Norway Itinerary | 2 Weeks Of Wonders Including 3 Epic Hikes

If you’re planning a trip to Norway, one of the first things you need to decide is where, exactly, you want to go. There’s so much to see, you can’t possibly see everything in a week. Honestly, even two weeks is not enough. Especially if you also want to add in some epic hikes (there are 3 in this itinerary). For a successful Norway itinerary of 2 weeks, you need to narrow your list to just the top places you want to see. You also need to balance trying to see as much as possible while still leaving yourself a little space to relax and enjoy your trip. While I usually try to plan a minimum of 3 nights in each city or town, in Norway, I cut that back in several places to see more. I only left 3 nights in Lofoten, which is stunning.

My actual trip was a little different than what I recommend below, but very, very close. I fine-tuned it for you, adjusting stays in some locations based on my experience there. Of course, I still need to go back, as even 2 weeks is not enough to see all of the beauty here! This article covers my recommended Norway itinerary of 2 weeks for an active adventurer, and some alternate suggestions.

Norway Itinerary: 2 Weeks

Highlights of this Norway Itinerary of 2 Weeks

You visit the following cities/villages:

• Oslo
• Flåm
• Bergen
• Stavanger
• Odda/Trolltunga
• Reine, Sakrisøy, Hamnøy, and Uttakleiv in Lofoten

3 epic hikes:

• Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen)
• Trolltunga
• Reinebringen

Cruise 2 of the top 5 fjords in Norway and drive alongside another:

• UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord
• Lysefjord
• Hardangerfjord

And you take several scenic train rides, including the Flåmsbana.

Day 1 and 2: Oslo

As most people fly into Norway, the best place to start your trip is either in Oslo or Bergen, where most flights arrive. Oslo offers the most flights, and usually lower flight costs. Bergen is second. For my trip, I flew from the USA and found the best route and price to Oslo, so I started there. I also wanted to see the capital of Norway.

I often select flights that arrive in the afternoon, as this is when rooms are ready and I get to explore a little, have dinner, then get a good sleep. Assuming that you do the same, my suggestions for the first day are to walk to the Opera House, where you can walk on its marble rooftop for a view of the fjord. After this, find a place near your accommodation for dinner and relax and enjoy your first night in your room.

On day 2, explore Akershus Fortress in the morning and take a cruise in the Oslofjord in the evening. There are several cruises to choose from, but I recommend one of the 3 hour cruises that sail in an authentic sailing ship. They start around 6:00 or 6:30. There is a blues cruise, jazz cruise, a rock cruise, a dinner cruise, and more.

For the afternoon, there are several great museums in Oslo. My favorite is the Nobel Peace Center, located near the waterfront, but there’s also the Viking Ship Museum, the National Museum, and the Munch Museum, which celebrates the work of the world-famous Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, who painted The Scream. Taking one of the free, tip-based walking tours is also a great way to learn more about Oslo. There are generally morning afternoon tour options in English.

Day 3: Flåm

On day 3, take the train from Oslo to Myrdal in the morning. The Bergen Railway has an early morning train to Myrdal, where you switch to the Flåmsbana Railway ride to Flåm. This picturesque ride is known as the most scenic train ride in Norway. You pass by majestic mountains, waterfalls, and valleys, arriving in Flåm a little after 2:00 PM.

Plan to stay in Flåm for the night. This gives you time to explore charming little Flåm, which is perched on the edge of the Aurlandsfjord, near the Nærøyfjord (which you will cruise tomorrow). Top things to choose from in Flåm include taking a walk to a viewpoint of Brekkefossen Waterfall, walking along the Aurlandsfjord at sunset, spending time in a floating sauna on the fjord, or taking a shuttle to Stegastein Viewpoint, which offers a great scenic view of the Aurlandsfjord.

If you want something more active, an alternative to the Flåmsbana Railway, is to rent a bike at Kårdal, a short hike down from Myrdal station, and ride it to Flåm alongside the Flåmsbana. The bike ride is mostly downhill and takes about 2-3 hours. It gets you to Flåm an hour or two later than the train ride, but it’s a much more immersive experience. I did not do this on my trip as I did not know about it, but I saw many doing this and think this would be a fabulous option for the adventurous.

