TREKKING FJORDS AND NATIONAL PARKS OF NORWAY, AUGUST 18 SEPTEMBER 1, 2019, TRIP DESCRIPTION

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1 Lake Gjende, Jotunheimen National Park TREKKING FJORDS AND NATIONAL PARKS OF NORWAY, AUGUST 18 SEPTEMBER 1, 2019, TRIP DESCRIPTION Norway, the Land of the Midnight Sun, a place where you will find some of the most magical mountain landscapes in the world. Take a walk on the wild side and discover why the locals can t get enough of nature. After a long winter, people of all age groups and social backgrounds head outdoors and go trekking in the mountains, along the coast, fjords or in the forests. The varied scenery, from popular marked trails and tourist attractions to wild and untamed mythical landscapes, has earned Norway a well-deserved reputation as a major hiking destination in Europe. You will meet a kind and proud people who will enthusiastically share with you their love of the mountains. Norway shares a common border with Sweden on the east and in the north with Finland and Russia. Less than 4% of the Norway s land is cultivated, leaving 96% as a playground for the outdoor enthusiast. The population density of Norway is the lowest of any country in Europe, where most of the 4 ½ million Norwegians live along the southern coast. We will start our adventure in Norway s second largest city, the western coastal town of Bergen. As a university town and cultural center, it boasts a plethora of museums as well as several theatres and a renowned philharmonic orchestra. Set on a peninsula surrounded by seven mountains, Bergen s history is closely tied to the sea.

2 Hiking between Mount Ulriken and Mount Fløyen with Bergen below Our first whole day in Bergen we will have the opportunity, depending on the weather, to hike between Mount Ulriken and Mount Fløyen, on a high plateau with spectacular views of Bergen below. Next, we will move to the small town of Rosendal along the Hardangerfjord. With a population of around 1000 people, Rosendal will be our base camp for the next five nights. Nestled at the foot of Malmangernuten, a peak we will climb during our stay, Rosendal makes the perfect location for many excursions in and around Folgefonna National Park as well as a trek along mainland Norway s third largest glacier Folgefonna.

3 Trekking on the Folgefonna Glacier We ll continue our adventures around Rosendal with a classic hike to Trolltunga, or Troll s Tongue, one of the most spectacular scenic cliffs in Norway. We ll also do lower key hikes to the beautiful waterfalls of Vøringfossen and have the chance to drink locally made cider at a cider farm. Troll s Tongue Then we are off to Aurlandsdalen, for one of Norway s classic hikes from Østerbø to Vassbygdi. The trail through the Aurlandsdalen valley, probably used as early as the Viking Age, traces the final miles of an ancient path that connected eastern and western Norway. The untouched, wild and beautiful nature, along with the culture of the small settlements which had permanent habitation until the 1920s, and age-old history, builds respects for what is and, what once was. The Aurlandsdalen Valley is often called Norway s Grand Canyon and is a hike par excellence.

4 Aurlandsdalen Next, we will start a four-night trek through Jotunheimen National Park. The Jotunheimen, or the Home of the Giants, long known as Norway s premier walking area, offers as amazing concentration of high peaks. Lake Gjende and Lake Bygdin, two famous lakes in the Jotunheimen, are included by UNESCO as among the most important lakes in the world. Glacially fed with a characteristically deep green color, Lake Gjende is 11 miles long and 478 feet deep. We will stay each night in mountain huts along Lake Bygdin and Lake Gjende and our luggage will be transported most nights by boat. Dining at the Mountain Lodge Fondsbu The mountain lodges where we will be staying are staffed facilities that include a restaurant, shared bathrooms and showers and the possibility of private two-person rooms (when reservations are made early). The first lodge in which we will stay is the Mountain Lodge Fondsbu alongside Lake Bygdin. We will then make our way along an historical route to the mountain lodge of Gjendebu alongside its namesake lake Gjende. Lounging at the Mountain Lodge Fondsbu View from the Mountain Lodge Gjendebu Gjendebu is the oldest of the huts belonging to the Norwegian Mountaineering Association (Den Norske Turistforening DNT), established in The lodge has been rebuilt and extended a number of times, and today it has 119 beds. It s elevation at 3263 feet and special climate provide a great variety of plants and trees, approximately 700 species. The green lake Gjende between the alpine peaks and glaciers in all directions provides an exceptionally scenic backdrop.

