13-Days The Inner Fjords Explorer 2027 (GLP Tour)

Today you will fly overnight from Toronto to a European city where you will connect for your flight to Bergen.

Arrive in Bergen and meet the local representative at the airport. Transfer to Hotel. Dinner at Hotel.

Accommodation: Home Hotel Bryggen Bergen or similar (1 night)

Gateway to the Fjords

Today, enjoy a city tour of Bergen, including a return ticket on the Fløibanen Funicular, taking you to the top of Mount Fløyen for breathtaking panoramic views over the city and surrounding fjords, with time to explore scenic viewpoints and walking trails. In the afternoon, transfer to the pier to join your ship for the incredible voyage through the Norwegian Fjords.

Once we’ve welcomed you aboard, you’ll meet your ship’s Expedition Team who’ll be your hosts and guides to the Norwegian fjords. Get acquainted with your shipmates and take some time to get comfortable in your new home-away-from-home. At 8pm we set sail. Enjoy your first meal aboard the ship, and watch Bergen recede into the horizon as we set a course southward towards the majestic fjords of Norway.

Accommodation: MS Trollfjord (7 nights)

Rosendal and the heart of Hardanger

Sailing into the Kvinnheradsfjord, a branch of the great Hardangerfjord, feels like entering a world carved by time itself. The fjord’s steep mountainsides, shaped by ancient glaciers, rise in sheer walls of green and grey, their slopes veined with waterfalls that plunge straight to the sea. Once an important route for farmers and traders, these deep waters still carry the quiet rhythm of coastal life.

At its heart lies Rosendal, a beatific village framed by orchards and the white peaks of the Folgefonna Glacier. Here, history lingers in the 17th-century Barony Rosendal, Norway’s only manor house of its kind, surrounded by serene gardens. You can stroll through these historic grounds, visit local art galleries, or enjoy coffee and home-baked treats in the garden café. Nearby, the Folgefonna National Park Center reveals the story of the region’s ice, rock and natural formations.

Stavanger and the Fjord of light

The day today belongs to the Lysefjord, one of Norway’s most dramatic waterways. Towering cliffs rise more than 3,000ft (1,000m) above the sea, and from the deck you may glimpse Preikestolen, or Pulpit Rock – a sheer plateau that has become an icon of Norway’s wild beauty. The fjord’s name, meaning “fjord of light”, reflects the pale granite walls that gleam in shifting weather, shaped by ice and time.

Later, we arrive in Stavanger, a lively coastal city where Viking heritage meets modern energy. The Old Town’s white wooden houses line cobbled streets filled with cafés and galleries, while the waterfront offers museums, seafood restaurants and space to wander. As it’s a weekday, this is an opportunity to browse the shops for souvenirs such as Norwegian design, wool sweaters and local crafts. Just offshore lies Flor og Fjære, a small island garden of subtropical blooms and even palm trees – an unexpected oasis in Norway’s otherwise rugged coastal world.

Included Shore Excursion
Walking Tour of Stavanger
Explore Stavanger’s harbour, historic old town, colourful Øvre Holmegate and cathedral while discovering the city’s culture and maritime heritage.

Queen of the Fjords

Today we sail into the magnificent Hardangerfjord, often called the Queen of the Fjords, which stretches 100 miles (179 km). Its broad waters reach deep into the mountains, where glaciers glint above orchards and villages cling to the slopes. In spring, fruit trees burst into blossom while snow still crowns the peaks, and in autumn the ripe fruits hang from the boughs ready for harvest – a vision of Norway at its most poetic. It’s no surprise that so many artists and painters have come to find inspiration here over the centuries – one of the most famous paintings being the Bridal Procession on the Hardangerfjord, by Hans Gude and Adolph Tidemand.

At the fjord’s innermost reach lies Eidfjord, a tranquil village surrounded by sheer cliffs and tumbling rivers. Here, nature and culture intertwine; you might visit the Hardangervidda Nature Centre, a gateway to Norway’s largest mountain plateau, or take an excursion to the mighty Vøringsfossen waterfall, which empties dramatically into a mist-shrouded gorge. The area’s deep valleys tell stories of farmers, fishermen and generations shaped by the fjord.

Deep into Norway’s heart

Sailing into the Sognefjord is like following a silver thread into the very heart of the country. Known as the King of the Fjords, it stretches over 120 miles (200 km) inland – so deep that by the time you reach its end you are almost in the middle of Norway. Towering cliffs rise above still waters, their faces etched by glaciers and dotted with the remnants of abandoned farms and homesteads. These ruins bear silent witness to the generations who once carved a hard living from these steep slopes.

