Norway
 

Hi all.

I'm a new member of HU but have been a motorcyclist for quite a few years.

I would like to take a bike trip to Norway next year for a couple of weeks.

I've read/heard it can be very expensive to visit Norway in terms of accomodation, food etc.

I would be staying in hostels (as I think b&b's and hotels are beyond my budget). Self catering where I can and eating straight from the supermarkets. Someone was telling me it cost them £98.00 pounds sterling for a curry for two people in a restaurant. :( I can't camp as I would be travelling two up and luggage space is lmited.

Could anyone who has toured in Norway tell me what their experiences are concerning costs?

Thanks for any help. :thumbup1:

You can stay in wooden cabins for about £30-£40 per night. This is your best option. You will need to carry sleeping bags with you though as a lot don't supply bedding. Inside you will find a couple of bunk beds a heater and some sort of basic cooking facilities, a hotplate usually. Most have refridgerators and some have tv too. I stopped in a cabin at Grimsbu tourist centre which even had cable TV so I could watch the MotoGP. I usually camp though if it's not too wet.

On my website I have a trip report from a trip to Norway in 2006. Look at it on this URL:
Jan Krijtenburg homepage (Travel pages) Maybe it has something usefull for you.

The wooden cabins are a very good solution. I liked it.
Norway is a beautifull country and you will love it. Make sure to bring your camera. Plenty of nice place to take pictures. Mind the prices for speeding tickets in Norway !!

Don't be put off by hear-say. You can get a decent curry for less - I'd say 80 GBP if you're lucky ;-) Just kidding. It's quite possible to get by on a budget even in Norway. Cabins are, as already said, a good option. They are on most camping sites, which in turn are all over the place. Check out two vital pages for cheap, yet clean, accomodation: Camping sites are here and the hostels are to be found here. Actually, I tend to use camping cabins and hostels myself when travelling in Norway and beyond. You meet all kinds of cool people there, as opposed to in the ordinary hotels. Oh, and if you are in the Oslo area I have a spare room you could use for a couple of nights. Even have a garage for you to do some routine maintenance if you'd like to.

Like everyone says dont believe everything you hear, Norway can be very expensive but cook for yourself its the Norwegian way on the campsites, take some supplies with you or shop at the supermarkets in towns and food stuff is not that pricey. Restaurants are expensive as are some cafes etc but if your in the cities find out where the students go - always cheaper. I have camped and used the huts on different trips the huts are great if your sharing. A few years ago I travelled upto Kirkness in the far north spending two weeks in and out of Norway and a week split between Finland and Sweden. I did live basic and wild camped 50% of the time but all in for three weeks including all fuel a few pints here and there and a good amount of food including fresh fruit and veg every day I spent less than £500 all in. I travel in Norway every year as I love the place, going back again in July Do a bit of ice climbing on the Glaciers while your there swim in the fjord in the morning (wakes you up!) then try as much as you like to take in the scenery and roads - you will love the place. Last but not least get talking to the locals they are great people you just need to break the ice. You will meet some great people.

We have done Norway twice, the second time was all the way to the Nordkapp (from Bergen).

As others have said the Hytters (huts) are a reasonable price, more so if sharing the cost. We took a tent but never used it.

Full trip here, http://www.ytc.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/...orway2005.html

As it was our second trip to Norway we knew what to expect price wise, and using local stores to stock up with bread, cheese and fruit kept the price down. Simple meals can be cooked cheaply and easily, especially as the cabins have cooking rings.

When you go, make sure you are beyond the Artic Circle for the full longest day experience, and take something to blank the light out at "night" :-)

If you worry about price, then don't eat out... or pop into Sweden which is a bit cheaper :-) . We managed a motel with 2 meals (and beer) for less than £50.

Norway: a must-do!
 

Hi Phil,

We did about 1,300 km in Norway in early July this year: into Bergen on the ferry from NewcastleUponTyne, to Voss, via Narrow Fjord (by ferry) to Kaupange and Sogndal, Nigardsbreen glacier, Lom, Geiranger, Molde, Karvag, then back down to Andalsnes, Lillehammer and Oslo. Only 5 days unfortunately :(.

