Norway!

2017 Norwegian Fjords Kayak and Hiking. Trip leader is Nic Mead who owns and operates Auckland Sea Kayak Adventures in the summer, and heads to Norway to guide during the NZ winter.

Thursday 15th of June to Friday 23rd of June 2017

All trip updates have been put at the bottom...

● Kayak the clear waters of beautiful fjords in southwest Norway
● Hike mountain trails for magnificent views of a unique, unforgettable landscape
● Paddle along calm currents between towering 1300 meter walls
● Camp alongside the Naeroyfjord, Norway's only Natural UNESCO World Heritage area
● Stay in seaside village and hosted by local family
● Paddle through 5 stunning different fjords

The awe-inspiring landscape of Norway is a treasure trove of outdoor adventure. Its magnificent fjords—once exposed glacial valleys now submerged under thousands of meters of meltwater—provide the perfect playground for our exciting kayaking and hiking  adventure.

Rendezvous in lovely Voss, gateway to the fjordlands, and travel west to the tiny village of Gudvangen where our kayaks await. Paddling the deep blue waters of the Naeroyfjord gives us a new appreciation for the enormous scale of these magical waterways. We pause along our route to hike mountain trails with breathtaking viewpoints and detour for scenic paddles past small villages and cascading waterfalls.

Nights of fjordside camping beneath towering granite peaks reminds us what "peace and quiet" means, while a night in a charming guesthouse reveals the warm hospitality of local hosts. Departing the fjordlands, we'll head to the spectacular Jostedalen Glacier National Park and up to the Nigardsbreen glacier and see the glaciers that once carved out the fjords. The adventure finishes back in Voss.

Day 1 - Rendezvous with your tour leader and fellow team members in Voss, Norway.
Our trip begins in Voss, Norway. A hub for outdoor adventure enthusiasts, Voss is conveniently located between the Hardangerfjord to the south and the Sognefjord to the north, and can easily be reached by train from Bergen (~1.5 hours) or Oslo (~5 hours). The trip leader Nic Mead will conduct an orientation meeting that includes group introductions and a thorough overview of the upcoming adventure. Trip members arriving earlier in the day may wish to stroll around Voss and enjoy the local scenery, visit the Voss Folk Museum, or discover the feeling of skydiving in Scandinavia’s first wind tunnel. Welcome dinner at our accommodation included.

Day 2 - Paddle beneath 1300 meter high walls and tranquil fjordside camping.
A scenic one hour drive brings us to the tiny village of Gudvangen, situated on the deep blue Nærøyfjord. After a safety briefing, paddling instructions, and loading our dry bags into the kayaks, we begin paddling. The Nærøyfjord is an idyllic spot with typically calm waters and waterfalls cascading from the fjord's 1300 meter high walls. We set up camp on the shore of the Nærøyfjord and enjoy a glass of wine and dinner prepared by the tour leader. A bonfire completes the scene and makes for a cheerful gathering place before we turn in for the night. All meals included.
Paddling distance: 13km. All camping gear provided.

Day 3 -  Day hike to the top of a towering peak for remarkable bird's eye views.
The day starts with a paddle across the fjord to the village of Dyrdal. Leaving the kayaks behind, we take up our daypacks continue hiking to the top of one of the fjord's towering peaks and from the summit we take in the magnificent views of the waterfilled channel cutting its way through the mountainous landscape that surrounds us. Following a picnic lunch we descend back to our campsite from the previous night. All meals included.
Paddling distance: 1km. Hiking distance: Up to 20km with up to 1300m elevation gain/loss. This walk is on a well formed track and is not too difficult for the averagely fit person.

Day 4 - Kayak into the Aurlandsfjord.
Back on the water this morning, our paddling route takes us into the larger Aurlandsfjord. The cold, clean waters are good for seal spotting and with luck, we may even encounter Niser, a local species of harbor porpoise. At midday, we enjoy an al fresco lunch on the shores of the fjord and then continue paddling to the small village of Undredal. Accessible only by boat until 1988, Undredal is famous for the brown goat cheese (geitost) that is still produced using traditional cheese-making techniques. We explore the village, taking time to admire its country store and the smallest Stave Church in Norway, which dates back to the 12th century. We camp 1.5km from the village in Stokko. All meals included.
Paddling distance: 16km.

