For hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, this Norway itinerary is perfect. In 10 days, you will be able to do four amazing hikes. Be daring and stand on Kjeragbolten, hike out to Trolltunga and pose for the camera, enjoy epic views out to the Atlantic Ocean from Romsdalseggen, and hike Norway’s most popular hike, Pulpit Rock. Mixed in with the hiking days are visits to quaint coastal towns, scenic drives along the fjords and through the world’s longest tunnel, and a chance to experience some of the best that Norway has to offer.
Norway is a gorgeous country, and on this itinerary you get to see it via car, ferry, airplane, train, and your own two feet. In our opinion, there is no better way to see Norway than by hiking!
How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left hand corner of the map to view the layers (points of interest, hiking trails, and cities). You can click the check marks to hide or show layers. If you click the icons on the map, you can get more information about each point of interest.
If you click the star next to the title of the map, this map will be added to your Google Maps account. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu button, go to “Your Places,” click Maps, and you will see this map on your list.
10 Day Norway Itinerary
Norway Itinerary: Day 1
Arrive in Oslo, Fly to Stavanger
Arrive in Oslo and catch a connecting flight to Stavanger. Stavanger will be your home base for the next three nights. From here, you will hike to Pulpit Rock and Kjeragbolten. I recommend renting a car at the airport. It is possible to reach both Pulpit Rock and Kjeragbolten using public transportation but having a car will give you more flexibility in your schedule.
Have dinner, get some rest, and tomorrow will be the first Norwegian hike.
Where We Stayed in Stavanger: The Comfort Square Hotel. This modernly decorated hotel (with interesting artwork) is located within the heart of Stavanger. Take-away breakfast is available, perfect if you want to grab breakfast and get an early start hiking.
Norway Itinerary: Day 2
Hike to Pulpit Rock
Get an early start to beat the crowds. You can drive directly to Pulpit Rock from Stavanger and if you do not have a rental car you can get to Pulpit Rock by bus. Get the details in our post about Pulpit Rock.
The hike to Pulpit Rock is Norway’s most iconic hike, with views of the Lysefjord and this slab of rock that almost looks like it is from another planet. This giant monolith is also known as Preikestolen.
The hike is five miles round trip, the shortest on this Norway itinerary. It is an easy hike that anyone with average fitness can do, including children. Since it is Norway’s most popular hike, expect lots of crowds, especially during the peak travel season from June through August.
LEARN MORE: How to Hike to Pulpit Rock
Pulpit Rock | 10 Day Norway Itinerary
Return to Stavanger. We ate at ND Sorensen’s Dampskibsexpedition Pub. The food was fantastic but it was expensive. Well, this is Norway, one of the most expensive destinations in the world. Expect to pay $30 to $40 for an entrée and $10 for a beer.
Norway Itinerary: Day 3
Kjeragbolten Hike
This was our favorite day while visiting Norway. The hike to Kjeragbolten is epic, with some of the best views of the fjords in Norway along with that chance to step out onto the boulder…if you so dare!
Kjeragbolten is located two hours away from Stavanger (140 km) and there are two ways to get there: a bus service that only runs during the peak summer months, or by rental car. We chose the rental car option. For four people this was more economical and more convenient.
The hike to Kjeragbolten is 12 km round trip, taking hikers between 5 and 7 hours to complete the hike. It is longer and more strenuous than Pulpit Rock, with sections of rock scrambling and chain-assisted climbing, which made this the favorite hike in Norway for Tyler and Kara. The views along the way are unbelievable. Even if you have no plans to step out onto Kjerag, this hike is still absolutely worth it for the views along the way.
View from the trail to Kjeragbolten | 10 Day Norway Itinerary
The infamous boulder is wedged between two rock faces 1000 meters off of the ground. It’s a crazy thing to do but one of our favorite traveling memories, for sure!
Kjeragbolten | 10 Day Norway Itinerary
For more on hiking to Kjeragbolten (including details on how to get here), check out these posts:
After the Kjeragbolten hike, if you are up for another adventure, then you might consider driving down (and then back up) Lysevegen Road. It is a narrow road with 32 sharp bends, an average gradient of 9.4%, and an elevation difference of more than 800 meters (2600 ft) over only 5.8 km (3.6 miles). And if that isn’t crazy enough then there is a tunnel near the bottom that turns 340 degrees.
