Walking the Fjords

Customer Reviews

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  Virginia

  · August 31st, 2024
  Walking the Fjords was fabulous, the scenery magnificent & our hosts Anders & Bård were exceptional. Our group had Bård as our guide he was informative & whilst walking he always would walk back & check on the slower walkers. The accomodation at both Nes Gard & Fjåerland Fjorstove Hotel was great. I loved the quaint little rooms with sloping attic style ceilings. Anders has converted rooms that perviously housed farm animals into an underground wine bar & a bathroom attached to the breakfast room. Both locations provided exceptional meals with quality wine to compliment the food. I cannot speak highly enough about this trip, it was a wonderful introduction to Norway !!!
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  Exodus Adventure Travels commented on this review

  We would like to sincerely thank you for taking the time to post a review of your experience on our Walking the Fjords tour and we are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed your adventure. We were especially happy to hear your feedback on Bård and have... Show more
  
  Trip date: August 2024
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  Cathy

  · July 8th, 2019
  Excellent tour! Really enjoyed the Fjords!
  Trip date: June 2019
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  Cara

  · July 3rd, 2019
  I wasn't sure this was the right trip for me because I am an inactive person and it was listed as a moderate level tour. However, I found out I was able to hike 620 meters in a day, walk over 8 miles, and for over 7 hours. I met the guide at the airport and everything was taken care of until the last day of the tour. I did not join the group transfer on the return trip home as my flight was not until the next day. I was able to take the "FlyBus" two blocks away from the hotel back to the airport at 4:45 a.m. without issue. Ten other hikers joined me on this tour and they were all strangers to me. Nine were women and One man. Ages ranged from 35-71 on our tour. I could not have been more pleased with my fellow travelers and I enjoyed spending my time with each one of them. Eight were from the UK, Two from USA, and One from Canada. This was my first hiking trip with no previous hiking experience. All of the other travelers were experienced and I received help and tips from the others from how to wear my back pack to how to use the hiking poles. One mistake I could not overcome was not having the right sized hiking boots and I paid the price for that. My toes were bruised, I had blisters, and my ankles and feet were swollen the entire time, but I pressed on regardless. The weather in this part of Norway has a lot of rain in June, but luckily we enjoyed practically the entire week without much rain to interfere. Therefore we were able to successfully proceed with the entire itinerary only to switch a couple days around due to rain and hiking conditions on the trail. The itinerary was well planned from travel days and completely filling our hiking days. Usually we had breakfast at 7:45, left our base camp by 8:45 and returned around 5 pm each day. Dinner was at 7 pm. Each hike had different types of hiking trails, difficulty, and scenery to take in. None of it was disappointing. We traveled by mini bus each day, which was comfortable and our guide drove us very safely around the region. Thon Hotel Orion was a comfortable tourist hotel with an excellent breakfast buffet. It was located along the water in the heart of Bergen. I cannot say enough good things about Nes Gard Guesthouse along Lustrafjord. The scenery is breathtaking. The rooms are cozy and the beds are comfortable. There are no televisions, but apparently the do have wi-fi access. The owner of the guesthouse and staff are personable and sincerely want you to have a pleasant stay. I am a vegetarian and I had thoughtful meals. Others had food allergies or preferences and everyone was accommodated with personal attention. The breakfast buffet and packed lunches were standard. I only had a cheese sandwich, soft-boiled egg and banana/apple for my packed lunches every day. The dinners were fantastic 3 course meals. My compliments to the chef as I thoroughly enjoyed the menu, quality of food, and taste every day. Our tour guide was a modest, down to earth gentleman. He was quiet by nature, but is experienced, attentive, and a genuine human being. All of the travelers seemed to really appreciate his personality, expertise, and his good nature. He offered assistance on the trail if you needed it, did not want to put anyone at risk of getting hurt, carried coffee and tea every hiking day for lunch, drove safely and thoughtfully, and seemed very proud of his country. He seemed to enjoy being on the trails and was very comfortable showing us around. He is a really great person and I was very appreciative of him. Overall, I had a very successful tour and it exceeded my expectations. I would recommend this tour, would do it again, and found new friends. I also found a new love of hiking.
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  Trip date: June 2019
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  RollinOlson

  · September 20th, 2018
  A great experience with a variety of beautiful and breathtaking hiking and touring environments, including the classic waterway fjords, river valleys, raging waterfalls, stark tundra and glacial environments, as well as stops at hiking huts and local landmarks.. The tour had two guides, the veteran Asbjorn and young Lucas, to whom Asbjorn is turning over the guide responsibilities. Both are proud of their region of Norway, knowledgeable tour guides, and enthusiastic hikers in the area. The guides rearranged the schedule of hiking events to take advantage of the changing weather day by day. During the entire week, the guides unobtrusively evaluated the capabilities of the tour participants, and ensured that each hiker had a safe experience. They thoughtfully provided welcome coffee and tea for lunches on the trail. The hiking is moderately strenuous if you're fit, some parts more rigorous if you're not. Take the advice about waterproof hiking boots seriously - you will be stepping in mud and shallow water repeatedly as the trails frequently cross wet areas and small streams. Clothing for cold/windy/rainy weather is a must, as well. The optional glacier walk run by a commercial operator, involves a rather long and risky hike to the glacier face, and fairly steep paths on the glacier itself; it's not for the faint of heart. Nes Gard is a lovely accommodation, with comfortable rooms, friendly and capable staff, and delicious meals in a dining setting that encourages tour participants to get to know each other. Substantial breakfasts prepared us for a day of physical activity and provided material for a take-along lunch. Dinners were formal three-course affairs with different menu each day, proudly announced at the beginning of each dinner by an efficient staff. The days were fully scheduled with hiking and touring activities, and evenings were filled with dinner and briefings on the next day's activities - there were only a couple of hours per day to relax. Overall, a well-organized, well-planned, tightly-managed experience in a beautiful setting, run by a staff that is dedicated to providing their guests with a great experience.
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  Trip date: September 2018
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  Cynthia

