After arriving in the Danish capital today, this evening we meet our fellow travelers and tour director at a welcome dinner and briefing about the journey ahead at Copenhagen’s festive Tivoli Gardens. Scandic Copenhagen Hotel (D)

A half-day tour introduces us to this most livable of cosmopolitan cities. We visit Christianborg Palace, seat of the Danish Parliament; see the popular Little Mermaid statue; and stroll along the narrow, historic streets of downtown to City Hall Square. Schedules permitting, we meet with foreign service staff at the U.S. Embassy before we have a night on our own. Scandic Copenhagen Hotel (B)

We embark this morning on a full-day excursion, first to Elsinore (Helsinger in Danish), site of Kronborg Castle – the infamous setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet – where our tour includes the Royal Chambers and Ballroom. This afternoon we visit the Karen Blixen House and Museum in coastal Rungsted. Save for her years in Africa, the writer known as Isak Dinesen (Out of Africa) spent most of her life here where she was born in 1885. The house boasts its original furniture and décor; the site itself comprises the house, a museum, bird sanctuary, and park. Scandic Copenhagen Hotel (B,L)

After a morning at leisure, we set off mid-day for Rosenborg Palace, where we see the dazzling crown jewels; and the cozy fishing village of Dragor, with its historic buildings and cobblestone streets. Later we board the overnight DFDS ferry to Oslo, settling in our private outside cabins and enjoying dinner on board. DFDS Ferry (B,D)

Upon disembarkation this morning, we board our coach for the journey north to ski country. We stop along the way in Lillehammer (site of the 1994 Winter Olympics) to visit the open-air museum at Maihaugen, among Norway’s most visited cultural attractions. Mid-afternoon we depart for the village of Gaala and our ski lodge hotel. Wadahl Hotel (B,L,D)

A day of beautiful scenery is in store as we travel from Gaala to Geiranger, en route negotiating hairpin bends to the summit of Mount Dalsnibba (alt. 4,900 feet) for stunning views of Geirangerfjord and the mountains, lakes, and waterfalls beyond. We reach the popular village of Geiranger mid-afternoon and get our first up-close look at Norway’s most dramatic fjord. A UNESCO site, it measures 10 miles long and 960 feet deep. Hotel Union (B,D)

Today’s excursion on Eagle Road to Herdalssetra promises abundant thrills as we ride along 11 hairpin turns through mountain passes, catching glimpses of the dramatic fjord along the way. We visit a local farm for lunch then return to Geiranger mid-afternoon. Before dinner at our hotel tonight, we enjoy a reception there to view a private vintage car collection. Hotel Union (B,L,D)

We can expect scenic overload on our full-day journey to Bergen from Geiranger. A series of ferry rides takes us across Geirangerfjord, past tiny villages, tumbling waterfalls, and amid steep mountains plunging into the fjord’s placid waters. Upon arrival in Bergen this evening, we enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Radisson Blu Hotel (B,D)

We see the highlights of this beautiful city, Norway’s second largest, on a morning tour, including Trolhaugen, country home of composer Edvard Grieg; the lively fish market; the colorful 14th-century Hanseatic merchants’ quarter of Bryggen (a UNESCO site); and 16th-century Bergenhus fortress. The afternoon is free to enjoy Bergen as we wish. Radisson Blu Hotel (B)

On today’s journey to Lofthus, we travel through the breathtaking scenery of Norway’s Western Fjord District. Along the way, we stop to see the 150-foot Steindal Waterfall then at a floating salmon farm in this premier fish farm region. Last, we visit Steinstoe, one of the country’s largest orchards, where we enjoy a tour led by the family of the owner then get to know them over cake and coffee. Mid-day we reach our hotel, with the remainder of the afternoon at leisure. Dinner tonight is at our hotel. Hotel Ullensvang (B,D)

It’s a day of extreme beauty and diverse transportation as we travel by coach to Gudvangen, where we board a ferry for Flåm, traversing stunning Naeroyfjord, a UNESCO site. After free time in Flåm, we embark the storied Flåm Railway for a thrilling hour-long, 12-mile route ascending the 2,900-foot-deep Flåm Valley. Our exhilarating excursion ends in Myrdal, where we board another train for the brief trip to Voss. Here we meet our coach for the return journey to our hotel via the 4,600-foot Hardanger Bridge, one of the world’s longest suspension bridges. Hotel Ullensvang (B,L,D)

En route to Oslo today, we stop in Eidfjord where we tour the Hardanger Nature Center showcasing the natural and cultural worlds of Norway’s fjord country. Later we stop for photos at Voringfoss Waterfall, considered Norway’s most beautiful. We reach Oslo, arriving early this evening. Clarion Hotel, The Hubb (B)

This morning we visit the Viking Ship Museum, housing the well-preserved remains of wooden ships that crossed the ocean in search of new lands more than a thousand years ago. We also tour the nearby Kon-Tiki Museum, with the original vessels and artifacts from Thor Heyerdahl’s 1947 voyage across the Pacific. This afternoon is free for independent exploration. Clarion Hotel, The Hubb (B)

A half-day tour of the pastoral Norwegian capital features the National Gallery, with Norway’s largest collection of fine arts; and Vigeland Sculpture Park, with its intriguing bronze and granite sculptures of human figures by artist Gustav Vigeland. Then this afternoon is free to explore on our own; tonight we gather for a farewell dinner at our hotel. Clarion Hotel, The Hubb (B,D)

We transfer to the airport this morning for our return flight to the U.S. (B)