Saturday, July 19 Depart US Depart from your hometown bound for Oslo, Norway. 2014 Valdres Samband Stevne Fagernes, Norway July 19 28, 2014 Sunday, July 20 Group #1 arrives Oslo/Group #2 departs US Arrivals in Oslo. Transfer to hotel, check in. Remainder of day at leisure for sightseeing & visiting relatives. Dinner on own. Overnight in Oslo. Other departures from the US this evening. Monday, July 21 Group #2 arrives Oslo B Group #1 will enjoy breakfast at the hotel, with a full day in Oslo for individual activities. Participants will have a ticket on the Oslo Hop On/Hop Off tour guided bus through the city. This bus will stop at the highlights, allowing the passengers to enjoy the sights at their own pace, and hop back on to go to the next sight. Group # 2 will arrive Oslo, transfer to the hotel and check in. Remainder of day at leisure for sightseeing & visiting relatives. Dinner on own. Overnight in Oslo. Tuesday, July 22 Oslo Eidsvoll Hamar Fagernes B, L, D Both groups have breakfast at the hotel. Depart by private motor coach to Eidsvoll for a tour of the Eidsvollsbygning (below, right), where Norway s Constitution was signed on May 17, 1814. It is celebrating its 200 th anniversary in 2014, and will have undergone an extensive restoration project.
Continue to Hamar to visit the Emigrant Museum for lunch and a tour. This museum has a fascinating exhibit of Emigration from Norway, as well as a collection of buildings built by those emigrants in the US, which have been returned to the Museum as part of the exhibit. Travel to Fagernes this afternoon. Welcome reception at the hotel this evening, followed by dinner. Wednesday, July 23 Saturday, July 26 In and around Valdres B, (L) D Breakfast (B) daily at the hotel. The base for the Stevne will be the Quality Hotel Fagernes. Dinners (D) will be included every day, subject to the schedule and location of the activities. Inclusion of lunches (L) will be determined by the sightseeing and activities and included if logistically necessary. During these days, several activities will be planned which will focus on the culture, outdoor life, food, music, history and lifestyle of Valdres. Some of the activities of past Stevnes have been popular, so we can include them again, however, with different locations (different farm, different church for the Sunday service): Welcome reception at hotel with local dignitaries. Genealogy services. Time for shopping, visiting relatives, relaxing. Visit to mountain farm. Sunday church service with parade and lunch.
New activities will be included to appeal to those who have attended in the past, as well as to entice new participants: Visit to local micro-brewery, Valdres Gårdsbryggeri in Volbu i Øystre Slidre. See the brewing process, sample their beer. Experience dogsledding this is a popular winter activity, however the dogs still need to run during the summer so they pull wagons with wheels (photo at right) Golf Valdres golf course has 9 holes surrounded by stunning scenery. Valdres mattorg (Farmers Market) takes place Saturdays, beginning in late June. Guided Pilgrimage walk from Leira to Fagernes along the fjord. (4 KM, easy to walk) Jørn Himle-Stemnet, taking place in late July. This is a popular week-long folk music festival taking place annually at the Valdres Folk Museum. (right and below) As we did with the Agriculture Festival in 2009, we d incorporate some of the festival events into the Stevne program. Sunday, July 27 Church Service/ At Leisure / Farewell Banquet B, L, D Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to area church for service, gathering, lunch and entertainment afterward. Return to hotel, time at leisure. This evening, enjoy a Farewell Banquet at the hotel. Monday, July 28 Depart Fagernes B We say farewell to Fagernes for this visit. Breakfast at the hotel. Transfers to airport and Oslo. Departure on Post-Tour to Stavanger. 5412 Lyndale Avenue South Minneapolis MN 55419 USA Phone (612) 661-4622 or 800-843-0602, ext. 112 Fax (612) 822-4755 Email: info@bortonoverseas.com Web site: www.bortonoverseas.com
Stevne Post-Tour to Stavanger The number of days of the post tour will be determined by which days of the week Icelandair flies from Stavanger in 2014. We ll know this in 2013, approximately 1 year in advance. Monday, July 28 Fagernes Lofthus B, D After breakfast, board the motor coach and drive southwest through the mountains via Gol and Geilo to the Hardangerfjord. Visit Vøringfoss waterfall, then stop at the Sima Power Plant for a tour. This is one of the largest hydroelectric power stations in Europe. The main hall is located deep inside the mountain. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Ullensvang on the Hardangerfjord. Tuesday, July 29 Lofthus - Haugesund B, D Leisurely breakfast enjoy the hotel and its facilities, take a hike on nearby marked trails, or stroll along the fjord. Depart early afternoon and drive along the Hardangerfjord. Stop for a tour of the Røldal stave church. The church was built at the end of the 13th century and is famous for its crucifix. According to legend it sweats once a year (July 6th), and the sweat has healing power. After Trondheim s Nidaros Cathedral, Røldal was the most important site of pilgrimage in Norway during the middle ages. Pilgrims continued to come here until 1835. Continue to the coast and the city of Haugesund. Haugesund dates back to Viking times, and seafaring and trade symbolize this coastal region. Dinner and overnight in Haugesund. Wednesday, July 30 Haugesund - Stavanger B, D After breakfast, experience Viking history at the Viking Village at Avaldsnes. Replicas have been built on the grounds of archaeological discoveries, and this area is rich in Viking history. Burial mounds remain in the area. Stop in the charming town of Skudneshavn, with a proud maritime history. The old town consists of 130 well preserved wooden, white houses originating from the1800 s, when the herringfishing was at its peak. Continue to Stavanger. After dinner, your local guide will introduce you to Stavanger on a walking tour. Overnight in Stavanger. Thursday, July 31 Stavanger B Breakfast at the hotel. Those who are interested in the hike to Pulpit Rock can do so today. Otherwise, enjoy a cruise on the Lysefjord, below Pulpit Rock. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight in Stavanger.
