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Active Excursions in Norway


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Hi,

We are looking into booking a Norwegian Fjords cruise but are skeptical of the ship sponsored excursions on the cruise line website. We are very active travelers (for example, we enjoy rock/mountain climbing, hiking, biking, etc.) and would love to really experience the nature of Norway in those ways. There are only a handful of excursions listed on the cruise line websites, many of which seem to just be touring/sightseeing.

Are there more that become available when you book or when the date gets closer? Are there more active excursions for the ports in Norway? Any other tips for a first timer to Norway?

Thanks for any input.

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Hi,

We are looking into booking a Norwegian Fjords cruise but are skeptical of the ship sponsored excursions on the cruise line website. We are very active travelers (for example, we enjoy rock/mountain climbing, hiking, biking, etc.) and would love to really experience the nature of Norway in those ways. There are only a handful of excursions listed on the cruise line websites, many of which seem to just be touring/sightseeing.

Are there more that become available when you book or when the date gets closer? Are there more active excursions for the ports in Norway? Any other tips for a first timer to Norway?

Thanks for any input.

 

We don't have experience with Norway excursions specifically (yet!), but in general, when on cruises, we take private excursions/tours.

 

In one case, we had read a recommendation here on Cruise Critic on the relevant "Ports of Call" sub-forum (St. Lucia, and we hired the same guide the next year on another cruise).

 

But in general, we've found them using TripAdvisor. Sometimes it's been through Google for "<location> private tours".

We just read the descriptions, and also the reviews very carefully, first. Then we correspond by email with the guide personally, or in some cases, with the larger agency, to make sure that they can/will help us to see/do what *we* want to do. We usually customize, with "more of this, less of that". And the best guides will quickly "figure us out", and make some additional suggestions.

 

We have zero interest in big bus tours, and with the cruiseline excursions, they also add a fortune. In some cases, we saw the same tour listed on TripAdvisor (or elsewhere), for much less.

 

We've had some remarkable excursions. Sometimes "tours", and sometimes things like chartering a sailboat or such. :)

 

GC

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My experiences have been that the cruiselines don't really offer much in the way of highly active excursions. One line did offer a couple of hiking options in Geiranger, including a 5-hour overland hike from Hellesylt, but that was about it (and other lines have offered nothing even close).

 

However, Norway is an outdoor activity haven, so there's usually a lot you can do on your own. It just depends on the ports.

 

Private tours/activities are a bit less common, since labor costs are so high, but you'll find some options in well-tourists areas.

 

Check out the official tourism websites for the places you'll be visiting. I've found that many of them have quite good listings for activities that are available.

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there were active excursions available at stavanger (hiking pulpit rock). In olden you can climb the mountain the new Loen skylift travels (or you can take the skylift up and hike down) and there is a private company that can guide you. In flam, you can see what fjordsafari offers, since they did a great job of helping us with our private excursion (we were traveling with a 2 and 6 year old so nothing as active for us, but they have rib tours to hikes). As the above poster noted, the Norway tourism pages are excellent, and very responsive to email inquiries. I think you might need private tours, but we liked ours. If you let us know what ports/itineraries you are most interested in, we might be able to help you find active tours.

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First off a big vote to consider a cruise to Norway, our favorite cruise out of 20 or so cruises. Especially for someone who enjoys outdoors and activity.

 

If you go to Flam, consider taking the train up but biking down. You may have to book this on your own. Spectacular scenery on the biking portion. About 10 miles down, not strenuous since it is mostly down hill, but it is not easy either. The first couple km, are very difficult and most people walked their bikes, even excellent bikers. After than it is smooth trails and sometimes asphalt.

 

Just a spectacular day.

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First off a big vote to consider a cruise to Norway, our favorite cruise out of 20 or so cruises. Especially for someone who enjoys outdoors and activity.

 

If you go to Flam, consider taking the train up but biking down. You may have to book this on your own. Spectacular scenery on the biking portion. About 10 miles down, not strenuous since it is mostly down hill, but it is not easy either. The first couple km, are very difficult and most people walked their bikes, even excellent bikers. After than it is smooth trails and sometimes asphalt.

 

Just a spectacular day.

We'll be in Flaam next July from 8-6 and would love to do this. Will we have enough time? Thanks!

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  • 1 month later...

Second the train up at Flam and bicycle down. We did this with my kids and parents and it was our favorite excursion of the cruise! The train ride up is about an hour. It doesn't take long to get fitted with bikes and to start your descent. Plan on 2-3 hours down so you have time to stop and take lots of pictures. Bring snacks and drinks along.

 

I would also recommend the Pulpit Rock hike. We attempted this with our cruise line tour, but unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate and they canceled the tour 20 minutes into our hike. I can say it was a strenuous 20 mins for me, but I'm not used to steep hiking living in Illinois! If I ever get back, I will attempt the hike again.

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We'll be in Flaam next July from 8-6 and would love to do this. Will we have enough time? Thanks!

 

Yes, you should have plenty time. I agree with Marquette on the times, 1 hr up 3 hrs down allowing for several stops. Personally, I like to schedule things like this early so you return early without cutting it close. Some ships tender in Flam, so that adds a little time. Probably the decision here is what time to book the train up. I think our ship arrived 7:00 am and we booked an 8:40 am train or something like that. Have fun....

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Hi,

We are looking into booking a Norwegian Fjords cruise but are skeptical of the ship sponsored excursions on the cruise line website. We are very active travelers (for example, we enjoy rock/mountain climbing, hiking, biking, etc.) and would love to really experience the nature of Norway in those ways. There are only a handful of excursions listed on the cruise line websites, many of which seem to just be touring/sightseeing.

Are there more that become available when you book or when the date gets closer? Are there more active excursions for the ports in Norway? Any other tips for a first timer to Norway?

Thanks for any input.

 

In Olden there is many diffrent active things to do :

 

Kayaking

Bike

Hike

 

For questions about hire a bike or Kayak,contact Briksdal Adventure.

https://www.briksdaladventure.com/

 

And in Loen ( 6 min by car/taxi from Olden ) we have the via ferrata

 

http://www.loenactive.no/en/

Edited by Galaxy
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