5 The third day of our trek takes us along the spectacular Bukkelægret mountain ridge to the mountain hut of Memurubu, also along lake Gjende. The Sveine family have been the hosts of Memurubu since They first accommodated guests in the summer pastures, and in 1872, the Norwegian Trekking Association built one of their first lodges here, with the Sveine family as hosts. Today, Kjetil Sveine is the host, and the next generation, Nina and Espen, work at the lodge in school holidays and weekends. You can meet them in the reception and as meal hosts. The dog Murus lives at the lodge all summer, and his favourite treat is - Gjende biscuits. Sveine Family, Memurubu Mountain Lodge Dining, Memurubu Mountain LodgeOur The last day of our trek takes us across the famous and phenomenally scenic Besseggen ridge, with incredible views of Lake Gjende and the surrounding mountains, to the mountain hut Gjendesheim. View from the top of Besseggen ridge

6 Signpost on the historical alpine route through Jotunheimen National Park Gjendesheim Mountain Lodge From here we go to Oslo for the finish of our tour through fjords and national parks of Norway. You may want to consider spending an extra day or two to visit classic city of Oslo before leaving for home.

7 Besseggen Ridge, Jotunheimen National Park TREKKING FJORDS AND NATIONAL PARKS OF NORWAY, AUGUST 18 SEPTEMBER 1, 2019, ITINERARY Note: All times given are estimated hiking times and include breaks. VG means vertical gain, VL means vertical loss. Sunday, August 18 th - Fly to Bergen Monday, August 19 th - Bergen Depending on your time of arrival, you can explore the city of Bergen and all lovely areas within the city. If interested, a guided city tour can be included (+200 NOK per person). Tuesday, August 20 th - Extra day in Bergen Even though Bergen is the 2 nd biggest city in Norway, you have nature right outside your main entrance. The hike from Ulriken to Fløyen is a real classic, and must do for people visiting the city. The weather will decide if we do the 4-5-hour hike from the cable car Ulriken to Fløyen or if we just want to do a shorter hike within the same area.

8 View of Bergen Wednesday, August 21 st - Bergen to Rosendal Rosendal is a hiking paradise. It is a small village on the southern part of the Hardangerfjord and is surrounded by beautiful green mountains. The number of wonderful nature experiences in Rosendal are almost endless, but we have narrowed it to the very best ones in the area. We will take a 2-hour bus trip from Bergen to Rosendal, do some sightseeing at the Barony of Rosendal, the smallest "palace" in Scandinavia, famous for its magnificent Renaissance garden and its rich calendar of cultural events, including concerts, courtyard theatre and art exhibitions, and do a short hike in one of the surrounding mountains in the afternoon. We will stay at the Rosendal Turisthotell. Rosendal Barony of Rosendal Thursday, August 22 nd - Hiking roundtrip finishing in Rosendal Our hike today can be both shorter and longer, depending on the physical capacity of the hikers. The trip starts almost at sea level, and after the first 1500 eeft of climb, the terrain gradually becomes easier. In clear weather you will have a panoramic view to one of Norway s largest glaciers on the top. The same glacier (Folgefonna) will be our goal for one of the coming days, and it is always very exciting when you

9 get to see next day s adventure from a distance. We will stay at the Rosendal Turisthotell. Hike: 6-8 miles,1968 feet VG and loss, hours, 5-6 Rosendal Turisthotell Friday, August 23 rd - The World-famous Troll s tongue With an early breakfast we are ready to experience The Trolls Tongue! People come from all over the world to experience Trolltunga, and today it s our turn! The trolls tongue, as it is called in English, located near the western edge of Hardangervidda National Park, is a spectacular mountain formation, situated 3600 feet above sea level and 2300 feet above the lake of Ringedal. The hike starts in The Troll s Tongue