If you are up for this adventure, like we were, then when you pull out of the Kjerag parking lot turn left and you’ll start going down this dangerous, windy, switchback road almost right away. This road connects the Kjeragbolten car park with the town of Lysebotn.
Drive two hours back to Stavanger, return the rental car, and get a good night’s sleep.
Norway Itinerary: Day 4
Bergen, Norway
Take a morning flight from Stavanger to Bergen. It is possible to take a bus or a ferry to Bergen, but this takes five hours and you need that time today to tour Bergen.
Once in Bergen, rent another car. You will have this car until you reach Ålesund on day 10.
Most of the day is available for exploring Bergen, a coastal town that was once a German settlement. Have lunch at the fish market, wander the cobblestoned streets, take the funicular up the hillside for the best views over Bergen, and explore Bryggen, the location of the Hanseatic houses along the harbor.
Bryggen | 10 Day Norway Itinerary
Bergen | 10 Day Norway Itinerary
Once finished in Bergen, you will drive to a town near the Trolltunga hike.
You have several options where to stay near the Trolltunga hike. Odda and Tyssedal are the two towns located closest to the hike. From Bergen, it takes about three hours to drive to these towns.
You can also stay in Kinsarvik or Eidfjord. These two towns are north of Trolltunga, so you will have a longer drive to get to the trailhead for Trolltunga. However, since you are farther north, you will do less driving on day 6 when you go to Flåm.
On the drive, there are two waterfalls you can stop and visit. Steinsdalsfossen is a waterfall that is visible from the road. You can follow the footpath behind the waterfall. Twenty minutes east of Eidfjord is Vøringsfossen, a stunning waterfall that you can hike to. There is now a footbridge that crosses the river, offering views of the waterfall.
For recommendations on where to stay near the Trolltunga hike, read our article Where to Stay Near Trolltunga.
Norway Itinerary: Day 5
Trolltunga
Today is another day of epic hiking and a chance to see more of iconic Norway.
If you stayed in Eidfjord or Kinsarvik, it is an hour drive south to Tyssedal and the start of the Trolltunga hike. The views along the way were some of my favorites in Norway.
For the Trolltunga hike, you have several parking options. The ideal place to park is at Mågelitopp (P3), an upper level parking lot that shaves off the first massive climb and saves you a lot of time. However, there are only 30 parking spaces and you can make a reservation in advance. The next best option is the main parking lot at the trailhead. For more information about these parking areas and how to make your reservation, read our guide How to Hike Trolltunga.
After the first major climb, whether you did on foot or by car, you are treated to amazing views. And then, of course, you get to step out onto Trolltunga.
Trolltunga | 10 Day Norway Itinerary
The hike to Trolltunga takes 8 to 10 hours to complete, going 28 km in total. After completion of the hike, drive back to your hotel.
Norway Itinerary: Day 6
Norway in a Nutshell
The Norway in a Nutshell tour is a very popular excursion for first-time visitors to Norway. This tour includes a cruise on Naeroyfjord (a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the narrowest fjord in Norway) and Aurlandsfjord, a railway journey to and from Myrdal, and a spectacular view of the Naeroydalen valley from the Stalheim Hotel.
Flåm | 10 Day Norway Itinerary
If you are following our Norway itinerary and/or have your own transportation, then it is not necessary to book the organized tour. You can follow our guide on how to do Norway in a Nutshell on your own. You’ll want to drive to the Stalheim Hotel, where our guide begins.
Read more about this full day itinerary, including what to see on the drive from Eidfjord to Flåm:
Once the tour is over it is time to drive to Balestrand. On the way, and only about 30 minutes from Flåm, is the Stegastein Viewpoint, a scenic lookout over Aurlandsfjord. From this viewpoint you can continue along the Aurlandsvegen Snow Road, a high mountain road with spectacular scenery. Or you can back track down the mountain and take the world’s longest tunnel, Lærdalstunnelen (24.5 km or 15.2 miles).
