Can help with Ålesund & Norwegian Fjords:-)

For me it is as easy as I prefer to drive down Trollstigen because its just that more dramatic and spectacular.

I would suggest Valldal - Trollstigen - Åndalsnes - and back out to Ålesund.

 

If you have time and the weather holds I would suggest stopping at Trollveggen (the Trollwall mt) Its the larges vertical wall mt. in Europe. The Trollveggen is only a 20 minute drive from Trollstigen.

 

As for berries - the season is coming to an end so not sure if you are able to get any berries.

I know its been a hit and miss to get them in the shops this year.

Thank you - that is just the kind of tip that makes CC so wonderful - I really appreciate all your help on this thread.

I put Trollveggen in our "possible" list - as you said, depending on time, weather and potential car sickness.

For anyone else worried about directions and maps - I used google maps to map this drive on my phone. Google maps noted that we would be without cell reception for some of the trip and asked if I wanted to be able to download the directions so they could be used offline. That didn't happen when I was researching on the computer - so I was happy to see that option on the phone.

Sorry I'm a little slow, but thank you for your reply. Glad to hear that's one less thing to worry about.

 

We probably won't do this trip until 2018, but I want to book as soon as it becomes available, and I'm sure I'll be back many times. Thank you in advance for the help you give here.

 

Sue

Sue - Its never to early to start planning:) The 2018 itineraries will be out in not to many months.

Looking forward to see you back here.

We just arrived home and saw a short post in the Trib regarding a fatality in a tour bus accident. It mentioned falling into a ravine? Just curious about where since we had recently been touring there. I think it happened on Saturday, 7/30?

We just arrived home and saw a short post in the Trib regarding a fatality in a tour bus accident. It mentioned falling into a ravine? Just curious about where since we had recently been touring there. I think it happened on Saturday, 7/30?

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/07/30/world/europe/ap-eu-norway-bus-accident.html?_r=0

We just arrived home and saw a short post in the Trib regarding a fatality in a tour bus accident. It mentioned falling into a ravine? Just curious about where since we had recently been touring there. I think it happened on Saturday, 7/30?

The Ukrainian bus accident happened close to Gudbrandsjuvet between Valldal and Trollstigen.

The 16 that was hurt will be released from hospital today and tomorrow.

Apparently they are going to continue their trip...

This may be a silly question. We are taking the shore excursion from Alesund. Does it matter which side of the bus we sit on? Thank you for all of your help, I-Cruiser.

This may be a silly question. We are taking the shore excursion from Alesund. Does it matter which side of the bus we sit on? Thank you for all of your help, I-Cruiser.

No silly questions here :-)

If the bus is doing a circle it would matter as you will get the "fjord side" only on the right side of the bus.

If the tour is backtracking it would not matter.

Lars

Just a weather update;

Going to Mt. Dalsnibba??... Dress warmly summer has taken a time out.

Today it was reported snow ar the mountain.

Dear Lars -

I have learned so much reading thru this thread. Thank you for your willingness to share your knowledge!!

I have been taking notes but evidently not well enough, I find myself unclear about 2 things.

1) The Norway portion of our cruise stops only in Bergen and Alesund - I didn't even know there were so many other possibilities! So, assuming that we will be back, is the "troll road" drive something you can only do / is best to do from Alesund or are there other ports where we could do this another time?

2) Someone has posted a link to what is supposedly your walking tour. But the link is to a 20 page document about Excursions and Sightseeing. I don't see anything in it re: directions for a walking tour. If you do have such a thing, would you please send it to me? pultefam at verizon dot net

Thank you!

Deni

Dear Lars -

 

I have learned so much reading thru this thread. Thank you for your willingness to share your knowledge!!

 

I have been taking notes but evidently not well enough, I find myself unclear about 2 things.

 

1) The Norway portion of our cruise stops only in Bergen and Alesund - I didn't even know there were so many other possibilities! So, assuming that we will be back, is the "troll road" drive something you can only do / is best to do from Alesund or are there other ports where we could do this another time?

 

2) Someone has posted a link to what is supposedly your walking tour. But the link is to a 20 page document about Excursions and Sightseeing. I don't see anything in it re: directions for a walking tour. If you do have such a thing, would you please send it to me? pultefam at verizon dot net

 

Thank you!

Deni

Hi Deni - Thank you for your kind words.

To answer your questions:

1: You can do the Trollstigen from the ports of Åndalsnes, Molde and Geiranger.

Many ships stops in Geiranger but not so many in Åndalsnes and Molde.

