Two of us plan to do the Norway in a Nutshell trip in May and we would also like to include some kayaking. Can you recommend locations? Kayak tour companies? We plan to spend a couple of nights in Bergen but is it also worth spending a night in Flam or Voss for a half-day or full day of kayaking? Where do the locals like to paddle?
1
jostmoen
The fiords are spectacular and well worth visiting but not optimal for kayakking for a couple of reasons. Google "Bergen + kajakk" and try to find some way of getting out in kayakk on the coast, not inland in deep fiords.
2
group51uk
What are the reasons I wonder?
I'm doing the nutshell in early July from Bergen to Oslo and I also fancy some Kayaking. I saw this site
I only have an afternoon and evening in Bergen (benefitting from the late setting sun for my walkabout), so Kayaking there isn't possible.
Edited by: group51uk
Edited by: group51uk
3
jostmoen
A fiord is different when out and down on the water. The view tends to be more monotonous than on the coast among thousands of islands and islets. The feeling might get a little claustrophobic as well. You paddle along a steep mountainside, rising hundreds of meters right up, for kilometer after kilometer, with barely a place to get ashore. On the other side of the fiord it’s the same view. That’s the experience side of it. Maybe you think it’s great, and maybe it is. But it’s not my choice numero uno.
The security aspect doesn’t apply that much to people going on an organized tour. But I’ve experienced sudden wind and choppy sea which may be difficult to handle, especially when there is no place to land. On the coast, the same wind is no match and makes only mellow waves. This may seem opposite of what you should expect, but the fiord landscape, fiordscape, is perfect for wind tunnels, returning waves and the dangerous phenomenon called falling wind.
That said, don’t be put off! Go ahead and you most certainly will have a great and memorable experience!
4
group51uk
Fascinating, thanks for that, I'll be mentally prepared. They only had 1 space left on 1 tour (King's Path) for the days I'm there so I had to book on the spot (must be high season)!
5
group51uk
Just an update from me. I just did the Kings Path today, two people pulled out because it was raining and cloudy, but despite the bad weather, low cloud, lack of hottie co-oarsmen, intermittent rain, and heavy waterfalls everywhere, which meant our rock pool w too turbulent to swim in, I had a great time. The Fjord was calm and the hike was tough enough to feel like it was worth it. I tasted the water on my tounge, it was slightly salty. I feel like I've properly visited the Fjords now. I did the hike from Østerbo yesterday and that was awesome too.
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