Norway – the land of the vikings with its rough coastlines, majestic fjords and breathtaking landscapes has long been on my travel destinations bucket list. Its name originates from the Old Norse word “Norðrvegr” translating to “The Way North“. A name that can be taken quite literally as its northernmost point Knivskjellodden – not the infamous North Cape – marks the northernmost point of mainland Europe.
But not only the beauty of this Scandinavian country is what caught my attention – its diverse wildlife is what truly motivated me to go there. So, earlier this year, my significant other and I decided to make Norway this year’s travel destination.
We planned to take our campervan north all the way up to the Lofoten islands – a considerable distance of more than 3,000km. Once there, we would explore the island group and head down Norway’s coastline over the course of about 2 weeks before returning back home. Along the route, we had pinned various locations we wanted to visit, such as Hamnøy, Trolltunga, Geiranger Fjord, Dovrefjell National Park and Runde island, to name a few.
In early May, the day we had been eagerly waiting for finally arrived. Bursting with excitement, we jumped into our van and headed north toward the German-Danish border. The following day, we crossed into Sweden and continued our journey north, planning to reach Norway within a few days. Along the way, though, we often found ourselves questioning whether Norway had truly been the right choice – Sweden was breathtaking in its own right. Endless lakes and vast stretches of lush, green forest unfolded before us, leaving a lasting impression. Perhaps it will be our next travel destination? 😉
However, we were determined to go to the Lofoten islands. On our third day of travel, we passed by Kiruna harboring Europe’s biggest iron ore mine. It truly blew our minds just how big this “hole in the ground” was. A few hours later we crossed the border into Norway at Bjørnfjell, only to be welcomed by snowfall. Surely we wondered if changing from winter to summer tires a few days prior to our departure had been a smart idea… Fortunately though, we made it down the mountain pass safely.
Last but not least we had arrived in Norway!
Over the course of the next 2 weeks we were about to explore this magnificent country. See for yourself what we have experienced along the route!