Fuel price at that time were the most expensive of the 12 countries we travelled in: about Kr12.2/litre or equivalent or about £1.05/litre. However we got some of our best fuel economy of the trip in Norway. So doing the maths, it cost us £80 in fuel to cover just under 1,300 km (on an ST1300 getting 17 km/ltr).

We stayed in a cabin near Kaupange. This was excellent value for 4 of us, for a 2 bedroom, self contained place with a deck - brilliant. We negotiated a tariff on-the-spot of Kr300, or about £25 for the one night. Then for my wife and I the rest of the trip, we had double rooms as follows: a hotel at Djupvatnet lake called Djupvasshytta Lodge (under Dalsnibba lookout south of Geiranger - see pic below) for Kr600 or £50/night; the nice hostel at Andalsnes Kr575 or £49; and the very nice hostel in Lillehammer at Kr650 or £55. We saved money on accommodation on both our arrival and departure nights as we were on the ferries in and out of the country.

Djupvatnet lake and our hotel: Djupvasshytta lodge
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...sshyttalod.jpg

We shopped in supermarkets for food most of the time and it was not too expensive. We had a simple restaurant meal at the Lodge (in pic above) that cost about £25 (for 2). Alcohol is quite steep though. And you can't buy grog after 6pm on weekends (except in a restaurant etc), so no takeaways!

We highly recommend Norway. The people were wonderful and the scenery the best :mchappy:. If you'd like to see some pics:

1. Go to the web page: http://photobucket.com/
2. Log-in as a guest at the top of this page as follows:
....Username: John_Meara
....Password: Europe
3. Then on the page that comes up, click-on the My Sub Album called “Europe on an ST1300”
4. Click on pages 7 & 8 for the Norway sector.

The view Dalsnibba lookout (above Geiranger Pass and the Lodge)
(click on image to see 30 second video)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...egreeviews.jpg

I hope this helps.
Cheers
:thumbup1:

Norway
 

Hi, I am new to this site too, so apologies if I have already sent this. Norway is expensive. I can wholeheartedly support the idea of using campsite wooden huts. Absolutely great. I did the N Cape a couple of years ago and it was so windy and wet that it was not possible to erect the tent on some occasions. Travelling solo does have disadvantages putting a tent up in a gale. The fjords are very beautiful, but the far north has a harsher beauty. I had four weeks. I took three to get to N Cape and then took the Hurtugruten coastal ship over the next 6 days back to Bergen. Expensive, but good to see Norway from the sea. Exceed speed limits at your peril... max speeds are 80/90KPH and fines are huge. Zero limit on alcohol too, mind, at the price of it, its not to difficult to abstain. If you have the time, The Lofoten Islands are spectacular. Away from the main roads the roads are generally hard packed dirt and gravel which get rather muddy in the wet. No probs, my 750 Monster aint no off-roader and did fine.
If you are into civil engineering projects you will love the tunnels. I notice you are from stoke. I am near Leek, so if you and yours want a few maps/ holiday snaps, please get in touch. Gill

Norway
 

Hi Phil2 and partner, looking though a few other mails on this site it seems OK to give PH nos. As previously stated, I am in the Leek area and you two are S-O-T. If you want maps/ chats/ boring hol photos here is the number: 01538 304368

Hi Gill you may want to use the PM (personal message) for that kind of info. You never know who's phishin.

If you can squeeze a tent on you should as there is some great wild camping to be had in Norway and its all free. They have a right to roam out there so you can go into the wild but check what the rights are on vehicular access.:mchappy:

im thinking of a nordkapp trip near june/july. how cold/icey is it up there mid summer? am i thinking right that i'll be ok on road tyres? or shall i put it off till i have a different bike?

The roads are ice and snow free in the summer. I've had temps up to 80f inside the arctic circle in July. I've only been up as far as Andalsnes but I don't think you'll get frost in July at the Nord capp.

When I was at the Nordcape last year, it was rainy and windy but no problem if you have decent clothing like a good rain-overall.
You can drive all the way to the Nordcape on tar roads so no problem on any bike with street tires. I did it on my BMW F650GS with normal street tires and no all-road tires.
Just make sure your bike is in good condition (like it should be for every long trip)

You do need some warm and waterproof clothing because it can be wet and chilly but that's all.
You CAN be lucky and have sun and 25 degrees celcius there too.

