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Exit: By Ferry from Kristiansand to Hirsthals, Denmark or via the Svinesund Bridge to Sellater, Sweden and via Gothenburg to Malmo. 

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Additional information: Crossing the border is undramatic because of Nordic cooperation and the Schengen agreement. Norway is not part of EU, though, and different legislation apply, so goods may need to be declared, pets need to have their papers in order. There is a common customs office at the Finnish side. ​

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Approximate time to clear:​ 60 mins

 

Documentation

 

Passport: For British Citizens must be valid for at least 3 months from date of entry. 

VISA's: Not required for British Citizens. Norway is a Schengen member. If you’re travelling to Norway, previous visits to the Schengen area within the 180 days before your date of travel would count against the 90-day limit, but trips to EU countries outside the Schengen area (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania) would not. The 90-day visa-free period would not entitle you to work - most countries will require a visa and work permit. You may also need to get a visa before you travel if you’re planning to stay longer than 90 days, or your visit would take you over the 90 days in 180 days limit. You should check with the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration what type of visa, if any, you will need. Further details can be found on the UDI website. (Note: Tip Toe should not require VISA's for Norway.) 

EHIC: You should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before you travel. If you already have an EHIC, make sure it hasn’t expired. 

Driving licence: Visitors can drive using a valid UK or other EU/EEA driving licence. There is no need for an International Driving Permit (IDP), this will remain the case after Brexit. Make sure you have the correct vehicle insurance cover before you arrive. However, if you are driving in other European countries in addition to Norway, note that you will need to get an IDP to be able to drive some European countries as a visitor if there’s a no deal Brexit.

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Logistics

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Roads: Distances are great and driving takes longer than you might think. Narrow and winding roads may be hazardous and impassable, especially in winter. Keep headlights on at all times. Fines for exceeding the speed limit are high. On roads which are not marked with a priority sign (a yellow diamond), drivers must give way to traffic coming from the right.

Alcohol limits for drivers are far stricter than UK levels. There are frequent roadside checks for alcohol. Penalties for driving under the influence are severe and can lead to a prison sentence. 

 

Traffic: See Via Michelin or various applications including Wase.

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Winter Tyres: Car drivers must use winter tyres if there is snow or ice covering the roads. When winter tyres are used, they must be fitted on all wheels and must have a minimum tread depth of 3mm. You may also need to use studded tyres or snow chains for extra grip in icy conditions when permitted. You can find more information on the use of tyres and snow chains on the State Highways website.

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Weather: The winter is long (it can last well into April) and temperatures can drop to -25°C and below. There is also a high wind chill factor, particularly in unsheltered areas and mountain ranges. Weather conditions can worsen quickly.

 

Fuel: National Petrol Station networks. Scarcer in Northern areas and Islands. By way of example, in remote areas its been reported that local gas station's open from 8 in the morning until 9 in the evening. The price vary very much during the week in Norway. Monday morning and Thursday morning have lowest price, Monday afternoon the highest. The difference between Monday before and after 11:00 may be as much as 15%.! Some gas stations are unmanned. 

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Water: Readily available at most campsites and gas stations. The tap water in Norway is of excellent quality. You can drink tap water from anywhere as long as nothing else is stated. Bottled water can be bought in supermarkets, kiosks, gas stations and delis.

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Food: Price of food and drink in Norway is about 45% more than the UK. Food is readily available in shops and supermarkets especially in the major cities. Some campsites have shops which sell the basics. 

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Vehicle / trailer repairs: Main cities. 

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Bottle Gas or Refills: Generally understood to be readily available at filling stations. Mostly Propane (not Butane) due to the cold. Adapter may be required. Foreign tourists can not contain bottled gas exchange in Norway. A possible solution to this problem
is to buy a gas cylinder in Norway (propane bottle of 6 or 11 kg with industry linkage).

Price for a bottle of 6 kg: NOK 843, – incl VAT (estimate)..

Price for a bottle of 11 kilos: NOK 944, – incl VAT (estimate)..

Sometimes you will also need to purchase an adapter to connect your equipment. The price of such an adapter is approximately NOK 300, -. You can return the gas cylinders again at one of the 850 outlets of AGA. With your purchase you must or proof that the bottle is less than 6 months old. The adapter is not reversed.

