Norway
I traveled the entire country of Norway in June and July of 2025
The Basics
Border Entry: You should be fine with a valid passport to enter Norway, but double check since regulations can change.
Vaccines: There are no compulsory vaccinations required for entry into Norway
Best Time of Year to Visit: The best time to visit Norway depends on your desired experience, but my recommendation would be the summer months (Jun–Aug) as they offer the best weather and long days for activities like hiking and fjord exploration. Winter (Nov–Mar) is ideal for Northern Lights viewing and skiing. Spring (Apr–Jun) and fall (Sept–Nov) are excellent "shoulder seasons" for fewer crowds, blooming landscapes, and autumn colors.
Visit Duration: Assuming you’re on full vacation mode and not working, I recommend staying for 3-4 weeks minimum if you’re planning to do many of the same activities that I’ll be covering below. As with many alpine locations, the weather can be extremely unpredictable so it’s best to give yourself an extra week in case you need to reschedule an activity— which will almost surely occur at least once. Additionally, the country is larger than you might think and it can often take 5- 10 hours to drive between destinations with many ferries and tunnels along the way. This is one of the trickiest countries that I’ve encountered when it comes to transportation so plan accordingly (more on the transportation below).
Flights to Norway: Most people, including myself, fly into Oslo to start their journey. There are many options for flights, but most will have a layover somewhere in Europe. The Oslo airport (Gardermoan) is very modern, cleanly and has relatively quick easy security checkpoints and baggage claims. It’s also a small airport making the experience even easier. The airport is roughly a one-hour drive from Oslo.
Weather: As mentioned above, the weather can be extremely unpredictable and it rains a lot during the summer months! If you see a few nice days in the forecast, make sure to use them very wisely. The temperature can vary greatly by region and time of day. I’d plan for 65- 75 degrees during the day and 45- 65 degrees at night while in Oslo and for other cities throughout the country. Be aware that the temperature could also drop by 10- 20 degrees (maybe more) in the higher elevations, but I wouldn’t be overly concerned. My recommend would be to pack clothes for all seasons including gloves, leggings, wool hats etc. When hiking in the mountains, it’s best to dress in layers and remove them if it becomes too hot— which will likely occur. Lastly, I strongly advise on downloading the app YR (it’s logo is light blue) because it’s widely known in Norway as the most accurate weather forecast.
Accommodations: While in Oslo, my recommendation for first time visitors would be to stay in Sentrum (City Centre) because it’s located in the heart of all the action and close to most of the attractions. You can’t beat the location of the 5-star, Grand Hotel Oslo, but it’s a bit pricey. For those seeking a more affordable option, I’d also recommend the Sentrum based, Thon Hotel Cecil, but just make sure that you book the correct location because it’s a large chain. Once outside of Oslo, the stays can flip between hotels and Airbnb’s depending on the location and I’ll do my best to note a few of these below. The hotels fill up quickly and they can be expensive so make sure to book well in advance.
Costs: Let me start by saying that Norway is not cheap so be prepared to drop a pretty penny! This goes for car rentals, gas, hotels, activities, restaurants, shopping and more. To be clear, you can expect similar prices throughout the entire country, not just in Oslo. The silver lining? Although Norway is quickly rising in popularity, you won’t find nearly as many tourists compared to other European countries. I don’t mean to scare anyone away because you can definitely find more affordable options, but they will typically be very tiny rooms and/or shared bathrooms.
Transportation: One could probably get by with a reliable midsized sedan, but if you really want ultimate safety traveling on these lonely roads that can transform into gravely, potholed obstacle courses for many miles at a time, then I recommend considering an SUV option. Do not forget about the wildlife which can make an appearance when you’re least expecting it. A few more pointers to make note of include;
In fact, there are over 1,200 tunnels in Norway and at times, it felt like we spent more time in driving through tunnels than driving outside.
Make sure the vehicle’s oil is at a healthy level before leaving the rental location and that you know how to change a tire.
Have water and some food in your vehicle in case of emergencies. There were times when I didn’t see a car for hours.
