Norway 2025

Originally, we had planned to visit Narvik, the war museum, and take the cable car up. Due to the breakdown of our beloved Dark Zebra, we skipped those plans and headed north until we found a stunning, well-hidden spot right next to a fossen (waterfall) in Tennevoll. I had my business calls there, while Flower (my endearment to my wife) explored the tracks along the river. After our breakfast, which turned out to be a brunch, we took a walk down the fossen, took some photos and videos, and climbed the narrow winding path back up.

Norway Travel Documentary

If we had had unlimited time, this was a spot we would have stayed. However, Tromsø was calling, and therefore we headed along the road down the hill, went shopping for Norwegian mosquito repellent (maybe they don’t understand the Swedish “Mygg” one), and went on. With efficient speed, we arrived in Tromsø and parked right at the gasoline station under the famous Arctic Church. We opted to fly our drone while the Dirty Panda was crossing the bridge, but due to the nearby airport, this was a no-fly zone. We crossed the bridge and soon parked almost in downtown Tromsø and paid our parking ticket with EasyPark, as good citizens do. We walked on the bridge until we reached the peak to take some city view photos. Flower disliked the height and the swaying bridge, so we headed back to the old town and explored a tourist trap (souvenir shop). As the clothes were all made in China, we didn’t buy anything and took a stroll along the pedestrian zone, shot some more photos and videos, and headed back to the car. We got a fine because our ticket expired 4 minutes ago. The overlanding life without timekeeping doesn’t work in a city. Once more over the famous bridge, which we realized later cost toll, towards the church, we realized our destination “Senja” is actually on the other side of the Sund. This time we took the tunnel (paying toll again) and soon pushed the pedal down to leave Tromsø fading in our rearview mirror. On the outskirts of town, a reindeer was peacefully eating grass right next to the road in the midst of the houses. We had arrived in the upper north. In the search for a camp spot, we left Tromsø downtown behind and took some winding side roads. At a high plateau, we found a place right on the street. Rather exposed to wind and looks from other cars, we decided to call it a day, cook dinner, and have a warm shower before going to sleep early. It was midnight, and the sun was still up. At 00:15, finally, the sun sank behind the mountain, to reappear at 00:45 again. Despite the brightness, we slept well.

As the spot was windy and exposed, we didn’t have breakfast there. We drove on and caught the ferry as the 2^nd last car, probably due to our pre-ordered telepass, the road and ferry tax transponder. The ride was smooth and stunning. We arrived in Senja with bright sunshine and started exploring the island. The narrow roads took us over mountain passes and led to the valley of a village with a great bay and blue sky. We spent almost 45 minutes taking drone shots before we stopped at the bay and activated the Starlink so I could do some urgent telephone conferences. The reception was awesome with only one short interruption, and the opposite side didn’t realize I was sitting in a Defender until I deactivated the background in the video call and showed the nice weather, the bay view, and the Defender.

After some hash browns and sunny-side-ups, we followed the picturesque coastal road along the fjord and visited the sandy beaches to take a walk and the passages to enjoy the views. We decided to go to Andoya early to secure a space on the ferry. When we arrived, the queue stretched all the way to the end of the village, and the space at the ferry pier had six fully occupied lanes. With the ferry only taking 45 cars, it would have to make 3, maybe 4 trips to accommodate us, especially since all the other passengers had caravans and huge campervans. We would have waited up to 24 hours. In the heavy rain, we decided not to sleep and camp in the midst of the village and skip the Vesteralen. Another reason we need to return soon. We raced along the streets of Senja and this time took the bridge back to the mainland, following the route through the park, with the weather getting better with every kilometre.

We didn’t want to push it and stopped right at the shores of a river on a concrete pontoon. The views were great, and nobody bothered us. We showered without a shower tent, cooked a great dinner, and went to bed early after watching a movie. Suddenly, a car stopped with two guys carrying rifles, wearing high-visibility vests but in camouflage outfits. Somehow, it was unclear if they wanted to be stealthy or highly visible. They approached the car and told us in an apologetic and friendly way that we were camping on military ground and must show them our papers and leave immediately. We collapsed our camp and followed them as they escorted us out of the military zone. They were really friendly, so we exchanged business cards and agreed they would contact us when they visit Switzerland next time. The camp spot they recommended was already taken by another Swiss camper. We headed on and found a dirt track leading to an open space. Not great, but not bad either. We opened the roof and slept there without being bothered.

The next morning, we quickly left camp and returned to our previous spot at Fossen, where we had breakfast and rested before heading towards Lofoten. Constant travel left us tired, and the drive was uneventful, slowed by a cautious Nissan Patrol. At a building site, we met an Italian couple from Wild Exploration with their Defender, who gave us a sticker; we made plans to get YouTube giveaways in return. After missing the Rognan meet-up due to their schedule, we continued to Svolvear, explored its tourist-heavy town, and saw the Hurtigruten ferry. We launched our drone by the bridge before heading to Hemingsvear, known for its soccer field among rocks. We parked near the field and took drone footage, though access may soon be restricted as traffic increases.

We were rather tired and opted to take a camp spot we spotted on the way there. As it is with good spots, they are taken the later the evening gets. We drove onwards in the direction of Fredvang in search of a good spot, but soon realized our desire for a campsite alone, away from the street, preferably with an off-road track, sea view, and a little hidden wasn’t possible. We settled with a small parking area right next to a side road beside a rock with a stunning view and took a relaxing shower from the engine heat exchanger, and started cooking a delicious dinner with a view. Of course, the mosquitoes smelled us and attacked in formation. We ignited our newest weapon, which should keep them clear within 25m. A chemical “iron dome” against the nasty group of animals: It did the job, but only when there was no wind; therefore, we also applied the “no mygg” stuff from Sweden and the Norwegian chemical compound. In the end, they gave up and disappeared, while we enjoyed our meat sticks with a whisky risotto and a bottle of wine, watching an eternal sunset. After a short movie, we were dead tired and slept deeply and well, while a flock of sheep passed by and made the corresponding noises.

