DAY 1

• OSLO

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• Get In and Get Some Rest
• Meet your private driver and vehicle for an airport transfer.
• For your added comfort, an English-speaking assistant will meet you at your hotel to walk you through your welcome package documents, your itinerary, and answer any questions you may have.
• A welcome package with a city map, train tickets (if relevant), and any other touristic information that we deem you may find useful, will be provided to you on your first day in destination.

DAY 2

• OSLO

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• Explore with an Expert
• Today you’ll set out with a private guide and driver on a highlights tour of Oslo, the Norwegian capital. Walk the ramparts of the 13th century Akershus Fortress, medieval residence of the royals with a coastal view. Discover the city’s main street Karl Johans gate, where you can admire the likes of the 19th century Royal Palace, and see the surrounding 54-acre public green space known as Palace Park. View the 17th century Oslo Cathedral and admire some of the grandiose old university buildings. Walk to the Mathallen, Oslo's indoor food hall where you'll bear witness to Norwegian food culture, enjoying some included samples of local specialties and beer. Venture outside of the old center to The Vigeland Park, one of the major Scandinavian cultural treasures, and the world’s largest sculpture park dedicated to a single artist: Gustav Vigeland and his bizarre nude statues in granite and bronze. Discover history and culture at the open-air Folk Museum on the peninsula of Bygdøy, where you can see an ancient stave church made over 800 years ago. You’ll also get to step back in time as you visit the famous wooden polar vessel of the Fram Museum, a symbol of Norway's significant participation in the heroic age of exploration. Step on board what was once the strongest wooden ship in the world and discover the tales and adventures of Norway's greatest explorers, imagining life at sea and experiencing firsthand how the crew survived one of the coldest and most dangerous places on earth.

DAY 3

• OSLO TO FLAM

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• Cross an Item off the Bucket List
• For your added comfort, your luggage will be picked up at your hotel in Oslo and safely transferred to your upcoming hotel in Lofthus. With luggage being taken care of, you can sit back and enjoy your train journey hassle-free, taking in the breathtaking views along the way.
• Embark on a short, self-guided walking transfer, with your hotel and the central Train Station just two minutes apart.
• Transfer from Oslo to Flam today by train, with a connection in Myrdal. The Bergen Railway is a unique experience on Northern Europe's highest-altitude railway line. One of the greatest challenges is the harsh and quickly changing weather. The line is exposed to deep low-pressure centers from the west, which can mean strong winds and heavy snow for part of the year. Keeping the railway open demands great effort and technical expertise. Today, skilled workers, effective equipment, tunnels and snow tunnels make the Bergen Railway one of the safest and most comfortable ways of travelling between Oslo and Bergen. The line is consistently ranked among the top rail experiences in the world. Four stops before the end of the line in Bergen, you'll disembark in Myrdal. In Myrdal, board a cogwheel train to Flam on the Flam Railway. The scenic 12-mile route between Myrdal and Flam is one of the steepest non-rack railway tracks in the world and provides some of Norway's wildest and most magnificent scenery. On the ride you can see rivers that cut through deep ravines, waterfalls cascade down the side of steep, snow-capped mountains, and mountain farms cling dizzily to sheer slopes. There are also a few spirals along the route which allow trains to rise on a steady curve until it has completed a loop, passing over itself as it gains height, allowing the railway to gain vertical elevation in a relatively short distance.
• Take a short, self-guided walking transfer. Hotels in Flam are all located within just a few minutes of the Train Station.
• Meet your private English-speaking driver and depart on a picturesque coastal drive along the National Scenic Route toward a zigzagging alpine road, which ascends to the spectacular Stagastein viewing platform, built 2,130 feet above the Aurlandsfjord. The end of the lookout platform features curved wood and a slanted glass railing, which while remaining entirely safe, provides a feeling on approach of cascading down to the depths of the majestic fjord below. After adequate time at the lookout, you'll be returned to your hotel.
• Enjoy an included dinner this evening at Fretheim Hotel. The hotel restaurant, Arven, has a view looking straight toward the fjord, and locally-sourced ingredients is at the heart of its cuisine, which is only natural when some of the best producers of cheese, meat, fruits and vegetables are right outside the door!

DAY 4

• FLAM TO GUDVANGEN TO LOFTHUS

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• The Journey Continues…
• Take a short, self-guided walking transfer. Hotels in Flam are all located within just a few minutes of the Port.
• Transfer by boat from Flam to Gudvangen, a 2 hour route that winds around precipitous mountains, mighty waterfalls and small homesteads that cling to the mountain sides. Half of your voyage will be through the majestic Naeroyfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed arm of the Sognefjord, co-ranked as the world's number one natural heritage site by the National Geographic Society.
• Meet your private driver and vehicle for a transfer to Lofthus. Approximate travel time is 2 hour 15 minutes.

DAY 5

• LOFTHUS

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• Relax and Recharge
• Enjoy a day at leisure taking advantage of the facilities at your hotel, or exploring the charms of Lofthus. Delight in the beauty of blossom time in the orchards along the fjord, or set off on unforgettable and iconic hikes. Enjoy a lazy summer’s day in a sun lounger in the large garden right on the fjord, or take a refreshing dip in the bay. Perhaps relax in the sauna with panoramic views of the fjord and mountains, followed by a refreshing dip in the outdoor pool.
• For more of an active day, set out on one of the renowned hiking trails ranging from 20 minutes up to 5 hours round-trip, including the Hardanger Fruit Walk, River Valley Walk, The Monk Steps, and more. Let your Destination Expert know if you'd like to have a guide or transfers arranged for any of the hiking options.
• Enjoy an included dinner at Hotel Ullensvang tonight, overlooking the Hardangerfjord. The main focus at Restaurant Ullensvang is Norwegian produce with a distinctly international take. An ever-changing 3-course menu is available every night, with meat, fish or vegetarian options.

DAY 6

• LOFTHUS TO BERGEN

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• Winding the Wind-Swept Shorelines
• Meet your private driver for a transfer to Bergen today, via the Hardangerfjord. Driving along the Hardanger National Scenic Route, you're taken through some impressive scenic fjord landscapes, offering a close encounter with the Hardangerfjord, and the area's waterfalls, and orchards. You'll pause for a photo stop at the picturesque Steinsdalsfossen waterfall, where you can actually walk behind the beautiful 160-foot falls, for a safe and dry view out across the surrounding landscape, before continuing on to Bergen.

DAY 7

• BERGEN

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• Sights and Insights
• Depart your hotel on foot alongside your private guide, setting out on a highlights walking tour of the colorful city of Bergen. You'll stroll through the old wharf area known as Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site revered for its Hanseatic commercial buildings, a nod to Bergen's former importance in the 14th-16th century Hanseatic League empire. Visit the town's traditional fish market, a lively and oddly picturesque area where the local catch has been traded for over 800 years. Discover small wooden houses from the 18th and 19th century, tucked away on charming streets and narrow alleyways, and enjoy a round-trip ride on the Floibanen funicular railway to the top of Mount Floyen, offering magnificent views of the city below.

DAY 8

• BERGEN
• Pack Your Bags
• Meet your private driver and vehicle for an airport transfer.

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