Lake Gjende, Jotunheimen National Park TREKKING FJORDS AND NATIONAL PARKS OF NORWAY, AUGUST 18 – SEPTEMBER 1, 2019, TRIP DESCRIPTION Norway, the Land of the Midnight Sun, a place where you will find some of the most magical mountain landscapes in the world. Take a walk on the wild side and discover why the locals can’t get enough of nature. After a long winter, people of all age groups and social backgrounds head outdoors and go trekking in the mountains, along the coast, fjords or in the forests. The varied scenery, from popular marked trails and tourist attractions to wild and untamed mythical landscapes, has earned Norway a well-deserved reputation as a major hiking destination in Europe. You will meet a kind and proud people who will enthusiastically share with you their love of the mountains. Norway shares a common border with Sweden on the east and in the north with Finland and Russia. Less than 4% of the Norway’s land is cultivated, leaving 96% as a playground for the outdoor enthusiast. The population density of Norway is the lowest of any country in Europe, where most of the 4 ½ million Norwegians live along the southern coast. We will start our adventure in Norway’s second largest city, the western coastal town of Bergen. As a university town and cultural center, it boasts a plethora of museums as well as several theatres and a renowned philharmonic orchestra. Set on a peninsula surrounded by seven mountains, Bergen’s history is closely tied to the sea. Hiking between Mount Ulriken and Mount Fløyen with Bergen below Our first whole day in Bergen we will have the opportunity, depending on the weather, to hike between Mount Ulriken and Mount Fløyen, on a high plateau with spectacular views of Bergen below. Next, we will move to the small town of Rosendal along the Hardangerfjord. With a population of around 1000 people, Rosendal will be our base camp for the next five nights. Nestled at the foot of Malmangernuten, a peak we will climb during our stay, Rosendal makes the perfect location for many excursions in and around Folgefonna National Park as well as a trek along mainland Norway’s third largest glacier Folgefonna. Trekking on the Folgefonna Glacier We’ll continue our adventures around Rosendal with a classic hike to Trolltunga, or Troll’s Tongue, one of the most spectacular scenic cliffs in Norway. We’ll also do lower key hikes to the beautiful waterfalls of Vøringfossen and have the chance to drink locally made cider at a cider farm. Troll’s Tongue Then we are off to Aurlandsdalen, for one of Norway’s classic hikes from Østerbø to Vassbygdi. The trail through the Aurlandsdalen valley, probably used as early as the Viking Age, traces the final miles of an ancient path that connected eastern and western Norway. The untouched, wild and beautiful nature, along with the culture of the small settlements which had permanent habitation until the 1920s, and age-old history, builds respects for what is and, what once was. The Aurlandsdalen Valley is often called “Norway’s Grand Canyon” and is a hike par excellence. Aurlandsdalen Next, we will start a four-night trek through Jotunheimen National Park. The Jotunheimen, or the Home of the Giants, long known as Norway’s premier walking area, offers as amazing concentration of high peaks. Lake Gjende and Lake Bygdin, two famous lakes in the Jotunheimen, are included by UNESCO as among the most important lakes in the world. Glacially fed with a characteristically deep green color, Lake Gjende is 11 miles long and 478 feet deep. We will stay each night in mountain huts along Lake Bygdin and Lake Gjende and our luggage will be transported most nights by boat. Dining at the Mountain Lodge Fondsbu The mountain lodges where we will be staying are staffed facilities that include a restaurant, shared bathrooms and showers and the possibility of private two-person rooms (when reservations are made early). The first lodge in which we will stay is the Mountain Lodge Fondsbu alongside Lake Bygdin. We will then make our way along an historical route to the mountain lodge of Gjendebu alongside its namesake lake Gjende. Lounging at the Mountain Lodge Fondsbu View from the Mountain Lodge Gjendebu Gjendebu is the oldest of the huts belonging to the Norwegian Mountaineering Association (Den Norske Turistforening – DNT), established in 1871. The lodge has been rebuilt and extended a number of times, and today it has 119 beds. It’s elevation at 3263 feet and special climate provide a great variety of plants and trees, approximately 700 species. The green lake Gjende between the alpine peaks and glaciers in all directions provides an exceptionally scenic