After a breakfast with blue sky and sunshine, we packed up our gear and headed towards Fredvang. It was Sunday, and only "emergency shops" were open, offering the main goods and not the full assortment of things. We shopped at Rema1000 in a dark little corner shop and got what we needed. Outside, a Dutch Land Rover had parked right next to us, so we left our card and drove off towards Fredvang. Arriving there, the dragon at the counter was still the same. We got our space and queued for washing, cleaned the car inside, and reorganized all our stuff. Living in a small space means everything has its place. Accessing something often means taking something off first to get to it. This can get annoying, especially if your partner always parks the stuff in the middle of the way. We settled our discussions and agreed more or less on how things should be (meaning, she decided) – and put the belongings back inside the car. We pulled out the winch to have a drying wash line and used one of the paracord ropes to accommodate all the clothes to dry in the sunshine.

We took a short walk around the camping and settled for Apéro with a cigar, some Single Malt and Red Wine, whilst the gulls (called Black-legged-Kittiwake) turned their rounds commenting on everything and talking about anything. Some even set their foot on the top of our Defender and enjoyed the view, one of them placed a “bomb” centred in the midst of the lids of our aluminium roof boxes. We enjoyed our evening with small cut beef cubes on a red wine sauce with hand-made mashed potatoes. The sun was still up at midnight when I went dead tired to sleep, and Flower was still awake and busy with social media. When I woke up at 0400 for a toilet visit, the whole place was damp and filled with thick fog. Our washing line was all wet again. I didn’t bother and went back to sleep until the Kittiwake woke me up the next morning, with apparently arguing over a dead Stockfish they seemed to be missing in their inventory, or the other Kittiwake disagreed about the best fish recipe.

We spent the morning with a lazy start, brunch with pancakes and almond syrup, which needed special tools to be opened, and soon started pumping up our kayaks. The packrafts stand ready, but I realized I am missing my fin. After some research, I found the MRS shop near Oslo and contacted them. They agreed to send the Fin to Bodø, where I could pick it up a few days later. We decided to paddle out despite missing the fin, but staying close to the shoreline to avoid any “lost Bears” (my nickname she gave me) at sea. Being called Bear in Norway is funny, as they have as well “Lordbear”, “Bringbear”, and “Bloebear” – and we had Camonbear in the fridge. Flower propellered up the drone, stored the remote in her bag, which almost crashed the little bird. Luckily, not much happened and the drone could take its footage, first me and then her alone paddling. We enjoyed the time in the burning sunshine and headed back on shore, cleaning the rafts and packing up our camp. Our next agenda point was visiting the Nusfjord. I felt weak, but thought “happy wife, happy life,” and so we collapsed the rooftop tent, put in the awning, and drove off to visit the 30-minute away fjord village. It was stunning, but like everything else in the Lofoten, a tourist trap. We took some footage and headed back to Ramberg for groceries, and soon parked our Landy back in the former place. We got three Austrian girls in a rented camper without heating as neighbours. They sat outside, whilst the weather turned bad. I felt sick, and Flower cooked tea and medicine to get me warm in bed. I soon fell asleep, whilst she stayed up longer for social media and chats.

The next morning, we packed up early, as our ferry to Værøy would leave at 09.45. When we passed the ferry pier at 09.00 I decided to risk a short troll to A, the very last village on the Lofoten with a world famous cinnamon roll bakery. Flower queued outside with 40 other tourists, whilst I filmed and photographed the village. She made it just in time back to the car for us to race back on the Pier and make it on the ferry as almost last car. Whilst the ferry from Moskenes to Bodø cost between 200 – 600 EUR, the one to Værøy is free. Værøy is connected to Moskenes and Bodø, therefore a detour via Værøy is worth it. The downside: You have to spend one night on a remote island with 3 streets all leading to nowhere. With 700 inhabitants and around 2000 tourists, the island is reacting to tourism and camping is almost everywhere forbidden. It is signed out at many places. We found in a near stone mine a nice spot, even with a comfortable table. After some business calls, we decided to walk down to the shore, where the wind did not blow. It was instantly hot. We returned after a while to the car and spent a lazy afternoon partly working, sleeping, and chatting, before we cooked dinner inside the car. When we started to play games in the car, the “Politi” arrived and told us in a rather unfriendly way to leave immediately. I told him there is no sign, and he insisted that 1km back is one. He was the official guy, so we moved to an official campsite, where we enjoyed another sunset, a hot shower, and after a game went to sleep. Flower felt weak and needed some tea and other chemical compounds to help her get back to her form.

The next morning greeted us with blue sky and awesome weather. After cereals at the tailgate, we packed up our stuff. Flower was a little moody, but that happens during travels. We headed to the ferry, waited almost an hour, and boarded the “Værøy” soon after, to head in the direction of Bodø. The ferry stopped in Rost. The most remote island of the archipelago. The wind was icy, and the island absolutely flat. I admired the spirit of the locals living there and the two rather elevated side islands, with each a single house on it. Would I like to live there? Probably yes, if only in summer, with enough energy for Starlink and with good company.

The Værøy made the cruise to Bodø very comfortable. Arriving at the port, we decided to go to a “Selfwasker”, which is rare in Norway. They have more “Bilvasker”: The first is a carwash to wash the car yourself with a hose, the second is a fully automated car wash tunnel. After shopping for enough food and drinks, we set the navigation to Rognan to meet the fellow Land Rover enthusiasts and arrived there just an hour later after a stunning ride along the Fjords, through tunnels, and over bridges. Manu and Stoni had reserved a prime spot for us, and we set camp efficiently. The registration desk was already closed, and we agreed to first camp and then register the next day. We had a few drinks with our other fellow Swiss travellers and met the Land Rover Norsk officials, took a short walk around the camp, and agreed to avoid registration for any tours the next day, as we needed some static resting time. Not much later, Patrick arrived with his Audi Allroad, being full of joy about his road trip up Route 17. He only had one week of vacation and has driven the tour almost nonstop. We celebrated our arrival with drinks. As the sun doesn’t really set and after sunset the sky remains golden or red and only slightly blue, we had a few drinks too much before going to sleep.

