Expert travel storyteller Jordan Adkins, founder of InspiredByMaps.com, brings a decade of adventures across 101 countries and 450+ UNESCO sites into rich, off-the-beaten-path narratives, melding ecological expertise with genuine, seasoned travel insights. His full bio can be found here.
The intense Scandinavian winds and the wonders of the Fjords are calling you to discover something you’ve never experienced before. With incredibly stunning landscapes, low history, and a warm, inviting culture, the country of Norway is the perfect place to discover the beauty of our planet.
The Scandinavian nation of Norway is west of Sweden and Finland and is located on the Scandinavian peninsula. The Fjords, technically marine inlets between cliffs, are Norway’s most famous coastline landmarks attracting tourists from all over the globe every year. With beautifully sculpted mountains and shiny blue glaciers, Norway’s untamed landscape is what makes the country a tourist haven.
Mountains are abundant in Norway. Due to their extreme steepness, some of the peaks have never been climbed. However, they are always given tourists all year round. Norway also holds the Svalbard island chain and three islands in the Arctic besides the mainland.
Norway is home to many arctic species like wolverines and reindeer, Puffins, cormorants, and gulls. Norway has over 2,000 different plant species, and The nation is covered in berry-growing regions.
The History of Norway
Humans have inhabited Norway since 9,000–8,000 B.C. The initial settlers stayed in handmade tents and caves. Tribes from Germany migrated to the area. Instead of going hunting and collecting, people started farming. Farming communities formed small autonomous states. There were thirty of these states by the ninth century.
Viking warriors left the Scandinavian nations in the ninth to eleventh centuries to invade Europe and take over new lands. Harald Fairhair was the first king to unify the majority of western Norway in 872. During the reign of Harald Fairhair’s descendent, Denmark and Sweden attacked Norway. The following century saw Norway under the Danish administration.
Norway came under Swedish rule in 1319. Late in the 14th century, under Queen Margrethe, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden were unified as the Union of Kalmar in 1397. Norway officially gained its independence in 1905. The Scandinavian nation remained neutral throughout World War I, and to this day, the country remains peaceful and neutral.
Why should you take an organized tour of Norway? Norway has so much to see and offer that it can be incredibly tough to plan accordingly. Not to mention, many tourist attractions, such as the northern lights and cruises to the islands, revolve around the year’s seasons, making it tough to plan accordingly.
It can become very stressful and overwhelming trying to figure out exactly what you want to see and do but rest assured, that is exactly what a tour is for! With a multi-day tour, you’ll experience everything there is to offer about Norway. With planned excursions by tourism professionals, you will see Norway’s top sites more often than not on a suitable budget. Without further adieu, here is a look at the top six tours in Norway.
Page Contents
Norway Fjord Trekking
G Adventures
Given the environment in which they were born, it is easy to understand why the Vikings were among the fiercest people to ever walk the face of the planet. The Norwegian Fjord Lands is a challenge that lures hikers and mountaineers of all ages and skill levels.
This journey will allow you to get up close and personal with the massive glaciers, towering mountains, lush green hills, and breathtaking beauty of this remote region of Scandinavia. On this tour, you’ll start and end your journey in Bergen.
With seven days to explore three different cities in Norway, you’ll enjoy an in-depth tour of the Fjords and the surrounding areas. Amenities like accommodation, meals, transportation, and an expert guide are included in the cost of the tour. Here is your full itinerary for this tour!
Day One: Arrive at any time. Meet your group for a welcome meeting before heading out for an orientation walk of Bergen.
Day Two: Transfer by ferry and private vehicle along the Hardangerfjord to Odda, the base in the heart of the fjords. Enjoy an introductory hike.
Day Three: stretch your legs on a 10km (6.2 mi) hike along the Buerdalen Valley. Consider today’s hike a warm-up to prepare for our full-day Trolltunga excursion on Day 6.
Day Four: Join an expert local guide for a hike across the frozen landscape of the Folgefonna Glacier. Strap on crampons, head out on the ice and take in spectacular views of the glacier.
Day Five: Enjoy a free day to explore as you wish.
Day Six: Journey up to Norway’s most famous rock formation, Trolltunga. Enjoy breathtaking views from 700m (2,296 ft) above the Ringedalsvatnet Lake.
