Hellesylt to Geiranger 8 hour coach excursion

[gojocruise]

Has anybody done the above tour on previous visits to Norway with Princess. Seems like a long day but I am considering it.

Question about the coach too, as there seems to be quite a long time spend travelling on the coach is there an onboard restroom?

Thank for your thoughts :)

Jo

[TLCOhio]

Has anybody done the above tour on previous visits to Norway with Princess. Seems like a long day but I am considering it. Question about the coach too, as there seems to be quite a long time spend travelling on the coach is there an onboard restroom? Thank for your thoughts. Jo

 

Yes, Jo, we have done this Hellesylt to Geiranger tour. It was not with Princess, but the vendors in these small ports are very limited, so our experience was probably close to being the same as what you will have. Each cruise line has to use the same "locals" for these services and tours. You'd probably have the same providers as we had for doing the coach, etc. Below are some details, highlights, visuals, etc. More on Bergen, Flam and other ports from my full live/blog as connected below.

 

Our cruise went in the morning to nearby Helleysylt. From that part of the fjords, we did a ship tour called “Overland from Hellesylt to Geiranger”, an eight-hour adventure. We saw stunning natural beauty of the “Roof of Norway’”. This drive went through the verdant hills and into the mountains. This includes the Raftevold Hotel, overlooking the Hornindals-Vannet Lake at approximately 1,700 feet. This crystal-clear lake is as deep as Lake Tahoe. Then we went to the emerald-colored Styrn Lake, seeing near the Jostedalen Glacier, Buldrefossen Waterfall; going up the Styrnefjell Road, a masterpiece of engineering that opened in 1895. It has nineteen hairpin turns and then we cross the Jølbrua Bridge, located 328 feet above a gorge., one of Norway’s most spectacular views. We stopped at the Jostedalsbreen National Park with great views, even on a cloudy and foggy day. The rains had stopped by this point in the tour. This park has the largest glacier on the European mainland and covers 510 sq. miles with the glaciers covering about 310 sq. miles. The main visitor's "centre" building was constructed in a manner similar to Viking longhouses where pillars rather than the walls are supporting the roof. This Centre in Oppstryn shows how the glacier and the landscape were shaped by water and ice through films, videos, computer programs and models. Its website for more information is:

http://www.jostedalsbre.no/engelsk/senter.htm

 

After lunch at the Videseter Hotel, we drove past the Tystigen Glacier, saw a popular summer skiing site before reaching Mt. Dalsnibba. There was a photo stop is at a 4,920-foot vantage for the snow-covered surrounding mountains, icy glaciers, crystalline lakes and Geirangerfjord far below. But that day, the mountain top was fogged over. Sorry! That can happen A small village with a population of about 600, Hellesylt lies at the head of the Sunnylvsfjord, which is a branch of the Storfjord (Great Fjord) and nearby to the famous Geirangerfjord. Mountains and valleys surround the village, the settings of Ibsen's play, Brand.

 

More in a second post.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 111,827 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Hellesylt is not a large village, but it was a starting point for our overland tour. In most cases, you don’t take the tender into this port unless you have a tour departing from this point. Its options as a village are very limited. As this picture shows, it was raining. Bummer, but in the overall cruise, this is really the only place where weather had any negative impact. And, by mid-day, much of the rain has lifted. :

 

 

 

These are two trolls at the Raftevold Hotel, overlooking the Hornindals-Vannet Lake. At approximately 1,700 feet, this crystal-clear lake is as deep as Lake Tahoe and is the deepest lake in Europe.:

 

 

 

On our eight-hour “Overland from Hellesylt to Geiranger” bus tour, we stopped at the Jostedalsbreen National Park with these great views, even on a cloudy and foggy day. The rains had stopped by this point in the tour. These visuals include a nearby village scene, the grass on the top of a small building along Lake Strynsvatn and this Aussie couple on our cruise checking out the interesting display of the various stone/rock types from all over Norway. This park has the largest glacier on the European mainland and covers 510 sq. miles with the glaciers covering about 310 sq. miles. The main visitor's "centre" building was constructed in a manner similar to Viking longhouses where pillars rather than the walls are supporting the roof. This Centre in Oppstryn shows how the glacier and the landscape were shaped by water and ice through films, videos, computer programs and models. Its website for more information is:

http://www.jostedalsbre.no/engelsk/senter.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the afternoon of this overland tour, this was the scene as the ship excursion supervisor snapped a picture showing so much snow still on these mountains as their high locations, even in the middle of July.:

 

[TLCOhio]

Here's more!! Hope this fires up your excitement levels. Is my plan working? Any questions and/or added needs? Don't be shy. Happy to share more on this and/or any other ports that we visited if that's helpful.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 111,827 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

