Q&A

As a general rule, our lower age limit is 16 years. We can make exceptions down to 14 years in special cases. If you are under 18, you must travel with a guardian. If the person under the age of 18 has to cancel the trip, the guardian must accompany them. There is no age limit for tailor-made tours.

For Norrøna Hvitserk Adventrue, the social factor on our trips is a crucial element in order to have high-class experiences. Our guests are adventure seeking and want to experience Norway in a realistic manner. Therefore, we always travel in small groups, in close proximity and within the various Norwegian cultures we visit. Approximately half of our guests travel alone, and there are no extra expenses connected to traveling alone unless you request a single room. During the trip, you will share room or tent with a person of the same sex. 

Even when you are traveling alone, you will always experience a friendly and positive atmosphere. Our guests are often keen travelers and explorers, and most people walk away from these experiences with new friendships. Good conversations and similar values often accompany our trips to learn more about each other and new ideas for future travels. You can read more about Solo Travel experiences in our interview with Mike Medves, in our Guest Stories section. 
 
Create new friendships and have the adventure of a lifetime on a trip with Norrøna Hvitserk Adventure. 

You will find the answer here.

Many of our trips are physically demanding, and we have a difficulty level our tours. This gives an indication of how demanding the trip you are considering is. If you are in doubt, you can contact us and we will give you more information.

Whether you are in good enough shape or have good enough health to join depends entirely on the type of trip you will be joining. Perhaps you are not in good enough shape to go on an expedition, but we still have many trips that might suit you. For example, kayak trips and relatively easy mountain and bike tours.

If you are over 60, you should have a thorough medical check-up before your trip. Make the doctor aware that it is a trip with physical exertion and where we move off the beaten track. It is important that you fill in all parts of the registration form (especially where we ask for information about health and allergies), and let us know if there is anything we need to be aware of before and during the trip.

Relevant health information that may have an impact on the trip must also be communicated to the guide at the start of the trip.

A base level of fitness is required to join one of our active holidays. When you have signed up for a trip with us, we recommend training for your tour. For summer trips, you may not be able to find the same trail conditions or weather that you will find in Norway at home, but here are some tips for training prior to your tour (you can adjust the training to your current fitness level and location):

• Hike 2-6 hours with a weighted day pack: food, layers, and 2 liters of water. Once or twice a week. (If you do not have access to hiking on trails, you can walk around your local area with inclines and declines).
• Trail run or hike  in varied terrain 3-10km (distance depending on your fitness level). Once or twice a week.
• Intervals on the treadmill with a medium to high incline, alternating between walking at a fast pace for 5 minutes and running at a medium pace for 3 minutes. For 30 minutes to 1 hour, 2-3 times a week.
• Walk with a weighted backpack or run up and down flights of stairs.
• Weightlift with moderate weights for overall fitness once a week.
• If you already have a regular exercise schedule, continue your routine, keeping in mind training for hiking specific trips may be beneficial.
• Enjoy your training! Join a local fitness class, get outside and hike or run, or try something new!

Summer

The best time for hiking trips is from June to September. Temperatures are cool along the coast and in the mountainous areas, and most of the snow from winter has melted. Rain is common, especially along the West Coast. But many days are warm and dry, and you will see many Norwegians out in the mountains, absorbing the sunshine. 

Winter

February, March, April and even May are best for skiing or snow focused trips. The temperature is less cold and the days are longer. The nice aspect of chilly winter trips is that there is snow instead of rain. Staying dry and warm on these arctic adventures is easy with the appropriate layering system.

The equipment lists are available on the webpage for each trip. 

General advice

Be prepared for any weather, the summers are often cool in hiking environments. Think spring/autumn clothes, being ready to add or remove a layer. Wear pants, a wool mid layer over a t-shirt; and have a puffy jacket that fits under your rain layer. On long hikes where you work up a sweat, having an extra base layer to change into on the summit will keep you warm and comfortable even when youre not moving. Its imperative to always have a raincoat (meaning gore-tex or equivalent), especially along the coast. A lot of hiking in Norway can be muddy, slippery or rocky due to the climate and ecosystems, be prepared by having waterproof boots or use boots with a gortex sock option.

For the northern islands (Jan Mayen, Svalbard): think Winter. Warm base layers, a down jacket, a hat, gloves, windbreaker, buff, and a rainjacket. 

Skiing in Norway? Information about clothing and gear for ski expeditions and Nordic skiing.

If you need help selecting gear, we strongly recommend you check out our Shop Gear icon in the top menu. Experts at Norrøna can help you select the proper gear for your Norwegian adventure. 