Day Seven: Take a bus back to Bergen, where the tour ends.
Enjoy being fully surrounded by Norway’s natural beauty on this seven-day hiking tour. You will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with Norway’s wildlife and incredible nature, all while learning the intense but intriguing history of the Norwegian nation.
This tour is considered one of the best tours in Norway as it focuses on the country’s natural beauty rather than staying within the city. You’ll get to see what Norway is truly about, all while learning about the country itself. It is also considered one of the best because this tour is offered by the world-famous G-Adventures, one of the best tour operators.
They are known for their well-crafted itineraries created by tourism experts worldwide. You can count on g-adventures to deliver an amazing experience like no other. This is one of the best tours to take in Norway and one you should consider.
Best of Norway (9 Days)
Trafalgar Tours
Enjoy the ease of life as you travel along the fjords. Enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the Norwegian city, Bergen’s Hanseatic legacy, and some of the most breathtaking landscapes on earth, including views of continental Europe’s largest glacier, and watch out for mythical trolls.
You’ll also learn about the Viking way of life with a stop at the Olympic center and many other landmarks within the country. You’ll start and end your journey in Oslo. This 9-day itinerary includes access to fantastic dining, a knowledgeable guide, transportation, and accommodation. Here is a look at your full itinerary for this tour.
Day One: Welcome to Oslo Stays With Stories
Day Two: Journey to Scenic Geilo and Hardangerfjord
Day Three: Onwards to Beautiful Bergen Connect with Locals
Day Four: Off to Voss and Stunning Sognefjord Stays With Stories
Day Five: Continue to Geirangerfjord Stays With Stories
Day Six: A Day at the Breathtaking Geirangerfjord
Day Seven: Venture to Historic Lom and Lillehammer Dive Into Culture
Day Eight: Return to Oslo
Day Nine: Farewell Norway
Enjoy nine days immersed in the natural wonders of Norway, where you’ll enjoy access to scenic locations and, of course, the world-famous, Fjords. This is considered one of the best tours of Norway because it takes you to the top spots within the country, and you get to experience the true natural beauty of Norway in many different ways. With many scenic stops, you’re bound to fall in love with the neverending beauty of Norway. Trafalgar Tours offers this particular tour.
For almost 70 years, Trafalgar has been handcrafting distinctive guided vacations. Trafalgar works hard to give tourists the ultimate local experience by pairing travelers with a true local guide. With over 230 tours worldwide and fantastic reviews, Trafalgar Tours is considered one of the best. This tour is rated 4.5 out of five stars for its interesting itinerary, great value, and quality. This is one of the best tours in Norway.
Northern Norway Explorer
Intrepid Travel
Step into a universe where day seems like night and vice versa. Where the view is always more than stunning, Explore northern Norway’s breathtaking scenery and long and intricate history.
You’ll start your adventure in Oslo, the nation’s capital, then travel to Trondheim, an ancient Viking city home to the Nidaros Cathedral and the remains of St. Olav, Norway’s patron saint. You’ll conclude your tour in Tromso, a bustling city renowned for its cultural attractions despite its relative isolation.
Explore the rugged, breathtakingly beautiful Lofoten Islands by land and boat as you truly immerse yourself in Norwegian culture. With eight days to explore 5 cities in Norway, you’ll get to know the country quite well. Accommodation, transportation, meals, and an expert guide. Your day-to-day on this tour is as follows:
Day One: Welcome to Norway, where you’ll discover Oslo’s irresistible charm and eccentricity.
Day Two: You’ll leave Oslo behind and take the train across the stunning countryside to Trondheim (approximately 7 hours)
Day Three: In the morning, you’ll take the tram to the Bymarka Nature Preserve, enjoy a picnic lunch, and spend the afternoon discovering at your own pace.
Day Four: Visit the town of Bodø this morning. In the afternoon, the ferry to Svolvaer on the Lofoten Islands.
Day Five: The Lofoten Islands are known for picturesque fishing villages and the Midnight Sun. This morning head out on an excursion to Trollfjord. You’ll have free time in the afternoon.
Day Six: Depart the Lofoten Islands to Tromsø. Start with a local bus ride to Harstad. Enjoy free time in the afternoon.
