PROGRAM
Day 1
Speed Motorsenter Sandefjord –> Søstrene Storaas Hotel in Kongsberg
Our meeting point is the Speed Motorcenter in Sandefjord, and those who require a motorcycle, will be equipped with one. Whether you chose to hire a motorcycle or you take your own, all necessary information regarding the times of meeting will be given in good time ahead of the tour. When everybody’s equipped with the right bike, you will receive all the information needed for the initial part of the tour. Now it’s time to hit the road. The first leg of our journey will start in Sandefjord and go to the Søstrene Storaas Hotel in Kongsberg.
We will be following the high-quality road to the villages of Svarstad and Hvittingfoss. From here we’ll be cruising through a perfect setting on the eastern side of the mountains Skrim and Sauheradfjella towards Kongsberg. From here we follow the lush valley of Jondalen with lots of scenic vistas along the way to our hotel.
You may rest assured that we never chose the shortest road from A to B but take fully advantage of the route. We follow country roads and make detours to see places of particular interest and have coffee or refreshment breaks at carefully selected beauty spots.
About the hotel
The Søstrene Storaas Hotel (The Storaas Sisters) is situated close to the border of Telemark County, the gateway to awesome drives, curvy roads, towering mountains and deep valleys. This is the perfect venue for a first overnight stay before entering the historic county of Telemark. We will get to know our group and the hotel, with a warm welcome and a refreshing pre-dinner drink, served with a good story. We can just relax and enjoy the local cuisine with a 3 course-dinner in the charming restaurant. Among other delicacies, we will savour the homemade cured sausage, made from their free-roaming pigs at Storaas farm, located just behind the hotel.
Day 2
Søstrene Storaas Hotel –> Straand Hotel
After a good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast, we are ready for a new day filled with riding and sightseeing. The next stage of our tour will take us to The Straand Hotel in Vrådal, and again, instead of the shortest route, we will follow the most scenic roads and take many detours along the way. Among other attractions, we will visit the 13th century Heddal Stave church, the largest in Norway, located at Notodden. This small town, on the shore of lake Heddalsvannet, is known for hosting one of the largest blues festivals in Europe. It’s appropriate that we enjoy a coffee break at The House of Books and Blues, the new cultural house in Notodden.
Our next itinerary, towards Nordagutu, Norsjø and Gvarv, will depend on the local weather forecast. We have many possibilities! This area is a World Heritage Site created to protect the industrial landscape around Lake Heddalsvannet because of its hydroelectric background. We might visit the deep and dramatic Telemark Canal, nicknamed Norway’s Panama Canal, and one of the most beautiful waterways in the world. It was carved into the rock more than 100 years ago. The canal with its eight locks connects the coast with the interior of Telemark County. Another option is to visit Ulefos, another interesting cultural sight, with 19th century worker’s cottages set in a beautiful garden, connected to its Iron work. Or we might visit Lindheim Beercompany, one of the most exciting microbreweries in Norway, set in a barn for a truly rustic experience.
From here we proceed to the small hamlet of Seljord, surrounded by high mountains. Following the shores of the idyllic Seljord lake through Kviteseid with tranquil lakes and verdant valleys, before arriving at our final stopover for the day; The Straand Hotell in Vrådal.
About the hotel
The historic Straand Hotel has welcomed guests, offering good food and tranquil overnight stays, since it started as a shuttle station in 1864. There’s a special atmosphere here, especially in the old living rooms in the heart of the hotel, with patched timber walls and old furniture that can tell many a story from earlier times and activities. Our host, Lars Arne Straand, is proud of continuing his family tradition.
Day 3
Straand Hotel –> Rjukan Admini Hotel
After spending the night at the historic Straand Hotel, we continue our tour towards Rjukan, another industrial heritage site, set in a dramatic landscape with steep-sided valleys. We will adjust the itinerary after checking the weather forecast, and we are spoilt for choice; One alternative is going southwards towards the small villages of Treungen and Kyrkjebygda. Here, the smallest cable ferry in Norway will take us across from Kyrkjebygda to Fjone on the other side of the calm and clear Nisser lake.
Whatever route we chose for the day, we will drive past another great historic hotel, known as the fairytale hotel because of its 19th century dragon style. At the Dalen Hotel, we can have lunch or maybe a swim in the nearby Bandak lake, one of the deepest lakes in Norway (325 meter at the deepest).
We then proceed towards Åmot, from here, among other attractions, we might take a detour to visit Ravnejuv (Raven’s Gorge), a spectacular natural attraction with a sheer drop of 350 meters from the edge of the cliff down to the river Tokkeåi below. Do you dare to throw a 100 kr bill from the top to see if the air currents lift it up again? Whatever you do, you will definitely feel a tingling when standing on the cliff’s edge looking down.
Our tour continues towards the wild and beautiful resort of Rauland, and not to forget Vemork, famous for its hydroelectric plant and the sabotage action aimed at the Nazi German mass production of heavy water during World War II. Our final stop of today is Rjukan Admini Hotel.
About the hotel
Rjukan Admini was raised by Norwegian Hydro’s founder Sam Eyde in 1908, and until 2005 strictly in use by the company for meetings and grand venues when special guests were visiting. Today we are welcomed as the special guests of this historic villa located in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Rjukan. The building was designed by Thorvald Astrup in 1908, the epoch’s leading architect and is considered today to be one of the most beautiful wooden buildings in the Art Nouveau style in Norway.
Day 4
Rjukan Admini Hotel –> Sandefjord
After spending the night in Hydro’s former representation villa, we direct our steering heads towards Sandefjord again. We start our journey southwards towards the village of Tuddal and Gaustatoppen, claimed to be the most beautiful mountain in Norway. Weather permitting, we could be tempted to park our cycles here for a while and take a cable car run to the top, enjoy the breathtaking view and maybe a coffee at the top, where we can see 1/6 of mainland Norway on a clear day.
We will decide the continuation of the route according to the wishes of the group and the recommendations of tour guide Terje. Whatever the result will be, we will enjoy a wonderful last day on the motorcycle.
The price 7,000.00 NOK includes:
- 3 overnight stays
- 3 breakfasts
- 3 dinners (drinks excluded)
Motorcycle rental is not included in this price
Driver Requirements:
- 25 years of age or older
- Minimum of 3 years experience
- Experience of driving a big motorcycle and minimum 250 km/day
- Must have your own security equipment, motorcycle clothing, helmet, gloves, and shoes
- Must have the correct Motorcycle (Vehicle) Accident Insurance
Terje Bredal / E-mail: info@mctn.no / Phone: +47 997 04 500 / Privacy Policy
MC Touring Norway works closely with Speed Motorcenter in Sandefjord, which is one of Norway’s largest MC dealers with motorcycles from Yamaha and BMW.
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