10 Sjkeggedal and goes through the high mountains. This is a long hike, the longest hike of the trip, so we will start off early in the morning, and we will have dinner quite late. Even though the hike is tough it is both doable and worth it! We will have time to relax at the top, enjoy the view, and take unforgettable photos on the plateau. This place inspired many Norwegian artists during the Romantic era and led to some of the most remarkable artworks ever coming out of Norway. Since it is a long day, a welldeserved dinner will await us in the local village of Odda. Nice and fed we head back to our hotel in Rosendal. Hike: 13.6 miles, 3280 ft VG and loss, hours Saturday, August 24 th - Malmangernuten Today you will be doing a walk to one of the surrounding mountains. The beautiful Malmangernuten has a view from the top that is spectacular when the conditions are right, and a true must visit for people View from the top of Malmangernuten with the Hardangerfjord Malmangernuten as seen from Rosendal

11 who stay in the area. As the picture describes, you can see large parts of the surrounding fjord area on a clear weather day. We will overnight at the Rosendal Turisthotell. Hike: 5.5 miles, 2919 ft VG and loss, 4-5 hours Sunday, August 25 th - Folgefonna the eternal ice Ever seen or hiked on a glacier before? From our hotel, we make our way up to Folgefonna and go for a full day walk (4-6 hours) on the glacier. Folgefonna is Norway's third largest glacier and is situated in Folgefonna National Park. Hiking on the glacier plateau is not particularly hard, but it is a truly magnificent experience walking roped up on the 1000-foot-thick carpet of ice! When the weather The Folgefonna Glacier allows, it is a spectacular view of the surrounding fjord landscape from the glacier. During this day we will walk at a gentle pace, and take the time to enjoy our company, and beautiful scenery. We will return to our hotel in Rosendal. Hike: 3-4 miles, little VG, 4-5 hours Monday, August 26 th - Cider tasting and spectacular waterfalls Today you will have an easier day, but it is still full of fun, excitement and interesting experiences. From the Rosendal hotel we will drive 1-1 ½ hours towards the waterfalls of Vøringfossen. Depending on how we feel we can do a shorter hike (1-2 hours), or a longer one (3-4 hours) both ending up close to the enormous waterfall. After we have taken some beautiful photos and walked back to our transportation, we will drive further and stop to taste some locally produced cider at one of the local farms within the area. Cider, and especially fruits are utterly important for the area, and have been for almost 1000 years. Here you can buy the locally produced cider and fruit they use, and we will have a look at the farm Ulvik together with one of their employees. Our accommodation for the night is Vangsgaarden, a restored farm from the 1750 s. Through hard work, the owners have maintained the authenticity of the buildings, and it has small lovely gardens surrounding it. No need for feeling at home this is home! Hike: Approximately 2.5 miles, 1968 ft VG and loss, 1-4 hours

12 Entrance to the Vøringfossen Waterfalls Tuesday, August 27 th - Aurlandsdalen / The Aurland valley 40 minutes from our hotel awaits the beautiful Aurlands valley, often called Norways Grand Canyon. Aurlandsdalen

13 Some places make Norwegians extra proud, and the valley of Aurlandsdalen is one of these places. Sparkling green colored cliffs, summer pasture farms, wild nature, fun hiking and small waterfalls makes you feel like you are hiking in a postcard. The better part of the hike is slightly downhill; hence the terrain is easy, but the walk is quite long. However, with plenty of breaks, healthy food, and the beauty of the surroundings to motivate us, the only worry we will have is that the day will end eventually. After the hike we will drive approximately 1½ hours to the national park of Jotunheimen. We will overnight in the mountain lodge of Fondsbu. Hike: 12 miles, 5-6 hours, 328 ft VG, 2460 ft VL Fondsbu Mountain Lodge Fondsbu Twin Room Wednesday, August 28 th - Start on Norway s historical alpine route Today we wake up at the mountain lodge Fondsbu. From here you will be will be hiking along the Torfinnsbu

