Self-Launched Copenhagen & Norwegian Fjords: Charm and Traditions in 11 Days
11 days · Denmark & Norway
V.O.S – Vision of Scandinavia charges £2,600
No-markup version: ~£1,262 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of V.O.S – Vision of Scandinavia's 11-day Copenhagen-to-Oslo group tour, rebuilt for independent travellers. You get the same headline experiences — Nyhavn and the Little Mermaid, the overnight DFDS ferry to Oslo, the Flåmsbana railway, Sognefjord and Geirangerfjord cruises, Briksdal Glacier, Trollstigen and the Atlantic Road — booked yourself via DSB/Norwegian rail, the Vy and Fram buses, Norled ferries, DFDS and GetYourGuide. Expect dorm or simple guesthouse beds rather than tour hotels, and Norway's sky-high food prices to be your biggest enemy: self-cater from supermarkets wherever possible. All costs are rough per-person estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Copenhagen
Copenhagen, Denmark
Land at CPH and take the Metro (M2 line, ~£5, 15 minutes) or the regional train straight to the city centre rather than a private limousine transfer. Check into a hostel dorm or simple guesthouse near Nørreport or Vesterbro. Spend the late afternoon orienting yourself on foot: wander down Strøget, grab a cheap shawarma or smørrebrød from a Torvehallerne stall, and pick up a 72-hour Copenhagen City Pass or simply rely on walking plus a Rejsekort-style contactless card for buses and metro.
🚌CPH Airport Metro M2 to Kongens Nytorv, ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, central Copenhagen (~£35–45/night)
- →Self-guided wander of Strøget and Nørreport
- →Torvehallerne food market
- →Evening stroll around the lakes
Copenhagen: canals, palaces and the Little Mermaid
Copenhagen, Denmark
Do the classic Copenhagen circuit yourself instead of a hop-on-hop-off bus. Start at Nyhavn for the postcard view, then take the 1-hour Stromma or Netto-Bådene canal tour from Nyhavn (~£12–15, bookable on GetYourGuide or straight at the jetty). Walk north along the harbour to the Little Mermaid statue, then loop back via Amalienborg Palace for the changing of the guard (noon) and Christiansborg Palace. All three palaces are viewable from outside for free; pay to enter Christiansborg's reception rooms or the tower (free) if you want more. Eat lunch from a bakery or Netto supermarket to keep costs down; Copenhagen restaurant prices are brutal.
🚌On foot + metro/bus day ticket ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, central Copenhagen
- →Nyhavn canal boat tour (~£13)
- →Little Mermaid statue
- →Amalienborg Palace exterior & guard change
- →Christiansborg Palace & tower (free)
- →H.C. Andersen's former homes on Nyhavn
Overnight DFDS ferry to Oslo
Copenhagen → Oslo
Morning free for a last Copenhagen coffee or the Round Tower. In the afternoon board the DFDS Copenhagen–Oslo ferry from Termiavej (a short bus/metro ride from the centre). Book a standard or shared 2-berth inside cabin directly with DFDS — the operator's seaview upgrade is expensive and the inside cabin is fine for one night. Dinner on board is a buffet; alternatively eat before boarding. Sail at 15:00, arrive Oslo 09:45 next morning.
🚌DFDS Copenhagen–Oslo ferry, ~£70–90 per person including cabin (book direct, 1–2 months ahead)
🛏DFDS ferry cabin (inside 2-berth, shared)
- →Free time in Copenhagen
- →DFDS ferry crossing with deck views of the Øresund
Oslo arrival and Karl Johans gate
Oslo, Norway
Disembark at 09:45 and walk or take tram 19 into the centre. Drop bags at an Anker Hostel or similar dorm (~£35–45). Spend the day on a self-guided Oslo loop: Karl Johans gate from the Central Station up to the Royal Palace, the Opera House roof (free to walk on), Akershus Fortress grounds (free) and, if you have energy, the harbour promenade at Aker Brygge. Oslo's museums are pricey (~£15 each) — pick one, e.g. the Munch or the Fram Museum. Buy groceries at Rema 1000 or Kiwi for dinner; Norway's restaurant prices are 2–3x Denmark's.
🚌Tram/walk from ferry terminal; Ruter single ticket ~£4
🛏Anker Hostel or similar dorm, Oslo
- →Karl Johans gate walk
- →Oslo Opera House roof
- →Akershus Fortress (free)
- →One optional museum of choice
Oslo to Flåm: the full Flåmsbana day
Oslo → Flåm
The classic independent route: take the morning Vy train Oslo–Myrdal (~4h45, book on vy.no well in advance for ~£30–50 with minipris fares), then connect to the Flåmsbana train Myrdal–Flåm (~1h, ~£35, book on the same ticket with Norwegian Railways or via GetYourGuide). The Flåmsbana is the same panoramic ride the tour includes, but you'll do it independently. Stay overnight in a Flåm hostel or campsite cabin (~£40–50) — this also gives you more time in the valley than the coach version. Evening stroll along the fjord arm and the Flåm Railway Museum (free).
🚌Vy train Oslo–Myrdal ~£35 + Flåmsbana Myrdal–Flåm ~£35 (book both together on vy.no)
🛏Flåm Camping & Youth Hostel cabin or dorm
- →Flåmsbana panoramic railway
- →Flåm Railway Museum
- →Fjordside walk in Flåm
Sognefjord cruise to Gudvangen, then Voss
Flåm → Gudvangen → Voss
Book the morning Norled/Premium Fjord cruise Flåm–Gudvangen through the UNESCO Nærøyfjord (roughly 2 hours, ~£45–55 direct or on GetYourGuide — the operator charges €185 bundled with other extras). Then catch the connecting bus Gudvangen–Voss (~1h15, ~£12, book through Vy or Fram). Overnight in Voss at a hostel or guesthouse (~£40). Voss is a good base for a short hike or the Voss gondola if the weather holds.