backdrop. The third day of our trek takes us along the spectacular Bukkelægret mountain ridge to the mountain hut of Memurubu, also along lake Gjende. The Sveine family have been the hosts of Memurubu since 1884. They first accommodated guests in the summer pastures, and in 1872, the Norwegian Trekking Association built one of their first lodges here, with the Sveine family as hosts. Today, Kjetil Sveine is the host, and the next generation, Nina and Espen, work at the lodge in school holidays and weekends. You can meet them in the reception and as meal hosts. The dog Murus lives at the lodge all summer, and his favourite treat is - Gjende biscuits. Sveine Family, Memurubu Mountain Lodge Dining, Memurubu Mountain LodgeOur The last day of our trek takes us across the famous and phenomenally scenic Besseggen ridge, with incredible views of Lake Gjende and the surrounding mountains, to the mountain hut Gjendesheim. View from the top of Besseggen ridge Signpost on the historical alpine route through Jotunheimen National Park Gjendesheim Mountain Lodge From here we go to Oslo for the finish of our tour through fjords and national parks of Norway. You may want to consider spending an extra day or two to visit classic city of Oslo before leaving for home. Besseggen Ridge, Jotunheimen National Park TREKKING FJORDS AND NATIONAL PARKS OF NORWAY, AUGUST 18 – SEPTEMBER 1, 2019, ITINERARY Note: All times given are estimated hiking times and include breaks. VG means vertical gain, VL means vertical loss. Sunday, August 18th - Fly to Bergen Monday, August 19th - Bergen Depending on your time of arrival, you can explore the city of Bergen and all lovely areas within the city. If interested, a guided city tour can be included (+200 NOK per person). Tuesday, August 20th - Extra day in Bergen Even though Bergen is the 2nd biggest city in Norway, you have nature right outside your main entrance. The hike from Ulriken to Fløyen is a real classic, and must do for people visiting the city. The weather will decide if we do the 4-5-hour hike from the cable car Ulriken to Fløyen – or if we just want to do a shorter hike within the same area. View of Bergen Wednesday, August 21st - Bergen to Rosendal Rosendal is a hiking paradise. It is a small village on the southern part of the Hardangerfjord and is surrounded by beautiful green mountains. The number of wonderful nature experiences in Rosendal are almost endless, but we have narrowed it to the very best ones in the area. We will take a 2-hour bus trip from Bergen to Rosendal, do some sightseeing at the Barony of Rosendal, the smallest "palace" in Scandinavia, famous for its magnificent Renaissance garden and its rich calendar of cultural events, including concerts, courtyard theatre and art exhibitions, and do a short hike in one of the surrounding mountains in the afternoon. We will stay at the Rosendal Turisthotell. Rosendal Barony of Rosendal Thursday, August 22nd - Hiking roundtrip finishing in Rosendal Our hike today can be both shorter and longer, depending on the physical capacity of the hikers. The trip starts almost at sea level, and after the first 1500 eeft of climb, the terrain gradually becomes easier. In clear weather you will have a panoramic view to one of Norway’s largest glaciers on the top. The same glacier (Folgefonna) will be our goal for one of the coming days, and it is always very exciting when you get to see next day’s adventure from a distance. We will stay at the Rosendal Turisthotell. Hike: 6-8 miles,1968 feet VG and loss, hours, 5-6 Rosendal Turisthotell Friday, August 23rd - The World-famous Troll’s tongue With an early breakfast we are ready to experience The Trolls Tongue! People come from all over the world to experience Trolltunga, and today it’s our turn! The trolls tongue, as it is called in English, located near the western edge of Hardangervidda National Park, is a spectacular mountain formation, situated 3600 feet above sea level and 2300 feet above the lake of Ringedal. The hike starts in The Troll’s Tongue Sjkeggedal and goes through the high mountains. This is a long hike, the longest hike of the trip, so we will start off early in the morning, and we will have dinner quite late. Even though the hike is tough it is both doable and worth it! We will have time to relax at the top, enjoy the view, and take unforgettable photos on the plateau. This place inspired many Norwegian artists during the Romantic era and led to some of the most remarkable artworks ever coming out of Norway. Since it is a long day, a well- deserved dinner will await us in the local village of Odda. Nice and fed we head back to our hotel in Rosendal.