Tight Travellers

Ask anyone about Norway and they’ll say the same thing: “Oh, it’s absolutely stunning – and absolutely extortionate.” They’re not wrong on either count. Norway is genuinely one of the most beautiful places on earth. And aye, it’s not cheap.

But here’s what people don’t tell thee: a road trip through Norway can actually save tha money. When you have a car and a tent, tha can sleep for free under some of the most jaw-dropping scenery in the world, eat from supermarkets instead of restaurants, and access places that tour buses never reach. We spent six weeks driving around Norway and it remains one of the best trips we’ve ever done. Here’s how we did it without bankrupting ourselves.

How much does Norway cost?

We won’t sugarcoat it – Norway is the most expensive country we’ve visited in Europe. A pint in a bar costs around £8-10. A sit-down meal for two is easily £60–80. Petrol is pricey. Toll roads add up on a long road trip.

But here’s where the road trip changes everything. Wild camping is legal in Norway, the right to roam (allemannsretten) means you can pitch up almost anywhere you feel like it. We camped in spots that would cost hundreds a night if they were glamping resorts. Supermarkets (Rema 1000 and Kiwi are the cheapest) sell perfectly good food for reasonable prices. And the best things to do in Norway — the hikes, the fjords, the waterfalls, the coastline — are completely free. Budget around £80–120 per day for two people on a road trip and tha’ll have a brilliant time without constant financial stress.

We booked accommodation for our city nights through Booking.com and found decent budget options in Bergen and Oslo. If you do fancy flying, we always start with Skyscanner — Norwegian and Wizz Air both do cheap routes from the UK.

Where we went

The Lofoten Islands – Honestly one of the most extraordinary places we’ve ever set eyes on. Dramatic mountains dropping straight into the sea, tiny fishing villages painted in red and yellow, roads that wind around coastlines so beautiful tha genuinely has to pull over just to take it in. We hiked four different trails here, surfed in Arctic waters, and came away completely changed by the place.

Trolltunga – Norway’s most iconic rock formation and one of the hardest hikes we’ve done. 27 kilometres return, several hundred metres of elevation, and a view from the top that made every single painful step worth it. Not one for the faint-hearted, but absolutely one for the bucket list.

Voss – We jumped out of a plane here. At a skydiving centre with views over Norwegian fjords. It were completely and utterly mental, and we’d do it again tomorrow.

The fjords – Geirangerfjord, Hardangerfjord, Sognefjord. Words don’t really cover it. Go and see for thissen.

Getting around Norway on a budget

A hire car is by far the best way to see Norway (unless you take your own) – public transport is limited outside cities and much of the best scenery is only reachable by road. Be aware of toll roads (AutoPASS handles these automatically on most hire cars) and budget for ferries between some fjord crossings. Petrol costs more than the UK but the. For comparing car hire prices, Skyscanner Cars is a good starting point.

When to go

June to August for the midnight sun and the most accessible hiking. May and September are quieter and slightly cheaper with most routes still open. Winter is spectacular for Northern Lights but many mountain roads close and some hikes become dangerous without proper kit. We went in summer and it were absolutely bloody perfect.

Our Norway posts – start here