Category: Nature

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Adventure Europe Fall Nature Norway

Hiking in Norway: Preikestolen and Kjeragbolten in two days

If you’re looking for life changing and (slightly) life risking hikes, then hiking to Kjeragbolten and Preikestolen are for you.

Both located in Southern Norway, the closest major city to these hiking locations is Stavanger, Norway. To get there from Oslo, you could drive (7.5 hours), take a train (9 hours) or fly (45 mins). The city itself is beautiful, but that’s not our topic today.

Kjeragbolten: The hike to the boulder

  • Best time to visit: June-September
  • Equipment needed: Good hiking shoes
  • Total climbing time: 7-8 hours
  • Difficulty rating: Strenuous

Make sure you start this hike early so you can make it back down before it gets dark. If you’re using google maps, set your directions to “Kjerag parking”. The drive from Stavanger to the trailhead of the Kjeragbolten hike took a little over 2 hours. That sounds like a long drive but the two hours go by very quickly with the amazing views on the way.

Once you arrive, there’s a big parking lot and you have to pay a small fee for parking. There’s also a small restaurant/shop there that has snacks, jackets, beanies and anything else you might have forgotten to bring – but be warned the shop is a bit overpriced.

The hike took 7 hours total and was very strenuous so you have to be in good shape to do it. We went on this hike in September and there were light rain showers during most of the hike. Don’t care about actually getting on the boulder? you should do this hike anyway because the views are worth it.

Make sure to take plenty of water and snacks as well (only if you want to come back down consciously). Did I mention that the views are phenomenal? That’s one thing that will definitely help you survive this hike, the gorgeous views.

At the top of the mountain, you’ll reach the final milestone: the boulder. On the way up we asked people hiking back down if they went on the boulder, the ratio was about 50% yes to 50% no. When we finally made it to the top, we found out that it was true. There was 4 of us in the group, 2 of us went on the boulder and 2 of us didn’t. But again, we all enjoyed the hike and still highly recommend it.

If you want to go on Kjeragbolten but are afraid here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Go when it’s sunny, rain makes it scarier.
  • Watch YouTube videos of people who have went on the boulder.
  • Keep in mind that no one has ever fallen off the boulder.
  • And finally, don’t go on if you’re scared.

Preikestolen – Hiking Puplit Rock

  • Best time to visit: May-September
  • Equipment needed: Good hiking shoes
  • Total climbing time: 4-5 hours
  • Difficulty rating: Moderate

Make sure you start this hike early so you can make it back down before it gets dark and so you can catch the ferry back to Stavanger. The drive to the Preikestolen trailhead involves a ferry and takes a total of about 1.5 hours. This drive felt much shorter for me than the drive to Kjerag, probably because half of it was spent cruising on the beautiful Norwegian waters.

The hike took about 4 hours and when we reached the top, the views were breathtaking. The fjord looks unreal from above and we spent about 30 minutes up there despite the rainy weather. This hike is much easier than the hike to Kjeragbolten but you still have to be in decent shape to make it without feeling exhausted. The hike up takes 1-2 hours, people generally spend 20 minutes at the top then go back down.

To summarize, Norway has absolutely beautiful nature and is a must visit for anyone who loves the outdoors. The hike to Kjeragbolten is a strenuous hike that takes about 7 hours to complete. The hike to Preikestolen is moderate and takes 4-5 hours to complete, depending on how long you spend at the top. Visit Norway, you won’t regret it.

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Adventure Europe Iceland Nature Travel

Me, myself and I-celand

Thinking of going to Iceland? Do it I absolutely recommend it. I mean, I recommend any trip but especially this place. Traveling to Iceland was something that I’ve always wanted to do and I finally decided to do it this year.

Now I can safely say that it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. And if you haven’t figured it out by the name already, I took the trip all alone and still had a fantastic time.

But “Wesam…” you say, “how can I have fun in Iceland all alone? What even is there to do? Will I get bored? Isn’t it expensive? What do Icelandic people eat?” Say no more. Let me answer all your questions.

What is there to do in Iceland?

If you’re considering Iceland, chances are you’re at least interested in nature or outdoor activities or maybe you’re just a huge Game of Thrones fan. Regardless of the reason, there is so much to see and do on this tiny island.