Its would be shorter to do Trollstigen from Geiranger opposed Ålesund. Thought the shortest would be from Åndalsnes.

2: I think the pdf of the walking tours were posted on here somewhere. Not sure which post #.

I will check if I still have it and forward it to you.

Lars

Just a weather update;

 

Going to Mt. Dalsnibba??... Dress warmly summer has taken a time out.

Today it was reported snow ar the mountain.

Yes - we found temperatures the whole cruise to be about 5-10 degrees F colder than normal. It snowed on Mt. Dalsnibba on August 11th when we were there as well.

Even with the cold and rain, we had a wonderful visit. Your country is simply beautiful!

Yes - we found temperatures the whole cruise to be about 5-10 degrees F colder than normal. It snowed on Mt. Dalsnibba on August 11th when we were there as well.

 

Even with the cold and rain, we had a wonderful visit. Your country is simply beautiful!

I am happy you had a wonderful time even tho the weather was less then desirable.

Hi Deni - Thank you for your kind words.

 

To answer your questions:

 

1: You can do the Trollstigen from the ports of Åndalsnes, Molde and Geiranger.

Many ships stops in Geiranger but not so many in Åndalsnes and Molde.

Its would be shorter to do Trollstigen from Geiranger opposed Ålesund. Thought the shortest would be from Åndalsnes.

 

2: I think the pdf of the walking tours were posted on here somewhere. Not sure which post #.

I will check if I still have it and forward it to you.

 

Lars

Hi Lars -

Thank you! That is exactly what I needed to know - and even the answer I was hoping for, so even better :)

Thank you for checking for the walking tour. I will cross my fingers that you are able to find it. We are looking forward to exploring your beautiful town.

Deni

Hi Lars -

 

Thank you! That is exactly what I needed to know - and even the answer I was hoping for, so even better :)

 

Thank you for checking for the walking tour. I will cross my fingers that you are able to find it. We are looking forward to exploring your beautiful town.

 

Deni

Deni - you have mail:)

Lars

I am happy you had a wonderful time even tho the weather was less then desirable.

Thank you for all your help - I even talked our tablemates into renting a car and driving Trollstigen. They also loved it and really appreciated the suggestion.

Hi there , off to Norway on Friday ... Mad question , I love lake swimming , can you swim in the fjords at flam / Gerainger etc ?

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Hi there , off to Norway on Friday ... Mad question , I love lake swimming , can you swim in the fjords at flam / Gerainger etc ?

 

 

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Yes, you can swim but it will be c o l d :)

Yes, you can swim but it will be c o l d :)

Swam in glacial lakes last year in Switzerland ... Worth giving it a go !!! Thanks a million for responding !!

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Swam in glacial lakes last year in Switzerland ... Worth giving it a go !!! Thanks a million for responding !!

 

 

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Have fun.

Not sure where the best place would be to take the plunge but in Geiranger you would want to venture towards the road going to the Eagle Rd. You would have to jump from the rocks there. Not sure how safe that would be.

The safest would be to go to the camping site at Grande. Also on the road towards the Eagle road.

I would imagine this would be the safest place to swim.

Working on Geiranger tours: want to do a boat tour and looking at two different bus trips:

1. Mt. Dalsnibba

2. Flydalsjuvet and ornesvingen

Which would be best?

Another (possible) option is to do a bus tour and then ferry from Geiranger to hellesylt-- would that be as good as the regular "boat" tours?

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Working on Geiranger tours: want to do a boat tour and looking at two different bus trips:

1. Mt. Dalsnibba

2. Flydalsjuvet and ornesvingen

Which would be best?

 

Another (possible) option is to do a bus tour and then ferry from Geiranger to hellesylt-- would that be as good as the regular "boat" tours?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

You don't say when for, but there is a public bus up to the top of the mountain at certain times/dates which we did a couple of years ago:

"The Ships excursion to Dalsnibba was very expensive, so I looked for an alternative way to come here.

I found the Public bus which happens to run 3 times per day from Geiranger to Dalsnibba in the period between 21st June to 31st August.

The route is part of the public bus route Andalsnes-Trollstigen-Valldal-Eidsdal-Geiranger-Dalsnibba-Langvatn (Grotli) and vice versa with connection to Oslo by train and bus.

The round trip Geiranger-Dalsnibba takes about 2 hours and the cost was half of the price of the ships tour, the only extra with the ships tour, was coffee and cake.

