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Teresa Gomez

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The government recommends people to avoid unnecessary travel within the country at the time. Stay up to date on the infection prevention rules, and the current valid guidelines from local and national authorities.

Keep in mind that updates about travel advice and guidelines, both nationally and locally, may come at short notice. This also applies to possible local outbreaks. Travelers must therefore stay up to date and take local situations into account while travelling within Norway.

The government recommends that people avoid unnecessary travelling within the country, with exceptions for necessary work and commuting, as well as travels to holiday homes where you can avoid contact with others.

For more travel advice and official information from the health authorities, go to helsenorge.no. For more detailed information about who may travel into Norway from other countries and regions, and under what quarantine conditions, see the Directorate of Immigration’s websites, udi.no. And finally, for important information from the government about new measures and advice for Norwegian travellers, go to regjeringen.no.

Travelling within Norway – infection control

The Health Directory’s and the National Institute of Public Health’s new advice for leisure travels are valid from November 5 2020 and on. Everyone has an individual responsibility for travelling in a way which doesn’t contribute to the spread of infection.

Plan any necessary travels while keeping in mind that you need to try and avoid the spread of infection between different places. Try to avoid contact, collective transport, as well as places where there is a large number of people. While doing outdoor activities such as going tenting, walking, cycling, riding horses, etc., follow the general advice for infection control. Further, you should strive to live by normal customs and use out in nature; if possible, avoid passing your food in nature and throwing garbage around, and remember the bonfire ban.

Also:

  • Wear a facemask where this is imposed.
  • Pay with a card instead of cash to reduce the spread of infection. And keep in mind that some places don’t accept cash at all.
  • Make sure to abide by the health authorities’ recommendation about keeping 1 meter of distance to others, and 2 meters to people in groups of risk.
  • Go home, if your condition allows for it, if you get sick while you are in your cabin or travelling.

What the travel industry is doing

You may also feel safer if you know what measures the travel industry in Norway are taking in order to prevent the spread of infection. For example, is it okay to stay in an hotel? Can you eat at restaurants? Here you will get to know what hotels, restaurants, and attractions are doing so you can feel safer during your vacation.

“We have performed a thorough risk analysis in the travel industry, and on the basis of this there has been made national standards for how actors may perform daily operations in a safer way,” says Merete Habberstad, director of communications at NHO Reiseliv.

Here is an overview of some of the measures.

General measures

  • Avoid having many people in entrances, receptions, toilets, etc.
  • Keep one meter of distance between tables.
  • Clean exposed surfaces often.
  • Use a facemask where this is imposed.
  • Make it possible to pay by card, or other contactless payment.
  • People taking driving lessons and teoriprøve exams should be healthy before entering vehicles.

Accommodation

  • Hotels are removing decorative pillows and bedspreads which aren’t cleaned regularly.
  • Thorough cleaning between each visit. If infection is discovered, special cleaning will be performed.
  • Campsites will make sure there is enough distance between guest units, and that there is regular cleaning of playground equipment and activity equipment which is rented out.
  • On campsites there must be regular cleaning of service buildings, sanitary departments etc. If this is not possible, the business has to consider other measures.

Serving

  • Avoid crowding by the entrance and bar desk.
  • Regular cleaning.
  • Guests are not to stand tightly gathered in the room, but mainly to sit by tables.
  • Avoid sharing menus, ketchup bottles, salt shakers, etc.
  • An infection control officer is designated for each work shift.
  • Try ordering food, lunch and christmasgifts online, a norwegian website like Toolbox is a great alternative from local shopping.

Nature based activities

  • The number of group participants must be reduced enough for people to keep distance and follow other infection control measures.
  • Make sure that guests that don’t belong to the same house can keep one meter distance.
  • Make sure that equipment is cleaned between each guest. If equipment is used close to the face, this will be cleaned extra thoroughly or, as an alternative, be put in quarantine for 24 hours.
  • Guests must be encouraged to clean their hands, and this must be made possible.

Amusement parks

“Family parks are after all outdoor facilities, and there is in general less danger of infection in those places. They span across large areas, and it’s easy to introduce measures that spread people across the entire park. The parks themselves have worked together to make a quite thorough infection control supervisor for this kind of business, explains Habberstad.

The amusement parks have performed a risk analysis of each activity, and in some cases, attractions may be closed because it’s difficult to maintain infection control.

Other measures include:

  • Digital ticket sales.
  • Solutions to prevent lines on the most popular attractions, for example by having a fixed time pocket where you may visit a particular attraction.

We must all do our part

“The most important thing we can do while travelling, is to think for ourselves. Don’t touch things you don’t have to touch. Clean your hands. Show respect and keep a distance to people around you. Follow the general advice from the authorities, Habberstad concludes.

