Walking the Norwegian Fjords: Self-Launched
8 days · Norway
Exodus charges £4,780
No-markup version: ~£905 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Experience the jaw-dropping Norwegian fjords independently — hiking iconic peaks, cruising Nærøyfjord, riding the Flåm railway, and exploring glaciers — without the guided tour price tag. This self-launched version follows the same Bergen–Lustrafjord–Voss route as the Exodus tour, swapping group minibus transfers for public buses and trains, and replacing hotel packages with guesthouses and budget-friendly accommodation. All costs are approximate estimates per person.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Bergen
Bergen
Fly into Bergen Airport (Flesland) and take the Bybanen light rail into the city centre (~£5, 45 min). Check into a hostel in the Bryggen area. Spend the afternoon exploring the iconic Bryggen Wharf (UNESCO World Heritage Site), wandering the Fish Market, and taking the Fløibanen funicular up Mt. Fløyen for panoramic views (~£10 return). Grab dinner at one of the many affordable restaurants around Bryggen — try a fish soup for a classic Bergen intro (~£15).
🚌Bybanen light rail from airport: ~£5. City is walkable.
🛏Marken Gjestehus or Bergen YMCA Hostel (~£30–40/night)
- →Bybanen light rail from Bergen Airport to city centre (~£5)
- →Walk Bryggen Wharf — free UNESCO World Heritage site
- →Fløibanen funicular to Mt. Fløyen (~£10 return, book at fløibanen.no)
- →Explore the Fish Market (Fisketorget)
Ferry cruise through Nærøyfjord to Lustrafjord
Bergen → Gudvangen → Flåm → Lustrafjord
Take an early morning express bus from Bergen to Gudvangen (Nor-Way Bussekspress, ~£20, 2.5 hrs). Board the Nærøyfjord ferry from Gudvangen to Flåm (~£25, 2 hrs) — one of the world's most dramatic boat journeys through sheer cliff walls. From Flåm, take a local bus towards Sogndal, alighting near Nes Gard / Lustrafjord area (~£15). Check in to a guesthouse on Lustrafjord — the Nes Gard guesthouse itself accepts independent bookings, or try nearby Skjolden or Solvorn options.
🚌Bus + ferry + local bus. Total transport ~£60.
🛏Nes Gard Guesthouse or Vassenden Guesthouse, Lustrafjord (~£50–70/night)
- →Nor-Way Bussekspress bus Bergen → Gudvangen (~£20, book at nor-way.no)
- →Nærøyfjord ferry cruise Gudvangen → Flåm (~£25, book at visitflam.com)
- →Local bus Flåm → Lustrafjord (~£15)
Summit Molden Peak with views of Sognefjord
Molden, Lustrafjord
Take a local bus or taxi (~£10) a short distance to the Molden trailhead near Hafslo. Hike to the summit of Molden (1,116m / 3,360ft) — 9 km round trip with 600m elevation gain on well-marked trails. The summit offers extraordinary views over Sognefjord, the 'King of the Fjords'. Stop at the mountain farm of Svarthiller on the way up. After descending, make your way to Urnes Stave Church — Norway's oldest, a UNESCO World Heritage site — reachable by small ferry from Solvorn (~£5 return). Return to guesthouse.
🚌Local bus/taxi to trailhead ~£10. Solvorn ferry ~£5 return.
🛏Nes Gard Guesthouse or Vassenden Guesthouse, Lustrafjord (~£50–70/night)
- →Hike Molden summit — 9 km, ~4 hrs, free (marked trail)
- →Stop at Svarthiller mountain farm
- →Urnes Stave Church ferry from Solvorn (~£5 return) and entry (~£10, book at urnesstavkyrkje.no)
Jostedal Glacier — Nigards & Bergset Glacier Arms
Jostedal National Park, Lustrafjord
Hire a local taxi or join a shared shuttle (~£20 each way) to Jostedal National Park — approximately 40 minutes from Lustrafjord. Walk to the snout of Nigards Glacier along a well-signed path (~4 km, free trail). Book an optional guided glacier walk directly with Jostedalbreen Breførarlag (~£50–65pp, crampons and ice axe provided — book at njord.as or breførar.no). Afterwards, drive to the Bergset Glacier arm for a short walk towards the dramatic ice wall. Return to guesthouse.
🚌Taxi/shared shuttle to Jostedal National Park ~£20 each way.
