10 Day Norway Itinerary: Road Trip Through the Fjords

Norway has some incredibly dramatic landscapes with countless fjords, mountains, and waterfalls. This is a great place for the whole family to explore on an epic road trip.

In this guide to Norway, I’ll cover everything you need to know to plan a perfect 10-day road trip throughout the countryside. Let’s get started!

Day 1: Arrive in Oslo

For the first day, take it easy and arrive in Oslo on your international flight. I recommend picking up a car from the airport as you’ll need it for the remainder of your trip. Get checked into your hotel in the city, and if you have some extra time, you can take a stroll around the harbor.

We stayed at the First Hotel Millennium during our stay. This hotel was conveniently located near the harbor and Oslo’s main attractions, making it a great place to stay at.

Day 2: Explore Oslo

It’s nice to have your second day as a quieter day where you can explore the city at your own pace. So if you’re a little jet lagged, you can sleep in a bit before hitting the city.

We started off our day by exploring the Norwegian National Museum. Here you can explore a variety of artwork, with the main attraction being Edvard Munch’s The Scream.

From there, we took a short walk over to Akershus Fortress & Akershus Castle. The fortress and castle were built in 1290 to protect the royal residence in the city. It is free to visit the fortress and castle and walk around the grounds. We were able to see the cannons alongside the fortress walls and look out into the harbor.

It was just another short walk from the fortress and castle to get to the Oslo Opera House. The architecture of the opera house is very unique and you can walk up the sides and the roof of the building. From the rooftop, you can look out over the harbor and see the steel sculpture floating in the water representing an iceberg.

Our last stop of the day was taking a stroll along the boardwalk of Aker Brygge. Here you can check out the shops and find a nice restaurant for dinner.

One additional stop you can make, but we didn’t end up visiting is Vigelandsparken. This is an open-air sculpture park with over 200 sculptures all sculpted by Gustav Vigeland.

Day 3: Oslo to Geiranger

Today is the longest driving day, but the destination is worth it! The total drive will take about 7 and a half hours to get from Oslo to Geiranger, but there are a couple of places to stop along the way.

The first stop will come roughly 5 hours into the drive when I recommend stopping to see Kylling Bridge. Here you can just pull off the side of the road and see one of the most photographed bridges in Norway. Next to Kylling Bridge, you can also see the Vermafossen waterfall. These stops will only take a few minutes.

Continue for about 45 minutes towards Trollstigen. This is Norway’s most famous mountain pass which has quite a few hairpin turns. As you drive along the road, there are a few places to stop and enjoy the waterfalls coming down the mountain. There is also a short walk you can take at the top of Trollstigen road to a couple of overlooks looking down on the valley. The road is only open in the summer and is well worth spending about an hour driving and taking in the views.

Continue on from Trollstigen for another hour and 45 minutes to the town of Geiranger. Note, the only way to get here is by taking a ferry which only runs certain hours of the day. So make sure you have enough time to get to Geiranger before the last ferry departs.

We stayed at the Hotel Utsikten in Geiranger, which I’d definitely recommend. It is situated above the Geirgangerfjord and offers amazing views of the valley below.

Day 4: Geiranger and Ålesund

Start the day by taking a scenic drive up to the Geiranger Skywalk. It takes about 35 minutes to get here from the hotel and there is a fee of roughly $30 to visit. I recommend going early to avoid the crowds and hopefully have fewer clouds. You can spend about 30 minutes to an hour enjoying the views from the skywalk.

After enjoying the views from the skywalk, head back toward the town of Geiranger and park at the Norwegian Fjord Centre to see the Fossevandring waterfall. You can walk from the top of the falls to the bottom and enjoy the power of the falls.

Next, head into the town of Geiranger for some lunch, then take a cruise on Geirangerfjord. We took this tour which lasted about an hour and a half. On the tour, they provided headphones in multiple languages which provided commentary on the sites we were passing. The main attraction on the boat ride was the Seven Sisters Waterfall.

After returning from the boat tour, take a short drive to Ørnesvingen Viewpoint. Spend about 15 minutes here taking in your last views of the Geirangerfjord before heading towards Ålesund.

After arriving in Ålesund get checked into your hotel and grab a bite to eat. We stayed at the Quality Hotel Ålesund which is located right on the water in Ålesund. From there you can take a 20-minute walk to Aksla viewpoint (up over 400 steps!), or if you rather, you can drive to the viewpoint. This is a great place to watch the sun set over the city.

Day 5: Ålesund to Flam

Today is another day of driving, this time from Ålesund to Flam. It’ll take about 6 hours to complete the drive, but there are a few places to stop along the way.

The first stop is a little detour from the direct route, to visit Borgund Stave Church. This is a historic church built around 1180. This is one of the best-preserved stave churches in Norway. You can spend about an hour here visiting both the church and the museum.

About an hour from the Borgund Stave Church, you can stop at the Stegastein viewing platform. This is one of the most photographed viewpoints in Norway and looks out towards the Aurlandsfjord. In addition, right next to the platform there is a public toilet that has the most incredible views from a bathroom I have ever seen. So it’s worth checking it out even if you don’t need to use the bathroom.