Friday, August 1 Stavanger B Breakfast at the hotel. Spend time exploring Stavanger and the many museums and other attractions. Farewell dinner and overnight. Saturday, August 2 Depart Stavanger or extend your stay B Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for return flights to the US. 5412 Lyndale Avenue South Minneapolis MN 55419 USA Phone (612) 822-4640 or 800-843-0602, ext. 112 Fax (612) 822-4755 Email: info@bortonoverseas.com Web site: www.bortonoverseas.com
Preliminary Pricing Valdres Samband Stevne 2014 We will offer tour packages designed in modules to suit the needs of every Valdres Samband member interested in attending the 2014 Stevne in Fagernes. Based on which travel arrangements they need, they select the components below to make their own travel package. More than one airline will be offered, however for the preliminary pricing, we re quoting only Icelandair. (The other airlines will be Delta and Scandinavian Airlines) Icelandair benefits: Icelandair allows a stopover in Iceland in either direction. Icelandair departs from Minneapolis, JFK, Denver, Seattle and Boston. Preliminary package price: $ 3068 per person, $273 single supplement Preliminary package price includes: Roundtrip, economy class air on Icelandair from Minneapolis to Oslo including government taxes and carrier imposed fuel surcharges of $488. Six nights accommodation at Quality Hotel Fagernes in standard double room. Breakfast & dinner daily. Three lunches (at the farm, day of Pilgrim hike/area sightseeing, after church service) Welcome reception, mountain farm visit with guiding and transportation, pilgrim hike or area sightseeing with local guides, music festival ticket for 1 day, church visit with entertainment and transportation, Farewell dinner supplement to hotel for upgraded arrangements (private room use, table décor, and upgraded menu), Farewell dinner entertainment. Luggage handling at hotel for 1 piece per person. Services of a Borton Overseas staff member during the Stevne. Full documentation packet including destination information. Land only preliminary price Includes everything above, EXCEPT airfare $2137 per person, double occupancy, $273 single supplement Preliminary pre-stevne Oslo package prices: Two nights in Oslo centrally located hotel, arrival transfer from airport, transfer Oslo- Fagernes, 24-hour Hop-On/Hop-Off Oslo tour ticket, tour of Eidsvollsbygning and the Emigrant museum with lunch, $468 per person, $121 single supplement One night in Oslo at centrally located hotel, arrival transfer from airport, transfer Oslo- Fagernes, tour of Eidsvollsbygning and the Emigrant museum with lunch $272 per person, $ 60 single supplement Transfer Oslo Fagernes, tour of Eidsvollsbygning and the Emigrant museum with lunch, (this is available for those doing their own Oslo arrangements such as staying with relatives), $117 per person Departure transfer Fagernes Oslo airport, $92 per person
Departure transfer Fagernes Oslo downtown, $75 per person Customized arrangements based on clients request! Preliminary post-tour price: $1366 per person, $210 single supplement Preliminary post-tour price includes: Five nights accommodation at superior tourist class hotels (fjord view room at Hotel Ullensvang) Breakfast (B) daily, three dinners (D) as specified. Private motor coach transportation as described. Guided tour of Sima Power plant, guided tour of Røldal stave church, entrance to Viking Village, guided walking tour of Skudneshavn, Stavanger city tour with local guide, Lysefjord cruise. Departure transfer in Stavanger. Services of a Borton Overseas staff member during itinerary. Preliminary pricing is based on the itinerary outline and inclusions, using 2012 & 2013 pricing. Most 2014 prices will be available approximately 1 year in advance; airfares can be booked 11 months prior to travel dates. 5412 Lyndale Avenue South Minneapolis MN 55419 USA Phone (612) 822-4640 or 800-843-0602, ext. 112 Fax (612) 822-4755 Email: info@bortonoverseas.com Web site: www.bortonoverseas.com