houses of unusual architecture. Unfortunately, by the end of this day the weather had deteriorated again (in Norway it changes several times a day to the completely opposite one), and by this day we were somewhat behind schedule, so we examined Trondheim very superficially and in the rain, time to wait for a good We no longer had any weather.
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19. After Trondheim, interesting and picturesque roads awaited us. For example, the “Atlantic Road”, laid across the islands on the west coast of Norway with numerous bizarrely shaped bridges. Since this is the very coast in front of the open sea, this is the very place where, during high tides, water begins to flow into long narrow fjords, at such moments there is a very rapid current under the bridges.
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20. “Troll Staircase” (also known as “Troll Road”) is one of the most popular Norwegian natural and man-made attractions. A picturesque 7-kilometer serpentine road with a 10% gradient, rising among waterfalls to a height of almost 700 meters.
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21. On our trip there were steeper and more extreme roads, but what makes the Troll Staircase stand out among them is that it looks very picturesque from above, and there are observation platforms hanging over the cliffs.
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22. Geirangerfjord is the most popular natural attraction in Norway. A very long and narrow (about half a kilometer) fjord with emerald-colored water, stretching windingly among the picturesque mountains. All access to Geiranger is either along extreme serpentine roads or by ferry.
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24. Setting off from Geiranger further along our route, we accidentally noticed a sign to some natural attraction, and turning onto an inconspicuous winding path with a sign that you drive here at your own peril and risk, a few minutes later we found ourselves on Mount Dalsnibba at a height 1500 meters above sea level (it turned out to be the highest point of our trip). It’s good that we traveled by car and not on foot, because we constantly carry our entire supply of clothes with us, and often several times a day we had to change from a light T-shirt and shorts to a warm jacket with two sweaters and a hat.
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27. And this is a man-made attraction - the Flåm railway, leading from the shore of one of the fjords to an 800-meter height to the main railway line Oslo - Bergen. Previously, this railway had a transport and cargo function, but in our time it has become exclusively touristic. During the hour-long ascent, the windows of the carriages offer absolutely wonderful views of mountains, valleys, gorges and waterfalls.
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Kingdom of Norway(Norwegian Kongeriket Norge, derived from the Old Norse Norðrvegr - “way to the north”) is located in northern Europe in the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The waters of the Barents Sea (in the northeast), the Norwegian Sea (in the west) and the North Sea (in the southwest) wash the country. Neighbors on the border are Sweden (east), Finland and Russia (northeast).
Thanks to Norway's geographical location and length, each region of this green northern country is distinctive and unique. If in the west you can contemplate numerous fjords, then the central part of the country stands out for its medieval monuments and ancient buildings, the northern part for such an unusual phenomenon as the midnight sun (white nights), the southern part for coastal resorts and warm summers for Norway, and the eastern part for good opportunities for active outdoor recreation - fishing in numerous rivers and lakes, hiking through forests and valleys, camping. Let's take a closer look at what the kingdom of Norway has to offer to us travelers.
The west coast has a rather majestic landscape - a land of fjords, mountains rising from the waters, and waterfalls falling from cliffs. Kristiansund and Ålesund are famous for the richness of their waters, cod and herring are especially good there; Molde is known for its beautiful roses and jazz festivals, but the name Bergen already speaks for itself (see the “Cities” section above). At the same time, they pass through the mountains winding roads Eagle Path and Troll Trail.
Geirangerfjord included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is one of the most visited, there are two of the most famous waterfalls - Seven Sisters and Wedding Veil. The magnificence of this fjord amazes once and for all - steep cliffs with snow-capped peaks and harsh nature, powerful streams of mountain waterfalls flowing into the waters of the fjord - this is unforgettable!
Sognefjord is the second longest fjord in the world and the longest fjord in Norway - 204 km, and its depth is 1308 m. Cutting deep into the coast, it divides further into two branches - Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord, with the latter listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And it is here that you can enjoy completely unique views of the fjord and mountains from above - at an altitude of 650 meters above sea level there is Stegastein observation deck, adjacent to the Aurlandsvagen mountain road. The Flåm railway or cruise ship will take you to these magical places.
