A GUEST COLUMN BY RONI STERN
Living in Estonia for the past few years, I’ve been fascinated with the 
Scandinavian countries on the other side of the Baltic sea, and particularly
Norway. So one day I packed up the car, grabbed the girlfriend and went on a journey north.
I’m writing this to share some lessons learned through my travels to Norway. Tips on how to travel, where to go, and how to do so without going bankrupt. In case you didn’t know, Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world.
Tip #1: When to travel
While winter holds the promise of white mountains and northern lights, it’s also cold and dark and misses out on the best things nature has to offer in Norway. Autumn and Spring could be misleading too, as the temperatures and rainfall vary a lot throughout this vast country. The best bet would be Summer, which is mid-June to mid-August and sometimes boasts degrees as high as 30 Celsius (but count on ~20 on average).
Tip #2: Where to travel
Summer might be the best time to go, but it’s also high season, so you’ll see a lot of tourists around the best locations. Mind you; Norway is enormous, and the main attraction is the country itself. City centers are nice but the real show is outside.
This is, partly, why I decided to visit the north of the country, mostly staying above the arctic circle, a land where the sun never sets. It’s much less touristy but as beautiful – some say even more so.
Tip #3: How much time
Well, this is obviously a matter of budget. The wealthy nature lover could spend the entire summer in Norway and never get bored of it. In all honesty though, if you can’t afford at least two weeks, know you’re going to miss out on a lot. The weather in Norway is quite unpredictable. You may find yourself stuck in rain and fog for days, interrupting your carefully planned schedule. As said above, I’d also suggest focusing on either the north or the south. Norway is truly immense and you don’t want to spend half your days just driving around.
Speaking of which…
Tip #4: Transportation
The first question would be what to drive. If you live in Europe, the cheapest option by far would be to drive your own car, allowing you to bring many things along with you. Things like camping equipment and even food (yes!).
But in case you’re not European, you can either rent a car or rent an RV. Which one specifically depends on your personal preferences as well as your allocated budget. For example; some people don’t like driving around in what is practically a bus and are willing to take the hassle of looking for a place to sleep every night. Others like the comfort of a home away from home. Either way won’t be cheap. Do your own calculations. Another money-saving tip is to rent in Germany or Denmark. Just bear in mind that in many cases, there’s a hefty penalty for returning the vehicle at a location other than the one you picked it up from. Consider this when planning your route.
Tip #5: Driving around
Some people might frighten you that Norway has very strict driving laws and fines are considerable. While that might actually be true, those people are neglecting to mention the hugeness and sparseness of the country. I’ve driven almost 3000 KMs in Norway and only saw a handful of police cars, and one officer with a laser device.
The roads are well maintained in most cases but can be very twisty and with limited visibility ahead. Luckily, the sun never sets during summer above the Arctic Circle. You can drive at any time of day with no worries. Just keep in mind that some mountain passes might be closed off at the so-called “night”.
Last but not least – many places are mostly or only accessible by ferry. This is usually a simple process – your navigation app will lead you to the end of the road, and a ferry will come every hour or so to pick you up and take you to the other side, for a fee. Just drive your car onto the boat, park it according to the instructions (during peak hours it’s sometimes very impressive to see how many cars they can fit in), and go upstairs to enjoy the view. I’ve taken more than ten ferries along the way. Some of them even smack out in the open ocean. They may not be cheap, but they completely worth it. Besides, you must take them if you want to get to the islands (and you do).
Tip #6: Where to sleep
The short answer is: almost everywhere. Norway allows you to put up a tent wherever you want, as long as it’s not too close to someone’s home. If you choose an RV, you can stop for a night in one of many camping areas, for a small charge. And if you go by car, setting up a tent in a camping area is also a good idea, as those aren’t expensive and allow you access to showers, kitchens, and other services. Renting a cabin is expensive, and those are usually very simple. A hotel is very costly and recommended only for travelers with a large budget.
As for us – we simply looked for a place with the best view for our tent – usually right in front of the sea.
Tip #7: Where to eat
Not in restaurants, that’s for sure!
Not that you can’t find good food in Norway, especially if you like food from the sea, but restaurants are expensive and not so easy to find. You’d have an easier time going to a grocery store or supermarket and buying ingredients for a meal. We used a gas heater to cook soups and made sandwiches and salads. We only visited 3 or 4 restaurants throughout the trip.
Tip #8: What to see (in the North)
Our trip started to the east of Tromsø, or how they (quite weirdly) call it: Paris of the north. There are many hiking trails through beautiful scenery in that area, but the city itself isn’t very exciting. West to it is where the real wonder starts. Drive as much as you can west and then take a ferry to Senja. This big island is usually left in the shadows of the more famous Lofoten islands, but the advice of visiting it was the best one we’ve received. Just drive west, to every fjord you can – in each one of those spits of land, you’ll find something beautiful. And go to sleep in front of the ocean, you simply must.
Now for those well-known Lofoten islands. We got there through the ocean – ferry to Andenes and then south. The islands are truly magnificent. It will take you a couple of days to get to the south, so just look around for the many camping sites. The way out is at the southern point, in a place called Moskenes. A ferry will take you from there to Bodø on the mainland, and there you’ll start your journey south. We stopped in Mo-i-rana, just a short drive from the Svartisan glacier. We visited the east side of it, where a boat takes you to a 3 km trail that leads to the huge ice cube. You can then make yourself lunch and walk right next to it before going back. One of the best hikes ever.
Tip #9: Money Money Money
How much, you ask? It mostly depends on how “simple” you’re willing to go. Fuel is expensive (but not crazy). Ferries will cost you anything between 100 to 1000 NOK. Accommodation can also be costly if you choose cabins or hotels (expect 700 NOK or more for the simplest cabin with outside restrooms). A spot in a camping site costs about 150 NOK (mainly to use the facilities), but you can also camp in nature – allowed and free. Food in restaurants is also expensive (expect 200 NOK a person minimum). For us, tenting + grocery shopping saved half the money compared to cabins + restaurants. And it was more fun.
Tip #10 People and Nature
Norwegians are very nice people, and how can you not be when you have such great nature everywhere you go. The fjords, the islands, and the fishing villages are all great, and the way Norwegians make all of these accessible for tourists is awe-inspiring. They build tunnels and bridges and viewing spots that allow everyone to enjoy the scenery without noticeably harming it. Go there, treat nature the same way and it will give you back ten times.
Norway is wonderful, thank you for advices!