FROM $2,110.48
June 19 - 24 2021
Norway
A 6 day journey sea kayaking and hiking through Nærøyfjord - a UNESCO World Heritage site
TALK TO US ABOUT THIS TRIPWHAT'S INCLUDED
5 nights
Bergen Airport / Bergen Airport
Norway
You’re at one with nature and happy to be taking on a proper challenge that has elements of the unknown. 8 hours on feet per day over 2-3 days or 3-5 hours on feet over 4 days.
THE ADVENTURE
Hike and sea kayak through the fantastic Norwegian fjord landscape surrounding the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Nærøyfjord. Experience this stunning landscape first hand from sea level and from the summits on a tour offering a unique combination of hiking and sea kayaking. This landscape was created hundreds of millions of years ago and has been carved out by glacial movement and continued erosion. On our journey, we visit remote areas way off the beaten track and take our time to reflect on the passing scenery and develop a deeper understanding about how mankind in the past has managed to settle in some amazing locations and create the societies we know and take for granted today.
Summiting the highlands and kayaking the ancient waterways of the ancient fjords as the Vikings did. A continuous journey off the beaten track.
Wild camping and eco-lodges at the fjord's edge, experiencing the tranquillity of the campfire with only harbour seals for company.
Overnight stay in the remote village of Fresvik where we meet the locals and engage in community learning. Master new skills with a sea kayaking journey.
A visit to a local farm museum on our last day of the tour, learning about life and farming along the fjord in the past and opening our eyes to the hardships endured by our ancestors.
Day 1 - Arrival in Bergen
Your IGO host will welcome you at Bergen Airport and transfer you to our camping huts in Gudvangen at the fjord's edge and the highest waterfall in Norway! We'll gather in the evening for dinner and a briefing of the adventure ahead.
Day 2 - Hiking Gudvangen to the Hjølmo Hut
After a hearty breakfast, the day starts at the sea kayaking centre in Gudvangen. Here you are introduced to our guides who will host a briefing and go through the plans for the next 5 days. Our hike begins from Gudvangen mid-morning and will take us along the fjord to the village of Bakka. As we pass Bakka, a trail head starts from fjord level and heads up the mountain towards the viewpoint of Rimstigen, located 725m above the fjord.
From Rimstigen, our the trail cuts back into a shallow glacial valley before we again begin an ascent to a ridge overlooking the fjord. We aim to reach the summit of Breiskreinosi 1,189m in the late afternoon - the views from here are stunning as we watch the fjord landscape spread out far below us. After a well-deserved rest and some refreshments, we begin our descent down to the plateau and soon catch a glimpse of Styviseggi and the valley. Our cosy home for the night is at the summer farms of Hjølmo, some 550m above sea level.
Elevation gain: 1,200m
Hiking distance: 18-20km
Elevation loss: 650m
Day 3 - Hiking Hjølmo to Lægdane
Today's hike will take us deeper into the backcountry and back up to elevations of around 1000m as we venture into the highlands above the fjord. We will be above the tree line for large parts of today and will navigate our way across the rugged mountain plateau hovering high above the fjord below. This area is fully snow-covered during winter and we will likely still be hiking on hard compacted snow in certain areas, which surprisingly makes hiking easier than on the animal trails we otherwise would track.
This area is home to a sub-alpine furu forest, in the past a source for high-quality timber due to the slow growth furu trees found here. It is an area of wetlands with small lakes hidden away in the forest feeding the large waterfall of Lægdafossen that plunges all the way down to the fjord below through canyons as it exits the wetlands from 700m elevation.
Elevation gain: 550m
Hiking distance: 10-14km
Elevation loss: 250m
Day 4 - Hiking Lægdane to Fresvik
Waking up in the sub-alpine forest, we relax this morning before breaking down camp and beginning our hike up across the plateau and down to the fjord-side village of Fresvik further north. This hike is mainly downhill and pretty easy as we soon enter a more frequently used trail. We lose all elevation gained prior to today and by mid-afternoon we will catch the first glimpse of Fresvik below, offering magnificent views across the main Sognefjord and to its northern shores.
As we enter the valley leading down to Fresvik we will be passing small local farms – this area grows a lot of fruit and vegetables due to the mild climate found here. As we get back down to the fjord, we get to experience the tranquillity living in a small community at the fjord brings.
Elevation gain: 250m
Hiking distance: 11-12km
Elevation loss: 1,000m
Day 5 - Sea Kayaking Fresvik to Dyrdal
We begin our morning breaking down our campsite and packing up the sea kayaks. The guide will host a morning briefing prior to today’s paddle, covering paddle technique, equipment use and adjustment, as well as a general safety briefing. We aim to be on the water by late morning and begin our journey on to the waters of the main Sognefjord. Today offers a good opportunity to spot some of the wildlife found in the fjord – seals, porpoises and the rare Sea Eagle and King Eagle that inhabits the region.