The beauty of the mountains Ljusefjord will not leave anyone indifferent. The most interesting and spectacular things here are Kjeragbolten and Preikestolen. Kjeragbolten- a huge round stone stuck in a crevice between two rocks at an altitude of 1084 meters; many tourists like to take pictures on it. Preikestolen Rock is also a famous landmark of these places - it hangs over the fjord at an altitude of 604 meters on an almost completely flat high-mountain plateau.
The central region displays a fine example of medieval architecture – Nidaros Cathedral- the largest building of its era in Scandinavia with monumental sculptures and elegant stained glass windows. Old wooden buildings Trondheim(the third largest city and the first capital of Norway) is also of interest to visitors to the central part, and to the east of it is the mining town of Reros - an ancient town with mines, an ancient church and many wooden buildings included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In the northern part, the traveler will see the harsh wild nature; in the summer you can watch wonderful white nights, and in the winter - the magical northern lights.
Or visit the most extreme point of Europe - Cape Nordkapp and feel the breath of the North Pole, and if you want to plunge into the vibrant nightlife - welcome to the city of Tromsø (it is called Northern Paris).
In this part of the country it is impossible to ignore Lofoten Islands, famous for its beautiful untouched nature. There is the world's largest deep-sea coral reef and one of the most dangerous whirlpools in the world (Malström), about a quarter of all seabirds in the country live there, ancient caves contain rock paintings of primitive people (Kolhellaren cave in Refsvik), settlements built as far back as 5th century and a complex of buildings erected in the 19th century (Nusfjord village). With all its diversity, Lofoten is a place of peace and tranquility. And their individuality is given by both the red fishing houses themselves against the backdrop of breathtaking landscapes, and the ropes stretched between the buildings with fish hanging on them. After all, dried cod is one of the symbols of these places.
Southern Norway is a region where picturesque villages with cute houses blend harmoniously into the austere landscape of the rocky coastline.
The largest city in the region is Kristiansand, next to which there are several islands - Flekkerey, Oxey and Gronningen - their beautiful nature and views attract tourists every summer. Towns such as Lillesand, Tvedesand, Brekkeste, Gamle and Ny Hellesund, scattered along the coastal cliffs among flowering gardens, also add their charm to the region. Here is also the village of Lynger, the best preserved small settlement in Europe.
In the county (Norwegian province) of Telemark you will find the place where skiing began - Morgedal, and nearby is the Telemark Canal.
September 27th, 2014 , 12:26 am
When going to Norway on your own for the first time, it is very important to have as much information as possible about the features of traveling in this country. A trip to the homeland of the Vikings will be beautiful, dizzying and at the same time unlike anything else; Norway is adapted to independent travel at the highest level, amazingly combining wild, uncultivated nature with civilized infrastructure. To achieve harmony and complete mutual understanding with this country, you need to be prepared for certain moments.
So, not at all briefly, but in great detail, I share the information necessary for everyone who wants to travel to Norway outside the restrictions of organized tourism.
Norway is a very long country, stretching from south to north. If you have no more than two weeks for the entire trip, I recommend choosing one part: either the northern or the southern. When I say “southern part,” I do not mean the very, very south of the country. This is just a symbol contrasted with the north, roughly speaking, the southern half of the state. The western part of this half is the region of the famous Norwegian fjords. Often those who travel for the first time start with it.
Part of the fjords covers several regions or “fylkes” at once - Rogaland, Hordaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Møre og Romsdal.
A significant number of travelers choose a nomadic style of travel in Norway. This means that they spend every or almost every night in a new place. Thus, in 10-14 days all of the above regions are covered, but in each of them attention is paid to a very limited number of objects - “what we managed to see, we saw.”
Even when preparing our first trip to Norway, I came to the conclusion that this type of vacation was not an option for our family.
Firstly, collecting and disassembling all your belongings every other day is not at all fun.
Secondly, we are with the child. In this case, the more settled, the less fatigue for everyone.
Thirdly, the weather is always an important factor in Norway. It is completely unpredictable and from year to year it can differ radically from previous seasons. Rain and low clouds can change the sun several times a day, or they can cover the entire sky for several days in advance. Therefore, when passing the intended places, a tourist easily risks not seeing them, not going on some trek - and all because of bad weather. And in the evening you have to be in a different place!
