In August 2015 we kayaked and free camped from Gudvangen to Flam through the Naeroyfjord and Aurlandsfjord in Norway. There are a few companies that will do a shorter version of this trip for more money, but you can easily do it on your own as long as you are familiar with a Kayak and know how to set up a tent. I was researching a guided tour, when I thought “Can I kayak the Naeroyfjord and Aurlandsfjord on my own?” and I decided the answer was definitely, Yes!
The Gear: 
We rented a double kayak from Nordic Ventures based in Gudvangen, Norway. We also rented two sleeping bags, a tent and sleeping mats. They have all sorts of other camping goodies that you might need.
Food:
We went the cheap and easy route. To save some money we didn’t rent a stove, but just took cheese, salami (Reindeer of course!) and a loaf of bread to eat for lunch and dinner. Bananas, yogurt, and a muffin for breakfast. The money we saved on the stove and cheap food went to buy a bag of wine, since what’s better than red wine with cheese and salami on the banks of a Fjord?
There is a small store at the gas station in Gudvangen where you can buy the basics before you leave, at a little higher price. We also brought some food with us from Bergen to save a little money.
Route:
Started at 9am at the Nordic Ventures base in Gudvangen to pack up our kayak and wiggle into our wetsuits. We finally paddled out around 10am, I think. The water was calm but the sky was overcast, and it was a bit cold. The staff at Nordic Ventures pointed out a few good camping places along the route that we could choose from when we were tired of paddling.
The route is so easy you don’t need a map. You just follow the coastline down the Naeroyfjord, round the point, and paddle down the Aurlandsfjord to Flam.
We expected to go about half way and camp, but at the halfway point we didn’t find a site we liked and since it was still mid-afternoon we kept paddling. We rounded the point and then our arms got tired. The wind picked up and so did the waves because you enter into the larger, less protected Aurlandsfjord. There are also more boats cruising past at faster speeds with bigger wakes.
We camped for the night in a clearing that has an outhouse up the hill (bring your own TP!). It was a beautiful site but a very cold night, and we didn’t exactly stay warm in our rented gear. I recommend bringing your own gear if you can.
In the morning the clouds had cleared away and it was an awesome sight. We ate breakfast, sat in the sun for a bit then started the final strech to Flam. It was a pretty easy paddle, but our arms were super tired from the day before. The Aurlandsfjord is not as impressive as the Naeroyfjord, but still beautiful.
With a steady (slow) pace and a quick stop for a snack we made it into Flam around 3:30pm, our pickup from Nordic Ventures was scheduled for 4:30. Nordic Ventures is great, they will bring your bags from Gudvangen to Flam and then take the kayaks back at the end of the paddle. Since we were not returning to Gudvangen, this was perfect.
We stayed the night in Flam and took the famous Flam Railway in the morning, to continue our Norway adventures. But this overnight Kayak Norway experience was a top highlight of our entire trip. If you ever have the chance, kayak the Fjords of Norway, it’s breathtakingly beautiful.
Other Useful Info:
Kayak company: Nordic Ventures
Water: We drank the water from the waterfalls along the Fjord. Its great water.
Price: 3000 KR for a double kayak, 2 sleeping bags, 2 sleeping mats, tent, bag transfer & kayak pickup
Total Kayak Time: approximately 12 hours
Video of our Norway kayak trip:
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