Norway Vacation Review: Valldal, Svalbard, Glacier Hike, Food, 12-Night Tour

Review by traveler

Brad S.

9.2.2023

General Info

Traveler Review

Which Country (Countries) did you visit on this trip?

Norway

Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:

Comments:

1) I really appreciate how fast you guys responded to issues that came up, and they were corrected quite quickly.

2) All of the guides that we had were excellent and really knowledgeable, especially the climbing guides.

3) The areas that we visited were quite good and I enjoyed the food in almost every place we went to.

Some Negatives:

1) I asked some very specific questions regarding gear prior to leaving the States. Had I listened to your colleagues and not brought equipment, I'm not sure we would have been able to do some of the things that were scheduled. I know that the mountaineering boots were the main one and, in your defense, yes, you can use crampons with hiking boots, but it's quite uncomfortable and one of the guests that did use them did struggle a bit with the hike.

Also, when we were doing the glacier hike in Valldal, our guide did not have mountaineering boots, so had we not brought our own, that hike would not have happened either. He indicated to us that their service does not provide those and that our travel company was informed of that. I realize a lot of people don't understand the difference between hiking boots, mountaineering boots, and how crampons adapt to those, but that is an important factor when it comes to mountaineering.

So all in all, I would recommend understanding the gear list prior to providing that to your guests. I also did ask to see if our travel agency asked about the gear list prior to these hikes and it is my understanding that this did not happen, which is quite disappointing for the total cost I spent on this trip. They informed me when I showed them that this was a standard list you guys use, which was quite evident when I compared the gear list they provide on the Svalbard cabin hike.

2) In regards to Svalbard, I had requested stopping at Pyramiden on the way to or back from the cabin. When we spoke via email, that was a big part of going to the cabin and the glacier, as well as part of the cost, which was my understanding as to why you selected it. Also, with that said, when you look at your itinerary, it says at the bottom that we would visit Pyramiden. This did not happen and when I asked the guides about it, they indicated it was not part of the tour. Could you please explain why this did not happen and what recourse I have?

What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?

The food and seeing Norway

If you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?

Ask more specific questions and require verification directly from the guide services versus a 3rd party.

Travel Company Comments:

Hi Brad and thank you for your feedback.
I am glad to hear you had a good trip with some great, scenic hiking included.
We send a suggested packing list to all travelers which is general for the Nordic Region. In addition to this, the hikes and activities included in our trips are always described in detail with photos, information about elevation gain & distance and an additional packing list called "What to bring for all hikes".
You sent the following question prior to your trip:
1) It appears that a lot of our trip will require mountaineering boots, harness, and boots, crampons etc. We do have most of this gear here and were planning on bringing it over with us but that does mean we will need to bring extra bags. Current expected bag count
* Brad- 1 Large Regular Bag, 1 Carryon Bag, 1 Large Mountaineering Bag
* Kendra- 1 Large Regular Bag, 1 Carryon Bag
Will this be an issue for transport?
With the above question from you, I understood it as though you were aware of what kind of hikes were included in your trip and sent the following reply:
"Well-noted and this will be no issue for transport. However, kindly note you will be provided with all necessary equipment such as harnesses, helmets, crampons, ropes etc. on the tours where needed. So it is not necessary for you to bring your own unless you want to. Good clothing & shoes for hiking/climbing are of course recommended to bring"
This was in no way meant to advise you against bringing mountaineering boots. I also understand after having talked to our guides that you had all the clothing and footwear you needed so I am not sure what equipment on the list from Svalbard you wish you would have brought.
Pyramiden was mentioned in your initial request to us. Pyramiden settlement is owned by the Russian government, so at the moment, due to the war and for safety reasons, it can unfortunately not be visited. I see the text lingers from the original package when it was included and do apologize for that. I hope you understand the reason why it can not be a part of your trip at this point.
I recommended the Lodge in Svalbard because it is a fantastic experience.
Wishing you a lovely day!