We are not happy with this scheme. If it didn't work out today, it can be done tomorrow. It’s easy to change plans on the go, adjust the program to suit fatigue, mood, weather, desire, and well-being. And explore the area you find yourself in as much as possible, without limiting yourself to the well-known must-see spots.
As a result, on trips to Norway I usually choose three or four habitats, spending several days in each. And we will explore not all 5 regions, but one or two. Don’t hesitate - you can spend more than one week in any of them, and it won’t be boring.
Living in one place, every day we make radial trips in different directions. Approximately within 70-100 km from housing. Does it seem like very little? Nevermind. You need to know Norwegian roads.
The fact is that the fjord region is almost continuous mountains, serpentines, and tunnels. And narrow roads. Sometimes they are even single-lane, but at the same time double-sided - with widening for passing lanes. Therefore, the average speed in mountainous areas is approximately 50 km/h. This is why it takes a lot of time to travel long distances.
Housing
You can forget about hotels in Norway. Unless you live in a city and have considerable capital, because Norway is an expensive country. But few people want to relax in the cities there; that’s not what Norway is famous for. And wealthy travelers are often inclined to save some money. Therefore, it is better not to stay in Norwegian hotels.
What is widespread there to an unprecedented scale are campsites, a great variety of them. In them you can find accommodation for every taste and budget - from tents (brought with you) to cottages. There are houses with everything you need, but without a bathroom and shower, there are houses with all the amenities.
There is always a separate building with showers and toilets, most often licked to a shine. Of course, vacationers are expected to maintain cleanliness and respect for others.
In addition, there is a separate public kitchen with the necessary utensils, as well as a laundry room.
Showers and washers/dryers are available for a fee. Shower on average 10 CZK for 5 minutes. Washing/drying - 10 CZK per operation. Most often, crowns need to be exchanged for special tokens at the reception desk at the campsite.
If you are not traveling with a tent, but are staying in a house, then keep in mind the arsenal:
A standard house has a set of utensils for eating and cooking (although there are unfortunate exceptions), a small stove, and a refrigerator. Pillows and blankets.
Almost always bed linen (pillowcases, duvet covers, sheets) are not included in the price. They are not cheap, so it is better to bring your own. Occasionally you also have to pay for pillows and blankets. If the house is booked in advance, it is better to clarify these points.
Final cleaning (“final cleaning”) is almost 100% not included in the price. It is significantly expensive to pay extra for it, so many people clean it themselves. Brush-buckets-rags are available in each house. The main rule is to leave the house in the condition in which you arrived. But even if you were unlucky, and there was a dishonest family in front of you that left dirt, it is better not to be like them.
When searching for campsites in Norway, I can offer alternatives:
Or enter the word “camping” in the search bar on Google Maps; a lot of red dots appear on the map - that’s what it is. The points are active, Google will give you all the information about them. If the campsite has its own website, Google will show the link.
You can contact the campsites or call them and agree on a reservation. As a rule, there is no advance payment for the reservation; you will not even be asked for credit card details. Few campsites do this. We didn't choose these.
Some travelers do not book anything at all, but look for a campsite each time on the spot, as the trip progresses. We don’t really like to do this; we like the certainty and guarantee of the overnight stay we need in the right place and for the required number of days.
The second way to live in Norway is private cottages. They are both more expensive and cheaper than campsites. Their main feature and often disadvantage: in the high season (from June to the end of August) almost all are rented out for a full week - from Saturday to Saturday. This is not always convenient when planning a trip. Especially with short holidays. Who is interested in sites for finding cottages - write, I will provide links.
Finally, there are campers - houses on wheels. They are also common. In Norway, renting a campervan is very expensive, but they are often rented in other European countries and driven to Norway.
Honesty
Much of the Norwegian tourism industry is built on honesty. For example, you arrive at a campsite, but the owners are not there. Instead, you see an advertisement like: “In vacant houses, the key is in the door. Come and live. We'll be there in the evening. If you are leaving in our absence, leave the house in a tidy condition, with the key in the door, and put the money “there.” And that's all.
Another example of honesty: berries on roadside stands in the summer season. There is a trough with berries on the counter, and next to it is a small box for money.
However, in such cases it is better to have cash with you, although in 90% of cases you can get by with a credit card.
Traveling by public transport
This matter is not as comfortable in Norway as, for example, in Switzerland. However, this option is also acceptable, especially in the fjord region; in the north the situation is worse.
