TRAVEL INSURANCE
Single Trip and Annual Multi-Trip

Norway

Norway is a Nordic country, situated on the western side of Scandinavia in Northern Europe.  Several countries, including Denmark, Finland, Russia and Sweden, border it.  The country is very long and thin from north to south and consequently has miles of coastline, mainly on the North Atlantic Ocean and Barents Sea.  It shares long land borders with Sweden and Finland and also a part of Russia.  The Scandinavian Mountains run from north to south with the highest peak being the Galdhøpiggen at 2469m (8,100’) followed by the Glittertind. The capital and largest city is Oslo, and currency is the Norwegian Krone.

The majority of the ski resorts and areas are concentrated in the south of the country, with a few exceptions.  Narvik is the most northerly ski area, which offers a snowpark for boarders.  Hemsedal is one of the most popular ski and snowboarding resorts with jumps, boxes, half pipes, quarter pipes and rails.  Close to Oslo there are terrain parks at Varingskollen and Tryvann Winter Park. The skiing and boarding areas at Geilo and Beitostolen are said to be some of the best and unspoilt areas in the country. 

Lillehammer hosted the Winter Olympics in 1994 and is an established town with the Hafjell ski area close by, offering ski-in/ski-out accommodation and great restaurants. Boarders and freestyle skiers will also love Hafjell, with its choice of jumps pipes and rails.  There are many other small, cosy ski resorts such as Skeikampen and Voss.  Trysil is one of the largest ski areas in Norway and suitable for families and all levels of skier. 

Norway is famous for its fresh fish and food items, some of which are not easy to pronounce… Try ‘Kjøttkaker’ (meatballs) for starters.  Norway also produces the delicious Jarlsberg cheese which is exported throughout the world.  The country is well known for its spectacular and dramatic landscapes of  fjords, mountains, deep lakes, islands, glaciers and waterfalls, as well as the Northern Lights -- and skiing.  It is also the home of Telemark skiing. 

The most highly populated areas and tourist areas  include Oslo, Bergen Stavanger, Trondheim, Baerum, Kristiansand, Fredrikstad and Tromso.  To reach the ski resorts most visitors arrive through Oslo airport.

Other than skiing and boarding, winter activities in Norway include tobogganing and dog sledging, as well as  Kick Sledge and Snowmobile nature safaris to see wildlife such as reindeer, wolves, elk and moose.  Sea safaris take in king crabs and views of killer whales. Cross-country skiing is popular, with dozens of great trails available.  If you have never stayed in a snow hotel, this may be the time to try the Igloo hotel in Alta, or the Kirkenes Snow Hotel.  If it gets too chilly you can always warm up with some ‘Gløgg’ (Norwegian-style mulled wine).