NORWAY DISCOVERY SKI TRIP
Tuesday March 16 – Tuesday March 30, 2021
Leader: Madeleine Davidson - msdavidson0000@gmail.com
General Information:
Destination
This is a 13 night trip for 21 members to central Norway, with the main activity being 7 days of cross country skiing in Venabu. Venabu is in the middle of the Venabygdsfjell plateau, looking down on the Gudbrandsdalen Valley, south of the Rondane National Park, 78 kms north of Lillehammer (home to the 1994 Winter Olympics), and an approximate 3.5 hour ride from Oslo airport. Norway’s snow season extends to April, so lots of snow and great conditions are likely. During March, days are longer (daylight from approximately 7 am to 7 pm) and we would be able to take advantage of optional ski safaris (off-track skiing). Venabu offers 140 kms of marked and prepared trails in varied mountain terrain with summits up to 1,400m. It is considered one of the best cross country ski areas in Norway. The landscape is dramatic and full of contrasts from spectacular gorges and snow-capped peaks to pretty fells and valleys.
All levels of cross country skiers will find suitable trails, and approximately 30-40% of the trails are suitable for skate skiing. You can ski or snowshoe right from the hotel doorstep. Additional features (some at additional cost) include dog sledding, yoga/snow yoga (outdoors with snowshoes), tobogganing, horse drawn sleigh rides.
Guided skiing and snowshoe tours are available (additional cost). Members could also take advantage of an off-track ski safari – a unique winter experience – a full day trip into the mountains with an experienced guide. These excursions are away from the prepared tracks and go up onto the plateau. The ski trips are arranged according to the experience of the participants (novice through to experts).
Venabu also offers sauna, fitness room, table tennis, and group and private ski lessons. The hotel is within 1.5 hours to downhill skiing at Hafjell or Kvitfjell (where the World Cup is hosted annually). A day trip to the lovely and picturesque town of Lillehammer can also be arranged.
In addition, we would spend 4 full days in Oslo, as well as partial travel days. There are many interesting museums in Oslo including the Munch Museet (a Norwegian artist most famous for “The Scream”), a ski museum and tower, a Viking Ship Museum, and many others that are unique to Norwegian culture.
There are more than 2,600 KMs (not a typo!) of prepared cross-country ski trails in the forests surrounding Oslo. 90 KMs are lit for evening skiing, and there are 44 cabins available to skiers offering different amenities.
In particular, the Nordmarka Forest is accessible by public transportation and offers groomed trails, some of which are illuminated in the evenings. The ski routes in the Nordmarka forest are apparently well marked. Please see www.visitoslo.com for descriptions of 5 popular skiing routes from 11-25KM. Most of the routes are not available on line and maps will need to be purchased.
Sightseeing/cultural excursions will be identified for Oslo – possibly confirmed in advance depending on what the group wants.
Accommodations: Venabu
The Venabu Fjellhotel has been run by the Tvete family for over 50 years. The owners built the hotel themselves, choosing the original plot because of the tremendous views. There are 56 rooms with space for 120 guests.
All meals are included during the ski week. Their dining room offers a spectacular Scandinavian buffet. The food is all traditional Norwegian cuisine. Breakfast is a continental buffet with the highlight being the selection of tasty local cheeses. For lunch you can have a choice of a buffet lunch (hot meal) or a picnic lunch if you plan to stay outdoors for the day.
Every Wednesday evening they serve their “Norwegian Buffet” a selection of traditional Norwegian food and they explain the traditions behind the food served. They also have a good variety of vegetarian dishes.
***Discovery Trip***
Please consider this a “discovery” trip as this is the club’s first trip to Norway and there are a number of details that can only be confirmed once members have experienced them e.g.:
Proposed Itinerary
The trip is being organized with the assistance of Teacher’s Travel. The week of March 20-27, 2021 has been booked at Venabu. March is considered “snow sure” in this area. The “normal” temperature during March is -6.6 degrees.
Day 0 - Tuesday March 16/21: Depart Toronto – overnight flight
Day 1 - Wednesday Mar 17: Arrive Oslo (likely mid-day). Recover from jet lag and explore Oslo a bit. Stay at Anker hotel: https:// anker-hotel.no
Day 2-3 March 18-19: Explore Oslo – optional skiing at Normarka Forest (accessible by public transportation, skiing is free)
Day 4 – Saturday March 20: Leave early for Venabu by bus – approximately 3.5 hours. Arrive mid-day. Possibility of skiing in the afternoon.