Travel is possible by trains and more often by buses. Difficulties:
Pleasure is not cheap
- a more limited choice of places to visit
- adjusting to the schedule (and in rural areas, buses, you understand, do not run every 15 minutes)
- search for housing in close proximity to bus stops.
But even with such components, travel is possible and quite feasible; I know a number of very successful examples. So if you are interested in public transport sites, please contact us.
But still, if possible, then it is strongly recommended to take a car.
Rent a Car
Like everything else, Norway is not cheap)).
Having enough time, you can arrive not in Oslo, but in Stockholm; in Sweden, car rental is significantly cheaper, but it takes almost 2 days to get to the fjord region in Norway. In total, you need to have 4 extra days in reserve for such hauls. We don't have that luxury, so we overpay in Norway. We always conduct an extensive search, on various aggregators, as well as in individual companies.
This year, a Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 with a manual from Europcar cost us $1,100 for 15 days, without additional insurance.
My husband purchased insurance separately from the company http://www.worldwideinsure.com/, and selected it based on successful reviews from communities.
The cost of gasoline (diesel) = 15 (14) crowns per liter, +/- half a crown in different places.
Cash settlements
The national currency in Norway is the Norwegian krone.
When making payments, in 95% of cases you can get by with a credit card. It is possible to use debit, but in some places it does not work, judging by numerous reviews from people. Most often at some gas station. Therefore, along with a debit card, it is better to have a spare one - a credit card. And be sure to know the card PIN code! It is needed everywhere.
Despite the blatant civilization, it is better to have a certain supply of cash with you. Where you sometimes need cash:
Berry from private owners
- some toll roads to attractions (each road costs approximately 30-40 CZK)
- in some run-down campsite, where we never stopped, the grandmother said that payment is only in cash (which is 500-600 CZK per night)
- payment for a musk ox safari excursion to the guide
- in the event of a normal technical malfunction of devices for accepting credit cards or other failures from which no one is insured - this is anywhere.
Usually we buy 400-500 kroons, for all sorts of cases, if anything, you can withdraw it from any ATM in Norway. It is not recommended to bring currency and change it at exchange offices - they remove their draconian commissions. By the way, in Israeli exchange offices we just bought crowns in exchange for shekels.
But in general, even a magnet in a souvenir shop can be easily purchased with a credit card. Ferry crossings are the same story.
Nutrition
With catering as with hotels. Expensive, rare and not good everywhere. Expensive fast food, including. Therefore, almost all independent travelers cook for themselves. Occasionally they stop at some cafe to pamper themselves or drink tea with the national dessert - waffles with jam.
For an example of the price for such a tea party in one of the places we visited:
Waffle with jam - 30 CZK (about 5 dollars)
Two teas and coffee together - 70 CZK ($11)
Products for self-sufficiency are purchased from supermarkets of various chains. You can often find good prices and discounts in the Coop and Kiwi networks. Their websites are very convenient, you can see which store is located where and find out the opening hours.
A very common way to cook meat and fish while traveling is on a disposable grill. They are sold in superstores and gas stations. The price of each is 15 CZK. The coals are already impregnated with something, so that they light up almost with one fiery glance. One grill is not enough for a very large portion of meat, so if you are traveling with a large group and want a kebab on such a grill, it is better to buy several.
I'll try to remember the prices of some products...
Fresh salmon fillet - 4 pieces of 125 grams = 42 CZK, frozen - 38 CZK (by the way, this is cheaper than in Israel).
Pork steaks for grilling = from 50 CZK per kg; beef... we don’t take it there, it’s higher than expected))).
Bread spreads, such as processed cheese with flavorings = 18-25 CZK for a small jar.
Bread ranges from 13 (this time we didn’t come across it) to 32 crowns per loaf, an average of 23 crowns.
Milk = 15 CZK.
Some tourists use gas burners. Most often these are those who travel with their own tents, but even those who stay in cabins sometimes also prefer to have freedom of action and cook lunch outdoors on a stove. Here you need to keep in mind that gas cartridges cannot be transported on airplanes, so they must be purchased locally.
We didn't have a burner. We had breakfast and dinner in the houses, and for lunch we packed a picnic bag: sandwiches or fried fish fingers/cutlets/sausages, bread, spreads, some vegetables, sweets. Plus a small thermos with boiling water and tea bags. Disposable tableware for such lunches.
