The Best Norway Itinerary for an Unbelievable 14-day Road Trip (with Many Hidden Gems)

Must-see places to visit in + itinerary for 14 days in Norway.

Buckle up for an epic 14-day adventure through the wild and wonderful landscapes of Norway. This practical Norway itinerary for 14 days isn’t just like any other; it’s about real experiences in one of the most stunning countries on the planet!

From the iconic Geirangerfjord, to the spectacular city of Bergen, to the charming town of Flam, we’ve got it all covered.

And as if the beauty’s not enough, Norway has the best food! From delicious hot dogs, to the best waffles in the world, and pancakes… Man, those pancakes… they earned a special place in my heart.

So you’re planning to visit Norway, but have no idea where to start? Then you’ve come to the right place! Do make sure to read this post through to the end, for all the essential information you need!

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Table of Contents

About Norway

The Kingdom of Norway is a Nordic country in Europe. It’s actually the northernmost country. The spoken language in Norway is Norwegian, and most people speak English very well… Seriously… It’s almost creepy how good their English is…

There’s actually quite interesting history behind the Norwegian language. Read about it here.

The used currency in Norway is the Norwegian Krone, NOK.

$1 USD = 10,58 NOK (approx.)

€1 Euro = 10,44 NOK (approx.)

Fun facts about Norway:

Norway has a population of just over 5 million and nearly half of the Norwegian lives in the far south, around Oslo.
Norway counts about 50000 tiny islands, carved by deep glacial fjords.
Norway has repeatedly been ranked as the best country to live in.
The longest tunnel in the world is located in Norway.
Norway introduced salmon sushi to the Japanese in the eighties.
Norway knighted a king penguin in 2008. His name’s Nils Olav.

Planning your 14-day Norway itinerary: Things to keep in mind

When planning a road trip through Norway, I made a big mistake. I stuffed it. I put too many activities in the planning and didn’t consider driving times and other things.

So some things to keep in mind are:

Driving times and distances are longer than you expect
The weather’s not always good
Take time for grocery shopping and cooking
There are gonna be some bumps in your trip. Make sure you’re prepared to deal with them

Read through to the end of this post for more essential information about traveling through Norway!

Are 14 days too long for you? Then check out this epic 7-day itinerary for Norway!

Here’s a map with the places from this itinerary and some lovely wild camping places we found. I hope it can help you!

Norway itinerary for 14 days

Now it’s finally time for the 14-day Norway road trip itinerary!

This 14-day itinerary begins in Oslo and ends in Bergen. Both cities have an airport and I’m sure there are renting companies where you can pick up a car or motorhome in one city and return it in the other. If this is not possible, it’s not that hard to drive back to Oslo to return the vehicle and get a flight home.

Day 1: Arrival – Oslo

This itinerary starts in the wonderful capital of Norway, Oslo! When in Norway you just can’t miss this diverse city.

Bonus tip: Maybe an Oslo pass is something for you. Read about the top things to do in Oslo with an Oslo pass!

Oslo has a lot of typical Norwegian places to visit, like:

Bygdøy Peninsula, where you’ll find 5 Norwegian museums
The Norwegian Folk Museum
Akershus Fortress
The Freia Store: home of Norwegian chocolates
The Oslo fjord

And other than that, Oslo’s an amazing city to walk through.

My friends and I arrived in Oslo around lunchtime. In my opinion, we’ve seen enough of this city in one day, to move on the next day. But of course, you need to decide how long you want to stay in Oslo. I do recommend sleeping in the city, to be well-rested for the next day.

Psst: Check out this beginner’s guide to Oslo!

Where to stay in Oslo?

Best budget hotel in Oslo: Citybox Oslo

Why stay here: Close to Oslo central station, comfortable rooms, cheap prices and free wifi.

Best luxury hotel in Oslo: Hotel Bristol

Why stay here: Exceptional breakfast, private parking, 2 cozy restaurants, free wifi and luxurious rooms.

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Day 2: Oslo – Flam

From Oslo, you will take a long drive to the beautiful town of Flam! It’s about a 5-hour drive through many diverse landscapes. In the last hour, you’ll even be driving the world’s longest tunnel! At the end of this Laerdalstunnel, you’ll be blown away by the beauty of the Naeroyfjorden!

planning a trip to Norway — Nova has driven through the longest tunnel of the world!

You’ll get the best view of this fjord from the town of Flam. In this town, there are many activities to do. There are many souvenir shops and options to go out on the water.