The next morning, we slept a little longer and let it start slowly. After registration, we were informed about the location of the showers, which meant walking almost a kilometre, and the coffee mugs, which offered free coffee, tea, or chocolate milk. The Land Rovers lined up for their tours, whilst we cooked our breakfast and realized our Coleman Fuel cooker didn’t build up pressure anymore. Stoni, the talented mechanic, didn’t hesitate to install his repair kit into our almost new Coleman and explained to us how to use it without creating yellow flames and the corresponding soot. We decided to give the thing another go, as we spent almost 60 CHF on gas bottles, whilst the Coleman runs on Unleaded Fuel at a fraction of the cost. We spent at the end of the travel 6 CHF for Unleaded fuel for the Coleman and almost 70 CHF for gas bottles. It is not convenient to use the Fuel cooker inside, and as we store it on the roof, getting it down all the time is extra effort too. We got into the routine using the gas for breakfast and quick lunches, or coffee and the Coleman when we cook real dinners and food that takes longer to cook. Not much later, Lisa and Ivan arrived. Our two British friends and planned travel companions for heading down south along the coast, after the Land Rover meeting. It was their first longer trip in their freshly built 90 called “Lenny”. They had a new Vickywood rooftop tent, an external diesel heater, and a kitchen drawer to pull out at the back. All in all, a very nice setup and nicely built. Stoni had driven up in his Series II Land Rover and suffered engine damage near Tromsø. He found a Land Rover enthusiast helping him to fix the valves and put it back together. He celebrated the success and stated, the engine would run better than ever. We shared our DarkZebra Drama, and the day went on with short walks, drinks, meeting people, showers, and soon having a snack, when we were informed the Fin for our packraft will arrive in Fauske and can be picked up in a PostNord box. Patrick offered a ride in his Audi, but we realized his air suspension didn’t lift the car. After a few checks, we decided to take the Land Rover, and as Rose didn’t want to stay back without “her house”, my companion was Flower and not Patrick to go to the pickup station. We found the right box and tried to open the lid with the app and the help of customer care. We tried to contact the customer care service, but it didn’t work, and we headed back to camp without our beloved fin.

I contacted the vendor, the fin will most likely be coming back to him. He didn’t want to give up easily and tried to contact Post Nord. We agreed we would go there again the next day, whilst he would try his best to help us remotely. We spent the evening cooking, drinking, laughing, and enjoying the ever-lasting sunsets.

The next morning was “Gymstrana” on the program. A silly ride with your Land Rover to fulfil tasks, like transporting wood, driving backwards within lines, or shooting balloons with dart arrows. We didn’t participate as we were too lazy to collapse our camp and still felt drained from our nonstop driving. The afternoon was spent organizing the car, having some talks in the heat. The thermometer indicated over 30 Degrees Celsius, and this was above the Arctic Circle. We were impressed. For dinner, we had Risotto with a bottle of white wine from Patrick’s Audi-wine-cellar with meat from the Skotti grill. We were tired after so many nights of staying up late and, for once, went to bed rather early.

The next morning, we had Rösti and sunny-side-up eggs for breakfast. Walking to the shower was always quite an exercise, and after showering, we were right away sweaty again, as the temperature kept being at 25 degrees plus. When the wind stopped in the afternoon, the heat went over 30, and the dust of the airfield didn’t make it better. Patrick decided to head home and started his ride late Friday evening. With his air suspension down, the ride was bumpy, and he could only drive slowly. 2900 km in such a car would not be easy, but theoretically possible. After around 3 hours, he called me and stated, he enjoyed being in Sweden, but would return to camp and take the plane home. Whilst we packed our camp again and took another ride to Fauske. In contact with the MRS vendor via WhatsApp and asking a local lady for help, we could open the box with the help of her app, which is only to be installed on phones with a Norwegian phone number. We thanked her many times, but she didn’t want to take any gifts or beers, as she wanted to head to her cabin. We returned to camp and were just in time for the Reindeer Stew with mashed potatoes and melons for dessert. The cooking was all hand made and the stew was fabulous. We enjoyed another evening under the northern sun and had great talks in good company. It was too hot to drink wine and therefore we stayed with beers, water, and alcohol free drinks. Later that night, we went for whisky, Romanzini, and a Cigar to enjoy the sunset one more time, before leaving the next day.

In the morning, we showered and packed up the camp. The Brits had all their gear already packed and the engine running, when we still did our last routine checks. The radio didn’t work, as “Low Batt” appeared on their screen. They could only receive, and therefore, the communication was rather “one-way”. We first drove north to Fauske, took a few pictures, and flew the drone at the pier, before heading to Saltstraumen. It is a high bridge located at the fjord entry, and the tides can be observed creating whirlpools and strong currents. We walked up the bridge, took stunning photos. I used the toilet of the visitors centre, and without further delay, the ride went on. We passed the fjord once more and headed down route 17, which is still wide and fast in the north, but later changes to an adventurous tourist track. We parked before a stunning hanging bridge, offloaded Flower with her drone, and drove across the bridge and back. Unfortunately, other traffic was visible on the shots too, but it didn’t make the bridge less epic. For a short coffee and some disposal business, we stopped at an epic spot in Mevik. The spot scaled within the top numbers, which a fisherman and van driver well knew. He had parked his van directly at the seashores and was fishing and enjoying the freedom of Scandinavia. Ivan took his drone for a short spin, and Rose cooked coffee with vanilla milk. We enjoyed the short stop and soon stretched our right foot again towards the floor south direction.

