Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

A beautiful long walk starting in one valley and walking over to another valley with views of multiple glaciers & peaks with an almost 360 degree view.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Einer was an excellent guide, full of information about the area & his country. He took a lot of care to make sure the group able to walk at their own pace while still accommodating the slower walkers. And he carried coffee for all of usto the top of each route every day !! What luxury!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you are fit enough to walk all day, with usually more than half the walk of course being up hill.

Suggestions

Highly recommend this holiday as a good way to visit a beautiful area of Norway. You could not walk in a more stunning area. Food & drink is expensive in Norway but as all our food was included even the meals we thought we were going to have to provide so that meant plenty left to spend on beer!

Most Inspirational Moment

I would say that it had to be our walk on the Glacier as it was something I'd never done before, I didn't know what to expect. We were given crampons and ice picks and roped together in groups of about 12, an experienced guide at the front, and off we went up the Glacier after being told how to walk in crampons of course. The blue of the Glacier was stunning, and looking down into crevices was beautiful. This is an optional extra of the holiday but well worth doing. Quite pricey at nearly £60.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Asbjorn took us on our 1st walk up to Molden Peak. He was great, very informative and knowledgeable . The rest of the week our guide was Inar who was also fantastic. He kept us safe, he knew what we were capable of and he had lots of stories to tell us which kept us amused. He's only a young lad but certainly knew what he was doing, he was a delight.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Most people know that Norway is expensive, but it still comes as quite a shock. If you like a beer to cool you down after a day out walking, take plenty of money. Half litre of lager is about £7.50 and a bottle of wine about £30. Also it might be a good idea to take mosquito spray, we did encounter a few during the week.

Suggestions

I'm a Vegan, and my evening meals were fabulous.

Most Inspirational Moment

Scenery

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was very good no issues

Advice for Potential Travellers

As above the walking tracks only

Suggestions

The food, accommodation and guide were 100%

Most Inspirational Moment

Asborg ,our group leader, was outstanding he made many moments inspirational

Most Inspirational Moment

We took the optional trip to walk on a glacier. Once geared up with crampons, ice axe, harness and rope, we were taken on a stunning two hour walk on the glacier including descending through an ice cave. Our guide for the trip was a young Nepalese man who told me he had climbed Everest 9 times - can't accuse him of lacking mountaineering experience!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Asbjorn was an excellent host and guide. Having climbed up the mountain, he would produce tea and coffee that he had carried up with him, and small mats for everyone to sit on. He also loved to tell us stories about the area and its history. A wonderful man. I hope I'm as fit as he is when I reach his current age!

Advice for Potential Travellers

The weather can be variable, so make sure you pack both tee shirts and shorts, and something much warmer. Gloves and hats are essential for some of the walks. On our last day we walked at around 1,400m elevation and the temperature was only just about freezing with a brisk wind blowing.Z

Suggestions

This is our third Exodus holiday and yet again we found we were travelling with a wonderful and diverse group of people.

Most Inspirational Moment

Climbing to the top of the waterfall in the spray and on hands and knees at times!!! But we all did it ( with ages up to 81). Truely inspirational view.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent. He couldn't do enough for us. Was exceptionally encouraging.

Advice for Potential Travellers

All weather gear

Suggestions

I hope to see more of Norway. The hotel and food were delightful.

Most Inspirational Moment

I enjoyed the Molden peak walk the best with its stunning views of the Sognefjord, closely followed by the Vigdal to Navarsete walk in Breheimen National park with its glacial landscapes and changing scenery. Meeting the Norwegians and listening to their stories. Beyond that, just enjoying the serenity of Nes Farm! Taking an early morning swim in the fjord (very cold but just about bearable for a short dip), then relaxing with a coffee in the living room before breakfast. Enjoying a glass of wine or a beer, at the end of a satisfying days' walking or after dinner, while taking in the lovely views over the Lustrafjord. I'm sorry, but I could drone on about this endlessly...

Thoughts on Group Leader

Asbjorn was the guide for the duration of our trip. As well as being an exceptional guide, he's also a lovely man and it was a great pleasure to have met both him and Mari. As you might expect from a former teacher, he was knowledgeable on all matters relating to the trip and good at imparting it with a sense of dry Norwegian humour. The itinerary was tailored to the weather conditions on the day rather than following the order in the trip notes, although to be honest, I wouldn't have put it past him to have fixed the weather for us as well.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Although the trip is correctly graded as moderate, it does require a reasonable level of fitness to cope with the uphill sections, especially if it gets warm, so read the trip notes and be honest about your own abilities. Be prepared for sun, warm, cold and wet weather. It can get cool in the evenings so a fleece is a good idea, but I don't think that thermals or gaiters are required. Poles can be useful when going over streams or very brief sections on snow, but if you don't normally use them then they are not necessary. I would definitely take eye shields as it hardly get dark at all during the evening. Waterproof boots are are must for crossing very wet ground, snow and streams. If you want to take energy food on the walks, then ask Asbjorn if you can stop at a local supermarket to stock up rather than take it with you. A word on tipping, which does appear to becoming more commonplace in Norway in restaurants and so on. Our group didn't tip Asbjorn as he and Mari own Nes Farm; however, we did take a collection for the staff - this was not expected but was very much appreciated by them.