Read about travel insurance.

The guide will send you an e-mail around one week prior to departure to to see if you have any questions. If you have any questions regarding the trip, please don't hesitate to contact our office. 

Preparing properly for the weather in Norway is of the utmost importance before your departure. Norway is located in Northern Europe, within or close to the Arctic Circle. This means the weather is variable, with long days in the summer, and long nights in the winter. The weather each day can change drastically- from sunny and warm, to windy, cold and rainy.

Check out www.yr.no for the weather forcast for where you are going in Norway.  The weather is normally different in different regions:

Norwegian Fjords

Has a cool, wet climate, characterized by the frequent passage of weather fronts, so that clouds, rain and wind dominate throughout the year. Rain is common along the western slope.

Northern Norway

Is colder but still affected by the gulfstream. The result is that the open sea does not freeze even at this latitude, and this does not happen anywhere else in the world! The northern coast has strong winds in winter and spring, and is still affected by rain. 

Eastern Norway

The area has a continental climate, with cold and snowy winters, and mild summers. Typically the interior is covered with hills and mountains, and the temperature decreases with altitude. This area of Norway typically sees less overall rain. 

Norway’s trail systems have been created from historical use over time. Due to the harsh climate and low population in Norway, trail maintenance has been uncommon in the past. It is only in recent years, as Norway has become more popular for hiking focused tourism, that trail maintenance and infrastructure has begun to have a presence.

Although the hiking itineraries give you the kilometers, meters in elevation gain, and approximate times for travel – the trail conditions can be more challenging than other places you may have hiked. We encourage you to come to Norway with an open mind, expect to be challenged, and prepare to become part of the Norwegian hiking culture. It is a true nature experience and the beauty that comes with it will leave you breathless and accomplished. Nature is part of Norway’s identity, and the deep passion and love for the Norwegian mountains will be part of your experience.

With this, you can expect to hike steep sections of trail (as switchbacks are rare) and many trails are muddy and wet with roots and rocks along the way. This means trail conditions can be slippery, and you need to be conscious of your footing when hiking. Please make sure to wear reliable hiking boots. Hiking poles are recommended. Follow our gear requirements, bring a positive mental attitude, and prepare to enjoy an incredible hiking experience in Norway with us!

When signing up for a guided group tour it's important to come prepared to make group decisions. Your group will become your family and friends for the duration of your trip, and it's important to join the trip with a group mentality. We will work together on tour, be supportive of one another, and encouraging. Your guides will set a pace that works for the entire group, and the group will hike together when on-trail. If a group member is unable to participate on a scheduled hike, alternative options will be presented. Your guide will have the final decisions each day for hiking based on safety, group ability, and weather. It is important to join our tours with a group-focused mentality, and a flexible mind-set. 

The cuisine in Norway is based on tradition. Norway, being a Northern country, has historically relied on livestock, local fauna, and root vegetables. Your dinners will often be on a set menu consisting of a meat base: fish, sheep, cow, moose, reindeer or deer meat, with potatoes and root vegetables on the side. If you did not include dietary restrictions or allergies in your registration form, please email us at adventure@norrona.com to inform us of your needs. We can accommodate vegetarian/vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free diets. Keep in mind that gluten-free, vegan and lactose-free options are limited in Norway, so if you have some hiking snacks from home that suit your dietary restrictions, please bring them with you.

Breakfasts will be buffet style with a variety of healthy cereals, porridge, fresh-baked bread, “knekkebrød” (seed-based cracker bread), cheeses and meats. Traditionally, Norwegians eat “Matpakke” for lunch, which means a simple meal packed from breakfast to take into the mountains. Typically, Norwegians make open-faced bread slices with cheeses, meats, and a few vegetables. The food we eat on the tour is local, fresh and healthy. You will often see sheep and goats wandering freely when in Norway, and we use partners with local farming relationships for our meals. You can also look forward to eating plenty of delicious deserts when on tour with us!

We can welcome guests from all over the world through direct flights to Norway from both coasts of the continental US and many destinations in Europe. Transit through Asia, the Middle East, or Europe is needed when traveling from Australia or New Zealand.

With Oslo Airport as Norway’s main hub, Norway has more than 50 airports including airports in the most remote places. There are several international connections to Oslo, Bergen, Kristiansand, Sandefjord, Stavanger, Tromsø and Trondheim. In order to make it easier for you to come to us we have made a list of airline companies that can fly you here at the same time as offering you the possibility of carbon offset.

