Norway winter holiday ideas

[Shewie]

I've managed to talk swmbo into a trip to Norway next February but she's not up for the whole bushy style expedition holiday unfortunately. So what can a pair of thirty somethings get up to for a week over there ?

We'd like to see the Northern Lights but we can't make it for the spring equinox so late Feb is the best we can do.

We (I) would also like to do a bit of dog sledding, maybe a couple of days with a night in the woods.

We like to explore new places so where's a good base for a bit of walking and sightseeing.

We'd like to see the fjords and general scenery, and I hear there's a road connecting a series of islands which shouldn't be missed.

What sort of accomodation is available and is car hire reasonable ?


I thought I'd ask on here as I know a few folk have mentioned similar things with the family lately.

ta

 

[DavidJT]

Shewie, I've been on holiday to Norway a few times, but mostly in the summer. One problem is it's a big country, in which due to all those beautiful fjords and mountains, it takes ages to get anywhere. So a week is not such a long time, especially in Feb when the days are really short.
Maybe start in trondheim or Bergen and go North from there? Have you thought of Taking the Hurtigruten (little ferries that go up and down the coast)?
I've driven the "Atlanta Way" the road across the islands, and whilst beautiful to be honest it didn't live up to my expectations. Geigranger is jaw dropping though, and Bergen very historic and interesting. Beware that lots of tourist stuff outside the big cities may be closed at that time of year, and it's all very expensive.
Amazing country though, and Bushcraft almost everywhere you go.
By the way did you see the "Coast" episode on Norway? Good starting point for some background ideas.

 

[Shewie]

Thanks David

It's still early days in the planning so some useful advice there.

I missed the Coast episode, I'll see if I can hunt it down somewhere.

 

[The Cumbrian]

Check the aurora forecast before you go as well Rich. It'l tell you which will be the best night of your trip to sit out and watch the sky.

Cheers, Michael.

 

[Tor helge]

If you want to se the aurora borealis you will have to travel a bit to the north. Trondheim wont do it. Tromsø is better.
I live in Bodø and we seldom see the northern light (we see it, but it is nothing spectacular, just a glow). At my birth place in Vesterålen (just north of Lofoten islands) we saw it the whole winter, dancing about in the sky. A real cascade of light and color (if it wasn`t overcast that is).

Sorry I don`t have any holiday tips for you, but I can`t for my bare life see what a foreigner is interested in up here other than the nature. If one like nature there is plenty to see,but rather little of anything else, especially in winter time.

Tor

 

[Woody]

May as well stick it in here too

Hope it helps Rich

How about ....

a. LHR > Osl with Norwegian.no (Cheap as chips!)
b. Overnight .. Wine and dine the good lady ... win brownie points!!
c. Fly onto Kiruna the following day ... see a above
d. Visit the Ice hotel, go dog sledding, snowmobiling, fishing,(all date dependant) canoeing, river rafting, hunting, hiking, see Northern lights .....go shopping!! (More brownie points!)
e. Get the train to Narvik see: www.nsb.no - incredible journey/scenery and V. efficient service
f. Hire a car - Visit Polar Zoo - if you have kids ... or if the miss's like cute furry animals ... more Brownie points
g. From Narvik - Drive out to Senja - Norway's second largest Island - spectacular scenery or the Lofoten Islands
h. Return Narvik – more shopping/wine and dining ….even more Brownie points!!
i. Take a short cruise out of Narvik See: www.norway.com
j. Come back, get a bus or drive to Tromso see: www.nor-way.no
k. Fly home with Norwegian.no (Cheap as chips!)

or failing all that, take a look at these sites … .. Norway is awesome, you could do these trips Summer or Winter

www.visitnorway.com
www.fjordtravel.no
www.norway.com

Woody

 

[Shewie]

Thanks for that Woody

 

[addo]

oo that sounds like fun, cheers woody. My mrs would be well up for that.