The West Coast Fjord Country - Norway - page 313

700NOK ($99). On your own, you can rent canoes and rowboats at Geilo
Camping, Geilo Aktiv ( & 32-09-47-25 ).
For horseback riding, call Hakkesetstølen ( & 32-09-09-20 ). You can ride
the happy trails from June to October.
To go biking in the area, stop by first at the Geilo tourist office for a cycling
map. On your rented bike, you can set out to explore summer roads leading into
the surrounding mountains. Bikes can be rented in the center of Geilo at Inter-
sport Geilo ( & 32-09-09-70 ), costing 100NOK to 200NOK ($14-$28) per day.
Fishermen flock here to try their luck in the region's nearly 100 mountain
lakes or stretches of river, which can be fished from June to September. A fish-
ing license costing 45NOK ($6.40) is available at the tourist office, and fishing
boat rentals and tackle are available for rent through Geilo Camping ( & 32-
09-07-33 ), costing 120NOK ($17) per day.
SEEING THE SIGHTS
The most exciting possibility is to book an organized tour at the tourist office
for glacier trekking on Hardangerjøkulen, at 1,860m (6,102 ft.). These are
available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from July 1 to September 15. The
tour takes 10 hours and costs 530NOK ($75) per person, including a train ride
to and from Finse.
A number of other tours are offered as well: rafting from 650NOK to
750NOK ($92-$107), river boarding (a new high-adrenaline sport involving a
white-water trip downstream on a high-impact plastic board-cum-flotation
device) from 650NOK to 750NOK ($92-$107), and a 2-hour moose safari for
350NOK ($50). This latter jaunt is offered only on Thursday evening (when the
moose can be seen) from July 1 to September 15.
Back in the center of town, but only in July, you can visit Geilojorget, a 17th-
century farm, which is open daily from 11am to 5pm. Some old houses, 2 or 3
centuries old, have been moved to the site and are open for guided tours. You
can see how farmers lived at the time and visit such buildings as a storage house
or the cattle barn. Cultural activities are also presented at the time, including
folk music shows. On-site is a cafe serving old-time dishes; if you've ever wanted
to try a sour-cream cookie, this is the place for you.
WHERE TO STAY
VERY EXPENSIVE
Dr. Holms Hotel One of the most famous resort hotels in Norway, this
is the finest place to stay in the area. Here, near the railroad station, you get ele-
gance, comfort, and traditional styling. Dr. J. C. Holms, a specialist in respira-
tory diseases who established the resort so that patients could breathe fresh
mountain air, opened the hotel in 1909. There have been many changes since,
including the addition of two wings and a swimming complex. The latest major
overhaul took place at the time of the millennium, but since then other smaller
improvements have been made to keep the hotel operating in tiptop shape.
Original works of art decorate the hotel. Guest rooms are beautifully furnished
in traditional style and offer many luxuries, including good beds and well-kept
bathrooms with tub/shower combinations.
N-3580 Geilo. & 32-09-57-00. Fax [phone]. www.drholms.com. 127 units. May-Aug 1,015NOK ($144)
double; Sept-Apr 1,520NOK ($216) double; year-round 1,790NOK-2,270NOK ($254-$322) suite. Rates
include breakfast. Rates may be higher during Christmas and New Year's. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Ameni-
ties: Restaurant; bar; indoor heated pool; fitness center; sauna; limited room service; babysitting; laundry
service/dry cleaning; library; nonsmoking rooms; rooms for those w/limited mobility. In room: TV, minibar.