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Travel with Insight, Explore with Passion
Travel with Insight, Explore with Passion
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2026 Solar Eclipse Cruise:
Totality in The Mediterraneanwith Sarah Rugheimer
FRANCE & SPAIN
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Great Music Masters of Italy: Verdi and Italian Opera
with Robert Greenberg
ITALY
ENGLAND & FRANCE
D-Day: Courage, Conflict, and History in England and France with Ed Lengel
Great Music Masters of Vienna: The Romantics
with Robert Greenberg
Enchanted England: Folklore, Fairy Tales, and Wonder
with Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman
Revisiting World War 1 in France
with Keith Huxen
Exploring Cuba: From Trinidad
to Havana
with Joyce Salisbury
Great British Mysteries: Conan Doyle, Christie, and More
ENGLAND
ENGLAND
FRANCE
CUBA
AUSTRIA
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Geirangerfjord
Flam Railway
Funicular
Gudvangen Viking Village
Jostedalsbreen
Starting at $8,995 per person
Travel with The Great Courses Journeys to Norway’s western fjords and experience one of the world’s most dramatic convergences of ice, rock, water, and human ingenuity. Begin in Bergen, where your Great Courses Journeys expert will examine how innovative energy systems like hydropower have become central to Norway’s economy and global leadership in sustainability. Continue to Flam and explore the geological forces that carved deep fjords and towering mountains and see how communities have adapted to a challenging environment.
With travel by ferry, railway, and cable car through some of Scandinavia’s most striking scenery, you’ll witness firsthand how successive ice ages transformed the landscape and how technological developments continue to power modern Norway. From UNESCO-listed fjords to Europe’s largest mainland glacier, this journey is your opportunity to connect scientific insight with lived experiences and gain a deep understanding of how natural forces shape both the land and the future.
Discovering Norway: Fjords, Peaks, and a Living Landscape
with Michael Wysession and Rachel Phillips
DEPARTURE DATES AND PRICING
Highlights
View rare treasures on a guided tour of the Collection of Historic Instruments and discover the crossover of art nouveau and music in the Secession Museum.
Set off on an excursion to the spa town of Baden bei Wien and discover the reasons key creatives from Vienna sought sanctuary there.
Gain insights into the life and works of great composers, on guided visits to their homes and haunts with The Great Courses expert Robert Greenberg.
Take an after-hours tour of Schönbrunn Palace and enjoy a classical concert under the vaulted ceiling of the Orangerie featuring the works of Mozart and Strauss.
Examine Norway’s renewable energy leadership with visits and discussions focused on hydropower and sustainable innovation, illustrating how natural resources are harnessed to power a modern society.
Ride the iconic Flam Railway, an engineering marvel that climbs steep mountain terrain and offers a vivid look at how humans adapt infrastructure to extreme geological conditions.
Explore the science of the fjords as you travel through UNESCO-listed waterways shaped by glaciers over successive ages, gaining insight into the geological processes that carved Norway’s dramatic coastline.
Highlights
Dr. Rachel Phillips is a National Science Foundation STEM Education Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of South Carolina. She received her PhD in geological sciences from the University of Texas at El Paso, where her research aimed to improve reconstructions of Earth's ancient atmospheric and oceanic conditions by strengthening the reliability and precision of palaeoceanographic proxies. A popular science communicator, Professor Phillips also works to promote global geoscience communication through her YouTube channel, GEO GIRL, on which she shares educational geoscience videos. Through her interdisciplinary research and communication endeavors, Rachel has developed expertise in biogeochemistry, geomicrobiology, paleoceanography, paleoclimatology, and geoscience education. She created the Audible Original Earth’s Great Extinctions with The Great Courses, and is developing a new Great Course, Tectonic Time Machines: Reading Earth’s Deep Past.
Rachel Phillips
Michael Wysession
Dr. Michael E. Wysession is the Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. He earned his PhD from Northwestern University. An established leader in seismology and geophysical education, Professor Wysession sees Norway as a geologist’s dream, where the natural forces that shape our planet are on display on a grand scale: big fjords, steep cliffs, big glaciers, dramatic landscapes. He is noted for developing a new way to create three-dimensional images of Earth's interior from seismic waves, which have provided scientists with insights into the makeup of Earth and its evolution throughout history. He is the coauthor of An Introduction to Seismology, Earthquakes, and Earth Structure; the lead author of Physical Science: Concepts in Action; and the primary writer for the texts Earth Science, Earth's Interior, Earth's Changing Surface, and Earth's Waters. Professor Wysession has received the Distinguished Faculty Award of Washington University and in 2014 the inaugural Ambassador Award of the American Geophysical Union. He has created three Great Courses, including The World’s Greatest Geological Wonders: 36 Spectacular Sites, How the Earth Works, and The Science of Energy: Resources and Power Explained. He also contributed to National Geographic Polar Explorations.