Airlines to get you here

Norwegian airline Norse Atlantic Airways operates direct flights only, using the most modern and carbon-efficient fleet. They depart from Berlin, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, London, Orlando, and Oslo. Their sustainability strategy consists of UN Goals 8, 11, 15, and 17.

PLAY Airlines is an Icelandic low-cost airline operating flights between North America and Europe. Their sustainability strategy consists of UN Goals 12, 13, 17, 8, and 5. 

The Scandinavian airline SAS flies to and from 191 countries and more than 280 destinations around the world including Scandinavia, Europe, Asia, the US, and Canada. Their goal is to reduce their CO2 emissions by more than 50 % compared to 2005, by 2050, and therefore allows you to purchase biofuel when booking tickets as one of the measures to reach this goal.

Norwegian flies to more than 85 destinations around the world.  They were ranked as Norway's most sustainable brand in aviation and work towards reducing their CO2 emissions by 45 % compared with 2010, by 2030.

In addition to these companies, you will also find direct flights from all over the world to Norway with airlines such as British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates, Ryanair, KLM, and Qatar. 

Train

There is an extensive railway network in Europe, and the way to enter Norway by train is through Sweden. Did you know you can travel from London to Oslo in just one day, seeing France, Belgium, Netherland, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden along the way? Sounds like an adventure to us!

Railcc offers comprehensive information and advice about traveling by train in Europe and is an easy way to find your railway route to us.

Otherwise, the most important train companies in Europe are the following:

• Eurostar (Europe)
• SNCF (France)
• Deutsche Bahn (Germany)
• FlixTrain (Germany)
• Trenitalia (Italy)
• Italo (Italy)
• Renfe (Spain)

Bus

You can reach Norway by bus from Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. Bus services from Gothenburg in Sweden and Copenhagen in Denmark are almost hourly, with many daily departures. The service from Stockholm is also far more frequent than the train. Flixbus has a great tool to help you plan the bus journey from your desired country to Norway.

Car and ferry

Norway borders Sweden, Finland, and Russia. The easiest and most accessible way to enter Norway from Europe by car is taking the ferry with your car, from Denmark (Copenhagen, Frederikshavn, or Hirthals), Sweden (Stömstad), Germany (Kiel), or the Netherlands (Eemshaven). If you want to drive the whole way, the easiest way to enter Norway is through Sweden and the border at Svinesund, in the southeast of Sweden. Remember that there are customs checks on the border.

Almost on the very top of Europe, you will find Norway. Wildly remote for most people, but, even though we are closer to the North Pole than most other holiday destinations, we are actually easy to access!

Air

Our large cities and towns have airports catering for both international and domestic flights. The Scandinavian based companies SAS and Norwegian have direct flights from several destinations abroad, to both Oslo and Bergen. Both cities are perfect starting points for visiting our fjords and other iconic destinations by railway or bus. 

Due to our rugged coastline, thousands of islands, and complicated topography - Norway has an extensive network of airports all over the country. In clear weather, places such as Lofoten, Bodø, Ålesund, and Tromsø  - have some of the most beautiful arrivals you have ever experienced. These flights typically have a connection in Oslo. Check out available flights on SAS, Norwegian, or Widerøe. 

Bus

There are good possibilities to travel in Norway by bus. Not only is the schedule reliable, timely and affordable, but also can take you significant distances! Buses drive through the entire country, and there will probably be a bus that can take you anywhere you want to go. Be aware of that some buses only depart limited times per day.

Bus companies that operate Nation wide

• NOR-WAY Bussekspress
• VY

Bus, tram, boat and metro in Oslo

• Ruter

Nation wide airport bus company

• Flybussen

Natiolal travel planner app

• Entur

Railway

Compared to other European countries, trains in Norway are quite cheap. The high standard makes it a comfortable way of travelling, and you don’t have to worry about complicated booking platforms, contact us and we will book your tickets for you. From every large town in Norway, you have an extensive rail network linking Norway to the other Scandinavian countries and the rest of Europe. If you want to manage your tickets on your own, visit VY.

Transportation in Norway is not just moving from A to B. It is very often a beautiful journey and experience in itself. The Norwegian railway has famous attractions such as "The Flåm Railway", known as Europe's most beautiful train journey. You can experience the railway on a five-day tour from Bergen, Trolltunga and the Best Hikes in Norway.

Normally, you will receive the final payment link approximately 70 days before departure. If there are 50 days left until departure and you still have not received the payment link, please contact us. 

We need a written cancellation from you. The cancellation will then be registered during our opening hours. You should then contact your insurance company for reimbursement. They often need a doctor's note and a confirmation from us of how much you have paid.