Jewels of the North - from Norway to Sweden

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1 The U Magnificent journey of wonders View of the Aurlandsfjord, in Flåm Jewels of the North - from Norway to Sweden Norway is a vast adventure playground To the rest of the world, Norway is where Mother Nature has created one of her finest works of art Against such a wonderful natural canvas, it's easy to forget that man can also be artistic, and many a visitor has been left surprised to discover that Oslo is home to world-class museums and galleries rivaling anywhere else on the European art trail Sweden is the land of solitude, wilderness and red wooden houses with white edges There's something so wholesome and healthy about Sweden, hard to grasp You can take advantage of this gorgeous country, from its scenic beauty to its first-class dining It s one of the largest countries in Europe, but has less than 10 million inhabitants The land of IKEA and Volvo has lots of beautiful nature to discover, thousands of lakes, large forests but also nice old towns, cities with their old architecture preserved and world-class sights Nordic countries Tour overview

2 Oslo Geirangerfjord Naeröyfjord Flåm Aker Brygge, Oslo Ålesund View from Union Hotel Fjaerland Stegastein viewpoint, Flåm Flåm View Day 1, arriving Oslo The capital of Norway, sits on the country s Southern coast at the head of the Oslofjord, and is known for its wide green spaces and museums and its lively and pleasant city center On-your-own discovery of Oslo city center Dining at a good restaurant Overnight in Oslo, at a 4* hotel Day 2, flight to Ålesund Sightseeing of Oslo Our comfortable bus takes us through the city center and to to the Bygdøy museum peninsula, including the Norwegian Maritime Museum, the Vikingskipshuset (with ships from the 10th century) and the Norsk Folkemuseum, with artifacts from the Sami and Viking cultures Flight Oslo-Ålesund in late afternoon Discover the nice city of Ålesund on your own It s located directly at the Atlantic coast and has a prosperous fishing industry (the largest in Norway) The city has ca inhabitants Dinner at a good Ålesund restaurant Overnight in a 4* hotel Day 3, to Geiranger by bus Check-out from hotel and boarding our comfortable bus for a short city tour of Ålesund, this charming and beauti- fully situated Art Nouveau City Then we start our transfer towards Geiranger kms, 2-5 hours drive, depending on the decided route The route first goes inland towards Åndalsnes, and then South climbing the famous Trollstigen serpentine road, road 63 Later passing a river gorge, crossing the Nordfjord with a car/bus ferry and continue on winding fjord roads Passing the famous Ørnesvingen viewpoint just before the spectacular village of Geiranger You will arrive Geiranger in the afternoon, it s known as the real jewel of the Norwegian fjords With its characteristic S shape, high waterfalls and abandoned mountain farms, the fjord landscape is included on UNESCO s list of World Heritage sites Here you can find dramatic, unspoilt and beautiful nature the whole year round! Dinner and overnight at the 4* Union Hotel Geiranger (TBC) Day 4, Geiranger - Flåm by bus Bus transfer, total ca 300 kms from Geiranger to Flåm, 7-9 hrs incl de-tours and breaks You will pass several viewpoints, mountain roads, Europe s largest glacier on the way, as well as car ferries and long road tunnels Suggested stops at: Dalsnibba viewpoint, Stryn high-mountain road, Glacier Museum in Fjaerland, Borgund stave church from the 12 th century, and the Stegastein viewpoint just before Flåm Option: Spend an extra night in Gloppen Hotel in Sandane This would make the bus journey more relaxed Furthermore, Gloppen is an old wooden hotel, famous both for its interiors and its food (This would make the tour 8 days long) The small village with the grand surroundings: Flåm is surrounded by steep mountains, rivers, waterfalls and narrow valleys, and during the spring and summer months you will see large cruise ships gliding in through the narrow fjord with their course set for the tiny Flåm Harbour If time permits: Tour of Flåm surroundings Dinner at Fretheim Hotel, or alternatively, if you prefer a more rustic Viking-style dinner with beer, in Aegir Brewery & Pub Overnight at Fretheim Hotel or Flåm Marina & Apartments (to be confirmed), with a great view!