14 historical route in Jotunheimen National Park. This is probably the most famous national park in Norway, and along the route you will sleep in historical mountain cabins. Today you will go by boat from Fondsbu to Torfinnsbu, and then hike to the nice mountain lodge Gjendebu, where we will be spending the night. Hike: 9.6 miles, 1312 ft VG, 1640 ft VL, 4-5 hrs Thursday, August 29 th - Bukkelægret Gjendebu Mountain Lodge Today we will do a beautiful hike along the mountain Bukkelægret. The view en route is amazing, and the mountain is known for its rich flora. During we will have a view of the west end of lake Gjende. The same water will be following us the coming day. We start from Gjendebu following the path along the water. Suddenly the path goes steep up, for about a half a mile, then we get to the top of the mountain, Memurabu Mountain Lodge and Restaurant

15 Bukkelægeret and follow the path over the mountain and down to Memurubu. We will spend the night in the Memurubu Mountain Lodge. Hike: 6 miles, 1640 ft VG, 1640 ft VL, 5-6 hours Friday, August 30 th - The famous Besseggen The Besseggen ridge is one of the most popular day hikes in Norway and has reached a kind of cult status. With a 7-8-hour day and 2821 feet of ascent, this is no walk in the park. But, it is an utterly stunning hike along a ridge with spectacular views. We will overnight in the Mountain Lodge Gjendesheim. Hike: 8.5 miles, 2821 ft VG, 2952 ft VL, 7-8 hours

16 The Besseggen Ridge Gjendeshein Mountain Lodge

17 Saturday, August 31 st - Gjendesheim Oslo It is a 5-hour drive from Gjendesheim to Oslo by public bus. We will overnight in a hotel near the Gardermoen airport outside of Oslo for an easy departure home. For those that want to spend some time in Oslo, you may want to consider adding on a day or two. From the airport the Airport Express will take you to the city centre in 19 minutes and runs every 10 minutes. Sunday, September 1 st - Fly home

18 Aurlandsdalen TREKKING FJORDS AND NATIONAL PARKS OF NORWAY, AUGUST 18 SEPTEMBER 1, 2019, PACK LIST The following is a list of recommended items to carry in your luggage and/or pack (including the 4 nights in the huts in Jotunheimen National Park): 1) Pack cover 2) Rain jacket/pants 3) Buff/neck gaiter 4) Warm gloves 5) Warm hat 6) Several warm layers 7) Gore-Tex over mitts/water resistant gloves to keep hands dry when using poles 8) Waterproof boots 9) Headlamp 10) Change of hiking pants and shirt (quick dry material preferred) 11) Change of undergarments (quick dry material preferred) 12)Change of socks (quick dry material preferred)

19 13) Sleepwear (personal preference) 14)Personal toiletries (including ear plugs, soap, detergent for washing clothes, a few clothespins, etc.) 15)You may want lightweight shoes to wear inside/outside the huts 16) Sunscreen, good sunglasses, personal first aid requirements (Mole skin, pain relievers, etc.) 17) A sleep sack and towel for the huts 18) 1-2 liter capacity for water