BUS INFORMATION 2016

http://www.geirangerfjord.no/bus-tour-to-mt-dalsnibba

DAILY FROM 22nd June to 31st August 2016

9:30am until 12:20 / 12:30 until 14:30 /14:40 until 16:55 (depending on weather conditions)

PRICE - Tickets: At the ticket counter located in the Tourist information office on the pier.

Adult 290 NOK

Child 200 NOK (4 to 12 years)

The Bus Stop is on the roadside, to the left of the Troll.

The Bus stops at Flydalsjuvet, then for 20 mins at Dalsnibba and then at the Lake on the return trip down the mountain.

Website: http://www.dalsnibba.no/index.php?lang=en"

This info was taken from a post on VirtualTourist by balhannah and is not my original. HTH.

You don't say when for, but there is a public bus up to the top of the mountain at certain times/dates which we did a couple of years ago:

 

 

 

 

 

"The Ships excursion to Dalsnibba was very expensive, so I looked for an alternative way to come here.

 

I found the Public bus which happens to run 3 times per day from Geiranger to Dalsnibba in the period between 21st June to 31st August.

 

 

 

The route is part of the public bus route Andalsnes-Trollstigen-Valldal-Eidsdal-Geiranger-Dalsnibba-Langvatn (Grotli) and vice versa with connection to Oslo by train and bus.

 

The round trip Geiranger-Dalsnibba takes about 2 hours and the cost was half of the price of the ships tour, the only extra with the ships tour, was coffee and cake.

 

 

 

BUS INFORMATION 2016

 

http://www.geirangerfjord.no/bus-tour-to-mt-dalsnibba

 

 

 

DAILY FROM 22nd June to 31st August 2016

 

9:30am until 12:20 / 12:30 until 14:30 /14:40 until 16:55 (depending on weather conditions)

 

 

 

PRICE - Tickets: At the ticket counter located in the Tourist information office on the pier.

 

Adult 290 NOK

 

Child 200 NOK (4 to 12 years)

 

 

 

The Bus Stop is on the roadside, to the left of the Troll.

 

 

 

The Bus stops at Flydalsjuvet, then for 20 mins at Dalsnibba and then at the Lake on the return trip down the mountain.

 

 

 

Website: http://www.dalsnibba.no/index.php?lang=en"

 

 

 

This info was taken from a post on VirtualTourist by balhannah and is not my original. HTH.

I'm actually looking at private tours (not through the ship) and wanted to know which option was a better experience.

That being said, I will also look at the option of DIY that you're suggesting.

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Working on Geiranger tours: want to do a boat tour and looking at two different bus trips:

1. Mt. Dalsnibba

2. Flydalsjuvet and ornesvingen

Which would be best?

 

Another (possible) option is to do a bus tour and then ferry from Geiranger to hellesylt-- would that be as good as the regular "boat" tours?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Mt Dalnibba would be the most spectacular for the views and for the road getting there.

I think the tour to Dalsnibba also stops at Flydalsjuvet.

You also mentioned you wanted to do a boat trip on the fjord.

Your ship will be sailing in/out of the fjord passing Hellesylt. So unless you are very keen to learn about the fjord, its people and how life was along the fjord you will be repeating yourself. Granted, the small sightseeing boat do get up close to the waterfalls and shoreline.

Mt Dalnibba would be the most spectacular for the views and for the road getting there.

 

I think the tour to Dalsnibba also stops at Flydalsjuvet.

 

 

 

You also mentioned you wanted to do a boat trip on the fjord.

 

Your ship will be sailing in/out of the fjord passing Hellesylt. So unless you are very keen to learn about the fjord, its people and how life was along the fjord you will be repeating yourself. Granted, the small sightseeing boat do get up close to the waterfalls and shoreline.

Thanks!!

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Hi I-Cruiser, Thank you for all the information you have provided to past passengers (very helpful to future passengers such as myself). We will be cruising Norwegian Fjords in 2017 and will be in Alesund and Geiranger 7 & 8 June which is early in the season. Looking at a new tour company (Norway Excursions) and their tours: Alesund from Fjords to Trolls and one of the three the Geiranger tours (Dalsnibba or Herbal Farm or Westeras). Are you aware of this tour company? I sent them an email asking general enquiries such as the number of max. passengers in their tours but have had no response (warning bells are sounding). Also just wondering whether the 'Troll'Rd and roads to the Geiranger tours will definitely be open by the date of our arrival; they have their tour dates already showing. From your previous posts it seems we are better to book a later morning tour to allow for any fog to lift (if we have a fine weather). (I am unfamiliar with postings so I hope I have completed this correctly). Helen