Join Us On A Journey That Feels Like Coming Home

Tour begins and ends in Oslo.

Day 1: Welcome to Oslo. Let’s all meet at the hotel and break the ice with a welcome drink. From there, we’ll head on an orientation walk, as we navigate to our first dinner together. (Sleep 4 nights in Oslo)

Day 2: Full day in Oslo. We’ll kick off this day with a walking tour of several key sites: Oslo City Hall, the Royal Palace, Vigeland Park and the Opera House. Originating from different eras, these sites tell the story of Norwegian architecture, art and history, but also teaches us about the vision for the use of public space in Oslo. We will enjoy a group lunch together (included), before you set off on your free afternoon with your Oslo Pass* (included).

*The 48hr Oslo Pass is your key to the city, granting you free admission to museums and unlimited travel on public transport (bus, tram, ferry, metro). 

Day 3: Full day in Oslo. We will begin our day with a river-walk along the Akerselva (the Aker River). This scenic walk goes off the typical tourist path and into local neighborhoods like hip Grünnerløkka and trendy St Hanshaugen. We’ll stop for a traditional Norwegian waffle along the way. The rest of the day is yours to explore with your Oslo Pass. For those who want to join me in a very Nordic tradition, I’ll be reserving a private floating sauna down at the fjord later in the day (additional cost). We’ll all meet again in the evening for a group dinner (included). 

Day 4: Day trip to Drøbak & Oscarsborg Fortress. Today we will enjoy some time on the Oslo fjord as we ferry down to Oscarsborg Fortress. There, we will learn about the Battle of Drøbak from 1940, which marked the end of the "Phoney War" and the beginning of World War II in Western Europe. The wreck of the Blücher, a German cruiser, remains on the sea floor and I still get goosebumps whenever I sail nearby. After a group lunch in idyllic Drøbak (included) everyone is free to roam this picturesque seaside town, with its cobblestone streets, art galleries and white houses, before we head back to Oslo for one final evening which you'll enjoy on your own. 

Day 5: To Sygard Grytting. Today we set our sights on the Norwegian countryside in Gudbrandsdalen Valley. Our first stop is the Maihaugen Folk Museum in Lillehammer. This is one of the best, and largest, open-air folk museums in Norway, and features an impressive collection of old timber farm houses, beautiful exhibitions of historical artifacts and much more. You will enjoy lunch at the museum on your own, before we drive to the Lillehammer Olympics ski jumps for panoramic views of Lillehammer and Lake Mjøsa. Later we will stop at the Ringebu Stave Church which dates back to 1220, before finally arriving at our charming and rustic farmstay at Sygard Grytting. Dinner will be served at the elegant farmstay dining room, with a focus on traditional food and ingredients locally-sourced from this fertile valley. (Sleep 3 nights at Sygard Grytting farm) 

Day 6: A Full day at Sygard Grytting. On this day we will enjoy everything our hosts have to offer. We’ll begin the day with a guided tour of the farm, learning about traditional farming and all the food they produce right there. We are invited to try our hand at breadmaking (Norwegian style!) in a cooking class. After lunch on the farm (included), there is an optional hike, but if you prefer you can also relax on the farm and enjoy the valley views, before we head to dinner at legendary Anni’s in Ringebu, renowned all over Norway for their mastery of sausage making (included). 

Day 7: Full day at Sygard Grytting. This morning we head to a nearby seter (mountain farm), where we will meet a farmer who has taken their animals to graze in the hills for the summer. It is a unique experience, and UNESCO has recently named Seterkultur (Summer mountain farm culture) to its World Heritage List. And that is exactly what we will visit this morning. We’ll have a shared lunch (included). There is an optional hike in the afternoon for those who are interested. As the farm is located right on the Saint Olav pilgrimage trail to Nidaros, you might want to walk in the steps of thousands of pilgrims before you. The “last supper” of the tour will be together at the farm (included).

Day 8: Back to Oslo. We will enjoy one last breakfast together at Sygard Grytting before we catch our train back to Oslo. The journey to Oslo takes 2.5 hours.* The tour is over when we reach Oslo. If you can take some additional days in Norway that’s great! I have some recommendations for further travels below.** 

*We do pass by Oslo airport along the way, for those who have an early departure the next day, you may wish to get off earlier and spend a night at the airport hotel, or spend a night in downtown Oslo and head to the airport the next day. 

**If you can take some additional days in Norway, I’d suggest booking a “Norway in a Nutshell” or a “Sognefjord in a Nutshell” tour to Bergen. Or, instead of traveling back to Oslo at the end of the tour, you can venture north from Ringebu on the train to Trondheim or Ålesund. There are so many options!

Tour itinerary subject to change.