Foreign tourists can not contain bottled gasexchange in Norway. A possible solution to this problem is to buy a gas cylinder in Norway (propane bottle of 6 or 11 kg with industry linkage). Price for a bottle of 6 kg: NOK 843, – incl VAT (estimate)..

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LPG: In addition to cooking gas for those with tanks, LPG is also used to power vehicles. Details of LPG gas stations and connectors can be found on the website myLPG.eu. A list of Points of Interest (POI's), a list of stations, can also be downloaded in other applications and on other devices like Garmin, TomTom, Google Earth and iGO primo. Links can be found here.

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Gas adapter: UK bayonet gas adapter is used here. 

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Currency: The Norwegian currency is NOK (Norwegian Krone. Approx rate 1 NOK = £0.084). You will not be able to use other currency in Norwegian shops, however, you can use a credit or debit card pretty much everywhere.

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Budget: Approx 30% more expensive than UK. Plan on €55-60 per day

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Pets

 

Check with the Norwegian Embassy in London before travelling with pets.

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Places to stay 

 

Name / Point of contact / Email / Tel No / Website

Price per night

Hotels

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Campsites

Including places (like hotels) that allow camping within their grounds. See Campsites in Europe. Typical average appears to be about €25.47 - €35 per night for a single vehicle, 2 people plus power hook up.

• Andenes Camping

• See Park4Night. 

• Camping in Norway

• Camping Portal. Camping holidays / campsites

• Campingguiden. An overview of more than 1000 Norwegian campsites

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Wild camping

Has a very extensive right-to-roam called allemannsrett. From the website of the Norwegian Environment Agency: In open country in the lowlands, you can pitch a tent and camp overnight for up to 48 hours in one location without prior permission from the landowner. ... So you are allowed to camp, even on private land with the Owners permission. Norway is known throughout the world for having some of the least restrictive camping laws. Today, anyone can legally explore and camp whenever they want – with a few exceptions. 

The basic principles of the right to roam are being considerate and thoughtful. When you’re unsure about what to do, use your best judgment and think about how you would want others to treat the land if it were yours. Pick up your trash and aim to leave no trace after you are done camping. Respect the nature and don’t interfere with the native flora or fauna.

You should also avoid building open fires – if you need to build a fire, look for somewhere with the appropriate facilities.

Wild camping does not apply to certain parts of Norway. For example, you cannot camp on private land without the owner’s permission. The Outdoor Recreation Act of 1957 refers to this as ‘fenced land’, but keep in mind that there does not need to be an actual fence in place for this rule to apply.You also cannot camp on cultivated land, such as farms or pastures, but you can use fields and meadows during the winter when the ground is frozen or snow-covered. Finally, you cannot camp on building plots on industrial areas

When you are camping, you need to keep your tent or van at least 500 feet away from the nearest dwelling. You can also opt to sleep under the stars, but the 500 feet rule still applies. If you want to stay in the same place for more than two nights, be sure to ask the landowner’s permission.

If you are ever unsure about whether or not you can camp in a certain place, it’s always best to ask the owner or find somewhere else. Norway is vast and full of beautiful open land, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a place to camp. Finally, make sure you only empty your toilets in designated areas. If you do so anywhere else, it is against the law.

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Things to do and places to see

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• South Sami People

• • Loss of winter grazing areas for Sami people.

  • Industrialisation / mining, wind farms.

  • Mauken-Blafjell military area. Intrusion into winter pastures

  • Nicholas Tyler, a British ecologist at UiT, the Arctic University of Norway, who studies reindeer populations in mainland Norway and the Svalbard archipelago.

  • Aili Keskitalo, president of the Sami parliament, based in the eastern town of Karasjok.

• Wind Park impact

  • ​Bessakerfjellet Windpark. In Møllerstua, which is always open, you can make your coffee and see photos of the construction of the wind farm. There is also a telescope, so you can study all the small islands in the sea. On clear days you can see out to the Halten lighthouse.

  • Roan at Fosen in Trøndelag. Norway’s largest wind farm 

• Musk Ox. Dovrefjell National Park. East of Andalsnes. Central Highlands. Wild Reindeer herd. Diminishing numbers.

