Sognefjord Cruise & Balestrand – one way

Welcome to Oslo

Welcome to Oslo! Upon arrival, make your way to your centrally located hotel. Read our guide on how to travel to your hotel.

Take the afternoon to explore Norway's capital at your own pace. The Opera House's sloping roof invites you to walk up for harbor views, while the Vigeland Sculpture Park features over 200 bronze and granite figures. The Royal Palace sits at the end of Karl Johan street, the city's main thoroughfare lined with shops and cafés.

Consider adding an optional electric dinner cruise on the Oslofjord – a three-course meal served as you glide past islands and coastal landmarks. Available during checkout. Rest well – tomorrow's journey to Balestrand begins early.

The epic journey to Balestrand

Board the morning Bergen Line from Oslo. The train climbs through forested valleys before crossing Hardangervidda plateau at 1,237 meters above sea level – Northern Europe's highest mainline railway. Watch the landscape transform from urban surroundings to vast mountain expanses where stone and water stretch to the horizon.

At Myrdal mountain station, transfer to the world-famous Flåm Railway for a dramatic descent. Over twenty kilometers, the train drops 863 meters through twenty tunnels carved by hand through solid rock. The route stops at Kjosfossen waterfall, giving you time to step out and feel the spray from water cascading beside the tracks.

Arrive in Flåm and board your express boat for the cruise along Aurlandsfjord and into the Sognefjord – Norway's longest and deepest fjord. The boat glides past steep mountainsides and small villages to reach Balestrand. Check into the historic Kviknes Hotel, welcoming travelers since 1877, where your room overlooks the fjord. Dinner included at the hotel.

Balestrand bliss

Your full day in Balestrand is yours to shape. The village offers marked hiking trails that wind through the mountains, each providing different perspectives on the fjord and surrounding peaks. Swiss-style wooden villas dot the landscape – a legacy from when artists and travelers discovered this corner of the Sognefjord in the late 1800s.

Consider adding optional experiences available during checkout. A RIB boat safari speeds across the fjord to explore narrower arms and waterfalls up close. Or visit a local cider farm to taste Norwegian ciders and learn about fruit growing in this surprisingly mild climate where orchards thrive despite the northern latitude.

The Kviknes Hotel sits directly on the fjord, and sometimes the best activity is simply absorbing the pace of fjord village life from the waterfront. Dinner included at the hotel.

Fjord cruise to Bergen

Board the morning express boat from Balestrand for a four-hour cruise to Bergen. The vessel navigates through the outer parts of the Sognefjord, then along the picturesque Norwegian coast as you approach Bergen. Mountains frame the route, and small islands scatter across the water as the fjord opens toward the sea.

Arrive in Bergen's colorful harbor and check into your centrally located hotel. The afternoon is yours to explore. Walk through the UNESCO-listed Bryggen wharf where wooden merchant buildings line the waterfront, or ride the Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen for views across the city and islands beyond.

Consider adding dinner at Cornelius Seafood Restaurant – located on a small island just outside the city and accessible only by boat. The restaurant ranks among Norway's finest for seafood. Available during checkout.

Tour ends after breakfast the next day.