Norway Pre-Trip
to the cruise to the
"Land of the Ice Bears: An In-Depth Exploration of the Arctic Svalbard"
July 25-30, 2010

Norway

Map of Morway

Pre-trip Route
fron Bergen, to Voss, to Flam, to Geilo, to Einfjord and back to Bergen.

Map of Morway

July 25, 2010 (Sunday)

  • Flew from Houston/Newark/Frankfurt to Bergen, Norway. Stayed at First Hotel Bergen. Walked to wharf area and Bergenhaus Castle.

    July 26, 2010 (Monday)

  • Took a cable car (Fløibanen funicular) to the top of Mt. Fløyen. Hiked and birded around the top of the mountain garden during the morning. Walked around the Troll Garden. Hiked and birded down the mountain as we headed to Tippetue, Fjellveien, and the city center. After lunch, headed to the Island of Askoy to bird the nature reserve at Herdla. Group dinner in Bergen.

    July 27, 2010 (Tuesday)

  • Left Bergen by bus. Drove and birded as we headed to Voss. Birded near Voss' ski area before lunch and along the Vosso River after lunch. Spent night at Vossestrand Hotel near Voss' ski area.
     
    Vossestrand Hotel

    July 28, 2010 (Wednesday)

  • Headed toward Sognefjord area. Birded the Nesheimtunet Museum near Voss after breakfast. This included birding fields along a road, a fresh water marsh (scope birding), and around some of the museum's buildings (fjord views-scope birding). Visited Tvindefossen Falls near Voss. Descended the Stalheimsklevia (one of the steepest roads in Northern Europe) from the top at Stalheim into the Nærøydalen Valley below. Drove on to Flåm where we lunched at the Fretheim Hotel. During the afternoon, we enjoyed magnificent scenery as we drove through the Aurland area and arrived in Geilo where we spent the night at the Bardola Hotel. After dinner, drove up into the mountains to bird.
     
    Bardøla Hotel

    July 29, 2010 (Thursday)

  • Birded in the Hardangervidda area. Picnic lunch and birding in the Tinnhølen area Visited Sima Hydroelectric Plant area and Vøringfoss Waterfall. Spent night at the Quality Hotel & Resort Vøringsfoss in Eidjford.
     
    Vøringsfoss Hotel

    July 30, 2010 (Friday)

  • After breakfast, headed toward Kjeasen Area. Enjoyed the fjord scenery. Birded along the river. Returned to Quality Hotel & Resort Vøringsfoss in Eidjford later in the morning. Drove to Kinsarvik for lunch at the Best Western Kinsarvik Fjord Hotel. Birded around town's dock area, park, and medieval church/graveyard. Took car ferry from Kinsarvik to Kvandal with a stop in Utne. Drove along the Hardangerfjord back to Bergen stopping at several waterfalls. Farewell dinner in Bergen.