Be a Norwegian for 10 Days! Telemark & South Norway

Your tour doesn’t officially kick-off until dinner-time, so you have the whole day to explore the capital city of Oslo if you arrive early. Bring your appetite to the Lysebu Hotel where you’ll meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers. Unwind from a long day and experience Oslo cuisine the way it was meant to be.

Welcome to your Norwegian adventure!

ACCOMMODATION: Hotel Lysebu

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before heading to Heddal. We’ll take you through the Heddal Stave Church, a wooden wonder built in the 1200s. With a little help from restoration, this church is still in operation today. We’ll grab lunch before visiting the charming town of Kongsberg. Sample a typical 3-course Kongsberg menu at the hotel Søstrene Storaas, and maybe ask a couple of follow-up questions about the stuffed crocodile at the reception desk.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS: Tour of Heddal Stave Church, Tour of Kongsberg

ACCOMMODATION: Søstrene Storaas Hotel B&B

How did one group of heroes sabotage the Nazis from making nuclear weapons? Find out when you travel to Rjukan, hike the route of the Norwegian saboteurs, and visit the valley’s infamous power plant. Travel inside the mountain on the Gaustabanen, a small train that tunnels 850 meters deep. Take a cable-car another 1,050 meters up to experience truly breath-taking views of the country. Finish your day with another gourmet 3-course feast at Søstrene Storaas.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS: Guided Saboteur’s Trail, The Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum, Ride the Krossobanen, Ride the Gaustabanen

ACCOMMODATION: Søstrene Storaas Hotel B&B

Savor one last breakfast at your hotel before heading to Sudal. See the Litunet Open-Air Museum, a protected 18th-century farm with more than a dozen buildings on its premises dating back to the 1700s. These buildings contain priceless artifacts that preserve the Norwegian culture. From Kongsberg, we’ll travel to Nesflaten, where you’ll learn about its local folklore with the help of a unique concert. (The acoustics of the show are given a boost by the town’s impressive infrastructure.) End your day with a 3-course dinner at the Energihotellet, where the nature outside your window forms the art around you.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS: Visit to the Litunet Open-Air Museum, Tunnel Song – Telemark Infrastructure & Folklore

ACCOMMODATION: Energihotellet B&B

Travel from Nesflaten to Stavanger where you’ll take a walking tour through its cobblestone streets, story-book wooden houses, and stunning cathedrals. You’ll have time after lunch to stop by a cafe for a postprandial coffee or to walk around and admire the intricacies of its street art murals. End your day with a relaxing 3-course dinner at the Kronen Gaard Hotel and rest up for tomorrow.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS: Walking Tour of Stavanger

ACCOMMODATION: Kronen Gaard Hotel B&B

Today is the day for Bakernes Paradi, a spot as lovely as it sounds. Take a deep breath and enjoy the natural splendor surrounding you. We’ll visit a 19th-Century farm in the morning, and learn about the people who once lived there. From here, we’ll hike to the top of Dalsnuten and eat lunch on sheepskin-covered stones. This beloved local tradition offers a comfortable place to munch as you take in the beauty below. Take a canoe around the Kronen Gaard Hotel before heading back for dinner.

ALTERNATIVE: a full-day hike to the Pulpit Rock is available as an optional tour, today.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS: Trip to Bakernes Paradis Followed by Lunch at Dalsnuten and Leisurely Canoeing

ACCOMMODATION: Kronen Gaard Hotel B&B

See the Fjords of Lights on a very special cruise that takes you through 26-miles of hidden waterfalls, islands, and rock formations. You’ll see the famous Pulpit Rock while discovering more about the local wildlife in the area. After which, we’ll head to Farsund, one of the more popular vacation destinations for locals. On a guided walking tour of this coastal town, you’ll see the charming Lindesnes and Lista Lighthouses. After your tours, you’ll be ready for a 3-course dinner and some rest at the Rederiet Hotell.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS: Lysefjord Cruise, Farsund, Lista & Lighthouses

ACCOMMODATION: Rederiet Hotel B&B

Farsund is home to Nordberg Fort and its infamous tunnels. Built by the Germans in WWII, it’s one of very few coastal forts that have been preserved. This place is full of secrets, and a fascinating sight to see. We’ll then head back to the Telemark region, stopping in Eidsborg Stave Church along the way. The tour of this 800-year-old church gives you the fascinating history of how beliefs evolved in this region before ending with a 3-course dinner at the Dalen Hotel.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS: Guided Tour of Nordberg Fort, Tour of Eidsborg Stave Church

ACCOMMODATION: Dalen Hotel

The lock system in a canal does more than regulate the comings and goings of watercraft. Learn the methods behind the masterpiece that is the Telemark Canal. Still functional after 125 years, the lock systems are truly an engineering feat. You’ll see Vrangfoss, the largest system within the canals and learn more about the cultural locations that have sprung up along the way. Enjoy one last meal in the storybook setting of the Dalen Hotel.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS: Telemark Canal Cruise

ACCOMMODATION: Dalen Hotel

The end of your program starts with breakfast at the Dalen. Your Tour Director would be happy to drop you off at the airport or at your Oslo hotel if you’re extending your stay in Norway.