The train ride from Bergen to Myrdal and then Flåm can be booked at Norway In A Nutshell as part of trip from Oslo to Bergen, or book the same tickets separately. See my post Norway In A Nutshell | Is It Worth It for details. Also see What To See Around Flam | Scenic Wonders & Little Known Adventures for more notes in my visit.

Day 4 and 5: Bergen

The morning of day 4, take the cruise from Flåm to Gudvangen, along the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord. This is the narrowest fjord in the world. The cruise stops in Gudvangen in the early afternoon, where a bus takes you up to a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the Nærøydalen (also UNESCO listed). After this stop, the bus continues on, taking you to Voss, where you catch a train to Bergen. You arrive in Bergen a little after 2:00 PM.

This part of the journey can also be booked at Norway In A Nutshell, or booked separately. I booked day 3 and 4 as a 2-day journey on Norway In A Nutshell with an overnight stay in Flåm. It sounds like a lot of detail, but they make it very easy to book and navigate. See my post Norway In A Nutshell | Is It Worth It for more details.

After getting settled at your accommodation in Bergen, I recommend walking to the Bergen Fishmarket. This is where the fishermen historically brought their catch of the day. Today it’s mainly for tourists (the prices are also tourist prices!). If you choose not to eat there, consider Bryggeloftet, for traditional Norwegian food. It’s close to Brygge.

After dinner, take the funicular to the top of Fløyen Mountain, one of the 7 hills surrounding Bergen, and watch the sunset over the city. There are also restaurants at the top of the mountain if you find yourself short on time.

On day 5, take a free, tip-based walking tour of Bergen. These tours are great, providing an overview of its history and highlights in a few hours (most start at 10 and last 2 hours).

For lunch, try some authentic traditional fish soup or fish cakes at Søstrene Hagelin, in business since 1929, or try a reindeer hotdog at Trekroneren. Some say they are the best hot dogs in Norway. I tried both and they were both great! They are also located near the area most morning tours end at.

After lunch, I highly recommend this guided tour of Bryggen Museum and the Schøtstuene. It gets more in depth on the history of Bergen than the morning walking tour does. They offer a 1:00 start time in the summer, which is perfect. Then, after, while you are nearby, take a quick walk up to the top of Rosenkrantz Tower at Bergenhus Fortress, then over to see Håkon’s Hall, built by king Håkon Håkonsson in the 13th century.

Day 6 and 7: Stavanger

Early day 6, rent a car in Bergen and drive to Stavanger. It’s about a 5 hour drive.

After checking into your hotel, I recommend walking over to Gamle, to explore the historic wooden houses in the historic center of Stavanger. The Canning and Printing Museum (they are combined) is also located in Gamle and makes a fun little stop. It’s also a great place for lunch.

Stavanger is small and charming, so in a short time you can also explore the beautiful harbor, see the cathedral, and colorful Øvre Holmegate. There are also many restaurants lining the harbor. It’s a lovely city.

On Day 7, take a cruise along the Lysefjord, preferably the one which includes a bus ride to the start of the Pulpit Rock Trail (which the cruise passes in the fjord). It’s the Lysefjorden Cruise and Preikestolen Hike. If you stay near the harbor front, your cruise will start jsut a few steps away.

Hike to the peak of Pulpit Rock, one of the most popular hikes in Norway. The hike takes about 3-5 hours. At the end of the hike, buses leave almost hourly back to Stavanger (this is included in your cruise ticket). This gives you plenty of time to enjoy your hike and take photos at your own pace. This is a spectacular day.

For more details, see my posts on Pulpit Rock and Stavanger.

Day 8 and 9: Odda/Trolltunga

On day 8, drive to Odda and plan to hike Trolltunga the following day. This iconic hike is 12.4 miles (about 20 km) from P3 (the recommend starting point), so you really need 2 nights for this one.

The drive from Stavanger to Trolltunga is about 5 hours. I recommend leaving early, as there are a lot of places to stop and take photos along the way, including multiple waterfalls. See my post The Audacious Beauty of Odda | Waterfalls, Glaciers, and Trails for more details.