3 View from Flåmsbana Bryggen, Bergen Stockholm Old Town Bergen Express boat Flåmsbana RIB tour Day 5, with Express Boat to Bergen (Ca 5½ hrs) Boarding a modern Express Boat from Flåm harbour and go through Sognefjord (Norway s longest, and deepest!) to Bergen Sognefjord is ca 250 kms long This is a spectacular sea voyage, through a beautiful and dramatic fjord landscape, which gets softer towards the end when we get closer to the Atlantic coast Or (alternatively) by train to Bergen: (Ca 4 hrs) Flåmsbana - rated as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world The Flåm Railway is the result of some very admirable railway engineering efforts almost one hundred years ago The train partly runs in spirallyformed tunnels inside the mountain, and the ride offers some spectacular views of the Norwegian mountain landscape The train also stops at a waterfall You change trains at the mountain plateau station of Myrdal and continue with the comfortable express train to Bergen As a European City of Culture and World Heritage City, Norway s second largest city of Bergen offers world class experiences and culture Being the Gateway to the Fjords of Norway, the Bergen region has the ideal combination of nature, culture and interesting urban attractions all the year round The up to 700 years old Bryggen district consists of the old wharf and its surrounding commercial buildings (a former center of the Hanseatic League merchants), and features vibrantly coloured wooden houses If time permits: Visit to Fløyen Viewpoint Dinner at a good restaurant in Bergen city center Overnight at a Bergen 4* Hotel Day 6 to Stockholm Flight Bergen-Stockholm Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, encompasses 14 islands of the vast Stockholm archipelago on the Baltic Sea coast The cobblestone streets and ochre-coloured buildings of medieval Gamla Stan, the old town, are home to a 13th-century cathedral, the royal palace Kungliga Slottet and its underground armory, cafés and restaurants Ferries and sightseeing boats shuttle passengers between islands, beneath more than 50 bridges Visit to the Wasa Museum, if time permits, a warship from 1628 Dinner at a good restaurant, and overnight in a 4* hotel Downtown Stockholm Barkarby FO Wasa Museum Day 7, Shopping day The Barkarby Quality Outlet area consists of ca 30 boutique shops in a nice city-like open air area - so if you like bargain shopping, but dislike shopping centers, this is your place to be The location Barkarby is about half an hour from Stockholm s city center Downtown Stockholm has its own charm, where you can shop, stop for coffee, meet people and feel the ambience of the city Dinner at a nice restaurant in Stockholm Overnight at the hotel in Stockholm

4 Day 8, Fly back to Jakarta Breakfast and check-out Transport to Arlanda Airport Flight back to Asia, via one of the airline hubs in the Middle East Please note This itinerary is a draft and the details may change when we get closer to your tour The order of places, sights and the timing can change, depending on opening hours, schedules of flights etc Hotels are subject to availability, especially in the smaller villages in Norway s fjord country Some Google images and maps have been used when preparing this document Things to manage before your trip Valid passport (valid at least 6 months into the future from the time of travel) A valid visa for Norway is needed You need to allow sufficient time for this process Operakällaren Restaurant, Stockholm Strandvägen, Stockholm Old Town, Sthlm Berns Restaurant, Stockholm Price indication Please note: Invoices are to be paid in SEK (Swedish Kronor) Dates for travel are not yet known Your preliminary price indication assumes that hotel rooms and flight seats are available on the chosen dates and to the costs assumed An exact price quote can be given after your travel dates are known and flight prices confirmed Halvarsson Travel Consulting 2016

5 Norway - Sweden Tour: 7 (-8) days & 7 (-8) nights (8 with the optional stay in Sandane) All-inclusive package, including most things you will need during the week Included in the package Accommodation in 4-star hotels in good locations Lunch and dinner at good local restaurants in Oslo, Ålesund, Geiranger, Flåm, Bergen and Stockholm Full transportation services during the whole journey A choice of activities Escort by English-speaking guide(s) from a travel agency during all transfers and tours, expert(s) of the museum at Viking Museum Oslo and Wasa Museum Stockholm Tickets and entrance fees to most main attractions Local taxes General information Confirmations of arrangements to be sent to you in advance, to support your visa applications A more detailed itinerary and general travel information will be given later, well in time for your tour NOT included (for all tours listed in this document) Additional food & beverages, on top of breakfast, lunch and dinner Additional personal expenses (hotel telephone, laundry, mini bar etc) Additional activities and tours, not specified in your itinerary document Insurance Tips to drivers, hotel staff etc Visa application Needs to be done by the traveller him/herself Old Bergen Stockholm, Mariaberget Torbjorn Halvarsson Djupdalsvagen 67 SE BROMMA Drottningholm Castle, Stockholm Phone: VAT Nbr: SE torbjornhalvarsson@gmailcom Web: wwwhalvarssonconsultingcom (from June 2016) Halvarsson Travel Consulting 2016

6 Geirangerfjord Geirangerfjord area Geiranger Mt Dalsnibba Viewpoint Sognefjord Flåm- Aurlandsfjord area Aurlandsfjord Naerøyfjord Aurland Stegastein Viewpoint Vassbygdi Viewpoint Flåm Halvarsson Travel Consulting 2016

7 Fjords, mountains and the sea View from the Snow Road towards Aurland and Flåm Undredal, near Flåm Flåm Railway: Waterfall at Vatnahalsen From Flåm Marina Mt Dalsnibba, Geiranger Fjord at Fjaerland Ørnesvingen, Geiranger