• Atlantic Puffins. Lofoten Islands southern point.  Lack of herring. 

• Lynx. Telemark, 

• Wolf conservation. Polar Park.

• Brown Bears. Border with Sweden and Finland.
   

• NGO's.

  • Norwegian Church Aid (Sudan, Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa). 

  • Norwegian People's Aid. (Mine Action, Rescue and First Aid, Development Cooperation, Refugees). (Ethiopia, Zimbabwe)

  • Norad (Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa)

  • Naturvernforbundet. Mozambique sustainable energy project.

  • Saami Council. A voluntary Saami organization (a non–governmental organization), with Saami member organizations in Finland, Russia, Norway and Sweden.

  • Reindeer Herders Asssociation. Tromso.  
     

• Companies and Organisations

  • Nornickel. Worlds largest producer of Palladium, also Nickel, Copper, Rhodium.  Also produces gold, silver, iridium, selenium, ruthenium and tellurium. operations in South Africa. 

  • Equinor. Oil and Gas, Renewables. Drilling offshore Tanzania

  • Norwegian African Business Association. (NABA) A network for Norwegian Companies workig in Africa. 

  • Luossavaara Kiirunavaara Aktie Bolag (LKAB). Narvik. Iron Ore Producer. a world leading producer of iron ore products for steel making. The iron ore is being transported by train along the Ofotbanen railway, from Kiruna, Malmberget and Svappavaara in Northern Sweden to the two harbours Luleå in Sweden and to Narvik. 

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• Tourism and Research

  • See Visit Norway

    • Mountain walks (Norwegian Trekking Association)

    • Mountain biking​

  • Valtakunnanraja. Border crossing from Finland. 

  • Karasjok

    • Sami town​

    • Hand made knives and crafts

    • Sami National museum

    • Sami Parliament

  • North Cape

    • Knivskjellodden Hiking trail (18 km)​. Europe’s northernmost
      point (71°11’08’’). Marked hiking trail, 18 km round trip from
      Highway E69. Excellent view towards the North Cape
      Plateau. By walking the world’s northernmost hiking trail to
      Knivskjelodden, you can write your name in the hiking
      association’s minute book at Knivskjelodden, and buy a diploma
      at Nordkapp Camping as proof that you have visited Knivskjelodden and the year 2000 cairn.

    • Nordkapp Museum

    • Nordkapp Globe - photos!

    • Cape Marina

  • Honingsvag

    • Artico Ice Bar

    • Nordkappmuseet – Maritime Museum

    • Beer Tasting at Sjøgata Pub!​ Inner harbour

    • King Crab Adventure. Fiskeriveien 4, 9750 Honningsvåg
      T: +47 78 47 70 30 E: info@northcape.no

  • Tromso

    • Polaria. Arctic Aquarium​

    • The Polar Museum

    • Fjord Cruise. Whale watching

    • Hiking

    • Northern Lights / Midnight Sun

    • Glacier visit?

  • Lofoten Islands (Ferry from Alesund (Southern most tip) but
    dogs cannot travel with you and must be kennelled onboard.
    (You can drive it.) 

    • ​Bird Safari (Puffins). 

    • Lofoten Krigsminne Museum

    • Photography

    • Mountain Biking

    • Andenes Whale Museum.  

    • Whale Safari. HvalSafari AS. Andenes. (Price 1160 NOK
      per adult) Vesteralen

    • Vesteralen

    • Bergodal. Biking. (Sortland Norway)

    • 68 degrees North experience. Guided tours and
      photography workshops in Arctic Norway. Northern
      lights trips, hiking and photography tours. Photography
      and Instagram workshops available one to one or for
      groups of up to four people. Guiding in English, German,
      Norwegian and Czech.

    • Salmon Farming. 

    • Salmon Eye. Opening 2021​

    • Aquaculture Centre. Visit a salmon farm at Vesteralen

    • Waste dumping in fjords (Salmon) impact

  • Narvik

    • Ofoten Line Train Trip. ​

    • Polar Park. Observe animals like wolf, lynx and bear, as
      well as reindeer, moose, and arctic fox.

    • Narvik War Museum

    • Climb Stetind. Norways national mountain.

