By Michaël Lafrasse

Michaël, professional photographer and nature and hiking enthusiast, takes us to the heart of Norway, for 6 days of walking on a breathtaking route.

“A few weeks ago, I fulfilled a childhood dream: going on a trek for 1 week, in a country offering the most beautiful landscapes on the planet: Norway. A discovery both of homelessness, but also of this part of the globe. So here I am on the Norway Trail!

The beginning of the adventure!

After taking off from Lyon and a stopover in Munich, it is time for me to land in the magnificent city of Bergen to begin this adventure. I had the opportunity to arrive a day before and thus spend the Saturday evening in the city center and enjoy a local restaurant, visit the streets and neighborhoods, but above all discover a little of the area.

After a magnificent evening in extraordinary weather (which is very rare
for the region from what the locals were able to explain to me), I join the group of adventurers at the local station for a 3-hour bus stop to reach our campsite for the Sunday evening. The idea is to get closer to Odda and the starting point of the walk.

The bus takes passages in the middle of the fjords which already gives me a glimpse of the incredible landscapes that will accompany me during this stay. Arriving at the campsite is in a good mood.

This is the opportunity to meet 3 of the 4 guides who will accompany us on this trek! The opportunity also to collect the necessary equipment according to your needs: stove, sleeping bag, tent, bag, stick but also and above all meals: freeze-dried...

DAY 1

After a night lulled by a gentle rain which sets the tone for this trip, and while the departure is initially planned for 8:30 a.m., we learn upon awakening that it has been postponed, and that the route has changed. Terrible storms were finally forecast, and the guides decided to do the route in the opposite direction to be in more protected places in the event of a storm. Using a guide can be very useful to have a good time trekking without taking more risks than necessary.

We therefore leave by shuttle to Odda, to then reach the plateau which we travel for 6 days. On the program for the day, a short climb of 3 km for 1000m of difference in altitude, enough to get you in good shape, especially with a little over 20 kilos on your back.

The small group is on its way. One guide leads the way, two separate in the middle of the group, and one brings up the rear. Everyone can therefore move forward at their own pace, without getting lost. As a precaution, the guides provided each participant with GPS tracks to guide us if intersections
may seem difficult.

After a good hour of climbing on this vertical KM, the plateau opens before our eyes, but above all an incredible view of the Hardanger Fjiord from which we left! Meal time has come and everyone gathers together. This is where we set up camp because rain is forecast for the afternoon.

After a few showers of rain, protected under the shelter of our tents, the guides
offer motivated people the opportunity to go in “light” mode to discover a nearby summit (which is clearly worth the effort).

From there we discover the first views of the fjord but also
the extent of the plateau: it’s simply impressive. The feeling of being on another planet. At only 1500 m altitude, in the middle of August, the snow is still present! On the neighboring plateaus, glaciers with eternal snow dominate the fjord! It’s a majestic landscape!

After an hour of navigating the ridges, it is time for the motivated group to go back down to eat and, above all, spend the first night in the middle of nowhere.

Summary of this first day: 11 km and 1480 m of elevation gain.

DAY 2

The alarm rings earlier than expected, a storm is predicted at the beginning of the afternoon. The stage is then shortened in order to have time to set up camp. We set off for 8 km and 600 m of elevation gain at a sustained pace. On the horizon the big black clouds are arriving.

Time to pass several snowfields, two/three scree slopes and we reach the
peak of the day. The opportunity to take a few photos to enjoy the view, but ultimately we don't linger, because the temperature is dropping visibly. We quickly arrive at the lake next to which the camp is planned. One of the guides then explains that this spot is an escape (and the only one of the trip) and that if the weather does not change, there is a risk that we will have to go back down and give up tomorrow...

The meal eaten, the tent set up, the rain does not take long to arrive. But luck seems to smile on us, with lulls, in the middle of the afternoon. This is also the opportunity to go to a neighboring summit to enjoy for the first time a view of Lake Ringedalsvatnet.

DAY 3

After a night in the storm, and waking up a little damp, the forecast forecast is simply perfect!

Today's hike is sensational: the route takes the entire small group through the middle of majestically colored lakes. We discover snowfields, small glaciers, waterfalls, and viewpoints, each more beautiful than the last, before reaching the dam where the camp is planned for the night.

It is also the first day when it is possible to see a real blue sky. The day ends with a truly spectacular sunset.

After 3 days, the bag begins to lighten with each meal ;). Important point, which I have not yet mentioned, on this trek, no problem obtaining water. This was one of the big fears I had because the backpack was already well loaded!!. In this journey, there is water everywhere. Rivers, waterfalls, lakes... In most cases, it is possible to fill up without asking any questions, but when in doubt, I went with my filter pump. We never know ! I was far from the drought that hit France!

DAY 4

This 4th stage, quite short in the end, aims at the camp of
TrollTunga! A world-famous place! But also one of the most
expected from the stay.

This is felt, because the deserted paths of the first days begin to become
populate with hikers, as we get closer to the goal!

On the way, the guides suggest we take a small detour to enjoy a more than incredible view. For my part, it was really my favorite place! A magical setting, people, incredible weather to immortalize it all! Enough to take your retina in full!

We take advantage of the mild weather to quickly take photos of this
famous rock before leaving to set up camp at Trolltunga.

DAY 5

This is the last day of actual homelessness. And what's better than
start with the famous TrollTunga rock! Indeed, a shuttle awaits the whole group in the valley, to take us to the Kinsarvilk campsite for this Friday evening.

That day, 350m of positive altitude difference on the program but 1000m of negative altitude in 3 km. Enough to work the legs and knees well, especially in bad weather
catastrophic mixing rain and wind. Finally, this is the first time on this trek where rain pants are essential, and above all very appreciated.

Despite the weather, the scenery remains spectacular, and any break is welcome to take in the sights!

After 4 hours of walking, it's time to return to civilization and above all a good beer!

DAY 6

It's already Saturday!
Last day of hiking, but this time it is only for the day. We all leave together from the campsite for a beautiful 17km hike to conquer 4 magnificent waterfalls!

Personally, these are the biggest stunts I have ever seen.
discover. Each one more spectacular than the last! A real
spectacle of the power of nature in a setting worthy of the films of
dinosaurs!

An incredible last day, with great weather, but above all with a group who got to know each other by living an incredible adventure together for 6 days.

The last evening of this trek alone illustrates the atmosphere of this one, the
self-improvement that some participants demonstrated, the discovery of this type of experience as in my case, but above all a human encounter. 6 days ago, no one knew each other, and this evening closed moments of doubt, mutual help, laughter...

A real little family.

It's the best experience I've ever had. People
from completely different horizons and countries, who surpass each other and experience the same
adventure, all in a cohesion and a simply incredible atmosphere!

I wanted to thank everyone with whom I shared this adventure, and above all, we'll see you next year in another destination!!

You can find all of Michaël's adventures and his photos on his website .