Norway is best explored on foot, because what makes Norway so great is its endless wild mountains and the beautiful fjords. I have gotten to do a couple of the most famous hikes and would like to share my experiences:
Trolltunga (literally translated “the Tongue of the Troll”):
Getting There: Take a bus from Bergen to Odda, and hitchhike through the tunnel, turn right and walk up towards Tyssedal until you reach the parking lot where the trail starts
Length and duration: 11kms taking 3 hours uphill and 2,5hrs downhill
Comment: The hike up to Trolltunga starts with some tough 4 kilometers, but after that it is all a nice hike in beautiful surroundings. It is smart to start early (8am) in order to get the magnificent viewpoint at top to yourself. If you get there too late, you would have to wait in line to get your picture taken on the rock. Anyway, the view on top is well worth all the sweat and the blisters you might get from the hike!
Preikestolen (the Pulpit Rock):
Getting there: Boat from Stavanger to Tau, and then a bus from there
Length and duration: 4kms, taking 40 minutes for the quick one
Comment: Preikestolen is a hike with a couple of steep hills, but except for that it is a hike that even your granny could do. Just make sure to go there on a sunny day, as the view on top is the whole reason that you go there. Just expect to see a lot of tourists, and soon there might even be a cable car going up.
Besseggen:
Getting there: Bus from Oslo (Valdresekspressen) to Gjendesheim, and boat to Gjendebu
Length and duration: 16 kms, taking approximately 8 hours (it’s a one way trip!)
Comment: Make sure to get up early and grab a queue ticket for the 10.15 boat since it is a long hike and you want to get back before the evening. The first hill is by far the toughest and once you have climbed over the first top, its a nice hike with a good view of the fjord along the way. Your feet are going to feel like jelly after the hike is over so make sure you have a friend with a cold beer and maybe a tub waiting for you when you get back to your cabin.
Geirangerfjorden (the Geiranger Fjord):
Getting there: It is a 2,5 hour drive from Ålesund, and once in the city of Geiranger you will find plenty of buses that will take you to the best views
Length and duration: It depends which trails you take! There are plenty to chose from and good signs on most of them.
Comment: This is the most beautiful place in Norway and probably the whole World! Make sure to get up early to get the most of the day or spend a night at Hotel Union which has a great spa and a great view of the fjord. Ola Bua /Café Ola also has some great tapas such as smoked goat, blood sausage and deer.
August 2015 I also went to Kjeragbolten, which is a boulder situated between two mountains. Read about it here.
Other good tips for hiking trips in the Norwegian nature can be found on the webpage http://ut.no/ .