If you’ve ever dreamed of experiencing Norway’s stunning fjords, charming villages, and breathtaking landscapes at your own pace, then doing Norway in a Nutshell on your own is the perfect way to do it—no rigid schedules, no big tour groups, just you and the adventure of a lifetime!
Norway is a dreamy Scandinavian country up in northern Europe, sandwiched between Sweden and the icy North Atlantic. It’s famous for its jaw-dropping fjords, Viking history, and, of course, all those cozy sweater-clad locals who make you want to own one of their famous sweaters :).
And the (trademarked) tour called Norway in a Nutshell (NIN) is a popular scenic journey through Norway’s fjords, mountains, and charming villages, combining trains, ferries, and buses into one seamless adventure.
It takes you from Oslo (or Bergen if you do it in reverse) through the stunning landscapes of the Norwegian countryside, with highlights like the famous Flåm Railway, the Aurlandsfjord, and the dramatic Nærøyfjord.
While you can easily sign up with a tour group for this adventure (use this link to do it that way) – doing it on your own at your own pace will allow you to soak up every magical moment on your own terms :).
I chose to do it on our own because we love traveling at our own pace and honestly, tour groups and crowds have never been our preferred way of travel.
I have read a few blog posts saying doing NIN on your own will save money – however that was not my intent for doing it on our own :).
While doing my research on how to do this route without the popular tour company’s help, it didn’t seem many people choose to experience Norway this way ;0.
Thus, I had a fair amount of anxiety before our trip with this decision to do it on our own and only after having come home can I say – okay that was actually very easy!!
And that more people should do this!
In a rush?
‘Norway in a Nutshell’ On Your Own
The Little Details
Maps
Nestled between Sweden and the North Atlantic Ocean, Norway stretches far north into the Arctic Circle, making it a dream destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike.
The location of the NIN sights is between Oslo and Bergen including the stunning Nærøyfjord starting at the small village of Flam.
HOW TO USE THIS MAP:
Click the tab in the top left hand corner of the map to view the layers of the map and names of places included. You can click the check marks to hide or show the layers. If you click the icons on the map, you can get more information from each point of interest.
If you click the little star next to the title of the map, this map will be added to your Google Maps account. To view the map on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the ‘menu’ button, go to ‘Saved’ on a computer and ‘You’ then ‘Saved’ on phone, click ‘Maps,’ and you will see this map on your list.
How to Get to Oslo
The best starting point for NIN is Oslo.
And getting to Oslo is much easier than you might think, even if Norway feels like a world away.
If you’re coming from the U.S., you have a few solid options:
- Nonstop Flights – If you’re lucky enough to live near a major airport like New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), or Los Angeles (LAX), you can hop on a direct flight to Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL). Norwegian Air and SAS often have good options.
- One-Stop Flights – For most of us, a one-stop flight through a European hub like London, Amsterdam, or Frankfurt is the way to go. These flights are usually pretty seamless, and let’s be honest—sometimes a quick airport break is necessary to stretch those legs. We are quite partial to our nonstop San Diego to London flight options on British Airways and have done most of our European adventures starting with this flight :).
- Flying into Another Scandinavian City – If you’re planning a bigger Nordic adventure, you can fly into Copenhagen or Stockholm and then take a short flight or even a scenic train to Oslo. This is what we did for our two week Scandinavian adventure in August 2019 – starting in Copenhagen and flying home from Stockholm.
Best Time of Year to Visit Norway
If you want that perfect mix of breathtaking scenery and comfortable weather, late spring to early fall (May through September) is the sweet spot for doing Norway in a Nutshell.
Summer (June–August) brings long daylight hours, lush green landscapes, and the best chance for sunny days—plus, who doesn’t love a good fjord cruise with the sun sparkling on the water (our early September day on the fjord ferry was actually rainy ;0).
But if you’re dreaming of fewer crowds and a touch of snow-capped magic, late spring and early fall offer stunning views with a little extra serenity.
Our Oslo/Flam/Bergen dates were August 30, 2019 to September 6, 2019 and we wore sweaters and raincoats every day for those 8 days :).
How Much Time to Allow for Norway in a Nutshell
The organized NIN tour was originally designed to be a full one day trip from Oslo to Bergen.
But since our Scandinavian vacation was supposed to be our ‘Start of Empty Nesting’ trip after dropping our youngest daughter off at college in 2019 and being lovers of the outdoors and wanting some quiet time to enjoy the (almost) start of our new chapter, we decided to spend a full 2 days in the beauty of the Norwegian fjords in Flam.
FYI – she chose a quarter system school to attend that made her college drop off the last week of September making this trip our ‘not quite yet empty nesters trip’ 😂.
If you have the time, spending one or two full days in the quiet village of Flam or Aurland really adds to your experience of getting to know Norway better (see our full itinerary below for an idea of how we spent two full weeks in Scandinavia).
