A cinematic journey capturing epic moments of our 3-week long adventure in Norway and Sweden.

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I’ve been wanting to visit Norway since I was a high school freshman. The beautiful nature, unique lifestyle, and the rich culture and traditions really stood out to me. Many years passed, and while I did a lot of traveling, Norway remains an unchecked box on my bucket list.

Then came the fall of my last year at college. I knew my last summer is on the horizon, and if I wanted to visit Norway, that will be the time. I’m also determined to get an authentic and thorough experience. No group tours, no cruises, but a lot of hiking and “off the beaten path” exploring. I gathered two friends who were up for the adventure, and we started planning from scratch.

After countless hours of research and booking dozens of flights, trains, lodging, car rentals, and ferries, we are set. We started the trip from Gothenburg, Sweden, then took a train to Oslo just in time for Norway’s Constitution Day celebration. Then, another train to Bergen, where we picked up a car and explored the western fjords, including the legendary Geirangerfjord. We ended that road trip in Trondheim and took an overnight train all the way up to Bodø, which lies above the Arctic Circle.

From there, we picked up another car, drove it onto a ferry, and headed to Lofoten, an archipelago home to idyllic fishing villages backdropped by dramatic mountain peaks. After a few days in Lofoten, we continued on to explore Senja and Troms.

Finally, we returned our car at Narvik and headed all the way down to Stockholm, Sweden, our last stop. After two nights there, we all parted ways, with me heading to Tokyo and my friends heading to Barcelona and New York City. The whole trip lasted almost three weeks.

Other than checking Norway off my bucket list, I am glad we got an authentic experience. We celebrated May 17th with the Norwegians who were decked out in Bunads, and ate ice cream and Ostepølese — Norwegian hot dogs — at ferry crossings and gas stations. We sampled local food and went fishing in the Norwegian Sea. The weather was also perfect every single day, and we were basically alone for all our seven hikes.

I’m glad that I took this trip, and I would definitely return to this amazing country someday.

Shot with DJI Air 2S and iPhone 14 Pro.

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