A Family Adventure in the Norwegian Fjords

The Norwegian capital is urban but close to the water and the wild, and can be explored through its picturesque buildings and villages, or its islands and pine and larch forests. There's always a focus on nature.

In the itinerary - A day to explore the Norwegian capital, including an Oslo Pass which offers unlimited access to public transport and outdoor swimming pools, as well as discounts for certain museums, restaurants, tours, and shops.

Must-see - The Norskfolk eco-museum. This open-air museum has 155 traditional houses from different regions of Norway. Summer activities include folk dances and music, arts and crafts, farm animals, horse-drawn carriage rides, playgrounds and old-fashioned grocery stores.

Pick up your hire car and drive to Geilo, through the Hallingdal Valley.

In the itinerary - Your tickets to Langedrag Animal Park. The park was born of a Norwegian family's dream to build a sanctuary for animals and birds in the Hallingdal and Numedal valleys. With great respect for natural breeding over millions of years, Langedrag has preserved the earliest breeds of each species. There are 22 different species with a total of around 250 animals including wolves, lynx, reindeer, Arctic foxes, horses, goats, cattle from Telemark and Highland, yaks, sheep, and a barn with ducks, geese, and rabbits. There are many activities on offer for children and adults during the tour, including dog sled rides, riding, horse-drawn carriage rides, guided tours of the mountain farm, mountain hikes and wolf and lynx feedings.

Spend two nights outside Geilo in the woods in a warm Norwegian-style hotel. The hotel is decorated in great taste with warm tones, and includes various antiques that add a note of authenticity. There is a heated indoor pool, an outdoor pool for warmer days, and even a bakery, where the bread is excellent.

Located almost equidistance from Oslo and Bergen, Geilo is a typical Norwegian village - it has a train station, small shops and a few hotels scattered in the hills.

Things to see and do - A family hike in Prestholtskaret, at the foot of the Hallingskarvet mountains and at the entrance to Hallingskarvet National Park - a mountain bike ride or riding on horseback - a rafting or kayaking trip.

Now it's time to head west - where the route crosses mountains interspersed by lakes and lined with wild grass - to the waters of the Hardangerfjord and the small village of Ulvik. The region is nicknamed 'Norway's orchard' : here, in the 60th parallel north, apples, pears and even cherries grow. Then head from the Voringfossen waterfalls to the majestic glaciers via the Hardangervidda (the tallest plateau in Northern Europe) where wild reindeer roam; the Hardangerfjord is a true wonder of nature. Stay for two nights in a very comfortable hotel surrounded by a beautiful garden, an excellent base for discovering the magnificent landscapes of the fjord.

The itinerary includes a private boat trip through the fjords. Norway's west coast stretches 1367 miles from north to south, marked by deep valleys carved out during the glacial period and now filled by the sea. Welcome to the fjords. In this majestic and somewhat inhospitable setting, there are men and women who carry on the family traditions of breeding and farming. Along the river, accompanied by a private guide, you'll explore traditional farms that tell the story of life in the fjords.

Must-do - Hiking the trails from the beaches of the Hardangerfjord to the peaks of the Hardangervidda Range - learning to fish - bathing in the cool waters of the fjord.

Option - Private tour of the Ulvik fjord by kayak - hire bikes for a day.

It's now time to head west to Voss, the famous ski resort, and then Bergen, Norway's second largest city which has all the charm of a provincial town and is nestled among seven mountains. Waterfalls, waterways and mountains make up the scenery along the way. Stay for three nights in Steinsland, on the south-west coast of Sotra Island, in a cosy seaside location. There's an ambience of intimacy throughout, where urban style meets the traditional atmosphere of the ancient Norwegian fishing villages. The suites feel like wooden lofts bathed in light; yours is in a duplex suspended over the water. There are views of the ocean or countryside at all times.

You'll spend two days settling in your North Sea hotel and get your fill of outdoor activities. Go on a bike ride and feel the wind in your hair, take a trip in a kayak or take a boat ride to an uninhabited little island where you can visit its lighthouse. Or perhaps you'd like to take some time out to enjoy the hotel's wellness facilities, which includes a solarium, sauna, fitness centre and hot tub. Adults could try diving in the nearby crystal-clear Austerfjord.

In the itinerary - Bike hire for a day of free exploration.