Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Norway and home of Norway's
largest herds of wild reindeer,
called caribou. See “Geilo: Sum-
mer & Winter Fun” in chapter 11.
8 The Best Fishing
•
Alta:
In the north of Norway,
1,989km (1,236 miles) north of
Oslo, this frontier outpost is
known for having the best salmon-
fishing waters in the world. Hook
up with
AKU,
Storengveien 26
(
&
78-43-48-40;
www.aku-finn
mark.no), which leads salmon-
fishing trips. It also offers deep-sea
fishing, and outings for fishing
below glaciers can be arranged, as
can boat rentals and fishing tackle.
See p. 426.
•
Suldalslågen:
Lying to the north
of the western port city of Sta-
vanger, this is the longest salmon
river in the west. No license is
required if you're angling for salt-
water fish. Founded more than a
century ago,
Lindum
(
&
52-79-
91-61
) is the best fishing lodge in
Norway. The salmon season here
lasts from July to September. See
p. 245.
•
Fjord Fishing:
Bergen and its
environs lay claim to the best fjord
fishing in the west. The area is
known for its catches of haddock,
coalfish, cod, and mackerel. You
can fish in the sea without a per-
mit, though fishing in freshwater
streams and ponds requires a per-
mit arranged through the
Bergen
Angling Association
(p. 287). The
best charter outfitter in the area is
the
Rjfylke Fjord Tour
(
&
91-
15-90-48
), offering 2-hour fishing
trips departing from Bergen twice
daily. See p. 287.
9 The Most Scenic Boat Trips
•
Oslofjord:
A web of cays, skerries,
sandbars, and towering rocky
banks parades before you when
you take one of the Båtservice
sightseeing boats that make sum-
mer trips from Oslo along this his-
toric old fjord, the former
stamping grounds of the Vikings.
You'll sail aboard one of a trio of
sloops with 19th-century rigging,
one dating from 1892. Included
in the cost are large buckets of
Norwegian shrimp served buffet
style. See p. 133.
•
Telemark Canal:
Norway's
answer to the Panama Canal, the
1892 Telemark Canal carries boats
from its gateway, the southern city
of Skien. As you sail along, you'll
penetrate deep into the panoramic
countryside of Norway with its
lakes, rivers, and dark forests that
you just know are inhabited by
trolls. You can also see some of the
marvelous feats of engineering
that made such a boat ride possi-
ble. See p. 224.
•
Sognefjord:
If you take only one
fjord trip in your life, make it that
panoramic marvel known as
Sognefjord in western Norway.
Excursions leave from the harbor
at Bergen (p. 311). As you sail
along, it's like a fantasy look at
Norway, with the deep blue fjord
waters broken by many waterfalls.
Sognefjord is the longest fjord in
Norway, stretching for a distance
of 205km (127 miles), until it
reaches the mountains of the
Jotunheimen National Park. But
most fjord excursions end long
before that happens. Along the
banks of this fjord—best explored
in the late spring and summer—
are farms, 19th-century villages,
and lush landscapes. In springtime
