This tour has been postponed due to the ongoing pandemic. It will be rescheduled at a later date for the summer of 2024.

Saturday, July 30 -  Tuesday, August 9, 2022 - Cancelled

(Please note: this tour does not include flights, travel arrangements from the US to Norway should leave no later than Friday, July 29th.)

Join alumni and friends of Luther College on a hiking tour in Norway!  Experience the beauty of the Gudbrandsdal valley on foot, beginning near Lillehammer and following a portion of the ancient pilgrim path to Trondheim, ending at Nidaros Cathedral. Accommodation will be at hotels and farms along the way, enhancing engagement with the local culture along the pilgrim route. The trip will also include a visit to the Peer Gynt Festival, one of Norway’s most famous cultural festivals, a concert in the Rondane Mountains featuring Edvard Grieg’s “Peer Gynt Suite,” and discussions led by Luther professors on the musical and literary significance of this text in Norwegian cultural history. In the evening, participants may opt to explore aspects of Norwegian language, hymnody, and folk music during singing social hours led by Luther faculty. The tour will also include guided tours of Oslo and Lillehammer.

Leaders

The tour will be led by Luther College professors Mark Potvin ‘01 and Maren Anderson Johnson. Mark is assistant professor of Music, director of Cathedral Choir and the first year TB choir, Norskkor. Maren is associate professor of Nordic studies and serves as the Tomson Family Chair in Norwegian Language and Modern Nordic Culture and director of the Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies.

Physical Requirements

This tour is for experienced hikers who can hike 6-10 miles a day and handle steep elevations.

Program Cost - Land Only Tour

Double occupancy per person: TBD

Single occupancy supplement: TBD  (limited availability)

$500 per person deposit is due to secure a place on the tour. 

An additional payment of $1500 is due  - TBD

Final payment is due - TBD

The tour is limited to 18 people. It will begin Saturday, July 30, with a group dinner at Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel (Holbergs Gate) in Oslo, and will end in Oslo Tuesday, August 9. Participants are urged to book travel to and from Oslo once they hear from Luther College that the trip has enough registrations to proceed.

If government-issued travel restrictions prevent the tour from going in 2022, the tour will be rescheduled for late July/early August 2023.

Inclusions

• Accommodations for 10 nights with baggage transportation service between stops.
• Guided 6-day hike under the leadership of Professor Mark Potvin and Professor Maren Johnson.
• Day tours of Oslo and Lillehammer.
• 26 meals, including daily breakfast, most lunches, and 10 group dinners.
• Ticket and English audio guide for Peer Gynt Festival.
• Ticket for Edvard Grieg concert in Rondane Mountains. 
• Maihaugen entry fee in Lillehammer. 
• Oslo Pass for the city tour of Oslo.
• Transportation from Oslo to Lillehammer and from Trondheim back to Oslo.
• All taxes and gratuities on included services, including tips.

Not included:

• Round trip flight from your home to Oslo. 
• Airport transfers to and from Oslo hotel.

Travel Documents

For international travel, all U.S. citizens must have a current passport with 6-month validity remaining after your return date.

Cancellation Policy

All cancellations must be in writing and acknowledged by Luther College. Cancellations made within 180 days of departure may incur a penalty of up to 10% of the tour cost per person. Cancellations made within 60 days of departure may incur a penalty of up to 50% of the tour cost per person. Cancellations made within 30 days of departure will incur a penalty of 100% of the tour cost per person. If replacements are found, the college will refund the costs of the trip, minus any costs already incurred for the person(s), and the single supplement, if applicable. Once the tour is in progress, no refund can be made for any unused portion of the tour.

If government-issued travel restrictions prevent the tour from occurring in 2022, participants will receive a full refund.

Travel Insurance Information

We strongly recommend that each participant purchase travel insurance so you will be covered for events that would cause you to cancel or interrupt your trip (for instance, pre-existing medical conditions, family illness, or illness while abroad) as well as for medical evacuation if necessary. Organizations we have used include Travel Guard, Travel Insured, or AAA.