Scandinavian Explorer

average review

COPENHAGEN, OSLO, THE FJORDS, BERGEN, AND STOCKHOLM

On this unique five-city, air-inclusive Scandinavian tour, you’ll be able to enjoy the best of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark! Admire famous palaces and quaint streets around Copenhagen, explore charming Oslo and its Viking history, and delight in the colorful buildings and houses of Bergen and Stockholm. We’ve even included time in Flam and Lofthus, Norway’s breathtaking Fjord region—you’ll travel through Sognefjord (also known as the “King of the Fjords”), board the world-famous Flam Mountain Railway for a thrilling one-hour ride, take a guided walking tour of Bergen’s fish and flower market (plus a tasting!), explore Stockholm’s medieval Old Town on foot, and more!

Did you know you can make this tour private? Find out about pricing and options for groups of 15 or more travelers.

Itinerary at
a Glance

Tour Itinerary:

  • 2 nights in Copenhagen
  • Overnight cruise to Oslo
  • 1 night in Oslo
  • 2 nights in Lofthus (the Fjords)
  • 2 nights in Bergen
  • 2 nights in Stockholm

Tour Highlights

  • Copenhagen City Tour
  • Oslo City Tour
  • Vøringfossen Waterfall (Norway)
  • Hardangerfjord
  • Cruise through Sognefjord
  • Flam Mountain Railway
  • Bergen Walking Tour with food tasting
  • Stockholm Old Town Walking Tour
  • Stockholm City Tour

Your Tour Includes

  • Optional round-trip airfare from the New York area (varies by departure) including taxes, fees & fuel surcharges
  • All intra-Scandinavia flights, ground and sea transportation
  • Accommodations at Scandinavian-style hotels
  • 15 meals: 10 breakfasts, 5 dinners
  • Comprehensive sightseeing tours and entry fees as per itinerary
  • Experienced, English-speaking Tour Director and local guides

What to Expect

Max Group Size: 30 travelers

Activity Level: Level 2

Expect most included touring to require walking and standing periods up to 4 hours at a time (up to 2 times per day). Included touring may feature light hiking, and/or stairs on some hilly and/or uneven terrain. Learn More

Pacing Level: Balanced

Expect either half-day or full-day tours most days with a free day or free half-day to explore independently in most cities. There may be a few early mornings or long travel days by bus (don’t worry—there are always comfort stops!), and you may expect to stay in most accommodations for 3+ nights. Learn More

New in 2024: ETIAS Visa Waiver Required for U.S. Passport Holders

A valid passport is required for international tours. Effective for travel in 2024, U.S. passport holders are required to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver. Please visit our Passports & Visas page to learn more about any required actions, next steps, and additional costs.

Some walking tours will include cobblestone streets and stairs such as Gamla Stan, Bergen, and Oslo Sculpture Park.

For more detailed information about this tour and destination, visit our Before You Depart section.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Copenhagen (Denmark)

Today we arrive in the delightful capital of Denmark, Copenhagen. This afternoon is free to relax or explore on our own. This evening, we'll enjoy a welcome dinner and orientation.

Accommodations: Scandic Kødbyen or similar
Meals: Dinner

Day 2: Copenhagen

Day 3: Copenhagen – Oslo

Day 4: Oslo

Day 5: Oslo – Lofthus

Day 6: Lofthus (Hardangerfjord)

Day 7: Lofthus – Flam – Bergen

Day 8: Bergen

Day 9: Bergen – Stockholm

Day 10: Stockholm

Day 11: Depart Stockholm

Guided Tour Pricing

We are working diligently to secure future tour dates and pricing for this itinerary. Please fill out the "Request a Future Date" form linked below, and we will notify you once dates are available.

Optional Tours Customize your trip with these optional tours.

Enhance your trip with our recommended optional tours. Indicated optional tours are available to pre-book when you reserve your trip and can be added to your reservation up to final payment. This is the best option to guarantee your spot on your preferred optional tour! Optional tours require a minimum number of participants. Optional tours are non-refundable unless they do not operate.

Some optional tours can be purchased in-destination and may cost extra. The payment methods and currency information to purchase tours in-destination will be provided on final documentation.