The island is full of natural wonders like Reynisfjara Beach, the blue lagoon, huge glaciers and many waterfalls with long Icelandic names that I can’t even try to pronounce. Combine these views with the stunning Aurora Borealis and you will feel like you are on another planet.

Iceland is heaven for outdoors enthusiasts and adventurers. This tiny island is packed with so many places for hiking, climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, whale watching and diving just to name a few.

Click here for an article on the best places to see.

How can I have fun in Iceland alone?

If it’s your first time in Iceland, you’ll be better off doing it alone. It might seem weird at first but there are four main reasons for this recommendation.

  1. The people in Iceland are extremely friendly, easy to talk to and fluent in English.
  2. There are many tourists so you’ll meet people from all over the world. On my trip I met people from China, France, Germany, all over the U.S., Brazil, England and Russia just to name a few.
  3. Going alone will help you explore things at your own pace without having to worry about what others want or don’t want to do.
  4. Finally, once you get to explore the greatness of Iceland alone, you’re going to want to come back. So not bringing your friends or loved one(s) with you the first time will give you an excuse to return to this wonderful place!

If you’re still not convinced or aren’t a very social person, there are ways to facilitate the people meeting process. Booking group tours, staying in hostels or going out to events that interest you are a few very easy ways to make some Icelandic friends.

Click here for a blog post that helped me a lot with planning my Iceland trip.

Isn’t it expensive?

The short answer is – yes it is, it’s very expensive. Iceland is a small island without many natural resources which means that food, gas and many other commodities have to be imported. This makes the prices a lot higher. Not to worry though, there are always workarounds.

The most important step to not break the bank on your trip is to set a budget. You should do this for all of your trips but especially for Iceland.

First, figure out how long you’d like to go for. Normally, about a week is good for your first visit. Then, factor in all the meals, tour prices, hotel or hostel costs and other travel expenses. Finally, compare the prices you find with your budget and make your decisions based on that.

Many times it’s easier and cheaper to book group tours rather than renting a car to get around, especially if you’re traveling alone. The hostel option I mentioned earlier is also a great way to save money and hostels in Iceland are generally very safe, clean and popular with younger solo travelers who are looking to make new friends – just like you.

What is Icelandic culture like?

Icelandic people, much like the rest of the Nordic people, are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Their culture is unique in its own way yet they’re very understanding of the rest of the world. You won’t feel much of a cultural difference if you’re visiting from the US, Canada or other places in Europe, especially since most Icelandic people are fluent in English.

The only thing I would recommend is to do some research on the food. Icelandic cuisine is very unique but very delicious if you know what to get.

Some final tips

  • If you want to photograph the Aurora Borealis (northern lights), you need a very good camera with the right settings. You also need to visit between September and April as that’s the peak Aurora season.
  • Activities in Iceland vary greatly depending on the season. Find out what you really want to do or see before making your decision on when to go.
  • There are no trains in Iceland and gas is super expensive, so keep that in mind when you’re figuring out your transportation around the island.

Categories
Adventure America Lifestyle Nature Winter

Ice climbing in the White Mountains

An experience is worth a thousand books.  That was the thought on my mind when I was on my way back home from this trip.  The feeling I had was amazing, incredible, phenomenal; it was my best experience in a long time.

It all started a month before when I had started looking into where and how to try ice climbing for the first time.  After a lot of research (about 20 minutes of browsing through 1st time lesson options on google), I chose to try ice climbing through REI Adventures and I’m glad I did.  The entire experience (even though things didn’t go completely as planned) was incredible.  I have been rock climbing on and off since 2009, so the idea of ice climbing for me was always something intriguing that I wanted to try.

I signed up for the trip and was sent a giant list of gear that I didn’t have.  I wasn’t even sure what some of the gear did and I had definitely never used most of it before.  So, I went to the REI store closest to me and one of the employees walked me through what to buy step by step.  After about 2 hours of walking around, explaining and trying things on I had most of the equipment I needed.  I opted to buy some of the equipment (the stuff I knew) online through REI Garage and others.

