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Our trip to Norway was fabulous. Torstein and his company did a great job of coordinating every detail! The trip planner app on our phones was great and the fact that we could download it and use it when offline. The trip planner truly had all of our reservations and details and more. The hotels, guides and restaurants were perfect! All the activities were perfect for women in their 60s who wanted to take part in activities but not scale mountains.
Our quest was to see the Northern Lights, which we knew was not a definite, but we were fortunate to see many nights of those special lights. Our WOW Moment was truly special, getting to meet the owner of Lofoten Wool and Viking sheep was fantastic. There was a knitter in our group and she was in heaven, not to mention that we had the opportunity to buy some of her things in her shop. The owner of Hattbika Lodge was very secretive and led us to her farm, he never spilled the beans, truly a WOW moment.
There was a hiccup at the end, where the airport hotel in Oslo did not have our room reservations marked as prepaid, but an email & call to the team and all was settled. I would definitely use the company again and recommend to friends. You must keep them on your WOW List.
My husband and I wanted to explore Stockholm before our Baltic Cruise and then spend time after the cruise in Norway to enjoy the fjords. Torunn, Torstein & the team developed an excellent itinerary with wonderful hotels and experiences. The restaurant recommendations were perfect. All arranged transportation was timely with very professional drivers.
We were impressed with the quality of the local guides who gave us private walking tours in Stockholm, Alesund and Oslo. They readily understood what interested us and the level of detail for telling stories and history. For example, an exclusive meal experience at Gurines Farm was cancelled due to illness of the owners. Instead, a lunch and guided city walk in Alesund was substituted. Although we were sent to a restaurant that was closed that day, our local tour guide was so engaging she brought the city of Alesund to life. She even talked our driver into taking us to the top of Mount Aksla and gave him a pass card so we could go out on the viewing area. She went the “extra mile.”
The Storfjord Hotel is a secluded luxury boutique where the views are fantastic and the service is top-notch. The staff would go out of their way to provide assistance. When my luggage was delayed, they located 3 swimming suits for me to use so I could enjoy the hot tub. We were celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary and were surprised with a special cake.
A highlight was a private fjord cruise and visit to the historic Hotel Union Oye where the rooms are like living museums. Our boat captain was very engaging in spite of the overcast, rainy weather. We enjoyed working with Torunn’s team and recommend their services.
We had the most amazing time on our trip to Norway! The team tailored a trip that was perfect for us with a variety of outdoor activities that allowed us to see the amazing views. They set up a cooking / dinner experience in Bergen that was incredible and something that’s not even offered to the general public.
Every time we asked locals for recommendations on hikes, restaurants, activities, etc. they were all items that we already had on our itinerary from them. They were also great about taking into account my father-in-law’s food preferences. Almost every single meal he had was prepared gluten and dairy free without even asking!
The most unique experience of our trip was this amazing treehouse (the Woodnest) in Voss that we got to stay in for one night. It included a hike to the cabin and provided great accommodations with incredible views.
10/10 would recommend to anyone considering this trip!
We recently returned from an unforgettable two-week adventure in Copenhagen and Norway with another couple that are our close friends. Torunn and Anya orchestrated a perfect journey for us.
First, they prepared us impeccably for the unpredictable weather—thank goodness! Norway’s climate can be a bit of a surprise, but Torunn and Anya had us pack for everything from 75 degrees and sunny to 45 degrees and rainy. Our wardrobe included shorts, bathing suits, rain pants, jackets, smart wool layers, and fleeces—layers, layers, layers! While other travelers canceled activities due to inappropriate gear, we were always ready to embrace the elements.
Although a couple of activities were canceled, we quickly pivoted to alternatives from a list they had provided. We spent one delightful day exploring museums in Trondheim (including their awesome Rockheim museum of pop and rock) and another indulged in extra spa time in the beautiful surroundings of our hotel. Both days turned out to be incredibly enjoyable. Ironically, we received your article about adapting to inclement weather right around that time—we could have been the poster children for it!
Second, Torunn and Anya excelled in finding authentic experiences to connect us with locals—something you know well! They really listened to our needs, preferences, and interests and created a great itinerary with a great mix of active, relaxing, engaging, and memorable. Some highlights include:
• Our private bike tour in Copenhagen began with a bit of disappointment, as our guide was an expat from LA, but we had such interesting conversations with her about her decision to move her family to Denmark and the process for citizenship and talking about the different cultures and lifestyles that we were thrilled by the end. We learned so much from her.
• In Trondheim, we enjoyed a hilarious evening at the Visit Bjørn dinner—it was a real hoot! With only one other group present, employees from the dairy cooperative Tine, we had some engaging conversations. Spotting Tine products throughout our trip became a fun game. Bjørn and his wife were very fun, wonderful hosts and the food (and drink) were great.
• During a travel day, we stopped at Tingvoll for a cheese lunch and farm tour. It was captivating and the cheeses were amazing! We could have spent the whole day talking to the owner about their ethical and thoughtful farming practices.
• We requested something like a “WOW” moment, a surprise activity that we paid for ourselves (used our last WOW certificate already), and they delivered! We had a magical dinner in Øye with a local couple in their family’s milking shed up in the valley, followed by a walk to a hidden waterfall. It felt like stepping into a fairyland, a truly enchanting experience, and getting to know the couple and hear their history and family stories made the whole thing highly meaningful and really special.
• At the Kon-Tiki Museum in Oslo, we enjoyed a private guided tour with the director, Thor Heyerdahl’s granddaughter. It was particularly thrilling for us because we studied Heyerdahl’s work in college, and exciting for our friends learning about his amazing achievements for the first time.
Third, the hotels and restaurants they chose were all lovely and very charming and well-located, with friendly staff who made us feel at home. Special thanks to Martha at the Storfjord Hotel and the delightful day and evening staff at the Britannia Hotel in Trondheim. They were simply wonderful and made a great hotel that much more memorable.
We’d highly recommend Torunn and her team—they really made our time in Norway and Copenhagen special.