Picnics
Since we're talking about that.
In Norway, everything is conducive to a wild, but at the same time civilized holiday. For example, “Christmas trees” for parking and picnics.
Along the highway you can often see a sign with a Christmas tree with a table on it. This means that soon there will be an exit on the side of the road to such a resting place, which is nicknamed the “Christmas tree”. There are tables with benches on it, and sometimes there is a toilet (very clean, with paper, a sink and soap, and it’s free).
And in some places near the fjords you can even find a house with a shower and laundry! You put in 10 crown coins and use it.
Often such Christmas trees are located in picturesque places - overlooking a lake or fjord. The best place for a lunch break.
Clothing and additional equipment
Clothes should be different and suitable for the cold, even in August. I'm not talking about down jackets in the summer season, but there should be a normal jacket, preferably waterproof and windproof. And a jacket. Sometimes you want to pull it all together and you won’t even feel the heat.
So, it’s best to dress for walks according to the cabbage principle: T-shirt, sweater, jacket. So that you can take off and put on each top layer as needed.
Trousers. In any case, it is recommended to take not just pants, but a change. For May-June, for example, it is better to take some that are slightly insulated (not ski boots, but simply lined with insulated fleece), and others that are lighter. If you plan to spend a long time outdoors, they are very helpful in the cold and wind. If you are traveling at the end of July-August, you can do without these.
It's good to have a light waterproof suit - jacket + pants. Something like this:
For trekking - trekking shoes, trekking socks.
Additionally - light sneakers, sports sandals (these are optional), flip-flops (very useful for camping).
Ear bandage (used very often on tracks in the mountains, even in August) or a cap.
Trekking poles are a great help for unloading your knees, supporting your arms, etc. Useful thing.
Flashlights (if you are not traveling during white nights) - just in case.
Shoe dryers are possible, BUT (!!!) it is prohibited to dry trekking shoes with a waterproof layer using thermal devices! Often a similar warning is indicated on the boots. Even if the percentage of waterproofing is low, it will also disappear during thermal drying; subsequently, such boots will get wet even from light rain.
For backpacks, it is good to have a waterproof cover. On the tracks you never know whether it will rain, how strong it will be and how long it will last.
Wherever we were going during the day, we always had a dry set of clothes in the trunk for each of us: pants, socks, T-shirt, sneakers.
From clothes to weather
Main weather site in Norway: http://www.yr.no/
The weather, as I already said, is unpredictable. It can be hot and sunny in May, and in July you can fall into the rainy season and freeze, like Mowgli in the cold. It will happen with Norway! A peculiarity of the northern country is quite frequent low clouds. Not fog, but cloudy. When thick feather beds cover the mountains right down to the ground. It’s a cool sight, but if such beauty stands for several days, you won’t see much.
Therefore, you need to be mentally and physically prepared for absolutely any weather. There are no rules here.
Seasons
From weather to seasons! Still, there are certain rules according to which the seasons differ from each other. For example, in May and June, incredibly beautiful snowy mountains, often striped like zebras, look very elegant. Full-flowing waterfalls flowing from melting glaciers and snowfields on the tops. There are a lot of flowers, nature is waking up, mountain lakes are half covered in ice, and it’s truly beautiful! In addition, there is daylight almost around the clock. But: many high-mountain tracks are not accessible, some very scenic mountain roads are closed in May, there is still little blue color in the glaciers, because... They are still covered in snow, and it is often cold. Until the end of June, real spring reigns in Norway.
By August, flowering is reduced, the mountains cease to be invitingly snowy, the greenery is not fresh, but already deep and dark like summer. Actually, in terms of natural beauty, August is not the most beautiful time. But there are plenty of berries and mushrooms, all the tracks are accessible, it’s warm enough, even if it’s rainy.
September often marks the Indian summer, many are lucky enough to have good and mild weather, in the north of the country you can even sometimes see the northern lights!
The end of September - the beginning of October is the time of golden autumn, crimson shades - a delight for the eyes and the camera. But the weather is much less stable, rains are frequent, the first snowfalls are possible in the mountains, and the days are short.
But in general, any season in Norway is good in its own way, you just need to find the right approach)).