Day Seven: Explore Tromsø on an e-bike tour and stop at MS Polstjerna; enjoy the afternoon at your leisure. Meet in the evening for a final dinner with your guide and group.
Day Eight: End of trip/departure.
Enjoy Norway to the fullest on this eight-day tour. You will have a lot of free time on this tour to explore each location at your speed. However, you will be on your feet a lot, so keep this in mind. With lots of time to surround yourself with the beautiful natural beauty of Norway, you will truly be left in awe.
This is considered one of the best tours in Norway simply because it is completely balanced between guided tours and free time. This is meant to optimize your trip and give you the best of both worlds. Intrepid Travel offers this tour. A company focused on giving travelers the ultimate local experience abroad.
From sleeping in local lodging to using local transportation, you can count on learning a locals perspective and simply enjoying the country for what it is. You will still have a mix of tourist sites to see on each tour, but everything is done through the eyes of a local. Overall this tour is rated very highly among travelers, and yes, it is considered one of the best.
6-Day Scenic Sognefjord of Norway
Agate Travel
On the 6-day escorted vacation, explore Norway’s alluring beauty. You’ll go to Oslo, Myrdal, Balestrand, and Bergen to discover this nation’s treasures, including fishing villages, glaciers, mountains, seaports, and forests.
Additionally, you’ll get to ride the Flam Railway, well-known for its breathtaking landscapes. You’ll start your tour in Oslo and end in Bergen. You’ll get to see Oslo and 3 different cities in Norway!
This explorer tour is considered “scenic” for many opportunities to spot wildlife and immerse yourself in the outstanding natural wonder of Norway. Your tour includes accommodation, a professional English-speaking guide, meals, and transportation. Here is your six-day itinerary for this tour.
Day One: Oslo Arrival & A walk in the City
Day Two: Oslo attractions within the city.
Day Three: Experience on the Flam Railway & boat trip to Sognefjord
Day Four: An interesting morning with optional choices in Balestrand & A cruise trip to Bergen
Day Five: Colorful Bergen & Magnificent Fjord scenery
Day Six: Bergen Departure & Wish you a nice journey home
Enjoy six full days to discover scenic Norway as you explore some of the natural wonders that light up the country with everlasting beauty. This is considered one of the best tours of Norway because it allows travelers to not just see the fjords in Oslo but experience the country in detail on the most scenic route possible.
Exploring what makes Norway truly Norway makes this tour unique and one of the best. It’s operated by agate travel, considered a very highly rated or even perhaps a luxury tour operator. With an overall rating of 4.8 out of five stars, you can be sure you’ll have a great time, as many other travelers have, and you can also be sure that this is one of the best tours in Norway.
Highlights of Norway
Omega Tours
With a tour that includes stops at breathtaking mountain communities and cruises on some of the most well-known fjords in the world, you can learn about Norway’s remarkable natural beauty. You’ll travel over Lake Mjsa, Oslo’s largest lake, stop in at Lillehammer, home of the 1994 Winter Olympics, cruise the UNESCO-listed Geiranger Fjord, and marvel at the beauty of the Sogne, the world’s deepest fjord.
Then go on a memorable Norwegian excursion by boarding the renowned Flm Railway, one of the world’s most outstanding railway journeys that offers breathtaking mountain views at every turn. Are you getting excited yet?
Your tour will start and end in Oslo, with the chance to visit seven different Norwegian cities over eight days. Amenities like accommodation, an expert guide, meals, transportation, and more are included in the cost of the tour. Here is your eight-day itinerary for this tour.
Day One: Welcome to Oslo
Day Two: Leave Oslo, stop in Lillehammer, continue towards Lom, and visit the 12th-century Stave church. Continue towards the Otta Valley towards Geiranger.
Day Three: One-hour cruise along the Geiranger Fjords. Then Arrive in the village of Hellesylt and drive via the Nord Fjord and along the scenic route to Skei. Visit Gaular Mountain National Park and the village of Balestrand.
Day Four: Leave Balestrand to the Sogne Fjord and the Flåm Railway. Arrive in Gudvangen, at the head of the Nærøy Fjord. Board a 2-hour mini-cruise of the Nærøy and Auerland fjords, and then you will board the Flåm Railway for scenic views.
Day Five: enjoy a walking tour in the morning with free time in the afternoon.
