Norway Road Trip: Fjords, Stave Churches + Map 🇳🇴🚗
Norway feels made for a road trip. One minute you’re parked up with a coffee watching a ferry glide past, the next you’re crawling up a hairpin with sheep judging your clutch control. The tunnels go on for ages, so download your playlist. The viewpoints are the kind that make the car go quiet. Expect wooden stave churches that look like something out of folklore, waterfalls beside the road, and a suspicious number of “essential” cinnamon bun stops. This 7 to 10 day loop keeps drives short, leaves space for photo breaks and little hikes, and lets you actually breathe in the scenery instead of racing through it. Save your maps offline, pack layers, and bring an appetite. Norway is generous with the views. 🇳🇴
Norway Road Trip 🚗🇳🇴
🚗 Quick Trip Facts
- Total Distance: ~800 to 1,300 km (500 to 800 miles) depending on detours
- Recommended Time: 7 to 10 days
- Best For: Fjord lovers, scenic-drive collectors, photographers, hikers
- Start/End: Bergen or Oslo (Bergen makes for an easy fjord loop)
- Best Season: Late May to September for open mountain passes and long days
🗺️ The Day-by-Day Itinerary
Bergen
Bergen is the soft launch into Norway, colourful wooden houses, seabreeze, and forested hills rising behind the harbour. It is a compact, walkable city that lets you settle into the rhythm before the big fjord drives begin. It is definitely my favourite place in Norway! It’s just got that feel!
📍 Things to do:
- Wander Bryggen’s colourful wharf lanes
- Ride the Fløibanen funicular for a city panorama
- Stroll the harbour at sunset with a skillingsbolle in hand
- Pop into the Fish Market for a quick bite
- Short forest walk on Mount Fløyen’s trails
🔹 Tinker’s Tip: Parking in the centre is limited, use park-and-ride or a hotel with parking.
Hardangerfjord (Norheimsund, Eidfjord, Låtefoss)
Orchards meet waterfalls here, with quiet coves and ferries that feel like mini cruises. The road hugs the water, so you’ll stop often for photos and fresh air.
🚗 Drive: Bergen → Hardangerfjord | 150–180 km | 3–3.5 hours
📍 Things to do:
- Walk behind Steinsdalsfossen
- Pull in at roadside Låtefoss for photos
- Taste local cider in season
- Picnic by the fjord at Norheimsund
- Take short strolls to viewpoint lay-bys along Route 7
🔹 Pro Tip: Do a late-afternoon waterfall loop when tour buses thin out.
Odda (Trolltunga base, optional)
Odda sits between steep slate-grey walls with the fjord slipping inland like a mirror. It’s a buzzy mountain base town, ideal for gear checks, gentle walks and big plans.
🚗 Drive: Hardangerfjord → Odda | 90 km | 1.5–2 hours
📍 Things to do:
- Browse gear shops and grab a coffee on the main street
- Take the easy walk to Buarbreen glacier viewpoint
- Amble lakeside at Sandvevatnet
- Prep and info-check for Trolltunga if attempting
💡 Good to know: Trolltunga is a long, serious hike. Only go in good weather with the right kit.
Voss
Voss is where the mountains open up and the adrenaline crowd comes out to play. Even without the thrill rides, lakeside paths and gondola views make a calm reset.
🚗 Drive: Odda → Voss | 120 km | ~2.5 hours
📍 Things to do:
- Ride the cable car to Hangur for views and short ridge walks
- Do a gentle lake loop around Vangsvatnet
- Try rafting or a zipline if you fancy adrenaline
- Bakery run for cinnamon buns and coffee
💡 Fact: Voss is one of Norway’s best-known adventure hubs.
Flåm & Nærøyfjord
This is the postcard bit: steep walls, skinny water, toy boats far below. Pick one headline experience and leave time to sit by the river and enjoy the quiet.
🚗 Drive: Voss → Flåm | 70 km | 1–1.5 hours
📍 Things to do:
- Ride the Flåmsbana mountain railway
- Cruise the narrow Nærøyfjord
- Drive or shuttle to Stegastein viewpoint
- Flat riverside walk in Flåm valley
- Sample local goat cheese in Aurland
🔹 Tinker’s Tip: Book the railway or fjord cruise early morning or late afternoon to dodge peak crowds.
Aurlandsfjellet Snow Road
The Snow Road swaps fjords for tundra, a quiet moonscape of still lakes and lichen. Windows down, stop often, let the scale sink in.