In Snarkjøp Neverdal, we stopped to buy water and ice cream in a small store. As it's Sunday, most stores are closed or have only limited stock to buy from. The weather turned out to be awesome. We had a crystal blue sky, emerald-green waters, and stony shores on our trip ahead towards Glomfjord. We didn’t make the ferry, and it was a blessing. The road passing Svartisen (the local Glacier) was epic, despite the long tunnels dug under three Glaciers, we stood speechless at this natural beauty. As usual in Norway, we soon arrived at the next ferry and spent the waiting time refilling water, eating a snack, and enjoying the views. Some tourists tried to fish, whilst others put their feet in the sea to cool down. The thermometer has climbed above 30 degrees. The rather basic Førøy ferry took us across the Fjord, and Ivan created a new word in German, called “überfjordert”, which is a play on the word “überfordert” and “Fjord”. The meaning of it could be, there are so many Fjords, it is overwhelming – and it was. After every tunnel, every corner, the landscape presented itself in a new Postcard format, we could not stop filming, photographing, or just enjoying it at its fullest. Not much later, we arrived at Jektvik and boarded our last Arctic ferry. We passed the metal globe on a rock, which meant we were below the Arctic Circle again. I usually don’t make a big fuss about meridians or longitudes, but crossing the invisible line meant, we are definitely on our way back home. Finding a camp spot wasn’t easy that evening, but after some research, we found a dirt track next to a lake shore. We explored further down and found a nice coastal road, but most houses were a little too close for putting our camp up. The spot we liked and picked developed to be a private parking, where camping was forbidden. Luckily, we didn’t fully build our camp yet and relocated 200m down the road to a lovely spot right at the lake shore. After we had built our camp, Lisa started cooking the Boeuf Bourguignon, and we installed our already tested Mosquito defence system. After a few drinks, we called it an early night and went to sleep, accompanied by the plopping sound of the fish jumping up, catching insects, and the little creek washing down the stones.

The next morning, we had a short breakfast with cereal, tea, and chocolate milk, and had our pop-up and tent stored efficiently. The way ahead led along the fjord towards Nesna, where we missed the ferry by one minute. We used the time to buy some water at the local shop, boarded the ferry, and soon plowed on south. On the ferry to Tjotta, we met another Land Rover driver from the Rognan meeting. He was a local from Stavanger and gave us great route options to follow when we would explore Telemarkskanalen and the Preikestolen. Soon after, I was asked to dial into a telephone conference, as I was still part-time working. We waved our fellow travel companions goodbye and agreed to meet near Torghatten again. The spot we chose had two white campervans nearby with an Italian and a Norwegian couple swimming. After adjusting the Starlink to the correct directions for satellite reception, Flower went for a swim in the ocean and flew the drone, while I worked and held my meetings. It was more than 30 degrees warm when I finished, and instead of going into the rather cold salty water, I took a shower. We ate a small bite and soon drove off to the next ferry, Andalvagen. We set over and took the narrow roads to the Torghatten camping and met a young Swiss couple exploring the north for 3 months in a Defender. We exchanged numbers and decided to climb Torghatten with the drone and put on proper shoes. The road up was at first paved, then had heavy rocks, and later steep stairs over boulders to get up. Rose flew the drone and joined us later. It seemed she had climbed a little too fast and lost consciousness. She was lying down for around ten minutes until Lisa returned from her exploration trip. We decided not to finish the one-hour round-trip hike but head back down the same way we got up.

Ivan was in the parking lot waiting for us. The Torghatten camping did not allow open fires; therefore, our Pizza Project could not happen. We agreed to wild camp and stopped at a local store for some more flour and water before heading to a spot that cannot be described in words: A narrow off-road grass track leading through birch trees brought us to an opening with a small track towards some round rocks, where we could park the Defender, looking out into the bay. A place we would rate as one of the top ten we have camped so far, which did not seem to impress our travel companion, Ivan. He disliked the uneven ground and was rather grumpy about the whole mosquito and leveling thing. We didn’t care. It is a free world, and if someone dislikes the style we travel, they are free to leave. The late hour of making a fire and then cooking a pizza with fresh dough and ingredients took time, but materialized around 22:00. We enjoyed the sunset, Lisa was fishing, and we had our apéro snacks, and later the pizza with red, yellow, and purple and dark blue sky. We were truly happy at this place and enjoyed it to the fullest. We even considered staying another day, but our travel companions wanted to go on.

With a view of Torghatten, we left the stunning spot and put a marker on our map to return one day. We realized the next ferry would only ride once an hour and decided to race for it, which meant not to film the stunning Helgelandsbrua and push it. We overtook several campers and vans and arrived even 5 minutes ahead of time in Vennesund and made the ferry as one of the last cars. The ride was relaxed, the sun was out, and a cold breeze neutralized the burning hot sunshine on the upper decks of the ferry. The holiday mode was on, and we felt the adrenaline of our race against time and the pheromones our body released due to the sunshine, warm weather, and the joy we felt – at least most of us.

My work was calling, and therefore, we told the Brits to plow ahead, while we would camp near Holm on a spot with a view and a breeze. Some French bikers discovered the stunning spot as well and went for a swim, while I had my video conferences. After ninety minutes, my duty was done, and we took a relaxing pace towards Hofles. As the ferry would depart without us anyway, we had some time to kill and stopped at a REMA1000 to buy water, apéro-food, and some snacks. While I was shopping, Flower went to buy some T-shirts at the local store, as we had packed for cold weather. The ferry from Hofles to Lund took a little longer. The brand new ferry was impressive, and I spent the time photographing, filming, and admiring the stunning landscape. The road to Namsos crossed forests and hills. We were aiming to camp at our spot from 2022, where we stood right at the fjord, fishing. Unfortunately, some German campers and trampers had already occupied the space, and we wanted to respect their right to claim it first. From Namsos, the streets started being boring, despite still being on route 17. In Rödhammerberga Rasteplass, we stopped but didn’t like the place too much. The toilet was dirty, and the sea access was only passable via a steep track going down. A VW-Bus driver and his son had stopped there to play games. We decided to push on and went towards Malm and then turned right in the direction of Follafoss. At a parking area within a birch forest, we had a view over the Beitstandfjorden and enjoyed the view from the rock or the cozy place under the trees with a slight breeze. Our neighbor played rather loud music, but it was fully within my playlist. I recognized almost every song and soon realized a guy my age was just celebrating his birthday in his garden. Our travel companion was annoyed about the “noise” and complained that he would like to tell him to turn down the music. Sometimes traveling with someone shows the true nature of a person. I decided to ignore the comments and focus on the stunning view.

