On a campervan through wild Norway
This was not my first RV trip to Norway, and if there is one place in Europe where I think it is ideal to try this experience, it is this magnificent nation. A campervan trip is not an easy thing, especially if you are a first-time camper, but doing it in Norway will make everything a little lighter.
DREAMY ROADS
The beauty of traveling by campervan? Grinding out miles of road under your wheels, having everything with you, and being able to travel, travel, travel, looking out the window at magnificent vistas, stopping to explore the best ones a bit more, until night comes, or, in summer in Norway, until you've found a perfect place to sleep.
The roads in Norway are some of the most scenic ever: they skirt verdant fjords dotted with red cottages, climb in dizzying loops over mountains, and reach incredible viewpoints and idyllic villages.
Especially in central Norway, the fjords make getting around quite complicated; you often have to take ferries to cross them, or take long and winding roads, which make it not easy to stay in one place and from there move back and forth to reach the destinations you want to visit. Sure, there is always the option of changing hotels every night, but renting in campervans is easier than reassembling your suitcases every move!
YOU ARE NEVER ALONE
Norway is a veritable paradise for campers. Some rent a huge, luxurious caravan with wine cellar, some bring a self-built van, some travel by tent and bike, some by car with a bunk on the roof or some sleep directly in the trunk. We really have seen all sorts, but the common note is that in the places where you stop, you will always find good company.
EQUIPPED OR WILD CAMPING
This love of campers for Norway is also determined by the fact that free camping is allowed everywhere in this land. By respecting good neighborly norms with the inhabitants, you can practically sleep anywhere, even in a remote taiga among the ice or in the backyard of some local who grants you permission to do so.
If, on the other hand, you are more into the convenience of fully equipped campgrounds with hot showers and other amenities, you will find ones for every taste and budget, almost always with good access to lakes and other areas of interest. In summer they are very crowded, so in some cases you will need to try to ask at more than one to find availability.
EXCELLENT SERVICES
Especially if you are traveling by tent or campervan, you will need to have facilities such as toilets and water refill points available at all times. At campsites, of course, these are always available, along with electricity, and you can even pay a small fee to use only the facilities without staying overnight. But the great thing about Norway, is that every nook and cranny, whether in the city or in remote places, you will always, always find a spot where you can refill water or with excellent toilets. Even better, often the rest stops for toilets, are real scenic spots, overlooking some natural sight, equipped for picnics, and with small buildings that are real architectural beauties. In any case, you are sure that your every emergency will be covered. In some cases, we also found free parking spaces with electricity columns.
CHANGING CLIMATE, NO PROBLEM
The weather in Norway, even in summer, is very unreliable. You may have planned the hike of your life, and then be forced to do it in rain and fog before setting off for your next destination, perhaps traveling in sunshine. Having a campervan grants you the freedom to travel or explore depending on the weather conditions, perhaps reschedule your plans while waiting for the weather to improve, or move on to the next destination while it's wicked weather outside.
THE MUST-HAVE APPS
To make your trip even easier, you can rely on some apps that have made ours really enjoyable. Here are some of the ones we used.
TOILET FINDER
This nice app needs no explanation; it will help you find the toilets closest to you or your destination. It might be a good idea to stay overnight near there if your RV does not have a toilet.
PARK 4 NIGHT
This app has been the most popular for us; it shows where there are suitable overnight parking lots, with a range of ancillary information such as charging stations, electricity columns, and restrooms. For some of the parking lots there are also helpful photos posted by campers.
MAPS.ME
You probably already know this app if you travel a lot. In Norway, it is not always possible to have a stable connection. With this app you can download maps of the area you are interested in exploring in advance and make use of them even in areas where there is no connection.