Although Flam could be crowded, it kinda gave me a cozy feeling. It almost felt like I was at a German Christmas market (even though it was in August).

So when you’re in Flam, make sure to drink some hot chocolate and eat a delicious Norwegian hot dog.

One day is enough to take a good look at Flam. At the end of the afternoon, you can already drive a bit to the next location, or just stay in Flam.

Where to stay in Flam?

Best accommodation for families: Two-bedroom apartment in beautiful Flåm Valley

Why stay here: Entire apartment with private parking, free wifi and beautifully furnished rooms. Perfect for a family of 4.

Best budget accommodation: Winjum Apartments Aurland Stegastein

Why stay here: Entire apartment with free wifi, private parking and stunning views of the Aurlandsfjord.

Best luxury hotel: Fretheim Hotel

Why stay here: Amazing breakfast, free parking, a restaurant and bar, free wifi and comfortable rooms.

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Day 3: Time to relax

Seeing that the driving distances are exhausting, let’s squeeze in a day to relax. Of course, you don’t have to do nothing, you could always stay in Flam and book a tour or find another activity nearby. You could already drive to the next destination, which gives you more time for sightseeing there.

There are loads of options, but if you’re tired, just relax. You’ll see more of Norway in the next few days.

Check out this super cool drone shot that represents Norway’s mysterious landscape quite well.

Day 4: Geirangerfjord

On day 4, it’s time to drive to Geiranger. This world UNESCO site heritage may be one of the most beautiful fjords I’ve seen in Norway. It’s kinda like Flam, but even better. Plus, there’s a chocolate shop.

See, I’m a bit of a sucker for chocolates, especially ones with fruit filling. And the chocolates of Geiranger Sjokolade were the most amazing choccies I’ve ever had!

In Geiranger, you can book a boat tour, rent a kayak, or take a hike up the fjord.

There are many places near Geiranger where you can park your vehicle to go wild camping. Most places we wild camped at, you can find on the map at the beginning of this itinerary.

Where to stay in Geiranger?

The best accommodation in Geiranger is Hotel Union Geiranger Bad & Spa. With super comfortable rooms, a rooftop garden, and pools in and outside, this hotel is a great option! You’ll be able to completely relax in the spa & wellness centre, the 3 pools and 3 restaurants.

I highly recommend staying at the Hotel Union Geiranger!

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Day 5: Trollstigen – Mardalsfossen – Sunndalsora

On day 5, it’s time to finally drive the famous troll’s ladder, aka Trollstigen! This road is such a wonderful road to drive, with a gorgeous waterfall. It’s only 2 hours from Geiranger. Make sure to make some photos of this wonderful road.

After driving the Trollstigen, it’s time for a little hike to the most epic waterfall in Norway. And this place isn’t touristy at all, which is so great!

From the Trollstigen, it’s about 2 hours to the waterfall.

This fall is called Mardalsfossen. With a free fall of 297 meters and a total of 655 meters, this is Northern Europe’s highest waterfall.

This hike is only around 45 minutes (single way). However, these 45 minutes are only to a certain point that’s easy to reach. After that, you can take a slippery rocky road to get closer to the waterfall.

I took this road and got so close to the waterfall, it felt unreal. You just need to be careful. But seriously, if you can, try to get as close to the waterfall as possible. It’s a place where you’ll feel so alive, plus you’ll get a proper shower.

From Mardalsfossen it’s only an hour and a half to get to the sleeping spot at Sunndalsora. On the map, you’ll find the exact spot.

Day 6: Time to relax

You must be tired after these full days. Good news, today you’ll be doing nothing at all! The spot where you’ve stayed is also a wonderful place for relaxing, taking a swim, and maybe having a little BBQ.

Day 7: Trollkyrkja – Atlantic Ocean Road

Now that you’re well rested and all, it’s time to get up early for a gorgeous, but a bit challenging hike! Trollkyrkja (troll’s church), is another epic place we visited in Norway. It’s called the troll’s church because, at the end of the hike, there’s a cave with a stunning waterfall inside!

This hike will take you around 4 hours to complete (up and back). Don’t forget to bring a flashlight or headlight, you’re gonna need it for the cave.

After hiking Trollkyrkja, it’s time to drive another cool road.

Have you ever heard of the Atlantic Ocean Road?

If not, it’s a road located on the coast of Norway. This road is 8,27 kilometers long and has 8 bridges. This road is quite cool to drive and from the rest stops it looks amazing!

