DAY 1 - DEPART THE U.S.
This evening depart from the U.S. on your trans-atlantic flight on SAS.
DAY 2 - ARRIVE IN OSLO - D
Morning arrival at Oslo Airport, where you are met by your tour
director, who will accompany you throughout your visit in Norway.
Transfer by private motorcoach to your hotel. The rest of the day is
free in Oslo. Welcome Drink and a short orientation before your
"Welcome to Norway" Dinner.
DAY 3 - OSLO - B
Buffet breakfast at your hotel. Morning departure from your hotel by
private motorcoach and English-speaking local city guide for a
sightseeing tour of Oslo, including a stop at beautiful Vigeland Park
with its renowned sculptures, the famous Holmenkollen Ski Jump, and
the impressive Viking Ships Museum, where you'll discover an
impressive collection of ornate sleds and carriages, and a variety of
tools and artifacts of the Viking era. Drive by the medieval Akershus
Fortress, the Royal Palace, and the busy port with the Town Hall.
Afternoon at leisure.
DAY 4 - LAPLAND - B,D
Buffet breakfast at your hotel. Morning transfer to the airport.
Late-morning arrival at Alta Airport. Enjoy a brief orientation tour
of Alta, the administrative and educational center for the province of
Finnmark. Continue across the barren Finnmarksvidda Mountain Plateau
to the Sami village of Masi, where you will visit the Arts and Crafts
Studio and the church. Then it's a short drive to Kautokeino, Norway's
largest and most sparsely populated municipality, where the Northern
Sami Institute, the Sami Educational Council, and the Sami Technical
School are located. Proceed farther across Finnmarksvidda to the Sami
village of Karasjok. Visit the new Sami Cultural Center with its
handicrafts, silver- and knife- smiths. This evening enjoy a typical
Sami dinner in a modern version of a "goahti" or "gamme" (a Sami turf
hut) at the Sami Center, sitting on reindeer skins around an open
fire.
DAY 5 - LAPLAND/EMBARKATION -
B,L,D
Breakfast at your hotel. This morning, follow the banks of the Tana
River, perhaps the best salmon river in Norway, and travel along the
Norwegian-Finnish border. Continue your drive along the Varangerfjord
to Kirkenes. Board your Norwegian Coastal Voyage ship. Your tour
director will accompany you on the journey to Bergen.
DAYS 6-9 - NORWEGIAN COASTAL
VOYAGE - B,L,D
On the Norwegian Coastal Voyage you'll experience the breathtaking
scenery along the coast, from Kirkenes in the north to Bergen in the
south. Highlights of this voyage include the awe-inspiring Lofoten
Islands with the spectacular Trollfjord, the lively university town of
Tromso, and the 1,000-year-old city of Trondheim.
DAY 10 - DISEMBARKATION/HARDANGERFJORD
- B,L,D
Disembarkation in Bergen. Depart by deluxe private motorcoach and
drive along the shores of Soerfjord before ascending the Kvamskogen
Mountain Plateau, then descend through the magnificent wild gorge of
Tokagjelet Ravine with its tunnels, roaring rivers, and waterfalls.
Proceed through the Steinsdal Valley to Steinsdalfoss Waterfall on the
Fosselva River. Continue past scenic fjord villages along the northern
shore of the lovely Hardangefjord. Experience the awesome beauty of
the steep mountains, waterfalls cascading into the crystal-clear
fjord, and colorful green hillsides dotted with lush fruit orchards.
Make a stop to visit Steinstoe Farm, one of the largest fruit farms in
the area with a large production of strawberries, cherries, and
apples. Continue past the village of Kvanndal before you arrive in the
charming fjord village of Ulvik. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 11 - SOGNEFJORD/BERGEN -
B,D
Breakfast at your hotel. Leave Ulvik in the morning and drive past the
thundering Skjervet Waterfall to the resort town of Voss. Drive along
the shores of Lake Oppheim to Stalheim. Descend the hairpin curves of
the famous Stalheim Canyon Road and through the Naeroydal Valley with
rainbow- dancing waterfalls and sugarloaf mountains to Gudvangen. Sail
from Gudvangen on the impressive Sognefjord, the longest and deepest
in the world. Sail past cascading waterfalls, isolated hamlets, and
steep mountainsides, a photographer's dream. Arrive in the small fjord
village of Flam. Lunch on your own. Depart Flam by train on the famous
Flam Railway to Myrdal. Enjoy the breathtaking valley view and the
thundering sound of the waterfalls. Arrive at the Myrdal Station,
connecting with the Bergen Railway. Depart Myrdal by train back to
Voss, boarding your motorcoach again for the scenic route back to
Bergen. Dinner at your hotel.
DAY 12 - BERGEN - B,D
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Meet your local English- speaking guide
at the hotel and visit the colorful Fish and Flower Market. Then start
your guided walking tour of the Bryggen Wharf area. Visit the
Hanseatic Museum, giving you an intimate picture of merchant life
during the Hanseatic Period. Board your motorcoach for an in-depth
sightseeing tour of Bergen and surroundings, including Grieg's home
and studio. The rest of the day is free. Farewell Dinner at a local
restaurant. Return ride back to your hotel. Overnight.
DAY 13 - DEPART BERGEN/ARRIVE
IN THE U.S. - B
After breakfast, transfer from your hotel to Bergen Airport. Bid your
tour director good-bye. Return flight back to the U.S. on SAS.
