Norwegian Fjord Cruise Tours Sognefjord

OPTION 3
4 DAYS

FROM BERGEN to BERGEN

Sundays/2006:

Jun   04, 11, 18, 25
Jul    02, 09, 16, 23, 30
Aug   06, 13, 20, 27

SUNDAY BERGEN
Individual arrival in Bergen. Check in at the centrally located First Marin Hotel for overnight and breakfast.

MONDAY BERGEN - GUDVANGEN - LEIKANGER
Meet you tour escort and depart by coach from in front of the Radisson SAS Hotel near your hotel at 9:00 am. A beautiful drive awaits as you head towards Voss followed by majestic waterfalls along the way up and over the Stalheim Canyon Road -one of Europe's most famous - to the fascinating White Caves - a short tour into a mine cavern for an experience of colors, lightness, darkness, music, silence and meditation. Lunch. Arriving in Gudvangen, we board our private cruiser and set off into the beautiful and narrow Naeroy Fjord and the tiny settlement of Styvi for a guided tour of the farm there. Your private fjord cruiser awaits to set sail further into the Sogne Fjord to idyllic Undredal where there will be time to stop and visit the smallest Stave Church in northern Europe before reaching Leikanger which is the largest fruit-growing community in this region. Dinner and overnight at Leikanger Fjord Hotel or Sognefjord Hotel.

TUESDAY LEIKANGER - SOGNE FJORD - BERGEN
After breakfast, your private fjord cruiser awaits to set sail on the Sogne Fjord past beautiful Balestrand to visit Finden Goat Farm with insights into new and old traditions. With lunch en route, you leave the Sogne Fjord for the stretch of coast between the Sogne Fjord and Bergen which consists of thousand large and small islands and is considered Norway's most beautiful coastal archipelago. Sail into Bergen in the early evening. Your tour escort will bid you farewell at the pier near the First Marin Hotel where you will stay tonight. You have the evening free to explore this fascinating city on your own.

WEDNESDAY BERGEN
After breakfast, your tour arrangements end.

FROM:
$1055 per person double
$ 240 single supplement

OPTION 4
5 DAYS

FROM OSLO to BERGEN

Saturdays/2006:

Jun 03, 10, 17, 24
Jul 01, 08, 15, 22, 29
Aug 05, 12, 19, 26

SATURDAY OSLO
Individual arrival in Oslo. Check in at the centrally located Thon Hotel Opera in Oslo for overnight and breakfast.

SUNDAY OSLO - FLAM
Morning departure to Flam from the Railway Station across the street from your hotel. The train leaves at 8:11 am. At Myrdal ride the famous Flam Mountain Cog Railroad down the mountain to Flam for overnight and dinner at the Fretheim Hotel.

MONDAY FLAM - GUDVANGEN - LEIKANGER
After breakfast, you will be taken by taxi for the short trip to the White Caves where you will meet your tour escort and have a short tour into a mine cavern for an experience of colors, lightness, darkness, music, silence and meditation. Lunch. Arriving in Gudvangen, we board our private cruiser and set off into the beautiful and narrow Naeroy Fjord and the tiny settlement of Styvi for a guided tour of the farm there. Your private fjord cruiser awaits to set sail further into the Sogne Fjord to idyllic Undredal where there will be time to stop and visit the smallest Stave Church in northern Europe before reaching Leikanger which is the largest fruit-growing community in this region. Dinner and overnight at Leikanger Fjord Hotel or Sognefjord Hotel.

TUESDAY LEIKANGER - SOGNE FJORD - BERGEN
After breakfast, your private fjord cruiser awaits to set sail on the Sogne Fjord past beautiful Balestrand to visit Finden Goat Farm with insights into new and old traditions. With lunch en route, you leave the Sogne Fjord for the stretch of coast between the Sogne Fjord and Bergen which consists of thousand large and small islands and is considered Norway's most beautiful coastal archipelago. Sail into Bergen in the early evening. Your tour escort will bid you farewell at the pier across the street from the Radisson SAS Royal Bryggen Hotel where you will stay tonight. You have the evening free to explore this fascinating city on your own.

WEDNESDAY BERGEN
After breakfast, your tour arrangements end.