What About Luggage?
One of my biggest concerns with doing NIN on our own was what to do with our luggage (we do NOT travel light fyi!).
Photo above is not from our Norway trip but to give you an idea of how much luggage we usually have :)!
The train transfer at Myrdal train station and subsequent smaller Flamsbana Railway train cars in particular had me concerned as I was planning our trip.
There is PLENTY of space for luggage on all the train cars – if you have ever ridden any train in Europe – the luggage areas in each car are very similar – even in the old Flam Rail cars ;).
Just be sure to keep your valuables with you (like your passport and wallet!).
We usually carry our laptops in our travel backpacks and easily kept our backpacks with us on all modes of transportation we took.
The ferry from Flam to Gudvangen will also have a place to store your luggage as well – but again – plan on keeping your backpack with valuables with you.
Start in Oslo
While the NIN itinerary can start in either Bergen on the west coast of Norway or Oslo on the eastern border of the country, most travel experts suggest starting in Oslo as that is the best introduction to the country of Norway.
And the easiest city to fly in and out of in Norway :).
Having arrived in Oslo on day 7 of our Scandinavian adventure, we enjoyed spending one full day in the Norwegian capital city before escaping into the natural wonderland of the fjords.
You can read more about what to do in Oslo here.
Train to Myrdal
Purchase your Oslo S to Myrdal Stasjon tickets on the official Norwegian railway Vy website linked here – tickets are only available 60-90 days in advance so be sure to set your calendar to plan ahead if you are visiting in peak tourism season.
Myrdal is stop no. 12 on the Bergen rail line. The website will sell you tickets in the Norwegian currency of the Krone and in 2025, the recommended fully flexible seats for this train ride are around $80 each.
I am always partial to having a seat reservation if possible when I travel in Europe which is only possible on this train ride with the fully flexible seat purchase option…
Because this scenic train ride from Oslo to Myrdal is a little over 4.5 hours – you will want to be on the morning train. Ours was scheduled from 8:30am to 1pm and was perfectly on schedule :).
The Historic Flåm Railway Ride
After a short 25 minute stopover in the extremely small Myrdal Stasjon, you will then get on the scenic Flåm Railway ride to Flam.
This 50-minute journey on the Flåm Railway is one of the most scenic in the world, with jaw-dropping views of towering mountains, cascading waterfalls, and charming little villages that look straight out of a fairy tale.
Purchase your ticket also on the Vy website from Myrdal Stasjon to Flåm Stasjon. Be sure to get the time that is about 25 minutes after your Myrdal arrival (ours was a 1:24pm train).
Pro tip: grab a seat on the left side for the best views heading down ~ seats on this train ride are not reserved or assigned and it can feel like getting on a Southwest Airlines flight with your heavy luggage ~ but hey – it’s part of the adventure – right??
The train does a short stop (about 10 minute) at Kjosfossen Waterfall ~ you can leave your luggage on the train like everyone else to get off at the platform for a quick view and performance by an actor/actress dressed up like the Norwegian folklore character called Huldra.
Legend has it that the Huldra—a mysterious, beautiful forest spirit with a hidden cow’s tail—lures travelers with her enchanting song…
Personally, my husband and I found the performance to be a bit on the cheesy side – but hey – it’s the entertaining effort that counts – right?
Spend Some Time in Flåm
I highly highly suggest spending at least two nights in Flåm!!
This way you will have one full day to enjoy the incredible scenery in this fjord valley before moving on with your itinerary.
We chose to spend 3 nights in Flam to have 2 full days to relax and do some slow traveling on our rather hectic Scandinavian itinerary.
I have since decided that slow traveling is more my husband and mine’s style and planning a busy itinerary with multiple city and hotel changes is not desirable but it has taken years for me to figure that out ;0.
Read more about what to do in Flåm here!
Ferry Boat from Flåm to Gudvangen
The ferry ride from Flåm to Gudvangen is pure magic—gliding through the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord, one of the most stunning fjords in Norway, with towering cliffs and waterfalls cascading down like something out of a fairy tale.
It’s about a two-hour ride, so plenty of time to sip a coffee (or in my case – hot chocolate!), snap a hundred photos, and just soak in that peaceful, jaw-dropping Norwegian beauty!
Because we stayed 3 nights in Flåm, we were able to do the 9:30am ferry ride ~ if you do the entire NIN in one day, you will have to time your ferry ride for the later afternoon times.
But again – I do not recommend rushing through this entire experience – you are on vacation to relax not rush :).
Purchase your ticket on the Norway’s Best official website here.
You will be dropped off at the Viking Village of Njardarheimr in Gudvangen which could be a fun little detour—but be warned, it leans a bit touristy and staged.
While it’s cool to see the recreated village and costumed “Vikings” in action, unless you’re really into Viking history, you might prefer spending more time soaking in the stunning fjord views instead!