🚗 Drive: Flåm/Aurland → Lærdal via Aurlandsfjellet | 47 km | 1.5–2 hours (with photo stops)
📍 Things to do:
- Pull into tundra lay-bys for mirror-still lake reflections
- Short wander among snow patches in early summer
- Detour back down to Aurland for a last fjord look
💡 Good to know: Typically open late spring to autumn. If closed, use the Lærdal tunnel.
Recommended Tours and Tickets From Get Your Guide
Borgund Stave Church
Dark timber, dragon heads, and a hush that makes you lower your voice, Borgund feels timeless. Swap mountain drama for medieval craftsmanship.
🚗 Drive: Lærdal → Borgund | 30 km | 30–40 minutes
📍Things to do:
- Examine the exterior carvings and dragon heads
- Walk a section of the old King’s Road nearby
- Visit the small museum for stave-church context
💡 Fact: Borgund is among Norway’s best-preserved 12th-century stave churches.
Sognefjellet National Tourist Route
This is the roof of Norway: glaciers peeking over ridgelines and roadside snow even in summer. The driving is gentle; the views are not. Bring a picnic and linger.
🚗 Drive: Borgund area → Sognefjellet | 150 km | ~3.5 hours
📍 Things to do:
- Pull into scenic lay-bys facing glaciers and high peaks
- Picnic near the highest point of the road
- Take short roadside walks to snow patches (even in July)
🔹 Pro Tip: Keep a warm layer in the front seat — it can feel alpine on sunny days.
Lom
A handsome mountain town where life slows down and smells like fresh bread. It’s a great place to rest legs, reset plans, and watch the weather.
🚗 Drive: Sognefjellet → Lom | 60 km | 1–1.5 hours
📍 Things to do:
- Visit Lom Stave Church
- Stock up at the famous local bakery
- Short river walk to the waterfall by town
- Browse local shops for cheese and cured meats
💡 Good to know: Lom makes a handy base for easy valley walks if you want a lighter day.
Geirangerfjord
Full fjord theatre: waterfalls, hanging farms, and viewpoints that make the car go quiet. Give it at least a day — the light keeps changing.
🚗 Drive: Lom → Geiranger | 85 km | ~2 hours
📍 Things to do:
Viewpoint circuit at Flydalsjuvet and Ørnesvingen
- Short hike to Skageflå farm ruins (time/conditions permitting)
- Fjord boat tour for close-up waterfalls
- Early-morning photo lap before buses arrive
🔹 Pro Tip: Sunrise or late evening gives soft light and far fewer people.
Trollstigen
A ribbon of tarmac folded into a cliff — as fun to watch as it is to drive. Take it slow, use the lay-bys, and soak up the engineering.
🚗 Drive: Geiranger → Trollstigen | 70 km | 2–2.5 hours (incl. Eidsdal–Linge ferry)
📍 Things to do:
- Walk the viewpoint platforms above the hairpins
- Make a slow descent, stopping for waterfall snaps
- Coffee stop at the visitor centre
💡 Fact: Trollstigen’s steepest gradient is 10% with eleven hairpin bends.
Åndalsnes
Cradled by peaks with a broad river sliding past, Åndalsnes invites a leg-stretch. Rampestreken gives a big-win panorama for a modest effort.
🚗 Drive: Trollstigen → Åndalsnes | 20 km | 30–40 minutes
📍 Things to do:
- Hike to Rampestreken for the floating-platform view
- Riverside stroll along the Rauma
- Train-spot the Rauma line crossing photogenic bridges
💡 Good to know: Rampestreken is short but steep — allow 2–3 hours round trip with photo time.
Ålesund
Sea breeze, art-nouveau curves, and a skyline of islands — a stylish finale. Climb for the view, then reward yourself with seafood and an evening harbour wander.
🚗 Drive: Åndalsnes → Ålesund | 110 km | ~2 hours
📍 Things to do:
- Climb the Aksla steps for a city-and-sea panorama
- Wander art-nouveau streets and the harbourfront
- Sunset walk along the breakwater
- Seafood dinner to toast the trip
🔹 Pro Tip: If you’ve a spare morning, add a short boat trip to the islands for lighthouse views.
📍 We also have another Road Trip: Harry Potter Road Trip Across England + Map 🚗🧙♂️
Access to the map
No sign up required and totally FREE. Literally just using Google Maps to plot your route! Saves you messing! We don't gatekeep here! Enjoy.
Map will be located under "YOU" and then under "MAPS".
ℹ️ Add the map to your Google Maps app.
After opening Google maps, click YOU and then scroll down to MAPS. It should be located there. Any issues, just get it touch, it’s no problem!
