Norway places route: Northern Lights, Flåm and Bergen
Explore Norway's natural wonders across 196.9 km through a route showcasing the country's most spectacular landscapes. This journey reveals why Norway ranks among the world's premier destinations for nature enthusiasts, featuring dramatic fjords, glaciers, and waterfalls that define the Scandinavian wilderness.
- Mode
- Places
- Start
- Northern Lights
- End
- Bergen Railway
- Stops
- 3
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Northern Lights — Natural phenomenon of aurora borealis illuminating Arctic skies in shimmering green and purple waves during winter months across northern Norway.
- Flåm Railway — Steep narrow-gauge railway descending through dramatic mountain valleys and waterfalls, connecting high plateaus to the Aurlandsfjord below.
- Bergen Railway — Historic train route crossing Norway's mountainous spine between Oslo and Bergen, showcasing alpine landscapes and crossing the Hardangervidda plateau.
Useful for your trip
- Timing
- Northern Lights visible from late September to late March. Best locations: Laten Islands, Sard, or Tromø.
- Timing
- Midnight Sun occurs approximately late April to late August in Northern Norway. Closer to North Pole = longer period.
- Timing
- Polar Night occurs late November to mid-January in Northern Norway. Sun doesn't rise for 24 hours near North Pole.
- Transport
- Flåm Railway (Flåms bana): famous tourist train covering 12.4 miles between Flåm town and Myrdal mountain station through valleys, waterfalls, and tunnels.
- Transport
- Bergen Railway (Berens bannan): connects Oslo and Bergen, crosses fjords, waterfalls, valleys, and Hardangervidda National Park. Highest train station in Norway at Finse.
- Transport
- Fjord cruises available from major coastal cities: Bergen, Ålesund, and Stavanger. Range from single-day to several weeks.
- Tip
- In Svalbard: carrying a firearm is mandatory when leaving settlements due to polar bears (estimated 3,000 individuals). Follow encounter protocol: try to scare them off first.
- Avoid
- In Svalbard: burial is prohibited (frozen ground), giving birth not allowed (pregnant women must relocate weeks before due date), and basic hospital only—serious cases require mainland evacuation.
- Where to stay
- Longyearbyen (Svalbard): ~2,000 residents, home to tourism, coal mining, and research. Note: prices very high especially for fresh food; cats are prohibited.
- Tip
- Red houses in Laten Islands fishing villages are traditional cabins (rorbu) converted to tourist accommodations. Red was cheapest (ochre and cod oil); white most expensive (required zinc).
- Tip
- Dog sledding tours available near Longyearbyen at farms specialized in care and breeding of sled dogs.
- Tip
- Visit Sami reindeer farms to feed reindeer or take reindeer sled rides. In April, semi-domesticated reindeer migrate inland to coast; can join Sami families for a few days.
Video on this route
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