Then check into your hotel. We stayed just outside of Flam at Hotel Aurlandsfjord where we had gorgeous views from the balcony of our room overlooking the fjord.

Day 6: Nærøyfjord & Flam Railway

Today I recommend doing a full-day tour of Nærøyfjord and the Flam Railway through Norway’s Best. The best way to do this tour is to take the railway first and the boat tour second.

Board the train early so you can grab a window seat and enjoy the views. I also recommend getting a seat near the front or back of the carriage so you can be the first off the train when it stops at Kjosfossen Falls.

After returning back to Flam from the railway, grab a bite to eat before hopping on the bus to Gudvangen. When we arrived in Gudvangen, the arriving boat appeared to be completely full with ~400 people on board. When we boarded the boat, there were only about 20 passengers onboard, so it felt like we had a private tour to ourselves. So I definitely recommend taking the boat from Gudvangen to Flam rather than the other direction to have a better chance of having fewer people on the boat with you. Grab some dinner on the boat and sit back, relax, and enjoy your evening.

Day 7: Explore Bergen

Today, drive from Flam towards Bergen, again with a couple of great stops along the way.

For your first stop, I recommend driving Stalheimskleiva instead of the E16 if the road is open. It wasn’t open when we visited but would be a great short detour.

Next, stop at Skjervefossen to take in the views of the roaring waterfall. There is a parking lot at both the top and bottom of the waterfall, so spend about an hour here exploring both sides of the waterfall. When we visited there was a tour bus stopped here, but after a few minutes they left and there were only a couple of people at the stop, so we were able to get great photos of the falls by ourselves.

Next, you can view the Steinsdalfossen waterfall from the road before continuing on towards Bergen. Once in Bergen, walk through the town of Bergen and explore the colorful houses along Bryggen.

Lastly, take the Floibanen Funicular to get spectacular views over the city. When we went on the funicular it wasn’t overly crowded so we decided to wait and get the front seats on the funicular to get the best views. Once at the top, you can walk the short loop through the woods. There is also a restaurant and playground at the top for the kids to play.

Then check into your hotel in Bergen for the evening. We stayed at the Thon Hotel Rosenkrantz which was conveniently located near Bryggen.

Day 8: Pulpit Rock

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, take a 5-hour drive towards Pulpit Rock. This is one of the most popular hikes in Norway, and as such can be a crowded hike. However, by starting this hike in the afternoon, there were a lot of people heading back down the trail, and not many people heading up to Pulpit Rock. The total hike is about 4.7 miles and will take about 4 to 5 hours to complete, with some time spent enjoying the views at the top. This hike is rated as moderate and does have some larger steps but is not too difficult to take the whole family on.

Continue on towards Stavanger for the night and check into your hotel. We stayed at the Clarion Hotel Air in Stavanger, as we had an early flight out on our last day in Norway and it was only 2 minutes to the airport. The hotel had an amazing breakfast in the morning and was a great place to stay.

Day 9: Kjeragbolten

Start your day early and drive about 2 hours to get to Kjeragbolten. This was one of the hardest hikes I had ever done, but is definitely one of my favorite hikes ever! The hike is only about 7.5 miles but climbs 1,870 ft. The biggest challenge with this hike is you climb up, then down, then back up again, then down, before climbing the final ascent. This means not only are you climbing up on the way to Kjeragbolten, but you also have to climb on the return. This is a strenuous hike, so you’ll want to be in good shape before attempting this hike. Plan on spending 8 hours or more completing this hike, so be prepared with plenty of water and snacks.

The beginning of the climb is a good indication of what is to come. You start up a steep incline, with chains bolted into the rock for extra support where needed. After this climb, you’ll descend into the valley below before starting the second incline. The second climb is the steepest, but also the shortest climb. The last climb has the least amount of incline but is the longest. Then you’ll continue along a flat portion until reaching the Kjeragbolten. Be sure to follow the red T trail markers to guide you on your hike.

When you reach the top, you will be rewarded with some of the most amazing views! I was definitely nervous jumping out onto the rock, but it wasn’t as bad as it looks. If you make it to the top, you definitely have to jump onto Kjeragbolten and take a picture of your success!

Take the trek back down to the parking lot and check out the restaurant nearby. A cheeseburger and French fries was the perfect meal after a strenuous hike. Then return to the hotel in Stavanger for your last night.

Day 10: Fly Home

Sadly, your journey in Norway comes to an end. It’s time to head to Stavanger airport for your flight home or onto your next destination. Hopefully, you will have had as great of a time exploring Norway as I did!

What to Pack

Hiking Poles
- Good to protect your knees on the long, steep hikes of Pulpit Rock and Kjeragbolten.
Hiking Socks
- Good hiking socks to keep your feet comfortable when scrambling over rocks or climbing up inclines.
Hiking Boots
- Bring waterproof hiking boots that are comfortable and you have a chance to break in before you set out on long hikes.
Hydration Backpack
- Keep your hands free while having space for your sunscreen, water, extra layers, quick dry towel, and more.
Sunscreen
- Is a must as some areas are exposed and do not offer much shade.
Hydroflask Water Bottle
- Stay hydrated while you’re hiking in the hot sun.
Hat
- A roll-up hat you can pack in your day bag to keep cool as the temperature varies throughout the day.