Thunderous waterfalls plunge into pristine waterways, providing energy and spirit to the historic Viking route connecting Sognefjord, Norway’s longest and deepest fjord, to the myriad islands of the country’s rugged west coast. A strikingly beautiful land of epic Norse myths and sagas, it needs to be experienced from the water.
This newest adventure tour follows a circular route that starts and ends in Bergen. A paddler’s trip with curated kayaking legs, it showcases the best of the western fjords as well as the lesser known – but no less magnificent – islands of Norway’s far western coast. Along the way, we visit two UNESCO World Heritage sites and stay at two of Norway’s historic hotels.
July is the warmest month of the year, making for the best weather in which to enjoy Norway’s scenic grandeur. Snow still adorns the high country, while snowmelt powers scores of waterfalls into an awesome display. Extended days of midnight sun shortly after the summer solstice are perfect for an extraordinary range of travel options and adventures.
This trip includes three distinctly unique paddling areas: Nærøyfjord, Aurlandfjord, Sognefjord, and the Solund Archipelago. Here, long days of northern sunlight set against a backdrop of breathtaking scenery make paddling this Viking route a trip of a lifetime.
In a place where geography dictates that short distances involve multiple ferry rides and traveling though some of the world’s longest tunnels, moving by sea has, for thousands of years, made more sense. We start our travels on a mountain train that, in its time, was an engineering marvel. Throughout the trip we use modern and efficient high-speed catamarans of the local express boat system to connect three distinct kayaking locales.
My association with Norway dates to a year spent as a sailor aboard a Norwegian deep-sea freighter while I was still a teenager. For me, grand adventure and the sea are inextricably linked with Norway. I’ve traveled and paddled there a number of times since 2006 to create a kayaking itinerary that captures the essence of this very special place. I hope you’ll join me for this trip that has been years in the making, and to meet some of the special people who make it possible.
You set up a spectacularly beautiful trip that provides the experience of so much diversity in locations, hotels, foods, etc. Quite the masterpiece.