Day Six: take the funicular up to Mount Fløyen. Visit Vøringsfoss waterfall, the Hardanger Fjord, and the Hardanger Mountain Plateau and then arrive in the city of Geilo.
Day Seven: Drive back towards Oslo via the Hallingdal Valley. Upon arrival in Oslo, you will be taken on a city tour of Oslo.
Day Eight: Oslo Departure.
Enjoy eight full days exploring the true beauty of Norway with this travel package. Immerse yourself in the Norwegian way of life as you view the stunning fjords, engage in the local culture and breathe in the fresh Norwegian air.
This tour can be considered one of the best in Norway because it gives you a decent amount of free time and a good mix of unique destinations and well-known tourist attractions. This gives you the best of both worlds when truly discovering the government of Norway.
Omega Tours operates this tour. It is considered a Silver tour operator thanks to its dedication to the tourism industry and giving travelers the best experience possible. This particular tour has an overall rating of 4.1 out of five stars and is considered one of the best tours of Norway by travelers and tourism experts alike.
The Svalbard Express – Full Voyage
Hurtigruten
On this tour, you’ll sail up the picturesque Norwegian coast to the largest of Svalbard’s islands, Spitsbergen. Take a lavish, nostalgic journey down the Norwegian coast to the Svalbard archipelago in the High Arctic and back.
You will also Enjoy life on the superbly designed MS Trollfjord, which will be completely renovated in 2023 using only the best materials and shipbuilding techniques. Visit a range of attractive seaside settlements on the Norwegian mainland and in Svalbard as you truly embrace the midnight sun of the Arctic.
This tour starts and ends in Bergen. This mega explorer tour is a 16-day adventure, taking you to 12 different cities in Norway. Accommodation, an expert guide, meals, and transportation are included in this tour. Here is a brief look at day to day itinerary for this tour.
Day One: On your way to Norway!!
Day Two: Start your adventure by Sailing the Svalbard Express
Day Three: Explore the Alpine villages by the fjord
Day Four: Experience Norway’s oldest fishing community
Day Five: Learn about the Birthplace of the Norwegian Coastal Express
Day Six: Enter the Gateway to the Arctic
Day Seven: Explore the top of Europe
Day Eight: You’re right in Between Norway and Svalbard!
Day Nine: officially At the edge of the world!
Day Ten: learn about the Science of the Arctic frontier
Day Eleven: Leaving Svalbard/ on route back to the mainland.
Day Twelve: Explore ‘Little Norway’
Day Thirteen: Fall in love with the Lofoten islands.
Day Fourteen: Enjoy the Highlights of the Helgeland Coast
Day Fifteen: Learn about the Secret of the Sunnmøre Alps
Day Sixteen: Back to Bergen, departure at any time.
This 16-day expedition tour gives you a full in-depth look at Norway. From the islands in the Arctic to the mainland, you will get a chance to experience everything to the fullest. That’s what makes this tour so unique. Many times Norway offers excursions to the fjords or within the area, but this tour truly goes above and beyond to transport travelers to some of the most unique and intriguing places in all of Norway.
This tour is also considered one of the best because of its detailed approach and mix of free time and guided tours, as well as its fun, local staff willing to go above and beyond to make your stay the greatest. Hurtigruten Tours, a unique operator, offers this tour as it offers multiday tours and cruises.
With notably excellent reviews from travelers and perfectly crafted itineraries, this tour operator can easily be considered one of the best, and this tour itself can also be considered the best if not one of the best, tours of Norway.
Norway is considered stunning by many. Many dream of venturing to the outdoor wonderland of Norway. Booking a multiday tour helps makes your trip extra special by providing access to one-of-a-kind destinations with a local knowledgable guide. You’ll also get the opportunity to meet new friends as you make the journey of a lifetime.
In conclusion, these six tours are considered the best of Norway, which you should consider when planning a lifetime trip to Norway. Norway – Powered By Nature.
If none of these tours work for you in Norway, please do not worry. There is a wide variety of tour options in the country, and we are confident that there will be something that fits your needs and interests.
Take a look at all the group tours in Norway now, which you can sort by private or group, maximum sizing, budget, dates, and much (much more). The team at TourRadar is also always more than happy to answer any questions, provide further information or assist in any way in finding the perfect tour for you.