Suggestions

If you have the time, I would strongly recommend travelling in Norway either before or after the trip. Getting around by ferry and train is a lot of fun and it is easy to book NSB rail tickets via the internet or mobile app. The group trip ends at Bergen Airport, so one admittedly backtracking option is to make you way from Bergen by train to Voss and then bus to Guvangen. From Voss & Gudvangen there is a variety of activities that you can do, including kayaking on the Naeroyfjord. From Guvangen you can catch a very scenic ferry ride along the Naeroyfjord and Aurlandsfjorden to Flam. From Flan you can travel on the famous Flamsbana railway to Myrdal then onto Oslo. Others on our trip, flew into Oslo first then made their way to Bergen by train. It is worth spending a few days in Bergen and the fjord cruise to Rosendal make for a very nice day trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

This is a difficult question. I think probably walking across a high plateau, and seeing snow capped mountains in the distance.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader was excellent. He had a deep love of his home; an encyclopaedic local knowledge; and knew much of his country's history as well. He adjusted the programme according to the weather, and other factors.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do this holiday if you are something of a hiker who can climb hills on rocky paths. Do not do this holiday if you only walk in towns or in parks, and do not have a decent degree of fitness.

Suggestions

I honestly cannot remember enjoying a holiday more, and the weather was good.

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved the waterfalls - just the raw power of nature, feeling the spray on your face and hearing the incredible thunder as the water crashes down. I could never get bored of the view out of the guest house window - overlooking the fjord with the huge waterfall on the opposite bank. The water is so clean in Norway that you can just refill your waterbottle from the icy streams all around you and apparently if you go in August you can pick wild blueberries along the paths!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Asbjorn was excellent - he seems something of a local celebrity, I swear everyone knew him and gave us a friendly wave! His passion for history and the great outdoors is evident - he used to be a teacher, so he's really interactive. He won't just tell you why the fjords are green or what that particular carving inside the church represents, he'll ask and make you all call out guesses - quite a giggle! 

Advice for Potential Travellers

I'd suggest taking a variety of clothes - the weather can be quite changeable, so you want a backpack big enough for proper waterproofs although I mainly used mine for when we got close to the waterfalls! The trip notes aren't joking when they say about fully waterproof boots - mine are full leather and I was very grateful! Don't worry about a camel back unless you particularly like them, as you can refill bottles from the fresh water streams on all but one day. If you fancy a refreshing swim in the (glacier-fed) fjord, take a swimming costume as you can do so! It's about 150metres from the guest house so you can wander down whenever you like. It's not as cold as you think but it will definitely catch your attention! 

Suggestions

The best bit about this trip is you are in proper walker's terriorty. There are no big cruise liners or ugly crowds anywhere; it's very peaceful. You pass some farms but with the exception of the ferry ride through the Narrowfjord everyone else we saw had hiking boots on, and there weren't even many of those. Take a big memory card, you'll need it! It's perfect for a scenery junkie. It is an expensive trip but Norway is generally quite costly; once you're there the price makes a lot of sense, particularly considering the quality of the food and the guest house; it feels much more than three stars.  

Most Inspirational Moment

Each day was different and difficult to choose any particular highlight. The optional glacier walk was well worth doing and very good value; pancakes in a mountain hut at 2,000 feet, spectacular waterfalls alongside the footpaths......  The journey to the centre involved a 2 hour ferry so you even experience the feel of a fjord cruise.

Thoughts on Group Leader

THe group leader was really good. He worked hard as the guest house host, guided us on spectacular walks after driving us up steep winding roads, talked about Norwegian culture and ensured we were all sent safely on our way back home. His staff were really great, and he and his wife ensured a very pleasant stay.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You will have plenty of photo-opportunities, so don't forget your camera! Take sufficient money for a meal in Bergen and any going home gifts, and for drinks with your evening meal. Not much else to pay for, other than the optional glacier trip (and you can pay by card anyway).

Suggestions

Enjoy it and relax. The walks are at a relaxed pace and not too demanding, but can be modified according to the group abilities. This has whetted my appetite to return to Norway.