No toll-passes are necessary in Yukon
Make sure to purchase insurance because there is a good chance of a cracked window from the many small pebbles and rocks being hurled at you by passing trucks— it happened to me.
It’s an additional $150- $200 fee to register your vehicle for the Dempster Highway. The fee will allow you to drive for 2 hours north through Tombstone Territorial Park. Once you get to a certain point (ask your rental car company), you will need to turn around or you’ll likely be charged an additional $1,500 which is automatically detected by a sensor on your vehicle. In my opinion, it’s not worth spending the extra money unless you’re making the trip all the way to the arctic. However, the most scenic parts of the Dempster Highway occur within the first two hours of the drive.
Rideshare Apps like Uber and Lyft do not exist in Yukon so you will need to rely on taxis and other forms of transporation.
Groceries: You’re not going to find a ton of grocery store options, but it’s still better than I had anticipated.
Save-On-Foods: Think Ralphs, Safeway, Stop&Shop and Publix— it’s the largest grocery store in Whitehorse and surprisingly good.
Riverside Grocery: Think of a miniature Whole Foods around the size of a large 711. This is a much smaller grocery store near Main Street where you will find the most healthy and exclusive options in the area. I would have visited a lot more frequently if it was closer to my Airbnb.
Walmart Supercentre is another option if you’re trying to conserve your budget.
Fitness Centers: There are a few solid gym options if there is no hotel at your hotel or Airbnb.
Better Bodies: This spot appears to be the most popular gym in the area and you don’t need a car if you’re staying downtown.
Canada Games Center: I was absolutely blown away after finding the Games Center and strongly recommend this option. It included a super, large fitness area, an indoor track with additional cardio and weight machines lining the perimeter, multiple basketball courts, soccer fields, pickleball courts, hockey rinks and much more. The center also had a food options like Subway and a smoothie bar. And the entry price was only $8 per day!
If you’re crazy like me and planning to be in Whitehorse for a few weeks, you might want to consider purchasing your own exercise equipment at the Walmart Supercentre. Personally, I like to buy weights when I first arrive so I can bring them on my weekend round trips— most of the hotels and Airbnb’s do not have gyms in the more remote locations.
Wi-Fi: Connections are solid in Whitehorse and typically very dependable in most Yukon towns. However, you will lose all signals within 10- 15 minutes after leaving Whitehorse and you may not regain connection for several hours. I would not recommend planning any important calls during your excursions.
Wildlife: You can assume the wildlife is everywhere, although not in as plain sight as Alaska. Fun fact, Yukon is roughly 20,000 square miles larger than California and there are only 45,000 residents. Therefore, tour guides will say that a lot of the wildlife typically stays to their own playground and away from tourist areas. Make no mistake, this is grizzly bear country, and I saw more warning signs than I can remember on these types of trips— especially the drive from Haines Junction to Haines, AK. A few tips include 1) carry bear spray at all times and actually know how to use it 2) consider driving in the middle of the road when possible since that will allow you to easily maneuver either direction if an animal darts across the road 3) Do not hike alone.
Random Recommendations:
Small hotel rooms and beds
Through my travels, I’ve learned a few tricks along the way. One of them being, always book the flight tours EARLIER in your trip, or anything that can be impacted by weather for that matter. That way, you can always reschedule the activity to another day if needed. Similarly, have backup options ready for those activities that could potentially get canceled.
If you’re willing to spend a little more money for efficiency purposes, I recommend booking your accommodation in Whitehorse without any gaps— in other words, do not checkout of your Whitehorse stay when traveling to other places during the weekends. You’ll save a ton of time and stress by not having to constantly check in/check out, pack/unpack, reacclimate yourself to a new home, etc.
Make sure to grab bug spray and sunscreen when you arrive. Mosquitos aren’t an issue in Whitehorse and other towns, but they do become an annoyance in the parks.
Now, moving on to the part that is more exciting. I’ve broken up the rest of the blog into a few sections with each section covering a different location in Yukon and parts of Alaska. Each location can be visited in 2-3 days minimum, but one can easily spend more days exploring if time permits. I’ve left many more pictures at the end of the blog to showcase anything that I wasn’t able to cover earlier.
