Norway coastal cruise - fall foliage?

[tingyyy]

Hello all,

 

I'm planning to do Hurtigruten's classic round trip in 2018 and i would love to be able to see fall foliage on my first Norwegian coastal cruise.

 

Timing wise it would be a little tricky since my boss' birthday falls in early October and my (work) partner's birthday falls in early November. Both of them travel over their respective birthday periods and it is an unspoken rule that I should not be away from the office when they are.

 

If i time my trip in early-mid September, would it be too early to see fall foliage? And would mid-late November be too late?

 

Any insight would be much appreciated! :)

[SarniaLo]

Mid November would definitely be too late. Early September is probably a little too soon. I would say go as late in September as you can or maybe as early in October as you can. As the trip covers about 2500km of coast from South to North there is quite a difference in timing for fall colors between North and South, so the period where you can see fall colors in some parts at least covers several weeks.

 

I have done this trip in 2014 starting September 28th. Fall colors were barely starting in the South, and in full glory in the North. So if you go a little bit later you might have nice colors in the South and the end of them in the North. But it can vary from year to year of course.

You can see the trip report with pictures on my blog if you are interested, starting here (text in both French and Englis) : http://voyageterremer.blogspot.fr/2014/09/hjrundfjord-aller.html

[SarniaLo]

Here are pictures of Hjorundfjord taken on board MS Spitsbergen this year on October 22d :

So you do get good fall colors mid-end October still in the South, if you can work this into your work schedule. If that is not possible, maybe better go in September but as I said, as late in the month as you can.

[tingyyy]

Thanks very much for the information and the links SarniaLo! It's exactly what i was looking for. I will see if i can manage to work something out for mid/late October and failing that, perhaps late September.

 

Very interesting writeup and great photos on your blog. I also wasn't aware before this that each of the Hurtigruten ships has its own facebook page.

[SarniaLo]

Thank you very much for your kind words on my blog! And yes, all the Hurtigruten ships have a FB page, interesting to look at as they regularly post pictures and you can see how the weather conditions and colors evolve.

There is also the daylight hours to consider : mid-late October you will have shorter days so less time to enjoy the landscape (but potentially more time in the North at night for Northern Lights ;) ). Here is for example the sunset/sunrise hours in Tromso next October: http://www.timeanddate.com/sun/norway/tromso?month=10&year=2017

Before sunrise and after sunset you get about one hour of "blue light" when the sun is down but there is still some light, it can be quite magical (roughly in the time indicated by "Civil Twilight").

[drengen]

Wind conditions also is an important factor. An early autumn storm can rip of leaves that otherwise would have stayed on the branches for another fortnight.

[mcpepe]

I sailed North from Bergen on Sept 25 and did RT back to Trondheim. I can't say I was impressed with much fall color during my voyage. One can't compare the colors I saw to the brilliant colors I am seeing/have seen here in NJ.

Also remember there are NO trees once you get into Arctic areas.

[SarniaLo]

Also remember there are NO trees once you get into Arctic areas.

This is not exactly true on this route.

See here in early October 2014 : between Finnsnes and Tromso, in Kirkenes and Kirkenes fjord and Raftsundet before arriving in Lofoten (and both messages prior that last one), all above the Arctic Circle. The trees are not always big ones, but the colors were great. It might vary slightly from year to year (and also depending on the weather : if it's sunny the colors look much brighter).

[drengen]

Speaking of northern areas, the most common coastal tree vegetation is birch and rowan, and none of them have the readish color spectrum of ie maples. An there's pine, who stay green. I don't know what you're expecting?

[mcpepe]

This is not exactly true on this route.

See here in early October 2014 : between Finnsnes and Tromso, in Kirkenes and Kirkenes fjord and Raftsundet before arriving in Lofoten (and both messages prior that last one), all above the Arctic Circle. The trees are not always big ones, but the colors were great. It might vary slightly from year to year (and also depending on the weather : if it's sunny the colors look much brighter).

 

I can only go by what I saw during my excursions in each place during limited time I was there. My hike above Tromso saw no trees like the OP is looking for. My hike in Hammerfest same. Yes in Kirkenes fjord was some vegetation. In Vardo and at North Cape also I saw no trees.

 

I know what Americans mean when they are looking for fall foliage....and it's certainly not what I found up in the Arctic. :-D

[SarniaLo]

Well, the OP can look at the pictures and see if he's happy with that or not. Fall foliage is only a small part of the beauty of the landscape along the coast of Norway.

Of course if the holiday is only focused on fall foliage this may not be the best place in the world but if you are interested in Norway and Hurtigruten and are looking for the moment when you will see autumn colors along this route (which, I think, is exactly what the OP is asking) then I stand by my answers (and trip report and pictures). I gave done this trip at various seasons and the colors on the trees was a very nice added bonus to the autumn trip.

[digitl]

One of our coastal cruises with Hurtigruten was in October and I can confirm what SarniaLo has said and what and her images show. There was plenty of Autumnal colour in trees along the way.

 

It may not have matched New England, but it was certainly quite beautiful and you get the added advantage of sailing in an Arctic environment and landscape for the rest of the journey!

[dsrdsrdsr]

In Vardo and at North Cape also I saw no trees

Vardo has a tree! They're very proud of it. It's about six foot tall, sheltered by a wall, and wrapped up in winter to stop it freezing. I won't make a trip specially just to see its autumn colours, though! ;)

[drengen]

In the autumn the air is generally clearer than during summer, so you have a better view of distant formations.

[KirkNC]

Hello all,

 

I'm planning to do Hurtigruten's classic round trip in 2018 and i would love to be able to see fall foliage on my first Norwegian coastal cruise.

 

Timing wise it would be a little tricky since my boss' birthday falls in early October and my (work) partner's birthday falls in early November. Both of them travel over their respective birthday periods and it is an unspoken rule that I should not be away from the office when they are.

 

If i time my trip in early-mid September, would it be too early to see fall foliage? And would mid-late November be too late?

 

Any insight would be much appreciated! :)

 

 

We went in mid September this year and we definitely saw the leaves turning. Remember as you head north, the seasonal change accelerates so you start out with not a lot of fall foliage, then theres a lot, then there is none as the number and types of trees changes as you head north.

[mcpepe]

Vardo has a tree! They're very proud of it. It's about six foot tall, sheltered by a wall, and wrapped up in winter to stop it freezing. I won't make a trip specially just to see its autumn colours, though! ;)

 

Hahaha!!!! I missed it! I only walked to the Witches Memorial! I'm sure it's a lovely tree! ;-D :-D

[mcpepe]

One of our coastal cruises with Hurtigruten was in October and I can confirm what SarniaLo has said and what and her images show. There was plenty of Autumnal colour in trees along the way.

 

It may not have matched New England, but it was certainly quite beautiful and you get the added advantage of sailing in an Arctic environment and landscape for the rest of the journey!

 

It was stunningly beautiful! My favorite vacation ever!