Norway Road Trip for the Whole Family

Norway’s appeal as a destination lies in the fact it’s a small country with big, wide-open spaces. It also doesn’t hurt a simpler way of life in its countryside is not only preserved, but still being practiced — even with adaptations to keep up with the times. No wonder this country consistently ranks high on the list of the happiest countries on Earth.

Up Norway tapped into Norway’s natural wonders for a variety of active vacations and self-guided road trips targeted at young adults. However, a renaissance of the country’s cheese industry in the last couple of decades and the staging of the 2018 World Cheese Awards in Bergen prompted the company to create its On the Trail of Great Cheese tours. These are perhaps its most inclusive group of customizable itineraries with much to offer for the youngest and oldest travelers in the family.

Cheese Display © Elyse Glickman

“All these journeys can be done as families,” says Up Norway’s Agneta Linden Moen. “Animals are there for cuddling, and if you’re planning ahead for 2019, spring is a good time to visit. There are newborn lambs and baby goats everywhere. There are also cultural and outdoor activities worked in, which means each trail can be personalized to suit the family in question.”

Linden Moen adds the three routes (Oslo Region, Lofoten and Trøndelag) highlight the respective terrains and landscapes. Bracing outdoor experiences tailored to the abilities of family members are interspersed with tastings, interesting landmarks and interactions with local people (including cheese-producing families). The trails can be done individually or combined with each other or other Up Norway experiences, and the company will organize the transfers in between.

To begin the planning process, fill out the questionnaire on the Up Norway website. Within a day or two, a planner will be back in touch with a recommended journey based on the family’s interests and preferences. Once an itinerary is settled, logistics will be arranged (such as hotels and rental cars). The final itinerary arrives as a fully interactive digital travel guide with access to chats with Up Norway staffers should any concerns arise.

Cheese Vendors © Elyse Glickman

The Oslo Region route, a perfect adjunct to a “city break” in the capital, includes a pre-road trip cheese tasting at a trendy Oslo deli (Gutta på Haugen), overnight stays at two countryside inns in the quaint towns of Thorbjørnrud and Granavolden (noted for its medieval churches and literary figures) and a visit to Helgum gård, a dairy farm with sheep and cows and generous samplings of cheeses and other products they make on premise.

The tour through Lofoten, just inside the Arctic Circle, includes a stay at a modern version of a traditional “Fisherman’s Rorbu” (cabin) in Ballstad, several rustic dinners prepared from local ingredients, an excursion to surfer’s paradise Unstad Beach and a visit to an organic goat farm. At the farm, travelers learn about the historic importance of goat herding in the region and have the opportunity to make goat cheese with an assist from the on-site artisan. There’s also a lunch at the family-owned Aaland Farm, noted for its signature cheese flavored with seaweed. Aaland Farm also produces a modern version of the traditional brunost (brown cheese), and guests will also learn how to make the classic gomme dessert with brunost.

The breathtaking ride through Trøndelag encompasses a guided tour of Nidaros Cathedral; a visit to Tautra (a former monastery island noted for ruins of the Cistercian monastery dating to 1207); Trondheimfjord, known for its breathtaking mountains and fjords and rich birdlife; and visits to award-winning cheesemakers Gangstad and Tingvollost, whose “Kraftkar” cheese got the top spot in the World Cheese Championship in 2016.