Norway in a Nutshell!
- Julie Maurer Patricia Wolter
- Dec 14, 2025
- 8 min read
Updated: Dec 14, 2025
When I first starting researching my trip to Norway, I kept seeing all these posts and articles about "Norway in Nutshell." My curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to journey down that rabbit hole. Since many of you may have questions, and would love some tips regarding this wonderful trip planning tool and tour, I have created this blog just for you! While a number of tour companies offer a similar itinerary, the official NIN tour website is ** https://www.fjordtours.com. First piece of advice, please allow yourself plenty of time to secure your itinerary. I started planning my trip two weeks before, and since it was high tourist season (early August), many of the trains and even some of the offered excursions were already booked. That being said, I was able to maneuver around some of those booked dates by changing my itinerary's start date, as well as extending my stay in either Oslo, Stavanger or Bergen. Norway has become quite a popular tourist destination, and there are no signs of it slowing down anytime soon.
Who is this tour an especially good fit for? I would say first time visitors to Norway, solo travelers and especially for those not wanting to rent a car. The timing of all transport and Fjord Tours' ticketing system makes it extremely easy to navigate, plus the public transit options within the cities are fantastic. Since Norway's coast can be quite irregular with countless islands and fjords, navigating all of the roads, tunnels and ferries can be a daunting task. One of the many things that I absolutely loved about taking this tour, is that you leave the driving to the professionals, and then are free to enjoy the absolutely gorgeous scenery. Please know that this is a self-guided tour, so you are given all your tickets electronically, and then you are on your own. Not for everyone's travel style, but as for me, I loved it!
The wish list for my trip included: nine nights of accommodation, at least one hike, two fjord cruises, and locations where I could enjoy both nature and cultural places. In order to satisfy all of those requirements, I decided to tailor my trip this way: one night in Oslo, three nights in Stavanger, three nights in Bergen and then finishing with two nights in Oslo before flying back to the States. When you start selecting your itinerary through the website, you can also choose your hotels, as well. After doing my research, I chose to book my hotels separately through my preferred hotel booking site. I did end up choosing hotels that the tour company recommends, and was extremely pleased with them.
Itinerary:
I flew in from Zurich on a Saturday, and stayed in Oslo one evening before officially starting my journey. I stayed at the **Thon Hotel Opera
(https://www.thonhotels.com/hotels/norway/oslo/thon-hotel-opera/), and the location could not have been more optimal. It was right next to the train station, which is also where my bus departed from. When you're traveling solo or with a significant amount of luggage, only having to walk 5-7 minutes is a huge bonus. Plus, they allowed me to store my additional luggage while I went traipsing around Norway. Something to be aware of is that your tour may need to be re-routed due to road or rail conditions, especially during periods of heavy rain. This happened with my journey from Oslo to Stavanger, and the first leg of my journey was by bus. While a pleasant hour or so, I enjoyed the trip even more once I boarded the train. The entire journey from Oslo to Stavanger took about eight hours.
**No compensation is received for my recommendations. I simply believe in promoting quality places, services and products.
Once I arrived in Stavanger, it was about a 10-15 minute walk to my next hotel, another in the Thon brand of hotels, the **Thon Stavanger. https://www.thonhotels.com/hotels/norway/stavanger/thon-hotel-stavanger/ Besides having very comfortable beds and a modern vibe, I enjoyed their delectable breakfast spread. A wonderful benefit and way to start your day, for sure! They also had a cozy lounge where I would enjoy some afternoon tea. As with any hotel, do your research, and read the reviews before booking, because not all are created equally. During my three days in Stavanger, I also booked the Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) & Lysefjord tour through Fjord Tour's website. Unfortunately, due to inclement weather my hike was cancelled, but I was still able to take the fjord cruise. Their customer service was stellar, and they expeditiously refunded the hike portion of my tour. They did offer to reschedule for a different day, but my travel plans would not have been able to accommodate the switch.