Where We Stayed in Balestrand: We stayed in the Balestrand Hotel, a nothing fancy, family-run hotel. If you want a nice view, request a room overlooking Sognefjord.
Norway Itinerary: Day 7
Drive to Geiranger
Today is a full day of driving but if you get lucky with the weather (we did not) the scenery is amazing. This drive takes you along fjords and through small towns, giving you plenty of opportunities to stop for food along the way.
Sites to see on the drive between Balestrand and Geiranger include:
- Likholefossen (we ended up not stopping here ourselves due to a late start)
- Jostedalsbreen National Park Centre (listed in Google Maps as Jostedalsbreen Nasjonalparksenter) for an education on glaciers
- Old Strynefjell Mountain Road (Old Road 258) … for the views
- Videseter Hotel to look at the view of the valley (located on Old Strynefjell Mountain Road)
- From the Videseter Hotel you can also walk to the Videfossen Waterfall (listed in Google Maps as Buldrefossen)
As you approach Geiranger there are various viewpoints to see:
- Dalsnibba Viewpoint – highest of the views of valley and fjord. The road here is Norway’s highest car road.
- Knuten Viewpoint
- Flydalsjuvet Viewpoint
In the afternoon, you will arrive in Geiranger, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a fjord known for being one of the most spectacular in Norway.
Where We Stayed in Geiranger: Hotel Utsikten. We chose this hotel for its awesome views over Geirangerfjord. Unfortunately, during our stay in Geiranger, it was wet and foggy and at times we could barely see the fjord from the hotel. If you chose to stay here, hopefully you will have better luck. The hotel is within walking distance of the town, where you can rent kayaks and go shopping. We enjoyed hanging out at the hotel bar at the end of the day, and overall really enjoyed our stay here, despite the rainy weather.
Norway Itinerary: Day 8
Geiranger
There is plenty of time in the day to explore Geirangerfjord before moving on again. There are hiking and biking trails, kayaks to rent, viewpoints to drive to, and the small town of Geiranger to explore and to go shopping.
From Geiranger it is a two hour drive to the next town, Åndalsnes. This is another scenic drive and just before arriving in Åndalsnes you will drive the Trollstigen (Troll’s Ladder), a switchback road that is one of the most popular drives in Norway.
Trollstigen | 10 Day Norway Itinerary
Have dinner in Åndalsnes and get settled into your accommodations. Tomorrow is an early morning.
Where We Stayed in Åndalsnes: We spent two nights at the Trollveggen Campground in Åndalsnes. We slept in cabin #3 and it was adorable. Tyler and Kara loved it. In fact, they described it as “epic.”
Norway Itinerary: Day 9
Romsdalseggen Hike
Romsdalseggen is an 11 km hike along the spine of a mountain. Although not the longest hike in this Norway itinerary, we found it to be the most difficult. This hike can take 8 to 10 hours to complete.
You can hike this trail from July 1 through September 30, when the shuttle bus is in service.
From Åndalsnes, there is a bus that delivers hikers to the start of the hike. This hike is a point to point hike, starting on farmland and ending in the town of Åndalsnes. Weather can be unpredictable…we were here in August and there was a chance of snow in the forecast.
The hike starts off with a strenuous climb, taking hikers to the spine of the mountain. From here, on a clear day, you can see all of the way out to the Atlantic Ocean. We were not so lucky, but even so, the views were still amazing.
Beware of the low cloud cover…this hike goes right along the edge of a mountain and one false step could send you off over the side. Our kids called it “oblivion.”
If you don’t want to hike Romsdalseggen Ridge, or the weather is not cooperating, you have the option to hike to the Rampestreken viewpoint. This viewpoint is located along the Romsdalseggen trail and overlooks Åndalsnes and the valley. It takes roughly 3 hours round trip to hike to the viewpoint. With 700 meters of climbing, it a strenuous walk to get here.
READ MORE: Hiking Romsdalseggen Ridge
After your hike, enjoy dinner in town.