Enjoy your trip.

Thanks for your replies.

Many thanks to Indu and Gill750 for your kind offers. Hopefully I'll be in touch closer to my trip.

:thumbup1:

excellent news, cheers for that. didnt fancy ice or snow on a gsx1400!

Oh, and be aware that the Norwegian National Bike Rally ("Norgestreffet") is held in the Lofoten islands from 10 to 13 July 2008. Probably the most beautiful place in Norway where you can join some 2000-3000 fellow motorcyclists to have a great time. The actual place is called Jennestad, some km's north of the town Sortland. More info here (Norwegian only, but you might get the picture ;-)

I've heard the Lofotons are beautiful, but after 3 days rain and low cloud we never got to see it :-(

Yes, well, sometimes you do - sometimes you don't. The weather is sort of unpredictable. One year the Lofoten was warmer than Ghana. The other year it was pouring down all summer... Shouldn't prevent you from visiting though. As my grandma used to say when I whined about the rain: You ain't made of sugar, are you? :)

to which i'd reply 'nope ive always been bitter' :rolleyes3:

(badabum!) ;)

Sorry to Hijack but I dont post enough to PM and you dont get points for reading through all the fantastic info on HU.

Anyhoo FAO INDU RE the 'Norgestreffet', I would be very keen on any additional info/suggestions you may have regarding attending. I have been to Norway twice now (once to Nordkapp) and am aware of how beautiful the country is (very BTW) but my travels through Scandinavia have been fast paced and left little time to meet the people:(

I intend to seek solace to this omission by returning next year with a vague plan that starts with a midsommer over in Oland, Sverige and then going with some UK friends around Norway before leaving them and heading north again before again leaving for Russia, Mongolia etc via Finland. the Norgestreffet is timed perfectly for a stopover, so what might one expect?, be great to hook up with some people further south and ride up together:clap:.


regarding the original post, a law should be passed that requires all Motorcyclists to visit Norway before they die, If you are used to UK fuel prices the biggest cost isn't a shock. usng the SPAR type shops you can get by fairly cheaply foodwise and I echo what others have said about the Huts and STF cabins being a good choice given the sometimes wet weather in summer. Had some lovely Salmon followed by Reindeer main in Oslo with a beer. that cost £40 but was a treat having popped across that afternoon from Bergen, I spent less than £10 on food on other days by filling up on the hearty and complimentary breakfasts in the Youth Hostels.

I found a nice quiet campsite with it's own beach on the East coast of Oland. It was signed off the secondary road that runs the length of the east coast and was about 3km down a side road. I think it was near Brunnerby. The west coast has a more touristy feel with big commercial type sites. The lovely windmills may give you an idea of the weather to expect. Thanks for reminding me, good days.

The Norgestreffet usually see some 2500 attendees, sometimes more, sometimes less. As the rally is north of the Polar Circle, it is held in July (as opposed to end May/early June if south of the PC). This is the time of year when Norwegians go on holiday, so we might see a lot of motorcyclists showing up this year. Being in the magnificent Vesteraalen/Lofoten area, the attendance might be even higher.

Just keep in touch if you want to hook up with others. We are a bunch leaving from Oslo a couple of days ahead of the event. And you'll meet hundreds, if not thousands, of motorcyclists heading up north if you choose to ride by yourself. I can almost guarantee that they'll be more than happy to let you hook up.

PM me for contact details.

Norway
 

Hi Hooli, June July will be ice free. My Monster was fine. Severe gales and rain were worst problem. Told some fellow travellers about the poor weather and they went anyway the following year... Guess what? It was hot and sunny. Weather just as fickle as in good old Blighty. Go for it, even if the weather is bad, the ride in is splendid. Gill

Thank you
 

Thanks for this advice. You have made me aware of the PM facility. Most important. It seems i am more worldly wise wise to life on the road rather than this email/ internet thing!

Hi Gill. Looking at your post count you may need to have posted more than 10 times to have the PM facility (from memory) so nearly there.

Thanks Indu, will do, need 8 posts before I can use PM so will come back to you nearer the time, cant wait to go back to Norway:mchappy: