Day 1 : Depart the USA

We board our flight for a relaxing journey across the Atlantic.

Day 2 : Arrive in Norway

Arrive in Oslo, Norway’s capital. We meet our English-speaking European guide and check in to our hotel for a two-night stay in the heart of the city. Take the remainder of the day to explore the city at your leisure or relax before our adventurous days ahead. Tonight, we get to know our fellow traveling companions at an included Holiday Vacations Welcome Dinner.

Day 3 : Oslo

Enjoy breakfast at our hotel before joining a local guide for an intriguing tour of Oslo. Major sightseeing destinations include the Royal Palace, Vigeland Sculpture Park, Akershus Fortress, the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet, and the Bygdoy museums. Later we visit the Fram Museum, dedicated to Norway’s history of arctic exploration, and the Kon-Tiki Museum, home to the legendary balsa wood raft Thor Heyerdahl used to cross the Pacific Ocean in 1951.

Day 4 : Lillehammer

After breakfast we depart Oslo and travel to Lillehammer, located in a picturesque setting overlooking the northern end of Lake Mjosa. Home to the 1994 Winter Olympics, it remains a popular ski resort today. Tour Maihaugen, one of Norway’s greatest open-air museums, and learn what life was like from the Middle Ages to the present. Maihaugen resembles a small inland village and features nearly 200 buildings, including turf-topped houses, a railway station, school, post office, fishing cabins, and barns. As you near the entrance, you’ll see historic Garmo Stave Church, built over 800 years ago. Following an included lunch, enjoy the afternoon at leisure to visit area attractions that pique your interest. Some options include the Lillehammer Art Museum, the Norwegian Olympic Museum, or Fabrikken, a creative and cultural arts center.

Day 5 : Geirangerfjord

Today we travel westward through spectacular scenery to Norway’s fjordlands, the highest concentration of fjords in the world. On our way, we drive through Gudbrandsdalen, a traditional region of Norway best recognized by its bucolic farmland. We stop in Lom and visit the Lom Stave Church, one of Norway’s largest stave churches, with a history that goes back to the 12th century. Upon reaching Geiranger, we take a ferry through the UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord to Hellesylt and enjoy some of Norway’s most beautiful vistas. Afterwards, a short drive takes us to the village of Loen where we check in to our hotel for two nights.

Day 6 : Briksdal Glacier

Our day starts with an exciting ride on an open-air off-road Troll Car to Jostedalsbreen National Park, where we experience the mighty Briksdal Glacier. This is one of Norway’s most famous glaciers due to the spectacular waterfalls and mountain peaks that surround it. Later, take the Loen Skylift to the top of Mount Hoven for panoramic views of Loen, the Nordfjord, and the surrounding peaks.

Day 7 : Sognefjord & Flam Railway

This morning we board our motorcoach and travel south to Kaupanger, on the shores of the Sognefjord. Known as the King of the Fjords, the Sognefjord is Norway’s longest and deepest inlet. Relax on a scenic 2 ½ hour ferry ride through this geologic wonder to the village of Flam. There, the Flam Railway brings us on a breathtaking journey to Myrdal featuring towering mountains, plummeting waterfalls, and lush valleys. We then change trains and head to Bergen, our home for the next two nights.

Day 8 : Bergen

Bergen is Norway’s second largest city. Nicknamed the City of Seven Mountains, it’s brimming with towering mountains, deep fjords, and colorful wooden houses. Following a delicious breakfast, a local guide boards our motorcoach and leads our tour of Bergen. Highlights include Bergenhus Fortress, Rosenkrantz Tower, and Bryggen, the city’s medieval wharf district and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We visit Troldhaugen, a living museum that was once home to the famous composer Edvard Grieg, who described this luxurious villa as his “best opus so far.” We celebrate our travel adventures with a Farewell Lunch at Ovre-Eide Farm, family-owned since the 16th century. Savor a variety of regional delicacies as we learn more about the farm and Norwegian national costumes. Later, take a funicular cable car ride up Mount Fløyen for outstanding views of the city and the sea beyond.

Day 9 : Fly Home