There were many ways to fill my time in Stavanger, and I will go through some of my favorites in a future blog. After my three nights were over, it was time to travel to Bergen. The travel time by bus was about five hours, and the route took you along Norway's southwest coast. I especially enjoyed this part of the journey, because the coast is stunningly beautiful, and I loved the frequent trade off between the roads and the ferryboat. Upon arrival in Bergen, it was only a 5-10 minute walk from the bus terminal (right next to the train station) to my hotel. This time I opted to stay at the Scandic Ørnen. While I did not like it as much as the other two Thon Hotels, it still had some wonderful qualities and selling points. The location was incredible, but it was a fairly large hotel that had tour bus groups lodging there. At times, it felt very crowded in the breakfast and lobby area, and I tend to prefer the smaller, more intimate hotels. Other than that aspect, I had a wonderful stay. As with Stavanger, I will get into the details of my time in Bergen in a future post. This post is primarily to acquaint you with the NIN tour footprint, and some of the other offerings through Fjord Tours.
After my stay had concluded in Bergen, it was time to head back to Oslo. This next part of the journey is considered to be the crux of the Norway in a Nutshell tour. It makes for a long day, about 14.5 hours, but it is worth it! You can opt to stay overnight in Gudvangen or Flåm to extend your trip, but I decided to head directly back to Oslo. Our first stop was in Voss, where we transferred from the train to a coach bus. This transfer was a bit frenetic in terms of finding the bus stop, which was one level down, and then trying to figure out which bus you could even get on. Thankfully, I met another solo traveler, and we figured it out together! There were about four coach buses, with long queues and each bus ended up being completely filled. I was concerned that we wouldn't be able to board, but the tour company has everything planned meticulously. During this next portion we stopped at the Stalheim Hotel for a stunning view of the Nærøydalen Valley from their terrace. It was raining during our stop, as it had been most of my days in Norway, so an umbrella and a good raincoat is a must. If you are planning on hiking, then I would definitely include waterproof pants and boots. The next stop was Gudvangen, where you transfer onto a well-appointed, zero-emission electric powered catamaran that brings you through the Nærøyfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The boats outer deck design is perfect for accommodating passengers wishing to get those stunning photos. Also, if you are traveling with luggage, there are very convenient places on the boat to store your belongings. There was also an option to have your luggage professionally portered, thereby avoiding the tedious task of having to schlep it around yourself. The entire cruise takes about two hours, before your arrive in the picturesque town of Flåm. We were given about two hours to explore Flåm before boarding the Flåm Railway. It's a charming stop, with numerous options to buy souvenirs and food. Two hours was more than enough time to stroll through the town, before having to board the Flåm Railway. Seating is open on this portion, so we entered the queue as soon as it opened. While waiting in line, we met another solo traveler, so we sat together on this portion. Many consider this segment of the NIN journey to be one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world, and I certainly agree! At one point, the train stops on a platform, and everyone gets out to see the magnificent Kjosfossen Waterfall, as well as a theatrical performance by a mythical female forest spirit, known as a Huldra. Don't let her lure you into the woods!
The Flåm to Myrdal Railway segment was about one hour, and certainly lived up to, and beyond all expectations. When you are able to witness such beauty within our planet, it makes you realize just how fortunate you are to be alive, taking in every magnificent moment. We boarded our last train at Myrdal, and the trip to Oslo took a little over four hours. Once we arrived in Oslo, I disembarked, and made my way to my hotel, the Thon Hotel Opera, for the final two evenings. Again, besides being a wonderful hotel, one of its best selling points is that it is only a 5-7 minute walk from the train. Plus, its location in relation to other attractions, is second to none. I will write a separate blog regarding attractions in Oslo, but please know this, it's definitely worth spending at least 3 nights in this world-class city.
Last considerations:
The total for the transportation end of my tour in August of 2025 was 7,050 NOK(Norwegian Krone). This equated to about $696 USD, and included all of my transport from Oslo to Stavanger, Stavanger to Bergen, and then Bergen to Oslo (NIN itinerary). Plus, it included the Preikestolen Hike(Pulpit Rock) & Lysefjord tour.
The price of 7,050 NOK did not include any of my hotels, meals, transportation within cities or attractions.
Could you book your transport or your own, and perhaps save a little money? Sure, you could, but Fjord Tours has everything laid out so clearly, that I overwhelmingly recommend booking your transport with them. Then, you can add as much, or as little as you like through them, ie. hotels and excursions.
In a nutshell.....Norway was phenomenal, and we highly recommend putting this destination on your travel list. Please note that as with any of the other locations that we have traveled to, we are always happy to share our best travel ideas with you. If you are considering visiting Norway, please feel free to reach out via this website or email us at: sorellasnaps@gmail.com
Thank you for adventuring through Norway with us. May you find wonder and awe in our beautiful world.
Keep Adventuring On,
Julie & Patricia
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