The weather did not work out the best for us, but Frank still was able to make this an enjoyable and interesting outing.
Ohh yes, this august 2019 we had a new record ( not a good one) more rain then in a 100 years back...but we still had fun!
I booked this tour on a whim. I always hike independently and would never think to hire a guide, but I was inspired by these reviews to try it. I am so glad that I did!
I was in a group of three signed up to do the Vidden trail, with Frank Barmen as our guide. I had been excited to do the trek from Ulriken to Floyen - unfortunately, unusually heavy rain the night before meant the trails were likely too slippery to be enjoyable. Frank suggested we do something of similar length and difficulty and designed a less well-traveled route for us.
This was such a wonderful day. The terrain was beautiful and the views were amazing, and the hours and miles passed so quickly. Frank was focused on giving us the best experience possible and at several junctures he gave us a choice of routes. We were having such a great time that we always picked the longer option, eager to extend the trip as much as possible.
I would encourage anyone to hike Bergen with Norway Mountain Guides, even if you are a very experienced hiker. Frank's stories about Norway history and culture made this so much more than just a hike. I can climb a mountain or hike a beautiful forest any time I want to back in my home state of Washington, but this was a much different and much richer experience.
Frank was accommodating and caring - he is clearly passionate about sharing the natural beauty of Bergen with others. The other people on the tour, Laura and David, were great companions, too - I feel lucky to have met them.
Be sure to wear hiking or running shoes and bring several layers. The temperature fluctuated quite a bit through out the day, sometimes very quickly.
You won't regret doing a hiking tour with Frank and his guides. Yes, you can hike Bergen on your own and have a lovely time, but you should also take the opportunity to hike with a local person and learn all about Bergen and Norway while also enjoying the natural beauty.
Christine, I become humble and thoughtful as I read this.
We want, and work hard for you to have the best possible stay in Bergen and experience the nature and the mountains that we do in a safe way, but this is just outstanding. Thank you so much for your wonderful words, it provides motivation for a small mountain company to work hard, to be able to do this 365 days a year!! You are always welcome back! Best regards Frankieboy
Booked on Viator, looked like an experience worth doing .. we were not disappointed.. met Frank as agreed ..
The tour was awesome and saw three of the seven mountains of on our trek that Frank changed due to the weather conditions ..
Together with Christine who was also on the trek we went to places with few people and was able to really enjoy untouched Bergen ..
I can’t recommend this enough .. frank was the best guide !!
Thanks David, next time l will set off some time for "after hike" to. The strange thing is that its normally that peaceful and not many people in the mountains around.
If you ever find yourself visiting Norway, no matter where you land in this gorgeous country, be sure to make your way to the beautiful region of Bergen. Not only will you encounter some of the most spectacular scenery in the Northern hemisphere, but if you choose wisely enough, you should join Frank Barmen on one of his tours of seven magnificent mountains.
I have traveled extensively around the world and rarely write about my personal experiences, however, mountain trekking with Frank Barmen is so utterly unique that all other mountain experiences pale into insignificance and it becomes compulsory to tell the world of such an epic experience.
You see, Frank Barmen isn’t just a highly regarded and experienced mountain guide - which is something you glean within minutes of meeting this quietly confident man. No. He is so much more than this and something noticeable immediately is his deep knowledge of Norway, Bergen, the mountain ranges and natural habitats which subsist. And still this description doesn’t do him any justice. Purely because it doesn’t even begin to describe the happiness he clearly gets from helping others to experience hiking these magnificent natural monuments and the confidence it builds as you challenge yourself. And at every step of the way, Frank offers up awesome surprises which reinforce the fact you are experiencing a truly unique adventure.
Strap yourself in for some of the most magical moments of your life!
touching, I am absolutely delighted to read this, had I not known better I would have thought you had shares in the company, but we have no shares and you came all the long way for an adventure.
You were a wonderful guest, incredibly nice to meet like-minded people who value nature as much as we do!
We took this tour when we were in port on a cruise. We opted to spend a bit more money and make it a private tour. Was well worth the money. We met our guide Daniel at the meeting point which was about a 15 minute or so walk from the port. We then headed to the funicular. We started our hike from the top of funicular and went from Mt Floyen to next peak over I believe. From start to finish it was about 5 miles of no more then moderate hiking. We saw no one else on this tour which we loved. Our guide Daniel was great and VERY knowledgeable of the area. He was kind enough to bring some moose sausage and other food items and extra water to share with us. The hike was GORGEOUS. The views were amazing. We decided to take the funicular back to the bottom but you could hike it if you wanted. We walked around Bergen for a short while with our guide before heading back to the ship. Overall a great experience. Nice thing is you can kinda make this tour what you want if you choose a private tour. Frank is also very responsive to emails which made setting this tour up easy. Would highly recommend.
Very nice to read that we deliver both on the work prior to the trip, and the guide itself. Our guides have broad knowledge, and Daniel is no exception with outdoor life and history education from the university. thank you very much for choosing your private tour and the opportunity for us to plan according to your wishes. Per person is not a private tour much more expensive than in a group.