Day 5 - Paddle to Fresvik for a delicious home-cooked dinner and hot tub soak.
We paddle north towards the main channel of the Sognefjord, stopping for a picnic lunch enroute. Following the southern shores of the Sognefjord around a headland, we head into the picturesque bay of Fresvik in the late afternoon. Our guesthouse in Fresvik is owned by a delightful couple, Dee Cunningham and his Norwegian wife Hege. We have time before and after dinner to take a relaxing soak in one of the guest-house's fjordside hot tubs. A dinner of homegrown ingredients from Dee and Hege's organic garden rounds out our day. All meals included.
Paddling distance: 23km.

Day 6 - We kayak west along the Sognefjord, which is considered the longest navigable fjord in the world at 202 km, with depths reaching over 1000m. As we head west the fjord opens up and becomes more populated before we head up the small Esefjord where we camp at right at the end for the night.
Paddling distance: 31km depending on weather conditions.

Day 7 - Our last day of paddling is a stunning kayak out of the Esefjord and into the Fjærlandsfjord. This fjord is 1 kilometres wide, with steep mountains on both sides of the fjord with the head of the fjord being the only habitable area. At the end of the fjord we see our camp site where you can opt for another night camping or staying in a cabin. All meals included.
Paddling distance: 30 km.

Day 8 - Our private shuttle picks us up in the morning and transports us the small mountain village of Jostedal. We spend the morning exploring Jostedalsbreen National Park and its namesake icecap, which is mainland Europe's largest. At the Nigardsbreen Glacier, one of the park's most dramatic glacial tongues, we walk along side of the glacier lake to the start of the glacier. There is the option for those who choose to go on the glacier which would include a briefing by the glacier guide, strapping on crampons and set out on an unforgettable hike to see fantastically shaped pinnacles, tunnels and frozen waterfalls. After completing the hike and returning to our vehicle, we drive to Voss and spend a final evening celebrating a memorable adventure in the company of friends. All meals included.
Hiking distance: 7km. Glacier walk is an optional extra and is NOK 710, with a minimum of 7 to do a private tour. Driving time 7 hours.

Notes on Itinerary -
Although we do our very best to adhere to the schedule listed above, this itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control including weather and terrain conditions. One glass of wine is included with evening meals and you are welcome to bring extra.

Two optional extras
Tenting is included on the nights of Day 6 and 7 however there may be the optional to stay in a small camping cabin for NOK 250, extra per night.
Walk to the glacier on Day 8 is included however not walking on the glacier which is an extra NOK 710,

Price
Tour price all inclusive NOK 15,900, which is NZD 2625, (as of 26/06/2016) paid in Norwegian Kroner.
Deposit of NOK 600, (approx NZD $100) required on confirming place on the tour and is non refundable. Remaining amount due 45 days before departure.

Payments -
On small amounts (e.g. $NZ 100 deposit)..... it is cheapest to pay via credit card, and please note that tour company adds a 5.5% fee to credit card transactions, which is not much on $100.
However, on larger amounts e.g. when we come to pay the full amount by next April 2017, according to ASB, the best way to pay (with the Swift Code below) it costs $30 per transaction across the counter.  But, if you do it via the internet banking, it will cost $15.00 per transaction.  I believe that different banks have different fee structures so inquire with your own bank.

Tour leader
Nic Mead, owner/operator of Auckland Sea Kayaks has spent since 2007 (9 summers and 4 winters) paddling the fjords of Norway. 'Stunning' is the best word to describe this area.

The website of the company involved is here... Feast your eyes and dream.

The easiest way to pay the $100 (NOK 600,-) deposit to confirm places is via the below link. It is through the Auckland Sea Kayaks online system here...
 
For final payment, the details are below. For sending money to Norway you require:
 
Amount: NOK 15.300,- 
Bank name: Voss Sparebank 
IBAN (15 alpha-numeric): NO7534801190180
BIC / SWIFT: DNBANOKKXXX
Beneficiary name: Nicholas P Mead

So that Larraine can keep track of who is going, please let us know you have paid your deposit by completing the form here...

UPDATES -
Accommodation in Oslo - if it is just a `place to sleep’  = Citybox Oslo. They take your credit card number, but no cost until you are on the property , and can cancel up to 11 June 2017....... near the train station..... clean and  `cheap‘ for Oslo.

And here are a couple of  links  to Citybox Oslo
https://www.google.co.nz/?gws_rd=ssl#q=citybox+oslo
https://citybox.no/oslo-en/
 
Janet, Larraine & Russell are taking the train from Oslo to Voss – Nicholas has said this is known as one of the best train rides in the World!!!! 

There are two trains leaving from Oslo to Voss on the 14 June :-
Depart 8.25am
Arrive 1.42p.m
 
Depart 12.03pm
Arrive 5.36p.m.

(Janet has now booked the morning train on the 15th June).


 

General enquires: