Norway & Arctic Circle Motorcycle Tour
August 2025 | 22 Days | Five Countries
Our August 2025 journey to the Arctic Circle delivered an epic 22-day adventure through Norway’s most spectacular landscapes. From the Rhine ferry crossings through Germany to Denmark’s pastry-filled bakeries, from Norway’s legendary Geirangerfjord and Trollstigen to the remote beauty of the Arctic Circle itself, this tour showcased some of Europe’s most dramatic fjord scenery, incredible mountain roads, and the midnight sun. Perfect weather (mostly!), amazing Nordic food, and unforgettable experiences at every kilometer!
Day 1 & 2: Harwich to Holland & Through Germany
Our adventure started at Harwich—maybe not a place you would normally associate with the start of an epic motorcycle journey! A warm evening greeted us as we waited to board our overnight ferry to the Hook of Holland. Great to see some familiar faces and welcome new Columbus adventurers to the group. Introductions done, boarding completed, and we were on our way. A few drinks before bed, swapping stories from previous trips, and a relatively easy night in preparation for our early start the next morning.
The following morning brought an efficient disembarking process, and we quickly passed through passport control before heading off across Holland. Using motorways initially to navigate around Rotterdam, we crossed into Germany for our lunch stop—where the “cakeage” started in earnest! We continued east through picturesque German farmland along sweeping country roads, reaching our hotel in the Oldenburg region in time for a couple of drinks before finishing our day with a lovely alfresco evening meal.
Day 3: Across Germany – Three Ferries and Perfect Roads
A lovely day greeted us as we departed our hotel—blue skies and a perfect riding temperature of 25°C. All fueled up, we headed off across more pretty German countryside with a short ferry ride to navigate around Bremen. We continued onward to our lunch stop by the Elbe River, followed by our second ferry of the day crossing one of Europe’s longest rivers.
Our route then took us along wonderful quiet back roads—the Germans really do know how to make smooth tarmac with almost perfect radius curves. Must have been designed by a biker! An unexpected third ferry crossing due to a road closure and a few more back roads followed as we headed to our final destination of Flensburg. Another fabulous meal where the majority chose the fish platter, which looked superb. Country number three tomorrow as we head into Denmark and continue our journey to our main destination—Norway!
Day 4: Into Denmark – Pastries and Ice Cream
A cooler start to our day at a very pleasant 20°C as we left Flensburg and crossed into Denmark within 10 minutes of leaving our hotel. Our first Scandinavian country didn’t disappoint—easy roads, relaxed riding, and open farmland scenery stretched before us.
Stops for coffee and lunch at wonderful Danish bakeries showcased their huge selection of pastries. We were so busy making our selections that photos were forgotten! Onward to our last stop for reputedly the best ice cream in Denmark—and it certainly was excellent. Off to Norway tomorrow and the proper start to our tour, with excellent weather forecast. Everyone was looking forward to the next stage of our Nordic adventure.
Day 5: Ferry to Norway – Kristiansand to Stavanger
A beautiful sunny start as we loaded up the bikes and rode to check in for our ferry crossing to Norway. A very smooth 4-hour crossing brought us to Kristiansand—finally, we’d arrived! Our route took us on the main road toward Stavanger initially, but we soon turned off and stopped for coffee in a small coastal village.
Suitably refreshed, we headed off along the FV44—a wonderful road that snakes past small villages and rocky outcrops with the occasional fjord view thrown in for free. A photo stop at Jøssingfjord, scene of the Altmark incident in WWII, provided historical context. Continuing along the FV44, we rejoined the E39 for our final run to our hotel on the outskirts of Stavanger. Off to Ulvik tomorrow for our first two-night stopover.
Day 6: Stavanger to Ulvik – Fjords and Waterfalls
We had a cool and misty start to our journey today as we headed away from Stavanger. Farmland and lakeside vistas accompanied us to our first ferry crossing of the day, followed by a misty photo stop overlooking Lysefjord. We had glimpses of spectacular scenery—possibly a word that will be used a lot while we’re in Norway!
Using quiet back roads with very little traffic, we continued our journey. As the mist cleared, those spectacular views came into full force. We rode past picture-postcard traditional red Norwegian houses in small hamlets and villages, stopping for photos as we went. A stop at Låtefossen waterfalls provided more photo opportunities before reaching our hotel for the next two nights via a twisting and winding fjordside road. A brilliant day’s riding and a hotel with beautiful views to finish our day.
Day 7: Rest Day at Ulvik – Choices, Choices!
Choices, choices—but what to choose on our rest day? With a glorious start to the day, some selected the ride-out around Hallingskarvet National Park with a stop at the dramatic Vøringsfossen waterfalls and a beautiful lakeside lunch stop. Rob and Roy visited the Flåm Railway, while Joan and Paul took what looked like a very exhilarating RIB ride around the Hardangerfjord.