We hired a private guide to meet us at a bus stop halfway to Voss in a town called Skulestadmo and take us hiking in the Norwegian fjord wilderness – a much more native to Norwegian culture experience if you are up for it :).
Bus from Gudvangen to Voss
The bus ride from Gudvangen to Voss is a scenic adventure all on its own, winding through fjord landscapes and charming little villages—just sit back and soak it all in!
You cannot reserve a ticket in advance for the public Skyss bus, but don’t worry—just hop on and pay the driver when you board (cash or card works).
Luggage will be placed in the typical bus location of under the bus compartments :).
This was another one of the situations that gave me pre-trip anxiety due to not being able to buy tickets in advance and the fact that the bus ticket is included in the organized NIN tour ticket.
However, this turned out to truly be no big deal.
Download the Skyss Reise App onto your IPhone to know all the departure time options depending on when you arrive in Gudvangen and want to leave :).
We stopped for a quick snack at the restaurant at the ferry dock during the 40 minutes we had between the boat and the bus :).
Stopover: Hike in Voss Area
As previously mentioned above, we decided to hire a private guide to take us on a hike in the Voss region of the spectacular Nærøyfjord fjord.
I reached out to Wild Voss via email and set up a bus stop meetup spot to be picked up at by our guide.
Unfortunately, the weather was quite rainy on our hiking day so our guide decided to change our hike destination from my desired plan of Kiellandbu to a path closer to our pick up spot that would be safer with the slippery status of the trails that day.
Wild Voss provided rain pants and poles for both of us to use during our outdoor adventure…
We had a FANTASTIC experience and would absolutely recommend this to anyone wanting to get out on the trails for a few hours and learn about the Norwegian way of life in this area :).
Train from Voss to Bergen
Our Wild Voss guide dropped us off at the Voss train station after our roughly 5 hour afternoon with him (from about 1p-6p).
We may have been a tad wet (and somewhat cold even) – but our day in the hills of Norway’s countryside will be a memory we will have forever :).
I bought tickets on the Vy website for a 6:40p train to Bergen which arrived into Bergen around 8pm.
What to Wear in Norway
As you can clearly see by the majority of our photos from the trip, we had cloudy and often times rainy weather for most of our trip (and this was an end of August/first week of September time frame!).
So be sure to bring a good raincoat and walking/hiking shoes – and sweaters :).
Our 16 Day Scandinavia Itinerary Day to Day Overview
DAY 1 | Fly San Diego to Copenhagen via London on British Airways
DAY 2 | Arrive in Copenhagen at 10pm | Stay 3 nights at Hotel D’Angleterre
DAY 3 | Copenhagen: Nyhavn, Little Mermaid statue, The Bridge Street Kitchen
DAY 4 | Copenhagen: Flytographer photo shoot, Freetown Christiania, Climb up Church of our Saviour stairs for view
DAY 5 | Train to Gothenburg, Sweden with lunch stop in Malmo (total train ride 3 hours) | Stay 2 nights at Elite Plaza Hotel
DAY 6 | Gothenburg, Sweden: Haga neighborhood, antique window shopping
DAY 7 | Train to Oslo, Norway (4 hours) | Stay 2 nights at Grand Hotel Oslo
DAY 8 | Oslo, Norway: Munch Museum, Grünerlokka, Opera House roof views, Vigeland Sculpture Park, Skillebekk neighborhood
DAY 9 | Train from Oslo to Myrdal (4.5 hours) then scenic train from Myrdal to Flam (1 hour) | Stay 3 nights at Freitheim Hotel
DAY 10 | Flam: Hike to waterfall
DAY 11 | Flam: Private car to Stegastein viewpoint & Borgund Stave Church, Rented mini electric car to Aurland
DAY 12 | Flam to Gudvangen boat (2 hours), bus from Gudvangen to Voss (1.25 hours), hike with a private tour guide in Voss area before taking train from Voss to Bergen (1.25 hours) | Stay 2 nights at Det Hanseatiske Hotel in Bergen
DAY 13 | Bergen, Norway: Old Bergen Museum, Bryggen, explored Old Town
DAY 14 | Night flight from Bergen, Norway to Stockholm, Sweden (1.5 hours) | Stay 2 nights at Berns Hotel
DAY 15 | Stockholm, Sweden: Gamla Stan, Stodholm
DAY 16 | Fly Stockholm to San Diego via London on British Airways
So, there you have it—Norway in a Nutshell, done your way!
With breathtaking fjords, charming villages, and scenic train rides, this self-guided adventure is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Trust me, doing it on your own gives you the freedom to soak in the magic at your own pace—no rushing, no rigid schedules, just pure Nordic beauty waiting to be explored!
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Life is short, the world is wide.
I want to make some memories.
~Mamma Mia
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