Gratis gids 10 verborgen natuurplekken in Europa. Meld je aan voor onze nieuwsbrief en ontvang inspirerende reistips en routes voor je volgende groene reis.
A tribute to the nature of Nordfjord and to family in the film *Songs of Earth*
At the invitation of Visit Norway, we attended the premiere of the Norwegian film *Sounds of Earth* at the Eye in Amsterdam. Read more here about this impressive documentary/film, the stunning Nordfjord region and Oldedalen Valley in Norway where the film was shot, and why you’ll want to visit these places.
The film *Songs of Earth* in Nordfjord, Oldedalen
The story in the film centers on filmmaker Margreth Olin’s 84-year-old father. He takes you on a year-long journey on foot through the spectacular Norwegian valley of Oldedalen. Surrounded by glaciers, green mountain slopes, waterfalls, and drones, he shares family stories that have been passed down through generations living in this area. Stunning macro shots of nature, drone footage, and hikes with the elderly man alternate throughout the film.
Set against a breathtaking backdrop of pristine Norwegian nature—featuring glaciers, forests, mountainous regions, and crystal-clear mountain lakes—the director’s elderly father goes on a year-long hike, accompanied by the camera crew. He takes the viewer on a journey through the beautiful landscape and talks about the impact that walking in nature has on his inner peace. Together with his wife—with whom he has been together for 56 years—he leads a peaceful life surrounded by nature. A symbol of nature’s power is an old spruce tree planted by his grandfather, which has survived and witnessed all the events in the lives of the family and the villagers.
A Love Letter to Nature and to Parents
After the screening of the premiere film, the director and her father appear on screen for a Q&A, during which she reiterates her hope that people will spend more time in nature—for their own sake and for their inner peace, but also to appreciate the value of nature. The film is like a poem dedicated to nature, and it certainly strikes a chord. In addition to the beauty of nature, it’s also a fact that the glaciers shown in the film have shrunk by 800 meters over the past 20 years. The film has been a huge success in Norway—where it’s titled *Fatherland*—and it’s expected to be just as successful in the Netherlands.
Beautiful Nature in Oldedalen
The stunning Oldedalen Valley in Norway serves as the backdrop for the film. Stories about the family alternate with stories about changes in nature. Changes between the seasons and changes in the climate. With serene imagery—much of it captured by drone—beautiful music by the London Contemporary Orchestra, and sounds from nature, it’s a stunning nature film that’s a must-see if you love nature and hiking.
Hiking in Oldedalen in Nordfjord, Norway’s most beautiful valley for hiking
Oldedalen is one of the most beautiful areas in Norway for hikes of all levels. The blue-green Oldevatnet Lake, formed by a melting glacier, lies in the Oldedalen Valley. Each season, this valley offers a different panorama, but the stunning natural beauty and the presence of wildlife remain constant.
The valley is part of Nordfjord and is surrounded by Jostedalsbreen National Park. Here you’ll find the Briksdalsbreen, Melkevollsbreen, and Brenndalsbreen glaciers winding their way through the mountains and valleys. The area is beautiful to drive through. Lake Oldevatnet is perfect for a kayaking trip or a walk along the shore.
Briksdalen Valley and the Briksdalsbreen Glacier in Nordfjord
From Jostedalsbreen National Park, the Briksdalsbreen Glacier flows down into the Briksdalen Valley. Here, the glacier plunges 1,200 meters straight down and has been a popular attraction for visitors from all over the world for years. Unfortunately, this also means it’s busier here.
The Loen Skylift is one of the steepest gondola lifts in the world, taking you from the fjord to Mount Hoven at an elevation of 1,011 meters in just 5 minutes. From there, you’ll find many hiking trails—and in winter, downhill and cross-country ski trails—and you’ll enjoy a breathtaking view of Jostedalsbreen National Park and the fjords. The lift is open year-round. Click here for more information.
Nordfjord on the map
How do you get there?
It is approximately 1,756 km from Amsterdam. From Oslo or Trondheim, you can easily travel by car via Otta on the RV15. From Oslo via Otta, it is about 500 km.
During the summer months, you can take the Norwegian scenic route, the Gamle Strynefjellsvegen, to Stryn.
In the summer, there is also a bus service from Stryn to Briksdal, the “Glacier Bus.” Click here for more information.
Sandane Airport has direct flights from Oslo and Bergen. Ålesund is the nearest international airport.
The Aabrekk Farm is an “agriturismo” located in restored18th- and19th-century houses, offering local products and featuring a working farm.
Norway has more than 3,000 charging stations for electric cars and more than 7,750 fast chargers.
Hiking in mountainous terrain requires some experience. However, in the Oldedalen Valley, you’ll find hiking trails for every skill level.
The hike to Klovane is a challenging, technical high-altitude hike with spectacular views of fjords, mountains, lakes, and glaciers. The trail winds through steep terrain on the right bank of the Gjølelva River. There is a steep section at the end that involves some climbing before you reach the plateau at the top. The hike begins at Oldevatn Camping, located next to the beautiful Oldevatnet Lake.
With a passion for travel and photography and over 30 years of experience in the travel industry, I love to share my special nature travel tips. Travel is wonderful and important, you meet new people and cultures and it opens your view of the world.
Bear Watching in Slovenia: An Evening in the Observation Hut Near Postojna Bear watching in Slovenia might be closer than you think: in the forests near Postojna, just over an hour from Ljubljana. Nathalie joined us in the observation hut one evening. Slovenia is...