Chilling at the hotel with a dip in the fjord for the brave was also an option—it did look a little chilly! For a potential rest day, an awful lot was packed in by our Columbus crew. Active lot, this bunch! Onward tomorrow to our next overnight stop at Geiranger.
Day 8: Through the Longest Tunnel to Geiranger
Cool temperatures greeted us as we continued our journey through pine trees and past steep-sided mountains. Our first coffee stop right beside Aurlandsfjord completed, we headed into the world’s longest road tunnel—an amazing feat of engineering completed in 2000. At 24.5 kilometers, it’s pretty long! Out the other side into bright sunshine and warmer weather than earlier in the day.
Onward past more breathtaking scenery intermingled with tunnels (we lost count of how many there were today!), along sweeping fjordside roads with next to no traffic. Our final road of the day—a quiet country road—led us to Hellesylt, site of Tom Cruise’s cliff-top motorcycle jump from the most recent Mission Impossible film. We then enjoyed our hour-long scenic ferry ride along Geirangerfjord, with onboard commentary pointing out various points of interest and describing local legends. We reached our hotel with what must be one of the world’s most stunning views down across Geirangerfjord. Rest day or ride-out tomorrow?
Day 9: Rest Day at Geiranger – Celebrations!
Rest day was the overwhelming decision for today. With the weather choosing to be a little damp and with many more miles of excellent riding to be done, most of the group relaxed at the hotel or took a wander down into town. A thoroughly relaxing day surrounded by stunning scenery.
We had some special celebrations in the evening—Richard and Sue celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary, and Shebin and Biju their 25th! At Columbus, we thought it would be a nice idea to have some cakes for them to cut. Any excuse for a piece of cake! A lovely end to our day. Trollstigen (Trolls Ladder) tomorrow if the weather gods play ball, as snow is predicted overnight!
Day 10: Trollstigen – Eagles Road and the Atlantic Bridge
As predicted, the mountain tops were covered in snow as we set off toward Trollstigen (Trolls Ladder). Full waterproofs on as we had a touch of rain departing Geiranger. A quick stop for photos at Eagles Road viewpoint, then down the valley to our first ferry crossing.
Onward to Trollstigen, stopping for coffee at the top to warm up a little as it was a tad chilly on the ascent. Then down the famous zigzags past the stunning waterfall in full flow due to recent rain. Obligatory photo stop at the troll on the motorcycle! We continued with the weather still against us a little, but team spirits remained undampened as we headed toward our overnight stay at a beautiful island hotel that can only be reached by boat—but not before a stop at the famous curved Atlantic Bridge. A great day, if a bit soggy, finished with a fabulous baked cod evening meal. Can’t get much better than this!
Day 11: Island Retreat to Inland Lakes – Elk and Reindeer
Leaving our island retreat, our route took us inland away from the dramatic Atlantic coastline. With one more trip over the curved Atlantic Bridge, we were on our way. As we headed inland, the scenery started to change to a more agricultural setting with traditional red buildings featuring white trim and black roofs.
Just one ferry crossing today, a little longer, giving us a chance to grab coffee as we crossed the fjord. We traveled along excellent twisty back roads, hardly seeing any other traffic all day. We arrived at our lakeside hotel in time for a couple of drinks before dinner, where elk burger and reindeer steak were the chosen dishes for most. We head north tomorrow to our most northern stopover on tour, with the promise of hopefully better weather!
Day 12: To Mo i Rana – A Hell of a Start!
Today we headed to our most northerly stop on tour—Mo i Rana. We had a Hell of a start to the day! (Literally—photo stop at Hell completed!)
Rain was determined to stick with us in the morning, but the further north we traveled, the clearer and slightly warmer it became. The landscape changed again as we headed north—huge pine forests and barren outcrops of rocks surrounded us as the road rose and fell, snaking through the scenery with perfect curves and billiard-table smooth tarmac. A day of cruising and soaking up the surroundings. As we arrived in Mo i Rana, the sun was definitely trying to put his hat on, and the sight of blue skies was a great end to a great day’s riding. Arctic Circle tomorrow—the turning point of our tour with us traveling south the day after for our return journey. But with plenty of great riding and scenery to come, the tour is far from over.
Day 13: The Arctic Circle – Our Northernmost Point
Ride-out or rest day? Of course everyone selected the ride-out to the Arctic Circle! Off we set up the E6, riding through more pine forests on the sweeping highway until we reached the edge of Saltfjellet National Park, where all the trees suddenly disappear and you’re left with a very barren landscape.
The Arctic Circle Centre was our first stop of the day—t-shirts and fridge magnets bought, postcards written and sent, and a few photos taken with the menacing beasts inside! After coffee in the restaurant, we continued up the E6, crossing inside the Arctic Circle to our prearranged lunch at a lovely fjordside hotel. We had now reached the furthest point north of our tour, so after lunch it was time to turn south and head back toward home.