At the fjord’s innermost point lies Skjolden, a tranquil village framed by waterfalls and snow-capped peaks. This was once a retreat for philosophers and artists seeking solitude, including the scholar Ludwig Wittgenstein. From Skjolden, you can explore the mighty Jostedalsbreen Glacier – mainland Europe’s largest – or follow scenic trails through valleys and flowered meadows that lead toward ancient farmsteads.

A little farther along the fjord stands the UNESCO-listed Urnes Stave Church, Norway’s oldest, its wooden carvings blending Viking artistry with Christian symbolism. Standing before its weathered timbers, surrounded by mountains, you sense the deep continuity of life along these shores, where faith, craftsmanship and landscape have been intertwined for nearly a thousand years.

Art Nouveau by the sea

Arriving in Ålesund, you’ll find one of Norway’s most beautiful and distinctive coastal cities. Rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1904, Ålesund rose again in the graceful curves and pastel hues of Art Nouveau architecture – turrets, towers and floral details reflected in the surrounding waters. The town’s setting is just as striking: a cluster of islands framed by mountains and sea, with views that unfold in every direction.

Wander the cobbled streets and waterfront cafés or visit the Jugendstilsenteret Museum to learn how European design movements shaped this northern gem. For a sweeping panorama, climb the steps to Mount Aksla, where the city’s intricate plan and the Sunnmøre Alps reveal themselves below. If time allows sample local seafood or browse small boutiques selling Norwegian crafts.

Included Shore Excursion
Ålesund Panoramic Bus Tour with Mount Aksla Viewpoint
Discover Ålesund’s Art Nouveau streets and harbour on a panoramic bus tour, including Mount Aksla’s Fjellstua viewpoint for sweeping views of the town and Sunnmøre Alps.

Glaciers, valleys and village life

The approach to Nordfjord is among the most scenic in Norway. Stretching over 60 miles (100 km) inland, it links the open sea to glacier-carved valleys and mirror-bright lakes. The fjord’s sheltered waters once carried Viking ships and trading vessels; today, it reveals a gentler rhythm of life where red boathouses, pastures and forested slopes line the shore. Steep mountains rise abruptly from the water, their tops dusted with snow well into spring, while waterfalls descend in silver threads from high plateaus.

At the fjord’s innermost reach lies Olden, a peaceful village framed by the turquoise waters of the Oldeelva River and the mighty Jostedalsbreen Glacier, the largest on mainland Europe. From here, you can take excursions into the valley, visiting glacial lakes and viewpoints where ice, rock and meadow meet. Whether you wander the waterfront or join an excursion inland, Olden captures the stillness and splendor of Norway’s inner heart.

Included Shore Excursion
Jostedalsbreen Glacier
Discover Olden’s glacier scenery on an excursion to Briksdal, an arm of Jostedalsbreen, with waterfalls, mountain views and access by scenic trail or troll car.

We arrive back in Bergen this morning, returning to the Gateway to the Fjords after your journey deep into Norway’s Western Fjords. The harbor greets you with its familiar wooden wharves, mountain peaks and the scent of sea air.

If you didn’t see Bryggen on your first visit, now’s the time to explore its UNESCO-listed alleyways, where merchants once traded goods from across the world. It’s time to say farewell to the captain, crew, and fellow guests. After disembarkation, transfer (driver only) from pier to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. Dinner at local restaurant.

Accommodation: Home Hotel Bryggen Bergen or similar (1 night)

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the train station to begin your “Norway in a Nutshell” journey from Bergen to Oslo. Travel by train on the scenic Bergen Railway to Voss, followed by a coach ride to Gudvangen through dramatic valleys and mountain landscapes.

Continue with a fjord cruise along the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord and to the village of Flåm. From Flåm, board the famous Flåm Railway to Myrdal, where you will connect to the Bergen Railway and continue to Oslo. Upon arrival, you will be transferred (driver only) to your hotel where your luggage awaits you.

Accommodation: Clarion Hotel The Hub Oslo or similar (2 nights)

After breakfast, you will first visit the Fram Museum, which tells the story of Norwegian polar exploration, followed by the Kon-Tiki Museum, famous for showcasing some of mankind’s most remarkable expeditions. You will then continue with a sightseeing tour of the capital city, Oslo, where you will admire the Royal Palace, the National Theater, the Parliament, the Opera House by the waterfront, and the medieval Akershus Fortress.

The rest of the day is at leisure. Farewell dinner at local restaurant.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before checking out and taking the coach (driver only) to the Oslo Airport for your return flight home.