Some people will say this road is only worth visiting if you have a drone to make awesome shots, but in my opinion, the Atlantic Ocean Road is something you just need to see (and drive) at least once in your life.

Day 8: Alesund

After these few days in nature, you’re probably up for visiting a charming old town. Alesund is the place to be. This coastal town is one of the coziest towns we visited in Norway. With its colorful houses, old streets, and surrounding hills, this place is a must-see town.

Alesund is only a 2-and-a-half-hour drive from the Atlantic ocean road. So I’d say, find a sleeping spot somewhere between the ocean road and Alesund.

Also, don’t be scared of taking ferries. For me it felt kinda weird, going on a ferry, but it wasn’t weird at all. Just hop on there, eat some typical ferry food (they sell delish hotdogs and sveler: Norwegian pancakes), have a bathroom break, and get on the road again!

When arriving in Alesund, it’s easy finding a parking spot, even for large vans. Then it’s time to just wander through this town, take in its beauty, visit some shops, and have a bite. Make sure to take some photos.

One day is enough to visit Alesund.

Where to stay in Alesund?

Best Budget accommodation in Alesund: City View Studio Apartment

Why stay here: Entire apartment with private parking, free wifi, a patio, and beautiful sea and city views.

Best luxury accommodation: Hotel 1904

Why stay here: Delicious breakfast, free wifi, comfortable rooms, and an amazing restaurant.

Day 9 & 10: Olden – Loen

On days 9 and 10 you’ll visit what probably the most beautiful place is in all of Norway. The towns of Olden and Loen are kinda like glacial towns (if that’s a thing). At the foot of Jostedalsbreen national park are these towns. Surrounded by blue and ice-cold lakes, these towns have a certain charm.

Jostedalsbreen national park is Europe’s biggest glacier. There are tours you can book, to hike these glaciers. But don’t do it on your own, you need special equipment.

But seeing that Olden and Loen are at the foot of this glacier, makes the lakes outstandingly beautiful. Glacier water is so blue, it feels like you’ve stepped inside a fairytale! With green grass and mysterious mountains, it may just be the most breathtaking place I’ve ever visited.

If you choose not to hike the glacier (I didn’t because it’s expensive), there are lots of other activities in this area. You can hike among some mighty rivers, visit waterfalls, kayak the mirror-like lakes, or even take a swim (at around 4°C/32°F).

Where to stay in Olden/Loen?

Best budget accommodation: Nesset Fjordcamping

Why stay here: Beautiful balcony overlooking the fjord, free wifi, family rooms, free parking and great location.

Best luxury accommodation: Hotel Alexandra Loen

Why stay here: Comfortable rooms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, wellness centre, 4 restaurants and great breakfast.

Best unique stay: Olden Glamping

Why stay here: Luxurious dome-like tent, fjord and mountain views, private beach area, free wifi and free parking.

There are endless ways to enjoy yourself in Olden and Loen, and you won’t be disappointed by the views you’ll get. Just take it slow and stay here for a day or two.

Day 11: Bondhusvatnet

On your way to the last destination, you’ll be visiting some more magic places. I recommend getting up early because you’re up for a long drive of 6 hours. I’d say hit the road around 9 am so you have some time for hiking the Bondhusvatnet trail.

This is the last long driving time, so make sure you enjoy it.

Bondhusvatnet is one of the hidden gems near Bergen. This hike is only about 2 hours in total and you’ll see some cool rivers and another glacial lake.

How’s this one different from the ones you’ve already seen, you may ask? Well, I can’t answer that. It’s just different and even more beautiful. Both the trail and the lake will take your breath away.

After this hike, you should probably just find a sleeping place nearby.

Day 12: Fjellhaugvatn – Steindalsfossen – Bergen

If you aren’t tired of blue glacial lakes yet, you can visit another one: Fjellhaugvatn. This lake is said to be another hidden gem, and it’s close to the one you visited yesterday. I personally skipped this one, but if you can visit it, you probably should.

Then it’s time to drive an hour and a half in the direction of Bergen. On the road to Bergen, there’s a cool waterfall you should see. Steindalsfossen is a waterfall located near the road. No hike is required.

You can stand behind the waterfall and get a cool view from a bit higher point. This waterfall is also great for some Instagrammable photos, as you can get really close.

After spending a little time at this waterfall it’s time to go to your last destination in this itinerary; Bergen!