FROM:
$1425 per person double
$ 360 single supplement

3 Nights at First Class and Fjord Resort Hotels
Daily Breakfast, 2 Lunches, 1 Dinner
(On Option 4 - two dinners)
Transportation and Shore Excursions per itinerary
Tour Escort, except during arrival day
(On Option 4--no tour escort in Oslo and Flam)

More 4 day Sognefjord Cruise Tours

SOGNE FJORD CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS:
Since the 1800s, when the aristocracy and the wealthy sailed their yachts here each summer, the Sogne Fjord has been a “must see” for the world traveler. This grand fjord is called the King of Fjords because it is the longest (204 km or 126 miles) and deepest (1308 meters or 4200 feet) fjord in the world. You will see the fjord at its widest and explore its most explore narrow passages. The scenery will vary from wild and rugged mountains masses, straight into the fjord, to verdant farmland with storybook villages. Our modest-sized fjord cruiser can go into narrow fjord arms that the larger boats can only view from a distance. Maximum capacity on our cruisers is 100 but tours rarely exceed 40-60 passengers. Unlike the scheduled public boats, ours have the flexibility to make scenic detours and stop to take a closer look at wildlife and sea life. All cruises are manned by a crew who know the local fjords inside and out and by a professional guide who will be on hand to answer questions and provide assistance.

LEIKANGER - Leikanger is situated in a beautiful region in the heart of the Sognefjord. It is an excellent base from which to reach everything this part of Norway has to offer. At the same time, enjoy the mild climate allowing peaches, apricots and walnuts to thrive here. In 1840 the first steamboat began regular traffic in the Sognefjord. As a result, small pensions and hotels sprang up at the stopping places. One of the so called coaching stations was located at Leikanger. In a travel guide from 1896 you can read: “Leikanger is a smiling, beautiful beach along the main fjord, located 260 km from Bergen. Charming place. Rooms available."

STYVI - Styvi is located on the east side of the well known Nærøy fjord. People have lived here at least since the Viking Age, living primarily off farming domestic animals. Styvi has traditionally been an important link to both the local mail and the shipping routes. The 6 kilometer long "King's Post Road", running along the fjord between Bleiklindi and Styvi, is a part of the old mail link between Oslo and Bergen. The foot path was built around 1660 and was used until the advent of the steamboat in 1860. The path was traditionally used when there was unsafe ice on the fjord. Styvi farm is today a farm museum were you can see a large collection of agricultural artifacts. It is possible to visit the old farmhouse and other existing farm buildings. It is primarily the rugged, untouched wilderness that has led to official protection. Styvi is accessible only by boat.

UNDREDAL -Undredal is located along the Aurlands Fjord, a branch of the massive Sogne Fjord. It is very scenic and home to the smallest stave-church in Northern Europe. Lovely Undredal lies wedged in between high mountains. The village has a population of 130 people and 500 goats. Undredal is renowned for its goats' cheese, which is still made in the traditional way. Historically, Undredal was first mentioned when the Bishop of Bjørgvis (Bergen) placed Pål Bårdson, a known scholar, there as a representative of the church. Pål Bårdson was the Chancellor to King Magnus' court, and later Archbishop of Nidaros (Trondheim) during the years of 1333 to 1346. The chapel can be dated back to 1147.

WHITE CAVES - In Gudvangen, a new attraction that is a bit different. Enter into the bowels of the earth on a soft carpet, listen to Norwegian Edvard Greig's music as you pass running and dripping water, see specially lit caverns and ponds that contrast the white mine galleries.

FINDEN FARM - You will visit the Finden Farm - a hidden gem on the Sogne Fjord. Finden farm is a small settlement off the beaten track, without any road connections. The farm is set in a fantastic landscape and the guided tour will afford you a unique experience still undiscovered by most tourists. Our hosts, the only family living here, will show you round the farm and give you a good picture of life there in old and modern times. Light refreshments and goat’s cheese tasting can be included. This isolated goat farm can only be reached by boat and your visit here will give you an insight into the farmers’ tradition and way of life.

STALHEIM CANYON ROAD - A 1.3 km long, extremely steep road with 13 hairpin bends. Built in 1842-48 to improve the trans-mountain mail route, it has seen few improvements since. It is one of Northern Europe's steepest roads and is framed by two beautiful waterfalls, Stalheimsfossen and Sivlefossen.

FLAM RAILWAY - The world famous Flam Railway is a marvel of engineering. The only thing lacking when the railway line between Oslo and Bergen was opened in 1909, was a branch line to the Sognefjord. In order to assure a transport route to the fjord, work was begun on the Flåm Railway in 1920. It was to take 20 years to complete. The most time-consuming work was on the tunnels. These were excavated manually. By regular gauge track it ascends 865 meters (about 2,900 ft) in less than an hour, going through 20 tunnels and making a photo stop at the mighty Kjoss waterfall. You will hear a chorus of "oohs" and "aahs" as the incredible scenery shifts from one side to the other. The views on the train varies from the wild, barren inhospitable Hardanger Plateau at the top to the green and fertile Flam Valley that meanders down to the fjord.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a multilingual tour and is organized and operated by our Associate Office in Oslo.

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Ship Descriptions

(TRY) 111905

NORWEGIAN FJORD CRUISE TOURS

SOGNEFJORD CRUISE TOURS