Wilderness Norway
Wilderness Norway - Rosendal
5
Informações
Rosendal, Noruega

Recomende alterações para melhorar nosso conteúdo.
Aprimorar este perfil

5.0
5,0 de 5 círculos1 avaliação
Excelente
1
Muito boa
0
Razoável
0
Ruim
0
Horrível
0

Jamey W
Scottsdale, AZ33 contribuições
5,0 de 5 círculos
jul. de 2016 • Casais
We had an amazing time on our kayaking/glacier climbing adventure on Wilderness Norway’s “signature trip.” The paddle to the glacier was on a peaceful, beautiful lake. Once we pushed off from the shore we didn’t see anyone else until we returned several hours later. Climbing on the glacier was an experience I’ll never forget. We moved slowly, but steadily, and I was amazed at how far we got to walk up it, peering into the cracks and watching the water move through it. The staff were incredibly professional – each with three years of formal training in wilderness activities. And even the drive to and from the launch point was spectacular. I’d definitely do the trip again.

There doesn’t seem to be much info out there about this trip, however, so here are a few tips that can help you make the most of the experience.

1. It’s best if you have at least four people in your group. They only run the trip when they have four signed up for it. And it sounds like they only run the trip about once a week for a couple months each summer. Your chance of wanting a day when others want to go is reasonably slim. It seems we got a bit lucky. There were two of us. We gave them a few dates two months before our trip. It wasn’t until five days before our trip that they said there was a good chance the trip would run on a day we could make it, and only two days before our tentative date that they gave us final confirmation that two other people were interested and we would in fact get to go. If you have enough people in your group you can likely set your own date.

2. You may have to e-mail the company multiple times. We never got a response to our first e-mail through the website. Once we established contact, responses were pretty slow. In the end they asked us to phone them. We were never able to do so, but it may be that telephone is the best way to communicate with the company.

3. Arrange your travel carefully. Unlike other trips run by Wilderness Norway, the pickup point is in Rosendal. This is because you’ll be headed to the south side of Folgefonna glacier, not the north side where most of the activity is. It is possible to get to Rosendal without a car. Rodne runs an express boat between Bergen and Rosendal, but you have to make sure the times work with your tour. We booked two nights’ accommodation in Rosendal to make it work. If you have a car you have more flexibility and you can do spend a little more time after your paddle touring the beautiful valley on the way back to town.

4. Wilderness Norway provides a large amount of equipment for your journey. Included in the base price you get all the equipment you’ll need for kayaking including a bulky dry suit that seals out the elements and keeps you dry and reasonably warm while on the water. You’ll get a pair of gloves that can keep you warm both while kayaking and while climbing. You are provided with a climbing harness, helmet, rope, and crampons for the glacier climb. And they’ll also offer a dry bag so that you can carry extra clothes, lunch, and perhaps a camera.

5. In addition to the equipment, you will need to dress appropriately. The trick is that you’re likely going to wear the same clothes underneath the dry suit that you wear while hiking the glacier. I had on two wool shirts, a wool jacket, a waterproof jacket, wool pants, and cheap waterproof pants. That combination was just about perfect. The weather on the lake is usually about 10 degrees Fahrenheit colder than Rosendal, there can be wind, and rain seems to be pretty common. Yet wearing all of that I was never too cold and kept reasonably dry. They suggested that we wear wool underwear. That may sound odd, but you’re going to want to wear socks inside the dry suit and the suit doesn’t keep everything completely dry. Wearing material that is still warm while wet is generally a good idea. And it’s not a bad idea to have an extra set of dry clothes (and socks!) waiting for you when you get out of your dry suit for the last time. The website says that they can provide jackets for an extra fee.

6. You’ll also need hiking boots. You won’t wear these while kayaking, but when you get to the glacier you’ll take off your dry suit and they will strap massive crampons onto your feet. I thought my normal waterproof hiking shoes would be good enough. They weren’t. Canvas hiking boots can work, although it seems that leather ones are ideal. Ask when you set up your trip and they may be able to loan you some.

7. What else should you bring? It’s a good idea to bring a lunch. The website suggests that they can provide a lunch, but we found out last minute that that wasn’t an option for us. So pack some peanut butter sandwiches, apples, and granola bars. You have a few minutes before the climb to eat and you will need to replace the calories you’ve been burning. You might want to bring a camera, but you may not want to bring your most expensive equipment. You are nearly constantly active during the trip and you won’t have many chances to take pictures. The dry bags keep things generally dry, but they also trap in moisture, so fragile equipment can be damaged. It is one of those journeys that a Go Pro would be perfect for. I wish I had brought my waterproof camera case as I might have had a few chances to snap a photo or two.

8. You do not need to have experience kayaking or climbing to enjoy the trip. I had a little bit of both and that made the journey a bit more relaxing for me. But the staff is very attentive and can help novices along. It’s not a leisurely activity though. You will be sore and tired at the end, but happier for it.

It really was an amazing trip. The weather wasn’t great, and yet it didn’t seem to matter. The fact that only a few people a year sign up for it boggles me. After standing around on ferries and trains for a couple of days I relished the opportunity to get away from the crowds and immerse myself in the tranquil beauty. I have always been fascinated by glaciers and appreciate them even more having paddled near and then climbed up one. I highly recommend it!
Feita em 21 de julho de 2016
Esta avaliação representa a opinião subjetiva de um membro da comunidade do Tripadvisor e não da Tripadvisor LLC. O Tripadvisor verifica as avaliações.

Wilderness Norway - O que saber antes de ir (ATUALIZADO 2024)