🛏Nes Gard Guesthouse or Vassenden Guesthouse, Lustrafjord (~£50–70/night)
- →Walk to Nigards Glacier snout — 4 km, free trail
- →Optional guided glacier walk with Jostedalbreen Breførarlag (~£55, book at breforar.no)
- →Short walk to Bergset Glacier
Hike Mørkridsdalen Valley
Mørkridsdalen, Lustrafjord
One of Norway's most scenic and accessible valleys — the trailhead is reachable by local bus or a short taxi from Lustrafjord (~£10). The route (11 km, ~4 hrs) begins in a narrow canyon dominated by a dramatic waterfall before opening into a wide moorland valley dotted with wildflowers and traditional Norwegian summer cottages. This is a free, well-marked national park trail. Return to your guesthouse for an evening on the banks of Lustrafjord.
🚌Local bus/taxi to trailhead ~£10.
🛏Nes Gard Guesthouse or Vassenden Guesthouse, Lustrafjord (~£50–70/night)
- →Hike Mørkridsdalen Valley — 11 km, ~4 hrs, free marked trail
- →Explore the canyon waterfall and moorland meadows
Besshovden Hike & Norwegian Glacier Museum in Fjærland
Besshovden & Fjærland
Take a local bus or taxi (~£20) to the Besshovden trailhead. The 8 km hike (3–4 hrs) leads to a spectacular viewpoint overlooking Fjærlandsfjorden and the Jostedal glacier ice cap. After descending, take a short taxi or bus to Fjærland village to visit the Norwegian Glacier Museum (Norsk Bremuseum) — an award-winning architectural gem with hands-on glaciology exhibits (~£18 entry). Afterwards, explore Fjærland's famous 'book town', where former farm buildings have been converted into second-hand bookshops. Return to guesthouse.
🚌Taxi/bus to trailhead and Fjærland ~£20 total.
🛏Nes Gard Guesthouse or Vassenden Guesthouse, Lustrafjord (~£50–70/night)
- →Hike Besshovden viewpoint — 8 km, ~3–4 hrs, free marked trail
- →Norwegian Glacier Museum entry (~£18, book at bre.museum.no)
- →Explore Fjærland book town — free browsing
Flåm Railway & Hike to Blomheller
Flåm → Myrdal → Blomheller → Voss
Take a morning bus from Lustrafjord to Flåm (~£20, ~2 hrs). Board the legendary Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana) from Flåm up to Myrdal station (~£35 one way, book in advance at visitflam.com — this sells out fast in summer). At Myrdal, pick up the 7 km Rallarvegen / Flåm Valley trail back down to Blomheller — a stunning descent of 450m past 21 hairpin bends, dramatic waterfalls, and the lush Kårdal valley. From Blomheller station, take the train back down to Flåm. Then catch a direct bus from Flåm to Voss (~£20, 1 hr 15 min). Check in to your hotel in Voss for a celebratory dinner.
🚌Bus + Flåm Railway + bus. Total transport ~£85.
🛏Fleischer's Hotel or Voss Vandrarheim hostel, Voss (~£40–70/night)
- →Bus Lustrafjord → Flåm (~£20)
- →Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana) Flåm → Myrdal (~£35, book at visitflam.com)
- →Hike Rallarvegen / Flåm Valley trail Myrdal → Blomheller — 7 km, free
- →Train Blomheller → Flåm (included in Flåm Railway ticket or ~£10)
- →Bus Flåm → Voss (~£20)
Depart from Voss
Voss
After breakfast, take the Bergen Railway train from Voss to Bergen (~£15, 1 hr) — one of Norway's classic rail routes. From Bergen Airport, catch your onward flight. Alternatively, explore Voss's adventure activities (it's Norway's adventure sports capital) before departing — kayaking, paragliding and skydiving are all available through Voss Active or similar operators.
🚌Train Voss → Bergen ~£15, then Bybanen to airport ~£5.
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Bergen Railway train Voss → Bergen (~£15, book at vy.no)
- →Optional: Kayaking or adventure activity with Voss Active before departure
Self-launched vs. Exodus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£905 | £4,780 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £3,875 per person (81%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus-style trips? Check them out here.~£905
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Walking the Norwegian Fjords: Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £905 per person for 8 days in Norway. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Exodus?+
Yes — Exodus charges around £4,780 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £905 — a saving of roughly £3,875 (81%) per person.
How long is the Norway trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Norway.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a hiking, adventure, culture trip through Norway, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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