Norway Itinerary: Day 10
Ålesund and Oslo
From Åndalsnes it is a two hour drive west to Ålesund, another coastal town.
Enjoy the day exploring Ålesund and don’t miss the walk up the hillside to Fjellstua for the best views of the town.
Ålesund | 10 Day Norway Itinerary
In the afternoon, fly to Oslo, completing your tour of Norway.
Where We Stayed in Oslo: The Clarion Royal Christiana. This is a four star hotel located in downtown Oslo within walking distance of the train station and the Oslo Opera House. My favorite thing about this hotel (other than it’s great location) was the huge breakfast buffet.
Best Time for this Norway Itinerary
The best time to do this Norway itinerary is between June and September, especially if you plan on hiking these trails. Snow lingers on some of these trails up until June. The earliest you can hike Trolltunga without a guide is June 1, according to the Visit Norway website.
If you are planning a trip to Norway before June with the intent to go hiking, here are some things to consider:
Pulpit Rock: You can hike Pulpit Rock from April to October. For the remainder of the year, the trails will be covered with snow. It is only recommended that you hike Pulpit Rock from November through March with a guide.
Kjeragbolten: The best time to hike Kjeragbolten is from June 1 through September 30. The bus from Stavanger does not start running until June 1. Before June 1, snow can still cover the roads, so you may not even be able to drive to the start of the hike.
Trolltunga: June 1 to September 30. All other times of the year you should hike with a guide.
Romsdalseggen Ridge: June 30 to September 30 (when the shuttle bus is in service).
For your best chance of clear weather, visit Norway in the spring and early summer. In August, rainfall chances increase. It is not unusual to have rainy weather during September and October.
If you do not plan on hiking, some roads on this Norway itinerary can be closed from November through May. Trollstigen and the Aurlandsvegen Snow Road make it onto this list.
We did this same Norway itinerary in early August.
If you have any questions about this Norway itinerary, let us know in the comment section below.
More Information for Your Trip to Norway:
PLACES TO GO IN NORWAY: For a list of top experiences in Norway, don’t miss our Norway Bucket List. If you are a hiker, we also have a hiking guide with 14 epic day hikes to do in Norway.
BEST OF NORWAY ITINERARY: In this guide, we share two different ways to plan a 10 day trip that includes both the Lofoten Islands and southern Norway.
LOFOTEN ISLANDS: For an overview of the best things to do, read our Lofoten Islands Top Ten List. Get lots of travel planning advice in our Lofoten Islands Itinerary. For advice on where to stay, read our Lofoten Islands Hotel Guide.
HOW TO VISIT SVALBARD: Learn more about how to plan a trip to Svalbard in our Svalbard Travel Guide. We also provide important planning information in our Svalbard Packing List and in our article about how much it costs to visit Svalbard.
FIRST TIME IN EUROPE: If this is your first time in Europe, don’t miss our article 7 Things to Know when Planning Your First Trip to Europe.
Are you planning a trip to the Norway? Read all of our articles about Norway in our Norway Travel Guide.
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Comments 244
We are planning a trip for July 2024. Were you able to see the Northern Lights at all at any of these destinations listed on your itinerary?
Author
No, in July it’s the time of the midnight sun so it is too bright to see the Northern Lights. You can start to see them towards the end of September into October. Cheers, Julie
Hi, we are taking a road trip at the end of June from Stavanger to Alsund and then flying back home from Alesund. Do we need to make reservations for taking ferries, or is there enough space to accommodate everyone? Thanks!