On our return to Mo i Rana, we stopped at the wonderful Arctic Circle Motorcycle Museum, which has a small collection of vintage motorcycles and WWII artifacts. An easy day riding today—more about locations than the riding itself, with everyone ending their day feeling a sense of achievement having ridden their motorcycles all the way to the Arctic Circle.
Day 14: Coastal Highway South – Breathtaking Views
What a beautiful day of clear blue cloudless skies greeted us as we turned south for the first time in 14 days! Our route took us along the coastal highway—a stunning road with amazing views out across the Norwegian Sea. Three ferry crossings with equally stunning views were taken, as were lots of photos. Not sure the photos can do justice to the scenery—it’s absolutely breathtaking. More of the same tomorrow as we continue down the coastal highway.
Day 15: Best Scenery and Road of the Whole Tour
Another stunning morning of clear blue skies as we rejoined the coastal highway and rode to our only ferry crossing of the day. Following a short but incredibly beautiful crossing, we were back on the road again. The route took us past more fjord inlets, through pine forests, twisting and turning for almost 40 miles—such a fantastic flowing road! Some of the group commented it was the best scenery and road of the whole tour. Praise indeed, considering some of the areas we’ve traveled through.
Toward the end of our day, we headed inland and back to a more agricultural scene with a final run to our hotel on a lovely twisty back road.
Day 16: Through Rondane National Park – Sheep Naps
With clear blue skies again to start our day, we continued our journey south. Using the E6 for most of the morning, after lunch we headed off across Rondane National Park—dodging random sheep that seemed to like laying in the middle of the road for an afternoon nap! The weather held for us all day, becoming a little overcast as we reached our hotel for the night. Hopefully it will stay dry tomorrow!
Day 17: Last Full Day in Norway – Amazing Roads
Our last full day’s ride in Norway—and more back roads to ride through pine forests and small villages. The roads in Norway are amazing: quiet, smooth, and, if not mentioned before, surrounded by stunning scenery. As the day progressed, the weather turned with heavy rain starting to fall. It was decided to skip the last coffee stop and head straight to the hotel, where Paul and Joan took full advantage of the jacuzzi and swimming pool. Another great day’s riding, if a little soggy at times! Ferry back to Denmark tomorrow.
Day 18: Final Ride in Norway – Ferry to Denmark
Our final ride in Norway as we headed toward our ferry crossing back to Denmark—just a half day’s ride, but what a ride! All on back roads, sweeping from left to right, passing huge lakes right down along the shoreline. The weather stayed kind as well, so dry roads and stunning scenery yet again. Norway just keeps delivering! An amazing country to ride your bike through, with lovely people and fantastic food as well.
Ferry caught, and after 4 hours we were back in Denmark. Is it really 2 weeks since we were last here? Wonderful evening meal and a few drinks before the gang retired for the evening. Through Denmark and into Germany tomorrow as we edge our way back toward home.
Day 19: Through Denmark to Germany – Autumn Colors
Leaving the north of Denmark, our journey took us almost the full length of the country and across into Germany for our next overnight stay. With summer coming to a close in this part of Europe and the leaves on the trees starting to turn to autumnal colors, we had the feeling of being almost home. A superb evening meal with some opting for the fish soup, which looked amazing with a little bit of serving theatre involved. Further on through Germany tomorrow and our last overnight on dry land.
Day 20: Across Germany – Penultimate Day
Our penultimate day’s ride continued to take us across Germany from its most northern point down to our last hotel on tour near Oldenburg. Two ferries today, one across the Elbe where the weather started to turn a little as we crossed to the western side. Waterproofs on after our lunch stop, but it soon cleared as we continued west toward our hotel. Clear skies and sunshine returned as we sat in the hotel garden for a couple of drinks before dinner. Off to our final ferry tomorrow, which takes us back to the UK from the Hook of Holland.
Day 21 & 22: Final Days – Hook of Holland and Home
Our last day’s ride on what’s been an amazing tour with a fantastic group of people who have been a pleasure to guide. A very pleasant 21°C as we packed up, fueled up, and headed off across the German countryside. Some lovely twisty country roads to start with as we progressed to our morning coffee stop, where the cake portions were something to behold!
A few more main roads as we crossed back into the Netherlands and arrived at our lunch stop—a real petrol head’s nirvana where we could peruse the large collection of rather special cars and bikes for sale at our leisure. Onward to our ferry check-in and a smooth overnight crossing back to the UK.
Some avid bike cleaning for some on returning home, others had special friends waiting for them, and others had other priorities. Thanks to everyone who came on tour—hope to see you all on another one very soon!
Interested in joining us on a future Norway & Arctic Circle tour? Get in touch or view our upcoming guided tours.