After the morning routine, we enjoyed the coastal road and stopped for a few drone shots, which turned out to be epic. Later, we raced along the breathtaking route towards Flakk through roads 720 and 715. It felt like passing the lower parts of the northern leg of the Albula passage. I just let my soul enjoy it and my mind focus on the landscape, the street, and the lakes, burning their images into my mind. I think I just found paradise. Not a spot, but a landscape, an action of driving and breathing in the air of fresh pine wood, a sea breeze with a slight taste of salt, and the blue sky with the warm sunlight on our skin. The Flakk Ferry was an opportunity for me to do some work, have a short call, and write a presentation. The power onboard also let me charge my laptop and enjoy a second chocolate milk. The ferries all have self-service cafeterias with honesty apps and cashiers to pay. Arriving on the other side, the ride to Trondheim was a short bit. We parked our cars in the city center and wanted to walk the 550m to the Dome. Our travel companion disliked the pavement of the road and the way there. We enjoyed the city no less, and instead of a group photo, we took our own selfies. On the way back, we passed the stunning bridge with a view over the Trondheim Bryggen and returned to our cars to have an iced coffee at a city bar. It felt strange to sit in the midst of people in a café again, and it didn’t take long until the first Swiss guys wished us “ä gueti Reis.”

The following road was, from experience, rather boring. We left the city and took the E39 to Orkanger. As we spent a lot of time in Trondheim, eating ice cream at a gasoline station and leaving late, our daily distance was under 200 km. We stopped first at a ski jump arena, which did not pass the liking of Ivan, and then went to explore, passing Nesvatnet, a recommended site at the shores of Heimsvatnet, which had far too many people swimming and camping already. We returned to Nesvatnet and were the first to set up our camp. Later, a German guy from Leipzig joined us but didn’t bother to greet us or ask if he could camp there, and a French cycling couple arrived too. We spent the evening flying a drone, enjoying a chicken burrito from Flower, and listening to music. A Slovak cyclist dropped by too and asked about the campsite in Heimsvatnet. He was on the way back home from Nordkapp and wanted to do the Atlantic Road and Trollstigen before heading to the Baltic states to get back home. He left after talking to the French cyclists when our travel companion got irritated because they pitched their tent too close to their car. He explained to them to move their tent, as otherwise, he might pee on it. We felt embarrassed and told him his behavior is a no-go.

From Nestvatnet, we climbed the peak of the nearby passage and produced several drive-by drone shots before heading down to Aure, a rural town in the midst of the Aure National Park. We went shopping in the Xtra store, talked with a Norwegian lady with her two kids who were a holiday there and complimented the warm and nice weather, and soon went on. I had to dial in for another urgent call. The Brits decided to cook tea whilst I had my meetings. I was done before them. We soon went on towards Tustna for the next ferry. After disembarking, we reached Kristiansund, which we didn’t want to visit, as walking in the city was not the joy of our companions. We pushed ahead towards the famous Atlantic Road and stopped at the Sørøysundbrua for drone shots and drive-by videos with cold winds and heavy tourist traffic.

We skipped the submarine base for the same reason we skipped Kristiansund and went directly on the boring E39 to Molde. The weather was once more from a tourist catalogue. After the last ferry for the day from Molde to Vestnes, we followed the road towards Trollstigen and reached Olgrova after just 126 km, but decided to camp at the shores of a small lagoon by a creek and the road leading up to the infamous Trollstigen. I had this camp spot in memory from our travels in 2022, when we camped just 300 meters ahead in a parking, whilst this felt like paradise when we discovered it the next morning. The spot was a little uneven, which required the usage of the low-range gears and several back and forth to find the right angle for the awning, the car, and the leveling. We managed, and Lenny (the Land Rover of the Brits) found its even spot as well. Our travel companion disliked the situation due to the changing weather and the uneven spot. He would have preferred a camping place instead. I decided to ignore the complaints and started the first beer and apéro when the weather turned darker and darker. A Swedish couple with a Range Rover Sport asked us if they could park next to us to use their SUP on our lagoon. We, of course, agreed, and they soon rowed off with their little dog in a swim vest. We started playing board games and had one drink after the next.

Meanwhile, the storm unleashed its full force, and the rain came down heavily. We had to move the kitchen to the table, and in this operation, the beer of our companion fell over. I am not sure if it was the fallen beer, the weather, or the whole situation that made him grumpy. We enjoyed our dinner and saved the things of the Swedish couple from the storm when they returned, through and through wet, but still laughing. They left soon after, and we finished our meals and washed our dishes, while our companion went rather grumpily to the car. They decided to leave a little earlier than planned to meet their companion near Bergen, while I would still be working the next morning from this spot. We called it an early night and fell soon to the drops of the rain on the roof and the sound of the nearby creek.

A little later than usual, we packed our little house and followed the route 200m up. I unloaded Flower with her electro-bird and drove up Trollstigen. She was able to take a few stunning videos, but a van seemed to have the same plan and was eager to be in all our recordings. Her drone didn’t climb the full height, so our recordings were not as we actually planned them. After picking her up in the damp and foggy valley, we climbed the Stigen again and stopped at the tourist store. The prices for caps, hoodies, or t-shirts were moderate. She bought herself a great-looking t-shirt, while I got myself another triangular and rectangular pillow and a Norway hat. The hoodies looked good, but they were all made of polyester, which I dislike.

The shopping spree done, we drove onward and soon stopped at the Gudbrandsjuvet. An interesting steel bridge felt like a welding project with a small waterfall. Nothing that you "have to see," but a good reason for a stop and a short walk. We didn’t feel very fit that day and went back to the car, driving down to Valldal to buy some water in the local Bunprix and later taking the ferry from Linge to Eisdal. Unfortunately, all white vans and campers disembarked before us, and we had to climb the hill at the end of the queue slowly. Route 63 is very touristy, and the traffic is horrible.

