ESSENCE OF NORWAY

Day 1 Oslo

Settle into Oslo at The Thief hotel in Tjuvholmen, a buzzing pedestrianised hub for contemporary art and one of the capital’s coolest spots for cultural connoisseurship – just 15 minutes from the city centre. The Thief is a nine-storey extension of Oslo’s cosmopolitan vibe, full of designer furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the impressive Oslofjord. A refreshing change from traditional city centre hotels.

Overnight: The Thief, Oslo

Day 2 Oslo

Explore the city today, starting with the contemporary Astrup Fearnley Museum next door to The Thief. Discover boutique shops and independent restaurants, and perhaps learn about Oslo’s Viking history and impressive ships. Take to two wheels to cycle the capital, or in summer sail around islands in the fjord in one of the hotel’s Riva boats, go standup paddleboarding or kayaking. In the afternoon, relax in The Thief’s sleek spa.

Overnight: The Thief, Oslo

Day 3 Oslo to Valdres

Continue your cosmopolitan escapade before driving north to Valdres – the picturesque central southern region that is also home to Norway tallest mountains. Not far from the beautiful Jotunheimen National Park, Herangtunet Boutique Hotel is a design-led and family-run village hotel. Its log cabin exterior belies the nine contemporary and geographically themed – London, Aspen, New York, Swedish, for instance – rooms within. Grazing boards, gathering around fires and fine dining without the formalities characterise the experience at Herangtunet’s restaurant, where ingredients come straight from the local butcher, bakery and brewery.

Overnight: Herangtunet Boutique Hotel

Day 4 Jötunheimen National Park

In winter here, temperatures plummet and fir trees are poetically dusted with snow; in summer, long days present verdant vistas under the bright midnight sun. Explore the Jötunheimen mountains and vast lakes, with outdoor adventures of your choice – riding, white water rafting, canyoning, bathing in natural pools, snow rafting, skiing or dog sledding on pristine powders with a team of six huskies.

Overnight: Herangtunet Boutique Hotel

Day 5 Drive to Aurland

There’s little way to prepare for the magnificent beauty of Aurland’s fjords: the pure remoteness, the stillness of the crisp air, and the Norwegian hills that rise from crystal clear shores, covered in trees and sometimes sprinkled with snow at their peaks. Amid these natural wonders, 29/2 Aurland is a remarkably situated place to at least attempt to soak it all in after your two-hour drive. Two handsomely restored and updated 18th-century buildings house nine rooms, which blend rural tradition with bright, contemporary flair. Sheepskin rugs rest atop rustic wooden furniture in the lounges, flames crackle in stone fireplaces and the restaurant opens onto a view of the entire fjord – undisturbed bliss.

Overnight: 29/2 Aurland

Day 6 Aurland

The great outdoors beckons once again today: superb walks, fjord safaris by RIB, visits to local mountain farms and the Stegastein lookout, an incredible viewing platform that gives the illusion of floating in mid-air. The tiny station at Flåm is the gateway to possibly the most beautiful rail journey in the world, up to Myrdal. Thrill-seekers will enjoy a 17-kilometre mountain cycle back down again, including a stretch that can be taken on a colossal 1.3-kilometre zipwire – the longest in Northern Europe. Fishing enthusiasts will find 29/2 Aurland’s prime location particularly appealing. The Aurlandselva river lures many to western Norway for its excellent sea trout and salmon, and the hotel can arrange expert opportunities in the summer season. Just remember, catch and release.

Overnight: 29/2 Aurland

Day 7 Drive to Nordfjord

Make your way through beguiling Nordfjord - Norway's second largest fjord - at your own leisurely pace, taking in the stunning scenery along the way. Your base for the next two days is Hotel Alexandra, located in the village of Loen - a serene spot set against a dramatic mountain backdrop in the inner reaches of the fjord.

Overnight: Hotel Alexandra

Day 8 Nordfjord

Go riding, kayaking or on a rambling walk to the peak of the hills with a panoramic fjord view for your reward. Try regional flavours - from hams to vegetables, and salmon, of course - on a culinary masterclass; or spend the afternoon indulging in the hotel's own beer, and other local micro varieties, in a tasting held in the basement tavern.

Overnight: Hotel Alexandra

Day 9 Drive to Juvet Landskapshotell

Set off on a glorious three-hour drive northwards to Valldal – a ravine where seven glass-walled cube suites have been built around the trees, boulders and river running through it. More view with a room than room with a view, Juvet Landskapshotell is absolutely minimalist. With darkened interiors and only the essentials in the way of furniture, there is little distraction from the woodland panoramas afforded by their floor-to-ceiling windows. As part of the hotel’s commitment to making the lowest possible environmental impact, two compact log houses are raised on stilts like birdhouses.

Overnight: Juvet Landskapshotell

Day 10 Juvet Landskapshotell

Enjoy the ravine and its surrounding spoils. Down by the gently flowing river, a secluded spa and outdoor bathing spot promises total relaxation, while action awaits elsewhere. In winter, ski through the mountains to the Trollkyrkjebreen glacier; zip line over or kayak and fish along the river in summer; and try canyoning or rafting to really get your adrenaline pumping. Walks through mountain farms and abandoned fjords are plentiful, and sublimely peaceful.

Overnight: Juvet Landskapshotell

Day 11 Depart

Transfer for your flight home.