    • Hiking Tottotoppen Peak.

    • Fish Market.

  • Bodo

    • ​Saltstraumen is the site of the world’s strongest tidal
      current, which creates epic whirlpools and draws an
      abundance of fish.

    • Norwegian Aviation Museum

  • Mosjoen

    • Walking, Kayaking

    • Via ferrata

  • Trondheim

    • SINTEF science research center is doing some of the world's most important work in environmentally-friendly technologies

  • Kristiansund

    • Klippfiskkjeringa​

    • Kvalvik Fort

    • Mellemvaerftet Old Shipbuilding Museum

  • Alesund

    • Westerås - UNESCO sites  Geirangerfjord

    • Trollstigen​

    • Gamle Strynefjellsvegen. Beautiful road trip. A 27 km loop
      of road off the main road. Often closed in winter October
      - June. 

    • Atlantic Ocean Road

    • Medieval Village

    • Aksala Mountain

    • Fjellstua Viewpoint

    • Atlantic Sea Park

    • Hike Sukkertoppen the Sugar Top

    • Lom, Climate Park and the Ice Tunnel

  • Flor

    • Flower Park​

  • Bergen

    •  Flam Railway (steepest railway)

  • Stavanger

    • PREIKESTOLEN (Pulpit Rock - if snow free)

    • Norwegian Petroleum Museum

    • Norwegian Canning Museum

    • Florli 4444. The worlds biggest staircase

  • Kristiansand

    • Colour Line Ferries

    • Movik Fort

    • Ravnedalen Naturpark.

    • Kristiansand Kanonmuseum 

    • Fjord Route is a unique walking route. 190 km marked
      trails with magnificent sea and ocean views, mountain
      ridges and through lush valleys on the coast. 

  • Arendal

    • ​Rjukanfossen Waterfall

    •  Bomuldsfabriken Kunsthall. Art Gallery. Former Textile 
      Factory. 

    • Bike Trip. Nelaug-Arendal, 33,2 km (max 38,9 km) Tip: Take the train from Arendal to Nelaug. Several departures each day. The cycle route Nelaug-Arendal is divided into two different routes, where the eastern route is marked with signs. 

  • Telemark.

    • Footsteps of the Saboteurs. Guided walk. 

    • Telemark Canal

    • Gaustabanen, the cable car inside Gaustatoppen mountain
      has been a well-kept secret. Gaustabanen consists of a
      battery driven car on a cable that carries passengers
      approximately 860 metres horizontally up inside the
      mountain. 

    • Falkenuten HIke. Walking trail laid by Sherpas. Great views.

  • Oslo

    • The Viking Ship Museum (Huk Aveny 35, 0287 Oslo) and
      Historical Museum.​

  • Ostfold

    • Cycling

    • Walking

• Other TBC

 

Any other suggestions / Information: 

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• Norway camping prices are similar to the rest of Europe in summer, although cheaper than the super-tourist areas of the Med, for example.  Expect to pay between NKR210 – 350 a night, including electricity.  You normally have to pay extra for a hot shower, typically NKR20-30 for five minutes.  Aires will cost around NKR120-180 a night.

• Diesel costs are similar or slightly higher than the UK, but considerably cheaper than France or Italy.  Plan on an average of NKR14.5 a litre.

• Alcohol is really expensive.  A beer, cider or glass of wine in a restaurant will cost between NKR60-90.  

• Norway food and drink prices vary; try and shop in the Spar or Co-op’s.  Some food prices, like tinned and dried goods are similar to UK but fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, cheese and US products such as Coca Cola are expensive in comparison. Local produce like salmon and goats cheese is expensive in tourist areas. 

• Eating out is expensive.

• Activities are about 20% more expensive per person than the UK. There are lots and lots of free hiking and cycling routes and swimming opportunities wherever you go to help you save money. 

• Tolls and ferry costs are quite high but it is almost impossible to avoid them! You can go onto the Autopass website to calculate your road trip route of Norway but its pretty challenging

• Avoid the high season in mid June to mid August, if you can as some things like activities and campsites may be cheaper.

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Local Media

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• Norway Today

• Norway News

• The Local 

• BBC News - Norway

• Euronews

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