Luckily, in Eidsvatnet, they have built a new tunnel, which most of the campers took. We kept driving the scenic road and got back to the 63 before all others. Driving downwards to the Ornesvingen paid off: We got a great parking spot immediately. We unpacked our pocket helicopter and flew a few rounds in the fjord, along the passage road, filming the mountains and cliffs. The road down to Geiranger was again filled with tourist cars and caravans, which didn’t motivate us to stop in town. Up the hill, we took a few pictures and videos above the Utsikten Hotel, next to electric and rental or electric rental cars. Flower wanted to go ahead to Lovatnet, but I was tired. I convinced her to take the road down to Grotli and then climb up the dirt track to Langvatnet. She didn’t remember the place but then grumpily agreed, “You are the driver.” We passed a few spots near Route 15, which I disliked. She was even grumpier about my decision, but probably just hangry. In Grotli, we turned right and soon arrived at Lovatnet. Several spots seemed too windy or too close to the road until I found a flat spot beside the road we could drive on with a 4x4. The low range helped to get us over the stones and position us, giving shelter from the cold wind. We later took impressive photos and cooked mashed potatoes and meat for dinner. Our wine cellar was already empty, which made us drink some other liquids. Flower felt bad and went to bed early, while I decided to take a hot shower despite the ice-cold wind. It was a good decision, as I felt refreshed afterward. We watched a few travel blogs, I went to take some photos outside, and soon we fell asleep after a long day alone on the road again.

Flower pushed since we started planning to go to Lovatnet and kayak there. I wasn’t fond of it, but “happy wife, happy life”. After passing down from Lovatnet, we stopped near Hjelle to take photos. I mistake it for Stryn, which offers an impressive overview of a meandering river. We took a few drone shots and went to Hjelle for water, which cost us 25 NOK per 5min. We could only fill half a tank and decided to have enough, until we found a better source. We followed the coastal road via Erdal to Stryn and later to Loen, where a cable car brings tourists up the hill. It was one of the places I planned to visit at first. We went ahead to Lovatnet and stopped at a narrow road for drone shots. It was entertaining to see how tourists could not be patient and drove on the single-track road and blocked traffic, just to head back again. We drove along the lake and discovered Sande Camping was all sold out. Ahead, we found a bath area where we stopped. Camping is forbidden, but parking and swimming, kayaking are allowed. I assembled my kayak, whilst Flower didn’t want to put hers up. I went out on the lake, whilst she took drone shots and watched up. More than six waterfalls were visible, and the green lake was shining as if someone had put colour into it. I just sat in my pack raft and enjoyed the epic view of this valley. It had something from Lake Sils in Engadin, but then the mountains were more massive and the “fossen” just a tick more epic. After almost an hour, I returned to shore to hand my raft to Flower, and she went out. I took follow-me videos and pictures, and made aerial shots, which I got scolded later for. My drone flying was just not good enough for her cinematic taste. We had a snack and discussed whether we wanted to drive to the end of the valley. It’s a dead end and probably not worth it. However, we were here, so let's take the effort and drive along the road. Soon we reached the sign, the toll road for 100 NOK started. We at first didn’t want to drive it, but then decided to give it a go. What a great decision!

The road led along some rocks and finally to a restaurant called Kjenndalstova on the shores of a turquoise blue lake, even more stunning than the lower Lovatnet further down. The road didn’t end there and went on further into the valley. We followed it through the birch forest and arrived at a bridge, and we were speechless. Three glaciers towered on top of the valley on granite mountains, throwing waterfalls at us. I was sitting behind the wheel of the Land Rover, no longer understanding the world. We drove on to the visitors' parking lot, left the car there, and walked the last 400m on the pedestrian hiking track. We arrived at an opening with benches, sat down, and didn’t say a word for over 15 minutes. We were deeply impressed, speechless, and overwhelmed by the beauty and the adventurous epic look. In every corner you watched, there were “fossn’s” which promised action by spilling fountains and rocks falling from under the glacier or small creeks coming down.

Back at the parking lot, I drove the Defender close to the creek. I could be sure there were no cows or sheep up there peeing in my water. I took out the pump, and after searching for the cable in the whole car, I found it, connected it, and pumped water through the filter into our tanks. We got over 140 liters of water out of the creek, and Flower returned with “walking by” shots from the hiking trail. We packed up the Landy and went ahead down. We were considering camping here, but then decided, due to our low battery and the lack of Internet (which meant we could not use Starlink), and because it is probably a national park where camping is forbidden, to head out of the valley. Wild camping in the valley is forbidden everywhere, and the camping places were sold out, except for the one at the beginning of the valley. We paid a steep price of over 50 CHF for the night but had access to a washing machine, warm and clean showers, and toilets, plus electricity. I charged the Ecoflow, which we used to power our Starlink, and we cooked dinner while Flower queued for washing. The queue was so long that her washing wouldn’t start until midnight.

We met a New Defender and TD5 driver at the campsite, talked a lot about their journey, and exchanged Instagram and email. We cooked a delicious dinner, enjoyed the stunning views of the mountains and the waterfalls, and realized it is getting darker at night again. Flower was able to put her wash in at midnight and finished it by 5:00 in the morning. She was exhausted from a short night, and we took it slow this morning. After breakfast and another shower, we left at 11:30 for Loen. Over the Fv60, we passed Innvik, Utvik, and several "Bringebær" and "Lordebær" selling points over a passage to get to Skei. We followed the E39 to the Helgeheim Church for a short coffee and cookies with some photo shoots. The weather was awesome, and the road boring. The E39 brought us further along the Jølstravatnet. We parked in Svidalneset for some Enterprise Business in a very clean toilet and headed on via Vassenden to Viksdalen. We stopped at the Likholefossen and took photos of the stunning waterfall. Flower was tired and didn’t want to fly the drone. We climbed the passage on and soon stopped at a parking area in the fjell with a breathtaking view over the meandering mountain creek. While Flower soon after dinner went to sleep, I spent time with a short walk in the vicinity, and when coming back, I spotted a large animal near the river. When I approached it, it must have picked up my scent and walked away. As we were already further south, the nights started to be darker again, and in the dim dusk light, I could not see it properly. I decided to slowly walk around and approach it from the other side against the wind, so it could not smell me. I was sure it was a moose, and after more than an hour of standing and observing patiently, it finally walked into the clearing to take a great photograph: "It was a cow." A little disappointed, I went to sleep.