Days 5-10 – to Friday March 26: Ski Venabu. Optional excursions to be arranged in advance e.g. ski safari, alpine skiing, to Lillehammer, snowshoe trips
Day 11 - Saturday March 27 (same hotel): Depart Venabu to Oslo – arrive Oslo mid-day
Day 12 - Sunday March 28: Explore Oslo/ski Normarka Forest
Day 13 - Monday March 29: Explore Oslo/ski Normarka Forest
Day 14 - Tuesday March 30: Depart for Toronto
Cost
The following estimate is based on prices from Venabu, and in consultation with Teachers’ Travel. Air prices cannot be confirmed more than 11 months in advance and are based on Dec 2019 flight costs with a reasonable increase. Accommodation and other costs at Venabu and Oslo are based on Dec 2019 exchange rates and may vary by the time payment is due.
Please note there are no direct non-stop flights from Toronto to Oslo at this time. A flight will be selected that has the fastest route (likely through Reykjavik, Iceland). Please allow for a longer than normal travel day.
Price per person/double occupancy in Canadian dollars as of Dec 2019, includes:
7 nights Venabu including all meals (no trail fees)
6 nights in a 3-star Oslo hotel including breakfast (Anker Hotel)
Oslo airport transfer to Oslo hotel (return)
Return transfer – Oslo-Venabu
Tips to bus drivers
Air fare (estimated)
Total Costs $4,350
HOC fee 25
$4,375
In addition, participants should budget approximately $100 for public transportation in Oslo and $500 for 6 lunches and dinners in Oslo.
The price above excludes:
6 Lunches/6 Dinners in Oslo – estimate provided
Cost of public transportation –estimate provided
Venabu excursions, lessons, activities etc.
Items of a personal nature
Tips for hotel personnel (optional)
Entry fees to attractions except where indicated
Alcoholic beverages
The single supplement is $105 for Venabu, and $350 for the hotel in Oslo, a total of $455.
Price estimates for some of the optional add-ons (in $Cdn, converted as of Dec 2019):
1 day guided tour/ski safari 90
Guided skiing per day 65
Ski lessons 40 per hour
Private guided skiing - group of 8 55
Dog Sled (30 minutes) 60
Horse drawn sleigh ride (approx. 1 hr) 40
Guided snowshoe day trip 65
Yoga (first session free) 25
Costs for alpine skiing, including transportation, will be established on site.
Payment Schedule
$25 HOC fee payable at time of registration on www.haltonoutdoorclub.ca
$350 deposit payable to Teachers’ Travel immediately after your registration has been confirmed by the club (via email). Payment may be made by cheque, INTERAC transfer or credit card. If you choose to pay by cheque or INTERAC transfer, Teachers Travel will deduct $100 from your total cost. There is no extra charge if you pay by credit card. Please contact Cathy Kinloch – info@teacherstravel.com, or 1-800-268-7229 to make payment arrangements.
Cheques should be mailed to:
Teachers’ Travel Service, 21 St. Clair Ave. East #1003, Toronto ON M4T 1L9
$4,000 balance – payable to Teachers’ Travel Dec 15, 2020. If paying a single supplement, the balance due would be $4,455.
Cancellation Policy
The club registration fee of $25 is non-refundable. Other payments are also non-refundable. However, in the event of a cancellation: if a suitable replacement can be found (i.e. from club waiting list), and the replacement can be made without incurring costs to the club or the travel agency, then you may be refunded. If a replacement cannot be found, you will be responsible to cover whatever costs the club or travel agency has incurred on your behalf, up to the point of cancellation.
If the entire trip must be cancelled due to lack of participation, you will receive a refund.
Insurance
EMERGENCY MEDICAL INSURANCE COVERAGE IS MANDATORY.
Your medical insurance information will be collected by Teacher’s Travel and then forwarded to our trip leaders. Before buying insurance check your credit card to see if you have coverage as a benefit of the card. If you need travel insurance, it can be purchased through Teachers Travel. Your medical insurance should include the following information:
Name of the insurance company
Policy number
Please note:
Pricing is based on the Dec 2019 exchange rate with some allowance for change. If there is a significant increase in the exchange rate a supplement may be charged to cover the difference. If the rates drop significantly, HOC will refund the difference. Please be aware that the air tax and service charges are also subject to change at any time without notice. In the case of currency fluctuation the airline reserves the right to adjust the rates accordingly.