At the Videseter Hotel, we had lunch with a wonderful son and his mother from Russia. He spoke perfect English, studied at Stanford, had former Sec. of State Condi Rice as a teacher. Interesting lunch discussion. I showed them some of pictures from our 2008 visit to St. Petersburg that we loved so much. Before lunch, we saw this spectacular waterfall up close and personal. This is also where we saw one of these cute sheep at this high mountain elevation.:

 

 

 

 

 

Next to the Videseter Hotel on our way to Geiranger when going “up country”, we saw this spectacular waterfall at this scenic high mountain elevation location. You can see how small is the hotel/dining building at the top to the right of waterfall to give an idea on the massive scale for this natural wonder. When you go beyond just the port stop village, you can better experience “ALL” that is there and around in these scenic parts of Norway.:

 

 

 

This is the super scenic view from immediately above Geiranger that shows the Silver Cloud and Costa ships tendered. A little before this picture, we were to go to Mt. Dalsnibba as a photo stop from this 4,920-foot vantage for the snow-covered surrounding mountains, icy glaciers, crystalline lakes and Geirangerfjord far below. We went there, but it was totally “socked in”. It was so thick, you could barely find your bus on this day on top of the big mountain crowded with lots of buses from the Costa ship. But this view, at a lower level, makes up for that problems and provided a wonderful vista.:

 

 

 

After being tendered from Geiranger, we sailed out and passed by two super famous waterfalls. YES, yes, we saw lots and lots of waterfalls on this trip, but these two were among the “best of the best”. First is the “Seven Sisters”. Next shown is directly opposite in this narrow fjord and is called several names, including “The Suitor”. The majesty for these feats of nature is pretty amazing.:

 

 

 

[gojocruise]

TLCOhio, the info is great thanks,

Just a quick question about the coach was it a touring type coach with a restroom on board? I alway hate the thought of being caught sort for a tinkle when on coach trips so never normally do them or drive myself. I was just thinking with the trip being 8+ hours it should be a fairly modern type coach.

Cheers Jo

[TLCOhio]

TLCOhio, the info is great thanks,

Just a quick question about the coach was it a touring type coach with a restroom on board? I alway hate the thought of being caught sort for a tinkle when on coach trips so never normally do them or drive myself. I was just thinking with the trip being 8+ hours it should be a fairly modern type coach.

Cheers Jo

 

Hi, again, Jo! Appreciate the good follow-up question. As I re-calll, we had two different stopping points in the morning before doing lunch at that hotel location mid-day. Then, there were a couple of more stops in the afternoon. Don't remember if the coach had it own facilities. BUT, with all of those various stops, that allowed lots of flexibility for those "needs". Plus, not being stuck too long on a boring bus ride. Gave lots of chances to get pictures, enjoy the great air and views, etc.

 

Don't think we have been to your town of Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, U.K,, but we've been in the area for Bath, the Cotswolds, Oxford, etc. Great part of the lovely UK.

 

Below, just a few more visuals for fun.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 111,827 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

At the end of our visit to Geiranger, our last fjord stop, here was this cute troll to whom our friend Sharon decided to give a little hug and big chin tickle.:

 

 

 

From the Geiranger overlook vista, here are two examples of the memories you can capture and take home. First, here’s a fun picture of our D.C. friends, Izzy and Sharon, posing at this spectacular setting. Second, is a closer look at a couple of people out on one of the lower look-out points.:

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a different view as you are sailing from Geiranger and approaching the famed “Seven Sisters”. This is the view from the top of the ship as we are turning in this narrow fjord and first seeing some of this famous waterfall. Great majesty from nature in an amazing setting. This is the 39th tallest waterfall in Norway. The waterfall consists of seven separate streams, and it is located four miles west of Geiranger. The tallest of the seven has a free fall that measures 820’. The total height above the water from the top is 1,350'. The legend is that the seven sisters dance playfully down the mountain, while a single waterfall opposite, the Suitor, a male onlooker, flirts playfully from across the fjord.:

 

[emckeeve]

This is one of two tours we did with Princess last month in Norway. It was fabulous. The beautiful scenery along the way made the time fly by - it didn't feel like you were on the road that long. And yes, there was a bathroom on the bus - it was mid coach down a stairwell. We generally make private arrangements in the ports, rent cars or walk on our own, but this tour was very worthwhile.

[Maddle]

We enjoyed this tour - loved our guide - it was very well managed. We went to the glacier on our itinerary - it was a long walk, so keep moving if you want to spend any time up there. The lunch was delicious. We enjoyed the museum and movie...and my favorite was the stop on Mt. Delsnibba. This was a very good day trip.

 

There was a teeny tiny "restroom" on board, but there are many stops throughout the day that should keep the average bladder comfortable without squeezing into the closet.

 

Maddle