A few days before the trip, I received my REI Adventures welcome package which had a t-shirt, a neck gaiter and a notebook. I was ready to go.  Of course, me being who I am, I couldn’t possibly just go to one place. This was my itinerary:

Day 1:

    Dallas, TX to Boston, MA
    Boston, MA to Lincoln, NH

Day 2:

  • Ice climbing in the White Mountains, NH

Day 3:

  • Ice climbing in the White Mountains, NH
  • Lincoln, NH to Montreal, QC, Canada

Day 4:

  • Explore Montreal with a childhood friend

Day 5:

  • Montreal, QC to Boston, MA (With a stop at Haskell Free Library in VT)
  • Boston, MA to Dallas, TX

I spent most of day 1 travelling. I drove, flew and walked until I finally reached the Holiday Inn Express in Lincoln, New Hampshire.  As a treat on my way into the hotel parking lot, I passed by the gorgeous ice castles in the town and I was already falling in love with the atmosphere.

Day 2 started at 8 AM.  We were told what to pack and what to expect as well as shown how to use our equipment, since the majority of us were beginners.  We headed out at about 9:30 AM to the area where we were supposed to climb, but it was packed because it was a holiday weekend. Someone had jokingly said “all of Massachusetts is up here this weekend”.

Our guides took us to a different area and we finally started climbing at about 10:30 AM.  There was only one route set up and 10 of us, so the wait to climb was very long.  The guides decided to split us in half and took part of the group to a different route so we can all get ample climbing time.

Everyone seemed a bit disappointed at their first try, but the disappointment diminished the more we climbed. It was really hard, I had seen videos of professionals doing it and they made it look super easy. A fellow climber told me “that’s what professionals do, they make things look easy.” I tried the route multiple times and I did slightly better each time. It was getting late and a snow storm was supposed to hit so we packed up and left at about 3:30 PM. Although I was far from the best climber, the first day of ice climbing was amazing.

In the evening, we had dinner as a group, exchanged contact information and really built a better bond with each other.  We headed back to our Holiday Inn Express to sleep and get ready for the next morning to meet at 7 AM.

Day 3 started right on time and even though everyone was yawning, the energy was super high.  Everyone was excited to get a full day of climbing.  We were the first at the location we tried to climb at the first day, so our guides set up 4 different routes for us.

The day was absolutely exhausting yet incredibly enjoyable at the same time.  The progress I saw in the 2 days of ice climbing was absolutely unreal. The main way ice climbing is different from rock climbing is that in ice climbing, you have way more gear that you need to trust.

At first it can be quite a bit daunting, but once you learn to trust the gear (and your legs) the improvement is very noticeable. After a successful day of climbing, everyone went back to their respective states as the REI trip was over. The bond we had built however, will stay with us for a long time.

I continued on with my trip, driving to Montreal, QC. The drive took about 3 hours and was very easy (compared to ice climbing). I saw my childhood friend, we had dinner, then I went straight to bed.

Day 4 of my trip was spent exploring Montreal with my friend.  Montreal has a very unique and beautiful vibe.  It feels European yet North American, very French yet very English, very Canadian yet very independent, cold but very warm and welcoming – I loved it. 

Everything was frozen and the snow was piled everywhere in the city. I was experiencing Montreal in its natural state, not the touristy, fun version of it.  I ended the day with a trip to Mount Royal Observatory and a nice French dinner in Downtown Montreal.

Day 5 was the day to head back home but I had one last stop to make. The Haskell Free Library in Vermont was a place that had always intrigued me. 

Actually it wasn’t the library itself that intrigued me – it was the idea of any city, town or building that defied international borders and existed where it shouldn’t. I love places where things crisscross and mix. Why? Because they show how superficial and unimportant borders really are. 

The experience of being able to stand in a building that’s half in the US and half in Canada showed me how much the idea of borders is insignificant.  I think there will be a point in the future, when humans will get over their differences and live together as one people, one society, one planet.

Thinking about all of this on my way back home made me realize that all the studying, reading, researching and learning I had done meant nothing if I didn’t actually experience things. 

You can be a genius by reading a lot but you can be an expert (and a lot happier) by experiencing a lot. Climbing a mountain, whether real or metaphorical, is a life changing event and I highly recommend it.

Special thanks to REI Adventures and their awesome guides for setting the climbing portion of this trip up. I hope I motivated you to go on your own adventure.