Author
When we rode the ferries in Norway, you could not make a reservation in advance (our most recent visit was 2018). You got in line for the next ferry and it was first come first serve, so there were some people who had to wait for the next ferry. From updating these articles, I don’t think anything has changed, but you could do some research on the ferries you will use and see if they offer advance reservations. In some places, ferries run very frequently, so it’s no big deal. But if you need to take a ferry that runs only 2 to 3 times per day, it’s a good idea to get to the port at least an hour before it will leave, to make sure you get a spot. Cheers, Julie
Amazing blog, one of the best i’ve seen. We’re going in early May this year, 4 days, only around Bergen but pushing the limits. The three main hikes are accessible? (Pulpit Rock, Trolltunga, Kjeragbolten)? Those are #1 priority, but we will sprinkle everything else around them
Author
Kjeragbolten and Pulpit Rock are best done from Stavanger (it would be an incredibly long day trip to both of these hikes from Bergen). Trolltunga is a long hike and best done from Tyssedal, Odda, or Eidfjord. There are people who do it as a day trip from Bergen but it could end up being a 14+ hour day. The hiking season for Trolltunga and Kjeragbolten starts June 1 but Pulpit Rock can be hiked all year, depending on weather conditions. So, if you are in Bergen in May, you won’t be able to do any of these hikes, but you could if you pushed your trip to June and stayed closer to the hikes. Cheers, Julie
Hello,
Thank you very much for this detailed itinerary. I have a question about the car rental. Looks like you rented the car in Stavanger Airport and dropped it in Alesund Airport. Which car company did you use? Did they charge you extra for different drop-off location?
Author
Yes, there is an additional fee for dropping off a rental car in a different location (this holds true for all rental car companies in our experience). I don’t recall the rental car company we used, but most likely it was Hertz or Avis. When booking a rental car, Tim prices out the major companies and goes with the one with the cheapest rate. This can vary quite a bit from season to season and year to year. Cheers, Julie
Hi, do we have to take a ferry if we drive from Bergen to Tyssedal? We are planning a trip in end of June for 10 days. Thanks.
Author
No, you do not have to take the ferry. There is a driving route that crosses the Hardangerfjord on a bridge (the Hardangerbrua). Here is the link to Google maps so you can see it. Cheers, Julie
Julie – thank you for the detailed itinerary. We are planning our first trip to Norway in mid June this year. My husband and I love the outdoors and would like to hike when there. However, some of the hikes you mention are a bit intimidating. I am confident we can hike 10km and up and down hills. Not sure about 15-20km or hikes that involve chains. Can you direct me to information on wonderful hikes that are not all day hikes?
Thank you, Beth
Author
Hello Beth. Thanks for writing in. I recommend Pulpit Rock, since it is short and doesn’t have any chains. Plus the views are amazing. Using the chains is easier than you might think. We used chains for the first time on the Kjeragbolten hike. They are there for some extra assistance and safety. As far as where to get more information on other hikes in southern Norway, the ones that have come up in our research and look good are mentioned on our Hikes in Norway post. You could do some additional searching on the internet, searching “short hikes in Norway” as a start. Good luck! Cheers, Julie
Hi Julie, thanks for sharing your itineraries. I wonder how’s wifi in Norway on your trip. We plan to follow your itineraries and stay in Andalsnes ( since my daughter needs to select the college courses on that day, she really cares about the wifi in the hotel/campground.) I would greatly appreciate your information about what kind of Wifi you are using in your Norway trip and wifi in Trollveggen campground. Thank you so much.
T Chen
Author
That’s a great question. We are highly dependent on WiFi too, so we can answer comments like these when we travel. 😊 We got a SIM card in Norway when we arrived. In the small towns, we had decent cellular service but when driving in rural areas, had a weak signal or no signal. As for WiFi, that really depends on the place where you are staying. The hotel/campground website should give you some kind of indication of whether or not they offer WiFi. If they do, it doesn’t mean that it will work well, unfortunately. We stayed at Trollvegen in 2013 and I can’t remember what the WiFi was like, or if they even offered it, and even so, it’s been 9 years, so it might have changed. I recommend checking their website. When we book hotels on Booking.com, there is a rating for the WiFi score for each property. In our experience, anything below an 8.5 does not work very well (we try to book places with a 9.3 or higher for the WiFi score). Cheers, Julie
Hi Julie, thank you so much! Do you think it’s safe to stay in the city center of Andalsens to get the cellular working well? Not sure how big and how rural this town is.
Do you use any app to drive around when the cellular is not available?
Another question is about car rental, while we try to follow your itinerary, we found picking car in Bergen and dropping in Alesund is at triple cost( 450USD vs 1600USD or more). We tried different cities, different directions and got similar results. Back then, was that also the case or could you please share some tips?
