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Norway on a Budget
Norway is famous for its natural beauty. From the glorious fjords, to snowcapped northern mountains. Norway is one of the best destinations in Scandinavia and for that matter Europe in general. Yet, while Norway is indeed a dream place for the people who belong to the other countries, Norway is also one of the expensive countries in the region as compared to the other travel destinations. I’ve traveled across the different tourist destinations in Europe, but was hesitant to visit Norway due to its high prices. However, I recently had the experience of traveling to Norway and found that there are ways to do so on a budget. You can actually do very well if you put in a little research and planning to manage your budget.
So let’s spend some time to discover the best tips to manage your budget, where to find the best and cheap accommodation. Food is so expensive, but we will examine how you can save money on eateries. Transportation will be a concern because the fuel in Norway is also very high priced.
I was curious about increased inflation in a country of more than 5.2 million. The population growth rate in Norway is also stable. Then one day I got the answers that the worker wages of the people in Norway are set accordingly to the cost of living of the basic needs. The tax system is very strict and people pay the taxes so that economy can be sustained. So for us as foreigners, when we visit Norway, we judge this as inflation in the country. But everything in the country I observed was very normal. I found Norway to be very beautiful and home of many natural wonders and definitely worth visiting.
Traveling to Norway in Budget is Possible
When we arrived in Norway, we didn’t land in Oslo because the big metropolitan cities are always high in prices. We found cheaper flights to Stavanger Airport from London. We also found that flights during the weekdays are less expensive than on Weekend days. Also, try to take late-night flights or very early morning mid-week flights as you may find they cost less. Also look at the other close-by citie other than the big metropolitans of Norway to check for lower fares.
Finding Low Cost Accommodations in Norway
After your arrival in Norway, you will need to have a place to sleep and buse a a base while you explore this beautiful country. Before I went to the destination, my sister warned me about the high prices of the hotels there, last year she visited Norway with her husband and found a hotel cost them $500 per night. Mine was a good experience. I managed to find a 3-star hotel that cost $100 that included a complimentary breakfast.
Camping in Norway
Talking with the hotel personnel, I found out that in the Norwegian countryside and national parks you can pitch a test and camp conditionally. Conditions are that the stay would not be more than two days in the same place. You must also carry all of your trash out yourself and most importantly you must pitch your tent at least 150m from any houses. Camping gear in Norway is also expensive, so if your plan is to camp while in Norway, you may want to consider bringing in your own camping gear with you so you can be able to enjoy without spending so much money.
Eating in Restaurants is Expensive
Food prices are high in Norway so if you are on a budget trip, I don’t recommend you eat in a restaurant twice a day. For example, a burger and drink can cost you $20 or more. I did find a few family-owned local restaurants which were comparatively cheap and also a few Asian cafes which offer you the best food at better prices. This at least allows you to afford at least one good meal a day. Remember, you are there not to struggle for survival but to enjoy the beautiful Norway. So keep stick with a plan and enjoy. For example, on a few days in Norway, we could not afford restaurants with our budget, so we ate snacks during the day and cooked our own supper buying some vegetables in markets.
In Norway, always use tap water to drink. Want to know why? No, this is not budgetary advice. . .Tap water in Norway is incredible and tastes better than the distilled water comes in bottles and its as hygienic as the water comes in sealed bottles.
Drinks with an Alcohol percentage of more than 4.7% prohibited to be sold in Norwegian Markets. In other words, strong beers, Wine and spirits are not sold in the common markets and even then the lower alcohol beverages are still very expensive. Alcohol is a budget buster in Norway.
Traveling Around Norway
We stayed in Norway for two weeks and we traveled using buses and trains which was fairly inexpensive.
I found buses, also fair with the fares. You might use a personal, rented car as per your needs but to be in the budget, don’t use a car for moving around, get into local transport and get lost in the paths of Norway.
The very important thing here to tell you is, you should have the local currency of Norway which is Norwegian/ Swedish Krones. You are free to use your credit cards most of the time but this is not your home country, and you willpay an currency exchange fee. Euros also work in Norway, but that is confined to very cosmopolitan cities.
Summer High Season
May-August is the popular time to visit, so I do not recommended traveling during the summer months for travelers on a budge. Consider the should season Spring ad Fall months when the weather remains fair normal, but what is normal weather anymore? In Fall and Spring, the prices of air travel and hotel accommodations generally are lower that during the high season summer months. You can enjoy your budget trip to Norway.
Hiking in Norway
The best things always comes in the very last section in my posts! Hiking was the most stunning experience I had on my trip. During your time in Norway, you can go to the Fjords in West and hike in Geiranger fjord, Sogne fjord. To camp during your holidays in Norway, Camping gear is so expensive, it is recommended to bring your camping kit along to enjoy your trip full of delights.