Tourists and even locals can spend a lifetime exploring the rugged terrains of Norway. From its windswept towns to its bustling cities, this Scandinavian destination offers an experience like no other. It is no wonder that in 2019 alone, 1.5 billion people travelled to the country and many of these visitors went on epic road trips to immerse themselves in everything Norwegian. Exploring Norway by Road: Planning The Adventure of a Lifetime. Read on.
The Right Car for Your Epic Norwegian Road Trip
Tourists planning a road trip around Norway will spend weeks on the road as the country has an area of 324,220 square kilometers, making it one of the bigger nations in Europe in terms of land area. Exploring the southern portion where its capital Oslo is a part of, will take approximately three weeks by car. This means that you will need to select a reliable and well-reviewed SUV before anything else.
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The Lexus GX, for example, can be a good partner in your journey as it has good headlights meant for those foggy mornings and a quietness inside the cabin that will let you enjoy the sights and sounds of Norway while you are driving. If you are travelling light, the Lexus RX is a good option because it makes up for its lack of space by giving you voice assistance and useful safety systems. Saving up on petrol? Since Norway places an importance on sustainability, you can opt for a fuel -efficient SUV like the 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. This beautiful car also has heated seats and mirrors that are perfect for Norway’s colder days.
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The Southern Itinerary
Norway is so vast that choosing which parts to go to can be difficult but if you would like to see Oslo, you will have to plan for a road trip along the southern part of the country. You can start in the beautiful city of Oslo where snowy hills meet mesmerizing waterfronts and drive to Stavanger, around 550 kilometers away. There are many bomstasjon (toll stations) on the roads going to Stavanger so be sure to add this to your budget. Once you reach Stavanger, one of the country’s largest cities, you can hike to Kjeragbolten or just drive around to see the sights.
You can start driving again the next day or two by following the road to Bergen to enjoy the mountains and the fjord. You can ferry your car in the area’s car ferries for a fee and this on its own will be quite the experience too. Bergen is worth the car ferry as it has a colorful Hanseatic past, a busy waterfront, and lots of fish. After Bergen, head to Geiranger for a bit of kayaking and camping then to Alesund for its amazing sunset. And finally, to Trondheim for its art nouveau architecture.
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The Northern Itinerary
The northern Norway itinerary is a lot shorter than exploring the southern part of the country. On Day 1, you can drive from Tromsø to Sommarøy through Highway 862. While beautiful mountains and fjords await in the drive itself, Sommarøy’s beauty will be able to compete as it is not called one of the country’s best kept secrets for nothing. Tranquil and beautiful, Sommarøy offers kayak tours in the evening midnight sun and other fun outdoor activities. Once you’ve had your fill of Sommarøy, head to the ferry terminal going to Senja then to Vesterålen Islands.
There are so many places to explore in this picturesque Scandinavian destination, making Norway a fast favorite among those who love the outdoors. If you are already excited about it, make sure that you plan your road trip around Norway soon so you can prepare ahead of time.
Exploring Norway by Road: Planning The Adventure of a Lifetime, written exclusively for Daily Scandinavian by Karoline Gore. Karoline is a freelance writer from Stoke on Trent in the UK who left the corporate grind when she started a family and has never looked back. She enjoys contributing to a range of online publications on the topics that are important to her.
Feature image (on top): Atlantic Road, West Norway Photo by Matt Lamers on Unsplash