Make sure to book accommodation in this city, for the last 2 nights before leaving. And look into some parking opportunities, but it was quite hard, to find a parking spot for a 2,5-meter high van. There are no parking garages for this height and there’s a difficult system for parking at the side of the street. Make sure to do your research.

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Where to stay in bergen?

Best budget hotel: Citybox Bergen City

Why stay here: Comfortable rooms, free wifi, cheap prices and great location.

Best overall hotel: Det Hanseatiske Hotel

Why stay here: Rustic-style rooms, very good breakfast, 2 restaurants, free wifi, affordable prices and located in the 16th century UNESCO World Heritage Bryggen District.

Day 13 & 14: Bergen

This second-largest city in Norway is one of those places where you simply don’t want to have only a couple of hours. That’s why you need at least day 13 and maybe day 14 (depending on the time of your flight), to see all there is to see in Bergen, like:

Bryggen
Floibanen and Floyen
Bergen’s fish market
Fantoft stave church
Ulriken viewpoint

And simply the rest of the city is just fun to see. There are also shopping opportunities.

All in all, Bergen is a city you just can’t skip. It may even be more important to visit than Oslo (I’m sorry to those who disagree). There’s just too much to do and see, for everyone.

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Travel through Norway

There are a few ways of traveling through Norway. You could travel Norway by train, cruise, car, or motorhome. Traveling through Norway by train or cruise, are some great options to choose from. However, they limit your options of things to see and do, as they only go so far.

Norway is one of the most popular countries for motorhome travel. As wild camping is allowed, you can easily park somewhere and just go to sleep. So when you’re visiting Norway, be prepared for all the campers you’ll come across.

And as the Norwegian roads sometimes go (literally) up the mountains, you can visit so many more places than when you’re taking a train. So traveling by car or motorhome is my favorite way of traveling through Norway.

And because of that, this 14-day itinerary is for traveling with a car or campervan.

Driving through Norway

One thing you really need to keep in mind is that driving in Norway is a whole new world. At least for me, it was, but that’s because I’m from flat country; the Netherlands.

Driving through Norway will not be hard, but you need to know some of the basics:

Make way

When driving the mountainous roads of Norway it’s important to make way for other people. There are a lot of opportunities to make some room for oncoming traffic, and you need to make use of them. They will do the same for you.

And not only oncoming traffic will need this, but if you’re a bit of a slow driver, you may also need to make way for people to pass you.

Put your lights on

In Norway, it is the law to drive with your lights on. So don’t forget to put them on every time you’re going out on the road!

Honk!

But only when driving a van or motorhome. Some curves may be unclear, so if you’re driving on a narrow road, and a bend is coming, honk. Then people will know something big’s coming and it may give you peace of mind.

The roads aren’t as scary as they seem

You’ve probably heard of the Trollstigen, which means trolls ladder. This is a Norwegian road that’s famous for all its twists and turns. Although this is the most famous one, it’s not the only one… There are many roads like this, you probably won’t be able to avoid these.

But no worries! These roads are less scary than they seem.

Everyone who’s driving these roads is alert. If you are alert and calm as well, there’s nothing to worry about. Just drive slowly and before you know it, you’ve done an incredible job of driving a mountain road!

Norwegians drive really well

Yup. Norwegians may be the best drivers of Europe. I don’t know what else to say. Almost every Norwegian is just a good driver, I thought that may be nice to know.

Is Norway expensive?

There’s no easy way to say this…

Yep.

Norway’s expensive.

Can’t go around that. But as we’re budget travelers, we have found a way for you to enjoy Norway on a low budget. Traveling Norway on a budget is possible.

And as in every other country, it really depends on how you spend your money and what you spend it on. Some things or products are really cheap and others are expensive. You just need to figure out what the local products are and live off of those. Because they will be cheapest.

Our post about budget travel in Norway also listed which products are the cheapest. So check out this post about Norway road trip cost!

Wild camping on your 14-day Norway itinerary

At least one thing you could save a ton on is accommodation. In Norway, it is allowed to go wild camping, under certain rules. But this means that you don’t have to pay for your accommodation, which makes your trip soooo much cheaper.

You can go wild camping in your car, or motorhome, or just take some tents with you. Please do consider this option, it’ll save you tons.

Final thoughts on the Norway itinerary for 14 days

And now we’ve come to the end of this 14-day itinerary through Norway. I hope you’re now informed enough on what to keep in mind, places to visit and what the country’s like.

Let me know why you want to visit Norway in the comments below!