Norwegian fjords
This is where nature has shaped its most majestic masterpieces… Majestic fjords bordered by monumental cliffs cutting into the coastline of the North Sea, legendary lands featuring fascinating fauna, vertiginous waterfalls tumbling from immense rock walls. Norway will open its doors to you for a unique 8-day journey from Bergen to Oslo, through these ancestral lands, home to myths, conquest and geological wonders.
The seven mountains overlooking the old town and the Hanseatic wharf, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Norway’s former capital (in the 12th and 13th centuries) grow distant. You will head out to sea, sailing south for the charming city of Alesund. Fall in love with the Art Nouveau architecture of this historic city, which is surrounded by a ring of rocky islets, enchanting fjord inlets and majestic mountains. It lies anchored opposite Giske, the home island of Rollo, the great Viking chieftain renowned for his many Nordic expeditions to Normandy.
The fjords region, the highlight of your odyssey, is approaching. Beneath a misty sky, you will see the imposing dark rock walls of these natural wonders, whose calm waters were explored by Viking drakkars almost ten centuries ago. These geological treasures will immerse you in a universe that is as inhospitable as it is captivating. Hellesylt and its impressive cliffs with their vertiginous waterfalls; Olden and its closeness to the Jostedalsbreen National Park, which is home to the Briksdal Glacier, one of the last ice caps in Europe; Lysefjorden and its mythical Preikestolen, a majestic pulpit-shaped cliff: these all offer a unique, stunning and unforgettable experience.
You will now set sail south for the historic and wild southern tip of Norway. In Stavanger, plunge into the fantastic universe of the legendary and emblematic Vikings, who were explorers and traders but also pirates. Here, an immersion into the Iron Age awaits; you will discover the ancestral traditions of these larger-than-life characters as you visit a reconstructed traditional village or emblematic sites. Then, in Arendal, once known as the Venice of the North because of its many canals, you may take the time to contemplate this intact and preserved immense space, composed of conifer forests and long pebble beaches ; these bear testimony to the retreat of a huge glacier, around 12,000 years ago, which left an enormous amount of rock behind.
For its grand finale, your enchanting journey will end in Oslo, the Norwegian capital, a city buzzing with singular energy.
When searching for a luxury yacht expedition cruise, there’s one name above all else that you need to know – Ponant Cruises. Founded in 1988 by former French Merchant Navy officers, Ponant combines succulent luxury with authentic adventures on all seven continents.
From classic Mediterranean itineraries and Caribbean sailings, to bucket-list expeditions around Greenland and Antarctica, Ponant cruises proudly counteract the banality of mainstream voyages with a unique take on the concept of small-ship cruising. It’s the absolute trip of a lifetime.
Featuring innovative and environmentally-friendly equipment, elegantly designed cabins, spacious suites with large windows, and lounge areas that open onto the outside, this new limited-capacity yacht boasting just 92 cabins and suites will offer you a truly unique cruising experience.