🚌Sognefjord/Nærøyfjord cruise ~£50 + bus Gudvangen–Voss ~£12
🛏Voss hostel or guesthouse
- →Nærøyfjord UNESCO cruise
- →Gudvangen village
- →Optional Voss gondola or lakeside walk
Voss to Bergen
Voss → Bergen
Take the Vy train Voss–Bergen (~1h15, ~£15–25 with minipris). Check into a Bergen hostel or Marken Gjestehus (~£40–50). In the afternoon do your own Bryggen walk: the Hanseatic wharf is free to explore, plus the Fish Market (Torget), St. Mary's Church exterior and Håkonshallen. If the sky is clear, ride the Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen (~£13 return) for the view — cheaper and just as good as the tour version. Bergen's Bryggeloftet is pricey; eat at the fish market or a supermarket deli instead.
🚌Vy train Voss–Bergen ~£20
🛏Bergen hostel or guesthouse
- →Bryggen Hanseatic wharf (free)
- →Fish Market
- →Håkonshallen & St. Mary's Church
- →Fløibanen funicular (~£13)
Bergen to Loen via Briksdal Glacier
Bergen → Loen / Olden
The coach tour route is hard to replicate exactly, so do it as a two-step independent journey: take the morning express boat or bus from Bergen towards Nordfjordeid/Olden (Fram/Norled express boat ~£50–70, or the bus via Sogndal), then a local bus to Olden. Base yourself in Olden/Loen at a campsite cabin or hostel (~£40). In the afternoon take the local Briksdalsbre bus/shuttle to the glacier car park and walk the 45-minute track to Briksdal Glacier (free to enter the national park; the troll car ride is ~£18 extra if you want it). This is exactly what the tour visits — just on public transport.
🚌Express boat Bergen–Nordfjordeid ~£55 + local bus to Olden ~£10
🛏Olden/Loen campsite cabin or hostel
- →Briksdal Glacier hike (Jostedalsbreen National Park)
- →Briksdalen valley
- →Optional troll car ride
Geirangerfjord and Trollstigen
Loen → Geiranger → Ålesund, Norway
Take the early bus/shuttle from Olden to Hellesylt (~£12), then the Hellesylt–Geiranger ferry (~1h, ~£25–30) — this ferry is the fjord cruise, passing the Seven Sisters and Bridal Veil waterfalls. From Geiranger ride the local bus up the Eagle Road (Ørnevegen) viewpoint, then continue toward Ålesund, or if you want Trollstigen, take the bus Geiranger–Åndalsnes via Trollstigen on the seasonal route (~£15–20). Overnight in Ålesund or Åndalsnes at a hostel (~£40).
🚌Bus Olden–Hellesylt ~£12 + Hellesylt–Geiranger ferry ~£28 + local buses ~£18
🛏Ålesund or Åndalsnes hostel
- →Geirangerfjord ferry cruise
- →Seven Sisters & Bridal Veil waterfalls
- →Eagle Road viewpoint
- →Trollstigen hairpin bends (weather permitting)
Atlantic Road and onward to Oslo
Ålesund → Molde → Oslo
Ride the local Fram bus over the Atlantic Road (Atlanterhavsvegen) between Bud and Kårvåg (~£8), a short detour off the Molde route. Then take the bus/train combo from Molde or Åndalsnes to Oslo — the Dovre line train Åndalsnes/Trondheim to Oslo is the scenic option (~£40–70 with minipris). This is a long travel day (8–10 hours); take a night train if you want to save a hotel night, or arrive Oslo late and check into a hostel.
🚌Atlantic Road local bus ~£8 + rail/bus to Oslo ~£60
🛏Anker Hostel or similar dorm, Oslo
- →Atlantic Road drive
- →Optional Dovre Line scenic rail
- →Evening walk along Oslo harbour
Oslo sightseeing and departure
Oslo, Norway
Finish with a self-guided Oslo morning: tram 12 to Vigeland Sculpture Park (Frogner Park, free), the Royal Palace, Oslo City Hall (free entry) and Akershus Fortress. Skip the paid bus tour — the city is compact and the Ruter day ticket (~£8) covers everything. Then take the Flytoget or Vy regional train to Gardermoen Airport (~£10–20, 20–30 minutes) for your flight home.
🚌Ruter day ticket ~£8 + Flytoget/regional train to OSL ~£18
🛏None (departure day)
- →Vigeland Sculpture Park (free)
- →Royal Palace
- →Oslo City Hall
- →Akershus Fortress
Self-launched vs. V.O.S – Vision of Scandinavia
| This itinerary (self-launched) | V.O.S – Vision of Scandinavia | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,262 | £2,600 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,338 per person (51%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more V.O.S – Vision of Scandinavia-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,262
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Copenhagen & Norwegian Fjords: Charm and Traditions in 11 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,262 per person for 11 days in Denmark & Norway. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with V.O.S – Vision of Scandinavia?+
Yes — V.O.S – Vision of Scandinavia charges around £2,600 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,262 — a saving of roughly £1,338 (51%) per person.
How long is the Denmark & Norway trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through Denmark & Norway.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, slow-travel trip through Denmark & Norway, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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