I recommend renting an Airbnb at the base of Trolltunga, to make it easier to start your hike early on day 9. The downside to this is that there is not many food options at Trolltunga. Just a small building that offers frozen pizza, fries, and hot dogs. It’s better to eat in Odda and stock up on supplies at the market there. See my post Hiking Trolltunga | Conquering Norway’s Iconic Cliff for more details.

This hike is another incredibly epic day in Norway. The goal is to start the hike early as it gets very crowded.

Day 10 Bergen

Drive back to Bergen on day 10 and return your rental car. The short drive will take 3-4 hours. If you prefer, take the longer drive which will take you past the Hardangerfjord, another one of the top 5 fjords in Norway. I did not drive along the Hardangerfjord, but wish I had. Doing this adds the 3rd fjord (another of the top 5) to this itinerary. It’s lined with orchards, so known to be especially beautiful in the spring.

Stay the night in Bergen and prepare to leave for Lofoten the next morning. If you have time before your flight, explore Nordnes, a charming residential area in Bergen with old wooden homes and cobblestone streets. My favorite cafe in Nordnes is Lovetann Cafe & Bistro. I suggest stopping here for a coffee (or matcha) or dinner served by friendly locals.

Day 11, 12, and 13: Lofoten

Day 11, fly to Bodø from Bergen. In Bodø, take the 3 hour ferry to Lofoten. This journey will take the entire day. I recommend the evening ferry to watch the sunset behind Lofoten as you arrive. Stunning. This means you will arrive around 10 PM.

In Lofoten, rent a car and stay in an authentic Rorbuer, or fishing hut, in either Reine, Sakrisøy, or Hamnøy. This is one of the most beautiful areas of Lofoten. If you prefer, you can rent a car in Bodø (as more are available there) and take it on the ferry. If you have questions on how I found a car in Lofoten at the late arrival hour, comment below and I will send the details to you.

On day 12, explore picturesque Hamnøy viewpoint, the restaurants in Sakrisøy, and Reine. They are all very close, so it’s very feasible. I highly recommend eating at Anita’s in Sakrisøy. It offers an incredible view and great food. Underhuset is another great place. It’s authentic Mexican. They are both expensive though. There’s also a little pastry shop in Hamnøy, where I walked each morning for coffee.

In the evening, you can kayak in the Reinefjorden. I took the sunset kayak tour, which was beautiful.

Day 13 hike Reinebringen Trail for the view of Lofoten from its peak. This is a short, but steep hike to an incredible panoramic view, taking about 2-3 hours. See my post on Hiking Reienbringen | Stunning Summit Above The Fjords for more details. I recommend hiking early for the best views and fewest people.

In the afternoon, drive to Uttakleiv Beach, a beautiful white sand beach at the base of towering mountains. Along the way, you will also see Haukland Beach and other lovely landscape. The drive is about an hour and half each way.

Day 14: Oslo

On day 14, rerun to Oslo and catch your flight home. This is a very long travel day, but it’s worth it to try to get everything into 2 weeks.

So What’s Missing?

It’s really hard to get everything you want in an itinerary to Norway in 2 weeks. As I mentioned above, this itinerary is mostly what I followed and my trip was amazing. I did stay a little longer, but added a few more days in Oslo and an extra day in Stavanger, that I do not think are necessary.

What I think is missing from this itinerary is more time in Lofoten, as there is so much more to see there. A visit to the Geirangerfjord, known as the “Jewel of the Fjords”, would be another great add-on. Especially a visit Geirangerfjord lookout point, which overlooks the fjord. It’s located north of Bergen and Flåm.

Lengthening your stay in Lofoten is easy and I highly recommend it. See my post Things To Do In Lofoten | Norway’s Breathtaking Archipelago for more ideas and hikes here. If you can extend your itinerary to Norway to 2 and a half weeks, this is what I would recommend and wish I had done.

Adding in the Geirangerfjord is a bit more challenging. The closest airport is in Ålesund. Oslo is a common start point for flights there. You can also rent a car in Flåm and drive to the Geirangerfjord. It’s about 6 hours each way. Neither are easy solutions. If you add this in, you end up seeing 4 of the top 5 fjords in Norway, which is amazing.

If you have any comments or suggestions on my Norway itinerary of 2 weeks, please add a comment below.

Safe Travels!

Julie