The morning of our Norway 2025 Overland Adventure was cold, foggy, and with slight rain. The mood was a little low, but we packed our camp and took the road uphill, passing the mountain goat farms and the stunning lakes. At the Gaularfjellet Utsiktspunkt, we stopped to take some pictures. It was hard, as first a family from Zürich didn’t move their Skoda out of the photo, and when they finally did, a Danish family parked right next to our car. We could not take a great shot like 3 years ago from the Dark Zebra at the same spot, and went on without good content. Flower wasn’t in the mood to fly the drone either, and we probably both started to feel a little travel-tired. The short night for washing and the long hours of driving can have this effect. Driving down the steep road took a while longer, due to our issues with the brakes. I didn’t want to risk them overheating and used the motor to slow down the almost 3-ton vehicle.

We finally arrived at the shores of Vetlefjorden, and just as I was about to celebrate with a victory dance, my phone buzzed like a swarm of bees. It turned out that our beloved Dark Zebra had taken a scenic detour and ended up in Switzerland, but at the wrong pit stop! While Rose soared through the skies with the Drone like a tech-savvy superhero, I switched to full neighborly diplomat mode. I persuaded a friendly local to sign for the car and instructed the driver to return it to our workshop. After a suspenseful 45-minute episode that could rival any thriller, our Dark Zebra was back home, relaxing in the garage as if nothing ever happened.

Following the misty, moist road along the fjord, we caught the ferry in Dragsvik. The ferry operates in a triangular pattern, first sailing to Hella, where everyone must disembark and do a U-turn to get back on board. The ferry was steady as a rock in the water, despite the gushing and howling winds and rain. I finally could put my Matrix Jacket from the Swiss Land Rover club to the test and felt warm and dry. Before any raindrop made it into my jacket, we docked at Vangsnes and carried on in the bad weather. The road elevated up to Vikafjell, and we both somehow did not feel well that day. We passed the Myrkdalen Fjell and decided to take a right turn heading up the Afdalsvegen to a ski area. The restaurant was open, and we ordered the two single menus available: a pancake and a hot dog. It was our first time “eating out” in Norway, and we were not impressed. I had to take part in a telephone conference later, which we held a little down the road via Starlink. Rose took the electric bird out and made some terrific shots of drive-by and parked videos, which almost made me miss my appointment. With some food in our bellies and a plan to plow on through the harsh weather, we soon stopped in Vossevangen for some groceries. We theoretically had sufficient supplies in the car, but nothing made us really feel joy, and therefore we bought some other menus.

Via the Hardangervegen, we followed the classic route 13 to the stunning Hardangerbrua. Before and after the stunning hanging bridge are tunnels with blue-lit roundabouts. After the bridge, we followed the Hardangerfjord to Odda, passing the Trolltunga far above us. In Odda, we parked the car, felt a little hungry, but stayed firm and used the time for some “walk by” videos with the gimbal. We opted for the “Edda Grillen” from the Netflix series “Ragnarok,” but then decided one bad meal was enough in 2022. The other fast food restaurant looked much more appealing, but we had just bought a great dinner in Vossevangen. Without long delays, we headed up to the Latefossen, a waterfall the size of the Rheinfall, just right next to the road. Finding parking was a little easier, as it was getting late and all the tourist buses had already dropped their “cargo” in the nearby hotels. Flower took the electro-bird up once more, while I drove by the Latefossen from both directions until we got the shot without any other traffic ahead or behind us. Happy and relieved, we took road 13 ahead to Røldalsfjellet. We skipped the tunnel and were planning to stay again at our camp spot, which made the “title photo” in 2022. Unfortunately, the spot was blocked by a chain and stones. Theoretically, with a Defender, such things are no obstacle, but the chain meant, “Please do not camp here,” and we respect such signs.

It was windy, and finding a camp spot nearby wasn’t easy, as all the “legal spots” were already occupied. We found an old dirt road heading over grassland and flat rocks, which got us a camp spot reachable by 4x4 only, with fluffy neighbors (sheep) commenting on our arrival, showering, and cooking. Despite the wind, we took drone shots, cooked outside, and enjoyed our dinner before watching a movie inside, and soon went to sleep, as the “washing-night” was still giving us sleep deprivation, we had to catch back.

It was a cold night, but with our Planar 2D heating, we did not have to freeze. We usually use additional insulation that we can button on the inside for the Pop-up Roof. We decided to leave it in the Dark Zebra, as this was a summer holiday. The sheep greeted us with a good morning, but we did not feel like staying in the windy spot for breakfast and collapsed our camp without delay to take the steep winding road down to the valley. We followed the road along to Hafoss, stopping at a bridge to take some drive-by videos and photos. Flower was a little grumpy, probably because she had not gotten her breakfast yet, which led me to stop immediately to avoid any nuclear disaster. After a standing breakfast and a few emails from our “Panda Box,” which is our attached storage box on the car, we drove to Nesvik. We stopped several times to take in the stunning views, the warm, nice, crisp weather, and the landscape, which was so surreal, we couldn’t believe how lucky we were. The waiting time in Nesvik was almost 30 minutes, but the sun was shining, and the mood was good. A brand new ferry took us over to Hjelmelandsvagen, where we took the E13 to get to Tau and Jorpeland to reach the “Preikestolen Basecamp.” We arrived at around 1600 in the parking lot, and most hikers had just returned from their trip, leaving the space. We put on our hiking shoes, packed a too-small bottle of water and some snacks, and watched the video. It is “only” a 4.5 km hike with about 600m elevation; however, the steps are steep, and the landscape is rough and vast without any options to buy drinks or food in a restaurant. Even the base camp only had a small food station, which was just closing when we arrived.