Thank you,
Julie
Author
Yes, I think Andalsnes is a safe bet for good cellular service. It’s a small town but large enough that it should have good cellular service. If you plan to stay at Trollveggen, you could also explain your situation and see what they recommend for connectivity. I know how important it is to be connected (since we still work when we travel). We did not use an app, just cached Google Maps on our phones and used this. You pass through small towns often enough to frequently pick up a signal.
That’s a huge drop fee! It has gotten a lot more expensive to do that since our trip. For us, it probably tacked on a few hundred USD in 2013. But in recent years, we have paid huge drop fees as well, in other parts of Europe, but not 1000USD. In your case, it might be worth the 8 hour drive to get back to Bergen and drop the car here to save 1100 USD.
Cheers, Julie
This is a great itinerary for Norway! Currently designing my trip for July 2023 so will be taking a few tips from here. Was there opens in the towns to camp or hostel? Trying to keep costs down if I can?
– David
Author
I don’t know much about camping in Norway, but I think free camping is allowed. This would be worth looking into because you could camp along hiking trails and along the roadside for zero cost. I have heard of people camping near Trolltunga and Kjeragbolten, so they could see these places with far fewer crowds early and late in the day. Norway is expensive but accommodation prices are about the same compared with many other places in Europe, so you can stay in budget/hostel type places to keep costs down. We always book our accommodations in advance because they can be filled to capacity. But food is expensive so we tend to put together breakfast and lunch from the grocery stores and then dine at a restaurant for dinner. Have a great trip! Cheers, Julie
Dear Julie, thank you very much for this blog. we are planning the same itinerary (10 day Norway) in mid-August 2022.
Are there any tips, advice, changes you would add to this itinerary -things to watch out for?
A question, which car rental company did you use in Stavanger? and which car rental did you use from Bergen to Alesund? The last part of the journey, the car rental pick up and drop off is different — so wondering which car rental to use which would allow this.
Looking forward to your advice. Lay
Author
Hello Lay. There is nothing that I would change for this itinerary. We added some sights along the way that came up in our research or were recommended to us after the trip, which are listed in this itinerary. Most major rental car companies will allow you to drop off and pick up a rental car at 2 different locations. To do this, there is an additional fee. We did this same itinerary in 2013, so the rental car company that we used then may not have the same rules/terms for 2022. But I recommend getting pricing from the major rental car companies (Avis, Europcar, Hertz, etc), and determine if they allow you to drop off and pick up the car at different locations. Cheers, Julie
Julie, thank you very much for your reply. Already booked our air tickets — now is to book the accommodation and car rental. Your blog is very helpful – detailed for us to follow and plan. So grateful for your sharing.
Thanks. Lay
Dear Julie – What a very informative blog! Thank you for all the information. My husband and I are flying to Oslo the very begining of August to hike for 5 days and then end up at Bergen to visit a friend who lives there. We were hoping to take public transportation (trains and buses) and avoid renting a car if possible. We plan to fly out of Bergen. Would any of the great hikes you describe make sense given our time frame? and if we want to avoid having to drive? Someone recommended Hardangervidda in the nartional park, around Geilo? But is the scenery as nice as what you have described? We have done a lot of hiking and are used to strenuous hiking trips but want to avoid camping out on this trip and would rather stay in huts if we can. We are open to your suggestions!
Thank you very much, Susanna
Author
You can take public transportation or shuttles to each of the hikes mentioned in this post. If you like hiking, I recommend Trolltunga and/or Kjeragbolten. Kjeragbolten is done from Stavanger and Trolltunga is done from Tyssedal. There are public buses that run between Trolltunga and Bergen. I think adding one hike is worth it (hiking is our favorite thing to do while in Norway) it would just take a little bit of work figuring out the bus schedules. We have links to the public transportation options in each hiking article. And for each hike, you can stay in a hotel, no camping necessary. We have not been to Hardangervidda NP (the closest we got was the Trolltunga hike) so I can’t compare the scenery to other places mentioned on this itinerary. Cheers, Julie