Excursion to the Castles of North Zealand

Open-Air Hardanger Folk Museum

Abba Museum

Reviews

Michael L

Photo of Michael L and Linda B in Bergen, Norway. I met my soulmate on this trip. Thank you Smartours. Mike

Deirdre L

Fast paced taste of Scandinavia explained its interwoven history, architecture and culture. Would have liked an extra day in each location!

Terry W

The Scandinavian Explorer was a spectacular trip. The destinations, sightseeing, hotels, food - everything was wonderful. It all was made even more special because of our perfectly delightful tour director, Bjorn Petersen. We’ve always enjoyed good tour directors with smartours - Granville in Greece, Paul in Ireland. But Bjorn raised the bar to a new level.

David W

We was fortunate for us (probably not SmarTours) to have only 7 folks on the tour. We all got along famously and got to know each other well. Bjorn did such a great job. His warm personality made it all seem very personal.

TAMRA O

Excellent value.

Linda G

We just returned from the Scandinavia Explorer and loved reach of the four beautiful countries we visited. This is our 11th Smartours and as always it was well organized with tremendous value for the cost. It was a great mix of Scandinavian cities along with incredible fjords in the Norway countryside. We stayed at one of the most beautiful hotels we have ever been to at Hotel Ullensvang in Lofthus. We can’t wait for next Smartours adventure to Vietnam and Cambodia.

Arlene T

Wonderful all around.

ADRIAN D

My wife and I have done several tours -- South Africa, Zimbabwe, Israel, Jordan, Peru and Scandinavia with your group. They were all simply great. Great arrangements, great service. Keep it up.

Deborah A

This was my 6th fantastic trip with smarTours. You get a lot of "bang for your buck" with smarTours. We had an EXCELLENT guide with Wenche. She was funny, gave us printed details for most mornings, was attentive to everyone's needs and made great suggestions. I regularly refer people to smarTours. The single supplement is one of the most reasonable in the industry.

Delores

I thought it was great. One problem was the long layover in Helsinki before going on Sweden. It was over 5 hours. Also, the process for getting a VISA for Russia was rather expensive and tedious. I like that they gave us time to explore on our own most places. Tour guide was great.

George G

Our 8/25/2016 trip was very enjoyable. The hotels were all 4 star and well located. Good food and a nice group of people. Pear (spelling?) our main guide made us feel welcome, was attentive, informative and always had a smile. Our secondary guides were very knowledgeable about the area we were visiting. It was sometimes difficult to hear them clearly on the bus tours but they never hesitated to repeat what was missed. The beginning of the trip was not ideal due to the long layover in Helsinki which after the long flight was tiring. The experience left us enriched. We will travel with Smartours again.

Sue H

Everyone on this tour, including my sister and I had travelled with smartours before. Thre's a reason....a lot of bang for your buck. The accommodations on this trip were excellent...not only 4 star but in very central locations. The included tours were all very good too. The guide pointed out things of interest for our spare time. The guide was very good. I don't rate him excellent for one reason...he never gave us his cell phone number or hotel room number. How could he be reached in an emergency....? Everything else was great!

Patti S

We had a wonderful time traveling with Betty Levin through Scandinavia. The people were gracious and friendly, the food was delicious, the cities were clean and beautiful and the scenery was spectacular. Highlights were; Skansen open air Museum, Wassa Museum, Tivioli Gardens, the cruise from Oslo to Copenhagen and,of course, the fjord cruise. The hotel on the fjord was fabulous.

Cindy L

It was an overall quality, funfilled Nordic experience. The sightseeing was compact butesrscti provided ample free time to explore on our own leisurely. The hotels all located in central area of each city, though provide convenience but quality of each varies and some are less than ideal. The best one being Ullensvang. Special mention is our tour director Pam Boudrot who made a big difference in making the trip so memorable. She was professional, informative, and meticulously caring to the smallest details to ensure all have the best time possible. My family and friends have all been traveling with SmarTour's before, but I highly recommend that Pam Boudrot be in all my future adventures with SmarTour's

Ed L

Wonderful accommodations, food and guide. Perfect balance of planned excursions and free time. Trip over, with lengthy airport layover in Helsinki was tiring. Would have loved an extra night in Oslo.
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