20 Lake Gjende, Jotunheimen National Park TREKKING FJORDS AND NATIONAL PARKS OF NORWAY, AUGUST 18 SEPTEMBER 1, 2019, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Currency The unit of currency of Norway is the Norwegian krone most often represented as Nkr (preceding the number) in northern Europe and NOK (preceding the number) in international money markets but, within Norway, its often simply kr (following the amount). One Norwegian krone (Nkr1) equals 100 øre. Coins come in denominations of 50 øre and Nkr1, 5, 20 and 20and notes can be worth Nkr50, 100, 200, 500 and Credit & Debit Cards Should you use a credit card or a debit card when traveling? Both have benefits. A credit card allows you to delay payment and gives you certain rights as a consumer. A debit card, also known as a check card, deducts funds directly from your checking account and helps you stay within your budget. Otherwise, the two types of plastic are virtually the same. Both will get you cash advances at ATMs worldwide if your card is properly programmed with your personal identification number (PIN). Both offer excellent, wholesale exchange rates, and both protect you against unauthorized use if the card is lost or stolen. Check your bank's policies concerning foreign transaction fees and interest and fees charged for cash advances. Visa, Eurocard, MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club cards are widely accepted throughout Norway.

21 Exchanging Money For the most favorable rates, change money through banks. A Visa and Mastercard should work at all ATMs where you can see a Cirrus, Plus, Mastercard or Visa logo on the front of the machine. Mini- Banks (the name for ATMs in Norway) are found adjacent to many banks and around busy places such as shopping centers. Although fees charged for ATM transactions may be higher abroad than at home, Cirrus and Plus exchange rates are excellent, because they are based on wholesale rates offered only by major banks. You won't do as well at exchange booths in airports or rail and bus stations, in hotels, in restaurants, or in stores, although you may find their hours more convenient. I recommend we get a little money at a Bergen airport ATM and then hit a bank ATM Monday or Tuesday in Bergen. Tipping Tipping is actually not required or expected in most places. It is viewed as entirely voluntary and is up to the individual receiving the service. Norway tipping culture is comparable to Iceland s and much of the rest of Northern Europe. The Norwegians earn decent salaries and do not depend on tips. However, with that being said, it's quite common to round up the bill to the nearest 10 or 100 NOK. To be fair, it is just as well tipping is not really commonplace in Norway. This is due to the fact that you are likely to find that this is the most expensive country you have ever been to in fact, ridiculously so on occasions! Hotel staff in Norway are well paid so tipping in hotels is extremely uncommon. Most Norwegians carry their own bags so porters are only found at the top hotels and they still won't expect a tip. Tipping hotel maids is also not really done in Norway. Waiters in Norway will not expect a tip, but rounding up the bill does seem to be common. You shouldn't expect a service charge and if there is a percentage charge on the bill it will probably be VAT. It's perfectly fine not to tip but if you do receive exceptional service and wish to tip feel free to leave However if you do receive exceptional service feel free to tip, just understand that it's much more common to round up to the nearest 10 or 100 NOK. As with other services in Norway, the price of a guided tour includes a gratuity. However, if your tour guide is exceptionally friendly and helpful, he or she will certainly appreciate a tip if you want to give one. A tip to a tour guide is never expected, but definitely always appreciated. Electrical Devices To use your U.S.-purchased electric-powered equipment, bring a converter and adapter. The electrical current in Norway is 220 volts, 50 Hertz alternating current (AC); wall outlets take continental-type (European) plugs, with two round prongs. If your appliances are dual-voltage, you'll need only an adapter. Otherwise, you will need a converter as well. Most laptops, tablets, cell phones etc. operate equally well on 110 and 220 volts and so require only an adapter. Country Codes All Norwegian telephone numbers consist of eight digits and there are no regional area codes. The country code for Norway is 47. The telephone number for Hotel Vangsgaarden, for example, is: , where is the area code. To phone Norway from outside the country, preface the telephone number with the country code (47). To call the Hotel Vangsgaarden from the US you would dial 011 (47)

22 Travel Documents When traveling internationally make at least two photocopies of your passport (one for someone at home and another for you, carried separately from your passport). Also, take a photo of your passport so that you have an extra copy on your camera. When staying in a hotel, it is best to leave your passport in a safe in your room while you are out for the day. If you lose your passport, promptly call the nearest embassy or consulate and the local police. The only US consulate in Norway is in Oslo.