  · July 19th, 2018
  This tour was so much fun. I can’t say enough about the beauty of Norway. Each of the five hikes provided a unique aspect to the rugged, unique terrain. Nes Gard, the accommodations, friendly staff and absolutely wonderful food each evening, far exceeded my expectations. My only regret was that I had not gotten in just a bit better shape physically. I would call this tour “Hiking the Fjords.” That being said, it is just moderately strenuous and every step up the mountain is worth what awaits!
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  Trip date: July 2018
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  Christina Barnes

  · July 29th, 2011
  Superb trip. Fantastic walking, each day very different scenery. Great accomodation, with excellent food. Very friendly hosts, felt like you were staying in a private house, rather than a hotel. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?The views, especially up in the mountains,  looking across at the snow covered peaks and the glaciers. Stunning.What did you think of your group leader?Asbjorn, trip leader an absolute star. Everything well planned and organised. Really friendly and passionate about the area.
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  Trip date: July 2011
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  Dominique Kini

  · October 13th, 2010
  Beautiful views, good food, great accomodation and leader, interesting cultural aspect, good walks which while not overtaxing are correctly graded.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?The final walk up to the summer farm - a lot of uphill in a short burst but absolutely worth it when we got to the top - for the view, for the summer farm (which is now a mountain hut) and for the surprise laid on by Asbjorn.What did you think of your group leader?Asbjorn worked very hard to make sure we had a good time and took great trouble to explain the history and background to what we were seeing - I really wasn't expecting the cultural aspect to the trip. He also ran the bed & breakfast which is flat out the best B&B I've ever stayed in.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?You might consider booking a direct flight to Bergen, and taking a bit more time in Bergen. Norway is expensive, but most things are included in the price of the trip. The glacier walk is extra, but worth it.Is there anything else you would like to add?A very civilised trip. The views are beautiful and the trip is relaxing and enjoyable.
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  Trip date: October 2010
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  Andrew Ritz

  · August 27th, 2010
  Well fed, well looked after, great accommodation, wonderful views. An easy going relaxing time, with some exercise thrown in.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Where do you start ? A walk around Bergen - what a relaxing place. The 2-hour ferry ride up the fjord. Fjord views from Molden Peak. Glacier walk. General scenery.What did you think of your group leader?Asbjorn looked after us well, from waiting to pick us up from our delayed flight, to passing on all sort of information, historical and general during siteseeing trips and walks. He organised us well without being fussy. Top man indeed; and another Exodus find.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?It is an expensive place, but most things are catered for (food etc), apart from the odd meal and snacks for the longer travel days (to and from the airport) If you like a drink, make sure to get some at the airport before you fly out.The accommodation is far better than mentioned in the trip notes. You feel that you are in someones home really. The glacier walk was a "payable option", which was not clear in the trip notes I had, but not a problem. We experienced delays in flights and lost luggage on our trip. I am told that direct flights are available to Bergen from Gatwick. Not sure why these are not an option/preferred option.Is there anything else you would like to add?Fair bit of driving involved, with 16 of us (plus driver) in a mini-bus. It took us approx 5-6 hours to get from Bergen to our base at Nes Gard (including the ferry ride and lunch stop). A good bit of driving required to get from our base to the start of the walks.Some great Mountain Huts (well impressive inside). It would be nice to incorporate a stop over in one of these during the trip (ie from a drop off point, end up at the hut, stay the night, and next day set off to another pick up point).
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  Trip date: August 2010
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  Wendy Barford

  · July 17th, 2013
  I was extremely disappointed that the leader thought I was not fit enough to take part in the walks, without any justification. I would not have booked the holiday if I thought I was not fit enough, as it would be unfair on other guests and I would not have enjoyed that. I have been taking part in walking and other activity holidays for many years, and am well aware of my capabilities. I was not allowed to take part in the glacier walking trip, the main reason I booked the holiday - even though the guidebooks said there were trips for all levels of ability, and I have done glacier walking before. I have never enountered any problems before. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?The stunning scenery.What did you think of your group leader?See above.  I was not given any opportunity to question his decisions.  Being made to stay behind was very demoralising and embarassing.
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  Trip date: July 2013
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  Gina Lawrence

  · December 17th, 2012
  The landscape was just out of this world - my jaw was almost permanantly dropped! I've seen a million pictures of the fjords so I thought I knew what to expect but actually, once you're there it's like stepping through a gateway to another world, simply awe-inspiring. No National Geographic image can quite prepare you for how small you feel. One lady on the trip was an artist and she took a sketch pad with her, which I thought was a wonderful idea. The guest house was another surprise - it's so quaint! And the dinners - well, it's lucky we were walking all day! Three course meals every evening, truly superb. Even the breakfast was seriously impressive - they bake their own bread so you have fresh rolls, and pick their own fruit from the orchard. The chef is a truly talented individual! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?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!What did you think of your 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! Do you have any 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! Is there anything else you would like to add?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.  
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  Trip date: December 2012