🛑 Pit Stops & Side Detours
- Vøringsfossen near Eidfjord, dramatic gorge waterfall with walkways
- Nigardsbreen Glacier side valley of Sognefjord, blue ice views from lakeshore
- Dalsnibba Skywalk above Geiranger, weather permitting
- Stryn Summer Ski area for snow-in-summer vibes
- Hjørundfjord quieter fjord near Ålesund with superb side valleys
🍽️ Local Eats Worth Chasing
- Skillingsboller in Bergen, buttery cinnamon swirls
- Brunost on waffles with sour cream, sweet and slightly nutty
- Fresh cod or klippfisk along the coast
- Raspeballer (potato dumplings) for a hearty lunch
- Cloudberries if you see them on a dessert menu
💡 Good to know: Tap water is pristine, refill as you go.
🎒 Road Trip Essentials Checklist
✅ Offline maps and ferry timetables
✅ Layers, waterproofs, hat and gloves even in July
✅ Power bank, in-car charger, sunglasses for low sun
✅ Snacks, thermos, picnic kit for scenic pull-outs
✅ Reusable bottle, rubbish bag, biodegradable wipes
✅ Small cash float for rural stops, card works most places
✅ Microspikes not needed in summer, but sturdy shoes are
🛂 Entry Requirements
- EU/EEA citizens: Valid passport or national ID card.
- UK, US, Canada, Australia, NZ: Passport required. Many visitors get short-stay entry under Schengen rules.
- Everyone: Check your personal visa status, passport validity, and travel insurance before you go. Rules can change.
Give it a try: Check your entry via the Entry Requirement Checker
🎶 Playlist & Podcast Picks
🎶 Road Trip Playlist
- a-ha
- Aurora
- Sigrid
- Röyksopp
- Kygo
- Girl in Red
- Kings of Convenience
- Highasakite
- Wardruna
💡 Download before you go, signal dips in places.
🎙️ Podcasts To Queue
- Life in Norway Show: culture and logistics
- BBC Earth: nature deep dives between viewpoints
- Atlas Obscura: odd places and bite-size stories
We’re just treating now: All our Road Trips 🚗
Access to the map
No sign up required and totally FREE. Literally just using Google Maps to plot your route! Saves you messing! We don't gatekeep here! Enjoy.
What to know How to Plan or Save for a Trip? Here are our best:
FAQs
How many days do I need for this route?
Seven days is the fast version. Ten gives breathing space for weather days and extra hikes.
Can I do it without booking ferries?
On main fjord crossings, you usually just roll up and pay. Summer is busier, so expect queues at peak times.
How do I get the FREE map?
The free map is available via Google Maps with no signup required. After clicking the “View Map” link, go to “Your Places” > “Maps” in the Google Maps app to find the route. Save it for offline use, especially in areas with spotty signal.
What if the Snow Road or high passes are closed?
Take the tunnels. Norway’s tunnels are an engineering show and get you there safely. Always follow local signage.
Where should I fly in and out?
Bergen is ideal for a fjord loop. Ålesund works well as an exit. Oslo is fine too, just add a transit day at the start or end.
Travel Planning Resources
Ready to book your next trip? These trusted resources have been personally vetted to ensure a smooth travel experience.
Book Your Flights: Kick off your travel planning by finding the best flight deals on Trip.com. Our years of experience with them confirm they offer the most competitive prices.
Book Your Hotel: For the best hotel rates, use Booking.com . For the best and safest hostels, HostelWorld.com is your go-to resource. Best for overall Hotel ratings and bargains, use TripAdvisor.com!
Find Apartment Rentals: For affordable apartment rentals, check out VRBO. They consistently offer the best prices.
Car Rentals: For affordable car rentals, check out RentalCars.com. They offer the best cars, mostly brand new.
Travel Insurance: Never travel without insurance. Here are our top recommendations:
- EKTA for Travel Insurance for all areas!
- Use AirHelp for compensation claims against flight delays etc.
Book Your Activities: Discover walking tours, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more on Get Your Guide. They have a vast selection of activities to enhance your trip. There is also Tiqets.com for instant mobile tickets.
Book The Best Trains: Use Trainline to find the most affordable trains or Rail Europe for rail passes!
Travel E-SIMS: Airalo Worldwide! Use your mobile phone anywhere!
Need More Help Planning Your Trip? Visit our Resources Page to see all the companies we trust and use for our travels.
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Nick Harvey
Hi, I am Nick! Thank you for reading! The Travel Tinker is a resource designed to help you navigate the beauty of travel! Tinkering your plans as you browse!
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