It’s simple. You can go to a traditional campsite, sleep out in the cold and make all the effort yourself in spartan conditions you wouldn’t otherwise tolerate. Or you can camp in prime accommodation, with all the facilities you would wish for, but still be in fabulous scenery and free from the distractions of daily life.
It is time to leave the hassle of packing up tent sites behind you. You deserve to indulge yourself by enjoying carefully curated luxury camping, which is available across Norway’s breadth of majestic landscapes.
You are spoiled for choice while glamping in Norway – there is such a multitude of top sites that making a choice can be the most stressful part of the experience. So let’s make the selection as enjoyable as the expedition – let’s make sure you get the best Norway has to offer.
This suggested one week self-drive glamping itinerary strings together prime destinations promising epic scenery, refreshing nature immersion and vibrant cultural discoveries, which await around every hairpin bend. Difficult as it is to edit this magnificent country down to a few highlights, we believe this is the best option available for those wishing to gain the most from a relatively short stay.
Introducing the Glamping Minivan Adventure
Don’t rely solely on public transport. A campervan rental will give you the ultimate flexibility for cruising between rural sites, from fjords to mountains and then ultimately the Arctic Circle and the Tromsø region. It will also provide comfortable mobile overnight lodging in between sites.
The best options are usually compact models which include basic camping equipment like fold down beds, gas stoves, coolers and electricity, which can be easily operated by two adult trazvelers. Specialist campervan suppliers operate throughout Norway, and there is a range of depots in which you can pick up your van at the start of your journey and drop it off at the end.
A number of companies offer week-long rentals, and can advise on the appropriate vans for Norway’s well-developed modern road system. As they are generally produced by reliable companies such as Mercedes or Fiat, you won’t go far wrong with a campervan. Your hotel on the road awaits!
Proposed One Week Glamping Road Trip Itinerary
Depart Oslo northward to Lillehammer – 2 nights
The first night of this is within the Jotunheimen National Park. Here you can stretch your legs by hiking the alpine trails during the day and then sleep soundly at night amidst the ancient pine forests blanketing the shores of Lake Gjende in a Nordic-style mirrored glass cabin.
Drive to Geirangerfjord – 1-2 nights
Here you can make time for ferrying into Nærøyfjord’s UNESCO World Heritage waters. Photograph their cascading waterfalls before unwinding in the hilltop luxury safari tents overlooking epic Geirangerfjord vistas.
Continue towards Trollstigen – 1-2 nights
After testing Trollstigen’s dizzying hairpin mountain road, settle within a boathouse turned boutique glamping haven at water level in Åndalsnes village. Here you can take in the thundering spectacle of the Stigfossen waterfall.
Proceed to Lofoten Islands 2-3 nights
Hopping on the iconic E10 highway, you arrive at the craggy peaks dotting the Norwegian sea and the tiny cabin dwellings, like something out of a fairytale, in Reine village. Alternatively you will be nested in the archipelago itself, on a converted light ship.
Final leg to Tromsø 1-2 nights
The Arctic Circle welcomes you in Tromsø! Cozy up in the snow-capped Lyngen Alps, watching Auroras blaze across the moonless sky in uniquely designed timber chalets whose enormous scenic glass panels overlook the deep blue fjords.
Estimated Itinerary Driving Times
Lillehammer to Geirangerfjord via Rv63, 15 and E136 – 3.5 hours
Geiranger to Trollstigen/Åndalsnes via Rv63 and E136 – 2 hours
Trollstigen to Svolvaer, Lofoten via E6 and E10 – 5+ hours
Svolvaer to Lyngen/ Tromso via E10, E8 – 5 hours
What to Expect From this Glamping-Focused Road Trip Itinerary
You won’t just be on the open road on a Norway campervan holiday, however attractive this is in itself. The whole point is to showcase the absolute best of the country, making connections you would not otherwise make.
You can take ferry rides, climb mountain passes, weave between archipelago islands and ultimately drive into the Arctic Circle, while marveling at Norway’s staggering diversity through your wide sweeping car windows. Overnight stays in thoughtfully designed dwellings marrying nature and luxury will provide the ultimate complement to the travel experience.
You can snorkel in the vibrant reefs, where you will often encounter whales, dolphins and seals looking for fish and sport. You will sample regional delicacies like tender reindeer or hiked cloudberries, and enjoy the skiing and snowshoeing which have long been parts of local life, in environments seemingly designed for your enjoyment as a tourist.
You can be lulled to sleep spotting glittering Northern Lights theatrics or witnessing the glow of the midnight sun’s endless golden-hued dusks. You can slumber in the purity of the intensely quiet pine forests and gaze out over the mountains, lakes and waterfalls, wondering what is possible tomorrow in more ways than one.
You can take plentiful stops to experience authentic local culture, and stroll through picturesque coastal villages dotted with storybook cottages in the shadows of towering peaks plunging into the icy fjord waters. You can experience Norway’s rich artistic and material heritage in situ, learning how the land of the Vikings became the happy and advanced country it is today, enjoying the same high standard of living and its benefits along the way.
Return home with memories to last a lifetime! Return with an experience worthy of everything you put into it!
It’s Time
Are you ready to script your own exceptional expedition across Norway’s treasured landscapes? Ready to spend your vacation chasing the endless summer light or the stars blazing with color?
Whether using a similar self-drive itinerary or opting for railpasses with pre-arranged glamping bundles, the magic of the open road will not fail to excite you, however you desire to wander. If open spaces are your thing, you will find that in Norway, the road to your destination is the road to much more than you thought.