Norwegian Explorer

Join us for a wonderful Norwegian adventure of Fjords, lakes, glaciers, and mountains on our magnificent Norwegian explorer tour. The magic starts in Norway’s beautiful Telemark region and continues to the famous Kviknes Hotel Balestrand, which has a sensational location right on the shore of the Sognefjord. See the best of Norway with varied and dramatic landscapes, travel along sparkling lakesides, around sheltered fjords, across majestic high mountain passes and through charming hamlets and villages. Our hotels in Vrådal and Balestrand are both proud members of Norway's Historic Hotels organisation. Make lasting memories on this once in a lifetime tour.Thursday:
Depart Leyland at 14.00 for our journey to Hull to board our overnight ferry to Rotterdam. Once onboard disembark, we have an evening meal onboad before retiring to our cabins for the evening. We suggest an overnight bag for the ferry with all your essential, medication etc.).

Friday:
Following breakfast re-join the coach as we disembark in Rotterdam. Continue our journey to our overnight stop in Breman, Germany, with a suitable lunch stop en-route, arriving in time for our evening meal.

Saturday:
Check out of our hotel following breakfast to continue our journey through Germany into Denmark and our overnight hotel in Kolding, Denmark, with a suitable lunch stop en-route, arriving in time for our evening meal.

Sunday:
Check out of our overnight hotel following breakfast as we head to Hirtshals in Denmark to catch our Colorline fast craft ferry to take us across to Larvik in Norway, sit back and relax and enjoy the wonderful views as we travel between the two countries. This exciting journey takes us across the Skagerrak Sea to Norway. On arrival re-join the coach to disembark as we leave the port and immediately encounter the fantastic, pristine Norwegian scenery during the onward journey to Vrådal, arrive at the traditional, family owned Straad Hotel our home for the next two nights, surrounded by the beautiful nature of the Telemark Region.

Monday:
Today following breakfast we have a day at leisure to explore Vrådal, enjoy the hotel's facilities and relax on the terrace or garden and take in the magnificent views across the lake. In the afternoon, from the hotel's lakeside garden, we include an afternoon cruise on Lake Nisser on the historic vessel MS Fram, now almost 100 years old.

Tuesday:
Check out of our hotel following breakfast as we continue our journey leaving the Telemark region travelling west, over the Haukeli high mountain pass and descend to the Hardangerfjord. This is a fruit growing area and is particularly beautiful in Summer. Enjoy views of the fjord and up to the Folgefonn Glacier before joining a short ferry across the fjord. Continue past Voss before crossing the Sognefjord to arrive at Balestrand at the Kvikne's Hotel our Norwegian home for the next 3-night nights.

Wednesday:
Following breakfastt enjoy the morning at leisure in Balestrand, taking time to enjoy the hotel and its breathtaking location. Late morning board the coach for the short excursion across the fjord and through Sogndal to the Sogn Folk Museum, Kaupanger. This attraction includes a range of local farm dwellings, pastures, footpaths, and trails. It offers an insight into fjordland life through the ages.




Thursday:
Following breakfast, we have a full day 'Glacier Route' excursion planned to start with an ascent of the mighty Gaularfjell, stopping at the Utsikten Viewpoint en-route. Continue along Lake Jolster and through Skei to arrive Fjaerland for a visit to the Norwegian Glacier Museum. On then towards Sogndal, enjoying wonderful views along the Fjaerlandsfjord, before arriving back at Balestrand.

Friday:
Following breakfast, we leave Balestrand and take 2 short ferry crossings on the Sognefjord before a photo stop at the Borgund Stave Church. Continue through the Hemsedal Valley and then south through lakes and mountains scenery before arriving in Horten, on the Oslofjord, arriving in time for dinner and our overnight stay at The Thon Hotel, Horten.

Saturday:
Check out of our hotel following an early breakfast as we head to Larvik to bid farewell to Norway and board our early morning Colorline fast craft ferry to Hirtshals in Denmark, re-join the coach to disembark and continue our journey to our overnight hotel in Neumunster in Germany with a suitable lunch stop en-route. Arrive in time for our evening meal.

Sunday:
Check out of our overnight hotel following breakfast as we continue or journey back to Rotterdam with a suitable lunch stop en-route, board the overnight ferry to Hull, disembark the coach (make sure you have an overnight bag with all your essentials). We have dinner onboard this evening before you retire to your cabins for the night.

Monday:
Following breakfast onboard re-join the coach to disembark the ferry in Hull and continue our journey home.Overnight hotel – Best Western Hotel Zur Post, Breman 28/06/2024 1 night
Overnight hotel – Scandic Kolding, Kolding 29/06/2024 1 night
Overnight ferry 27/06/2024
Straand Hotel, Vradal, 30/06/2024 for 2 nights
Kvikne’s Hotel, Balestrand 02/07/2024 for 3 nights
Overnight Hotel – Thon Hotel Horten, Horten 05/07/2024 1 night
Overnight hotel – Best Westen Hotel Prisma, Neumunster 06/07/2024 1 night
07/07/2024 Return overnight ferry