Kayaking distance: 22km
Hours of paddling: 5-6hrs
Day 6 - Sea Kayaking Dyrdal to Gudvangen
Just as we thought the scenery could not be beaten, today's paddle might prove otherwise as we continue our paddle into the majestic Nærøyfjord. In this part of the fjord, waterfalls are common and we can now witness and appreciate the waters flow from summit to fjord, having visited the sources for these powerful waterfalls over the past few days of hiking the highlands above.
Green meadows soon make up the landscape along the side banks of the fjord. We have reached the central part of the Nærøyfjord where small scale farming has played an important role for centuries. Stopping for lunch at a scenic location, we learn how people have survived here for thousands of years and how the life in the fjords gradually changed into the society we have today.
After lunch, we will make the short final kayak back to the base, celebrate the trip and head back to the airport for flights home.
Kayaking distance: 12-13km
Hours of paddling: 3-4hrs
Remote Eco Cabin with Hot Tubs
Wild Camping in Dome Tents
START
Bergen Airport
END
Bergen Airport
Einar
Einar has been working in the Norwegian outdoors for more than 30 years. When not guiding groups in the summer months, Einar’s great passion is skiing and he manages the local ski school in Voss. He is often found on the largest glaciers, in the deepest valleys, or the highest mountain peaks of Norway, and always returns with a big smile on his face and plenty of stories to share. His guests appreciate his great sense of humour and depth of knowledge. In his free time, Einar enjoys kite surfing, kayaking Norway’s challenging whitewater rivers, and backcountry skiing. He is fluent in Norwegian and English.
Expert Guides
Friendly, local, English-speaking and highly knowledgable
Accommodation
5 nights in a variety of eco pods, lodges and tents
Delicious Meals
Whatever your dietary needs - healthy, delicious meals will be provided throughout, except where made explicit in the itinerary
Transfers
We put on transfer to and from Bergen Airport
Equipment
Everything you need for camping and kayaking will be provided
Transformative Experience
Through collective achievement and giving back to the places we visit
A full kit list is available on request and will be sent to all guests ahead of travel. In short, it includes:
It is a requirement of travelling with us that you take out personal accident insurance. In the unlikely event of an emergency, this will cover you for any need of evacuation from the mountains as well as medical attention.
We recommend the Austrian Alpine Club because they will provide cover for helicopter rescue from any mountain in the world for a year.
Sea kayaks (singles and doubles), 2 or 3 man tents, hiking poles if needed and campsite equipment.
The portions are more than generous, all the food is fresh and any dietary requirements can be met - just tell us your preferences when you book. Dinner and breakfast is prepared by your guide over a campfire some evenings and on a gas stove on others, the menu will vary but you can expect things like rice and pasta with fresh vegetables, egg, bacon and sausages. There is also bread and sandwich filler for lunch breaks. Water, tea and coffee are also readily available as well as beer or wine for the evenings. 2 alcoholic drinks are provided per person per evening for the 5 evenings of the tour.
Yes - travel to Norway with whatever bag(s) are suitable for you. On the morning of the tour you will be repacking your luggage into 3 categories:
1) What you wish to leave behind, gets stored at the base in your original travel bag.
2) What you will take for the 3 hiking days, gets packed into waterproof mini drybags or plastic bags into your own 30-40 litre hiking pack.
3) The items you will need for the sea kayaking days gets stored into a drybag / plastic bags and brought to you for the start of the kayaking journey.
Arrive early and stay in Bergen to explore the city prior to our airport pickup. Stay on in Norway 2-3 days after the tour and explore the fjord region further on your own, there is lots to do in the region. Your Norway host is happy to recommend some options once your travel plans start to materialize.
The most demanding day on the tour is day 1 with a full day's hike with steep terrain. You must be able to hike up to 8-11 hours including some 4-5 scheduled breaks and gain an altitude of up to 1189m while hiking with 8-15kg of personal and shared gear. We try to hike as lightweight as possible but need a minimum of gear and supplies to stay safe in the mountains. If you are in normal to normal plus shape you should have no problems completing the hikes. The sea kayaking is less demanding and double kayaks are available.
The weather in summer is usually very comfortable for kayaking and camping, with temperatures at 15-20 degrees Celsius, sometimes more. It can still get chilly at night so a warm jumper and some thermals are vital. During summer daylight in Norway is constant with only a couple of hours of darkness.
In general, we can cater for most - vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free and most religious restrictions too. However, restrictions of a very strict nature need to be cleared with the host first due to some limitations of facilities and the remoteness of some of the campsites.
Regular travel insurance that will cover medical evacuation and hospitalization in the unlikely event of a fracture or similar. Also desirable is coverage for missed flights, lost luggage and similar events. In case your luggage fails to arrive with you into Norway on day 1. Arrangements can be made to go shopping for replacement gear late afternoon on day 1 to resolve the situation and get you out on the tour with as little impact as possible.
No.
Yes, the IGO hosts and guides are very experienced outdoor guides with good English so you will have no problems in communication on the tour.
This is an example itinerary and each element can be tweaked to suit your needs.
Get in touch to plan your trip and dates.
Prices from $2,110.48 per person