Through light pine forests, we walked over the flat surface to start ascending the first elevation pitch. The “traffic” was tremendous, mostly from oncoming hikers with small kids as well. If those kiddos can do it, “I can do it,” despite my low stamina. Arriving at the first “peak,” we enjoyed the view, or rather rested to catch our breath and cool down a little. The midges were out on the hunt, already attacking from all corners. Only walking off helped. After a small descent, the major climb was ahead, and getting up caused me intense back pain. Since we started the trip, I have had pain from lifting up a knee, and it didn’t help climbing up high stairs. From the last peak, we mastered another small descent to cross a vast plateau with several lakes. The weather didn’t look appealing. I just hoped there would not be any thunderstorms, as in such a place, this could end in fatality.

Rose stopped 500m before the Preikestolen to fly the drone and take a few shots. In retrospect, a smart move, as it's not permitted to fly the drone at the rock. Despite the sign, a Latina lady flew her bird for several minutes up there, whilst we had our picnic with all the other hikers we met on the trail before. After almost an hour break, we saddled up to take the long way home. Flower was in good shape, and I told her to go ahead and left her the car keys. I was just not fit enough for this, and the midges did the rest. I arrived about 15 minutes after her, drank my well-earned beer, and changed my shoes.

We decided to head in the direction of Lysebotn, which meant taking another ferry. Unfortunately, the last ferry left at 20:00, and we were too late. As we were hungry and tired, we just took the next campsite, as no appealing wild camp spots were available. The reception was already closed, and later I discovered, after queuing for more than 30 minutes, that the water was just cold. It was almost 23:00, but I was full of sweat and had just started the engine of the car to take a warm shower next to the Dirty Panda. Most campers were still awake, so I assumed they would not be bothered too much. We cooked a fast food dinner, had a few drinks, and soon went to sleep to give our aching bodies a rest.

After checking out of the not-so-nice campsite, we filled up our water reserves and headed out to the ferry we had missed the night before. It was unusual to board a ferry that was almost falling apart, rusty, and badly maintained. They told us this ferry line was "privately operated." Our first plan to book the car ferry directly to Lysebotn failed for two reasons: it was booked out and too expensive. The road took us from Lauvik to Byrkjedal and via Sinnes to Lysebotn. The ride was not super exciting, probably due to the remaining body pain as well. We stopped at the same spot on the Lysebotnvegen where we camped in 2022 with our Dark Zebra, right by the shores of a lake, a river, and not far from the street. At first, we had sunny weather, which soon changed into cloudy and windy conditions, and just when we had our dinner cooked, the wind and rain set in, forcing us to eat inside the car. Still tired from our Preikestolen hike, we watched a movie and soon went to sleep to the sound of the creek next to the car and the sheep's bells in the distant fjell.

Some mornings, you just don’t feel like leaving the camp spot. After breakfast, we took our time and packed everything in slow motion. Every kilometer we drive today brings us towards the end of our journey. I always miss home after a trip, but this time, I felt I didn’t want it to end. I didn’t miss much, and the stunning views, the weather, the company, the road, and the car were just so intense, I didn’t feel like returning to normal life. I could work from the road; why should I then return home when I can do it just as well from here? We took the Lysebotnvegen and stopped a few corners after the visitor's center to fly the drone. I realized the brakes started smoking, and the wheel bearings were making some noise. I gave the car some time to cool down and myself 15 minutes to relax a little, while Flower was flying the electrobird to take some stunning recordings. The problem with the wheel bearings was known before the trip, as the brake cylinders push harder from one side than the other, which leads to overheating of the brakes and, with this, to the attached wheel bearings. We used the engine brake to descend to the marvelous valley and stopped at the ferry pier. We took the title photo for our YouTube channel – how do you know this will be the title? – You just know! We bought an ice cream and enjoyed the sunshine, the fjord, and the remoteness for another hour before we finally set our compass “East” to go to Oslo.

Via Nomeland, Rygnestad, where we stopped for a reindeer snack from the bonnet, we took road 450 to Vraliosen in the direction of Vradal. On the lakeshores on route 38, we found a spot with a lake view, a low mosquito count, and the street far enough in the distance from the car. After a warm shower, we prepared our final meal in Norway and looked out at the lake with tears in our souls. Why does such a trip have to end?

It was a stretch, and we couldn't take the nice roads all the way to Oslo. Nevertheless, I insisted we had to pass the Telemarkskanalen. Even if we could not paddle it this time, we could at least take a second glimpse of the ingenious engineering masterpiece from the past. We almost spent an hour in Kjendalsfossen, where a lock was operated by two young fellows the way it had been done for more than 100 years, by hand. Via Lunde, we drove to Strupa and stopped at a small creek for our last drone shots and a coffee from the bonnet, before hitting the boring main roads and highways towards Oslo. At 17:00, we finally arrived in Oslo and met my father. After a small aperitif, we headed to the nearby Scandic hotel for an exciting dinner and drinks. As we had an early day tomorrow, we went to sleep early and already missed our bed in the Land Rover. The next morning, we took the hotel bus to the airport and boarded a plane—under 3 hours later, we were home and felt strange without our Dirty Panda, without Norway, and without the next fjord around the corner.

Lisa and Ivan had arrived shortly before us. Ivan suffered from MS, and his condition worsened. He didn’t tell anyone about his deteriorating condition, kept it to himself, and also started to act irritably. We felt strange but wanted to give him some space. Just 21 days later, he decided to conquer his sickness and ended the race early and on his own terms. I will always remember him as the Brit with a great sense of humor, with the push to go on this trip together, and his Boeuf Bourguignon he prepared and brought from Switzerland all the way to Norway. Ivan, you are missed, and I understand you went on your final journey by yourself and with bravery.

Check out the video below for a sneak peek into our epic Overland Travel in Norway—it's like a rollercoaster ride, but with fjords!