8-day hiking trip Rota Vicentina: the Fishermans trail with local specialist Self-guided, fully taken care of by a local specialist: Fishermen's Trail from Cercal to Odeceixe On day five you board a boat to cross the mouth of the Mira River. No bridge, no timetabled...
Hiking across smoking volcanoes: an organized hiking tour of the Aeolian Islands On Vulcano, you know you’ve arrived before you even set foot on shore. The sulfur already hangs over the harbor. A smell that hovers somewhere between a match and a boiled egg—and one you...
Peloponnese Hiking Tour
A really beautiful six-day hike from Bologna to Florence. Communication with NatureTravelLab and the local agent was excellent. The information packet was waiting for us at the hotel in Bologna, and the app with the route worked great. Luggage transport was well organized every day, and our bags were waiting for us each time we arrived at our new room! We covered more than 1,400 meters of elevation gain, but unfortunately didn’t always get the views we’d hoped for due to cloud cover and some drizzle. Most days had great hiking weather. It was wonderful to walk into Florence on foot and stay there an extra day.
We experienced the Walk of the Gods as a great adventure. Our start in Bologna didn’t go quite as planned because our app wasn’t working yet and we couldn’t find a single sign for Via degli Dei in the square. Fortunately, we were quickly able to join two young hikers from Florence who were also doing the hike. After a wonderful night’s stay at the beautiful Rio Verde agritourism farm, Day 2 went much better with the help of the hiking app. Along the way, we enjoyed stunning views, met some great fellow hikers, and sampled delicious local dishes. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t always on our side, and we had a day of heavy rain, which made the trail very slippery and required us to be careful. It’s a real treat when, on the last day, you can already see Florence in the distance and walk into this beautiful city a few hours later. Thank you so much for your quick and friendly responses to all our questions.
We enjoyed the trip. We also made some changes to our itinerary, and the email correspondence went very smoothly. We started in Mantera; the next day, our first and only hike was a really beautiful one. The taxi picked us up right on time. Unfortunately, the second day’s route was almost the same when we cycled to Ostuni. The bikes were well-maintained, including panniers and helmets (these were simply included). You could even bring your own water bottle!!! We found the route very scenic and varied. There were charming little villages where we could stop for lunch or coffee. The app worked great. All the hotels ranged from good to excellent, though we didn’t think the hotel in Leuca was worthy of 4 stars. We followed your advice for the two nights we stayed there. We found Leuca a bit underwhelming for a two-day stay. We would have preferred to stay in Gallipoli or Lecce for two days. We took this trip in April and were very lucky with the weather. It’s still a quiet time of year, but we didn’t mind that. We definitely recommend it!!!
Thanks to a great tip from Nature Travel Lab, we had a wonderful week in Italy. Fattoria di Maiano, just outside Florence, was a beautiful and peaceful place. And the suggested road trips were a great guide for exploring the region. We’ll definitely check here for tips for our next vacation, too. Highly recommended!
We spent a divine week in Italy: we walked the Path of the Gods, from Bologna to Florence—about 135 km spread over 6 days of hiking. Challenging distances and climbs, amazing views, nature, and a warm welcome every time we arrived at the agriturismo or albergo/hotel. All of this was perfectly organized by the Italian company Slow Active Tours, entirely in line with Nature Travel Lab’s itinerary proposal: upon arrival in Bologna, an information packet was waiting for us, complete with a hiking map, a booklet, and passports for the stamps. And the hiking app was very practical for along the way! Our luggage was transported every day and was always waiting for us when we arrived at the next location. Communication was smooth and clear. In short, highly recommended, well worth it, and well-organized.
In September, I walked the Cammino Materano. Communicating with Madelon about the booking was a pleasure. To be honest, I was quite nervous because it was my first time doing a multi-day hike—alone and in a region I wasn’t familiar with—but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The hike to Matera was beautiful, and I was able to complete it without any trouble thanks to the clear on-site signage and the routing and advice provided by the GPS app. The rest of the organization was top-notch as well. My luggage always arrived on time at the right destination, and the hotels and B&Bs were of high quality. In addition, the organizers were easy to reach via WhatsApp if I had any questions. Highly recommended!
Slovenia was absolutely amazing. A beautiful country, friendly people, lovely hiking trails, and truly top-notch hotels. The staff at the local organization were also very easy to reach and helpful. The hiking was manageable. As Dutch people, we’re not used to high altitudes, of course, so it was pretty tough at times. But it was also a lot of fun.
We had a wonderful trip. Everything was well organized. Due to an unfortunate fall, I ended up traveling with my luggage for a day, but that was handled well, too. We really liked all the accommodations. Only the Hotel Hebe in St. Piero a Sieve was a little less impressive, but it was still okay.
Looks fantastic! I'm definitely going to book a trip with this company... they're committed to sustainability and personalized advice. Definitely worth it.
Madelon and her team are true experts. Thanks to their years of experience and passion for travel, they manage to surprise us time and time again.
Beautiful hikes, the most picturesque spots—it’s a real treat.
I highly recommend them!
Nature Travel Lab provided us with very helpful and honest assistance!
If you’re looking for travel itineraries, the most beautiful hikes, and destinations, you can find it all here. You’ll find endless inspiration for your next trip. Beautiful cities are interspersed with nature. You’ll find everything you need to know about practical matters. Plus, there are plenty of tips for sustainable travel. That way, you’ll get the most out of your trip.
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Get inspired
Are you looking for the most beautiful hiking and biking routes? Or do you want information about traveling by train or advice for the most beautiful road trips through nature. Get inspired for your next trip in green; ideas for planning your own trip or opting for an organized trip.
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