Here is a short list of what you need to remember:

  • Plan any necessary travels while avoiding the spread of infection between locations.
  • Try to avoid contact, collective transport, and places where there are a lot of people.
  • Hand hygiene. Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water. It’s recommended to wash your hands when you get home after being around people. Use hand alcohol if handwash isn’t possible.
  • Cough/sneeze into a tissue (which is thrown afterwards), or in the corner of your elbow.
  • Avoid touching your face.
  • Keep a distance from people outside your travelling group.
  • Use a facemask where this is imposed.

With this set of guidelines and knowledge, you’ll be all clear to travel within Norway in a safer way during covid-19.

 

Norway is one of the beautiful and safest countries to visit around the world. It is known for its natural beauty and Scandinavian culture. Norway consists of four seasons, and in every season, some of the unique destinations open up for tourism. It means that you will have to plan your trip specifically in a season when the place you want to visit in Norway will be open. Norway is not a big country and has a population of 5.4 million. You can travel around Norway with ease and cover as many locations as you can. But having an early idea of what you cannot miss will let you pick your routes better. Here are the five things in Norway you cannot miss.

The Northern Lights

The Northern Lights

The Northern Lights has never failed to amuse anyone who has seen it in real life or in a video. It is a display of natural theatre that attracts visitors every year from around the world. The northern lights, aka aurora borealis, are seen in the late autumn and early spring season. It is one of the most magical scenes to witness. Northern lights do not appear all around Norway. You will have to travel to a place where light pollution is as low as possible. Take the help of local guides to find places where you can camp and witness this magical phenomenon.

The Edge of Preikestolen

If you want to have a grand moment when you are in Norway, you cannot miss the hike up to the side of Lysefjord. It is one of the most picturesque fjords you can visit. There is an iconic platform with the name Preikestolen aka Pulpit Rock, which gives you a view you can only capture with your eyes. You can gaze over the waters that are 600 meters below you and everything around it. It is one of the grand views that one can ever see in their lifetime.

The North Cape

The North Cape represents one of the most northern points in the entire mainland Europe. Since Norway, one of the closest countries to the northern pole, it likes to take pride in landmarking the most northern point. The North Cape is also a great place to learn about the wildlife of Norway. You can camp around to watch the sunsets and its breathtaking coastal views.

Waters of Geirangerfjord

Waters of Geirangerfjord

Geirangerfjord is another amusing fjords of Norway that should be a part of your itinerary for its scenic ferry ride. Take the ride from Hellesylt to Geiranger to witness two great waterfalls on both sides of the route while the emerald waters will keep your experience fresh and mesmerizing. You can also rent kayaks with your companion and go exploring the waters on your own.

The Lyngen Alps

Another good place to hike and camo is the unspoiled mountains of the Lyngen Alps. This is one of the best places to give you a good view of the Northern Lights and the Midnight Sun. Located near the city of Tromso, this wilderness is a great destination for hikers and adventure seekers. During the winters, the area also organizes skiing at the seak level. There are plenty of tourism facilities and adventure spots available for you from Tromso to the Lyngen Alps.

 

 

If you are planning to visit Norway for this vacation, it is better than you are prepared for it. Having learned something about the place you are about to visit will give you a better idea of what you can expect at the destination. Norway is a country meant for travelers to explore nature and get along with the local culture. Before you take off for your journey, here are some quick facts about Norway that you should know.

Norway is a part of Scandinavia

Scandinavia consist of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, the three Nordic countries in Europe. Even though Norway is not a large country, the people here have big hearts and also believe that Norway is big enough to welcome everyone. It has a population of 5.43 million and has been named the best places to live or visit.

 

Norway’s currency is called NOK

Norway uses Norwegian Krone (NOK). In the past few years, NOK has been weakening, which makes it even cheaper for you if you are planning to visit Norway now. The people are getting used to online transactions and are using less cash today. You can use your credit card for almost anything.

Norway is a safe country

Norway has been one of the top countries with the lowest crime rates in the world. The cities like Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger, and Trondheim have some of the lowest crime rates. The cities are highly safe even at night. Still, we would suggest being careful while visiting a crowded place where the chances of pickpocketers lurking around increases.

Norway has four seasons

Norway experiences summer, winter, spring, and fall. It has some major attractions that are only open for visiting in their nurturing season. You may not be able to go on certain hikes during the winter season. If you want to visit a specific natural place, you need to check ahead of time if that will be open during the year you plan to visit Norway.

Wild camping in norway

Wild camping is mostly allowed

According to Allenmannsretten, that allows every man and woman the right of public access, you can camp almost anywhere in Norway. If the area does not have any signboards to keep you out, you can pitch your tent for camping without anyone questioning you. The Norwegians like to keep their freedom of enjoying the outdoors alive. Make sure to clean up after you remove your tents and do not leave any traces behind that hurts Norway’s nature.

The midnight sun

During the winter season, Norway experiences a period where the sun does not rise above the horizon. Similarly, during the summer, at some point, the sun never goes down. Every year, Norway experiences a time when there are 24 hours night and 24 hours day. People also like to call it the Midnight sun when the sun does not down during the summer, but the same sun gives 24 hours of daylight.