Journey Experts
Michael Wysession
Bergen
Arrive on individual flights into Bergen and transfer independently to your hotel. Begin your journey with an introductory talk with your Great Courses Journeys expert, followed by a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
Included Meal: Dinner
Accommodations: Scandic Ornen
Bergenhus Fortress
Set out for a full day’s exploration in Bergen, beginning with the UNESCO World Heritage Bryggen Wharf and Bergenhus Fortress, one of Norway’s oldest and best-preserved fortifications. Ascend Mount Floyen by funicular for sweeping views over the city and a discussion with your expert on fjord formation, glacial erosion, and regional geology. After a group lunch, visit a local company such as Norwegian Hydropower AS or Bergen Synergy to explore Norway’s role as a global leader in renewable energy (specific organization pending confirmation). The evening will be yours to enjoy Bergen at your own pace.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Scandic Ornen
Sognefjord
This morning, board a low-emissions ferry for a scenic journey though the majestic Sognefjord, Norway’s longest and deepest fjord. As you glide past steep mountainsides and waterfalls, your expert will discuss how ice and water sculpted this dramatic landscape over millions of years.. Arrive in Flam in the afternoon, nestled in the Flamsdalen Valley, and enjoy time at leisure where you may choose to explore the village or take a moderate-level hike to the nearby Brekkfossen Waterfall. Reconvene at your hotel in the evening over dinner as a group.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Fretheim Hotel
Undredal Stave Church
Embark on the historic Flam Railway, often cited as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. Ascend more than 800 meters in just one hour, passing waterfalls, tunnels, and rugged terrain that highlight both Norway’s dramatic geology and remarkable engineering achievements. After a brief pause in the mountain station of Myrdal, enjoy the view in reverse as you return to Flam. Gain insight into Viking life, culture, and belief systems during lunch and a visit to Viking Valley, followed by a stop at the beautifully preserved Undredal Stave Church. Return to Flam where dinner and the rest of the evening will be at your leisure.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Fretheim Hotel
Loen Skylift
Travel north by coach and ferry to the Norsk Bremusem and Ulltevit-Moe Climate Center, where interactive exhibits and striking architecture illuminate the relationship between glaciers, climate, and geological time. Continue to Jostedalsbreen National Park, home to mainland Europe’s largest glacier, where you may have the opportunity to visit a glacier arm (weather permitting) followed by lunch as a group. Later, take an exhilarating ride on the Loen Skylift, one of the world’s steepest cable cars, to the summit of Mount Hoven, where scenic trails and panoramic views reveal the scale of glacial forces at work. Check into your hotel in Loen and enjoy dinner and an evening at leisure.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Alexandra Hotel Loen
Geirangerfjord
Depart Loen on a scenic coastal journey through the Geiranger region, a landscape shaped by successive ice ages. Cruise through the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Geirangerfjord, where sheer cliffs and cascading waterfalls provide dramatic evidence of glacial carving and uplift. After lunch and free time in the village of Geiranger, cross the fjord by commuter ferry and continue by coach to the charming coastal town of Alesund, where dinner and the rest of the evening are yours to enjoy.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Quality Hotel Alesund
Aksla Viewpoint
Begin your day with a walk to Aksla Viewpoint for a sweeping view of Alesund and the surrounding islands. Please note that access to Aksla is via 418 stone steps; there are points along the route that allow for a pause in activity. Later, experience the rugged coastline from the water on a high-speed RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat), where unique close encounters with seabirds and marine life are likely. Enjoy time at leisure in Alesund, then raise a toast to your journeys during a festive farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Quality Hotel Alesund
Alexandra Hotel
Loen
In continuous operation since 1892 and named after Princess Alexandra of Denmark, this historic hotel overlooks the Nordfjorden and combines centuries-old traditions with modern style and comfort. Warmly decorated rooms provide mountain or valley views as well as Wi-Fi, a flat-screen television, and a bathrobe and slippers. All culinary needs are met at a multitude of onsite eateries, including a café, two restaurants, a dedicated wine cellar, and cocktail bar. The Alexandra Bath & Spa features indoor and outdoor pools and jacuzzi and a full treatment menu. (1 night)
Quality Hotel
Alesund
Set along the picturesque coast, this charming hotel offers stunning fjord views at nearly every turn. Bright and spacious rooms feature a television, writing desk, and tea and coffeemaking equipment, and the onsite fitness center provides cardio machines and free weights. A breezy terrace overlooks the sea and is the perfect place to enjoy a beverage in the sun. (2 nights)
Fretheim Hotel
Flam
Steeped in history and surrounded by breathtaking scenery, Fretheim Hotel combines old-world charm with modern comfort. Originally a farmhouse that welcomed travelers in the 19th century, the hotel now features elegant guest rooms with comfortable bedding, a flat-screen television, tea and coffeemaking equipment, and stunning views of the fjords or mountains. Other onsite amenities include two restaurants showcasing local ingredients, plus direct access to the famous Flam Railway. (2 nights)
Scandic Ornen
Bergen
Overlooking Mount Floyen, the contemporary Scandic Ornen Hotel is centrally located near Bergen’s main train station and a short walk to the medieval harbor district. Comfortable rooms offer Wi-Fi, flat-screen televisions, and a writing desk, while an onsite gym is equipped with state-of-the-art exercise options. Relax with a beverage and fantastic view of the city in the 12th floor Roast Restaurant, Bergen’s only sky bar. (2 nights)
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Highlights
Uncover the dynastic ambitions and historical significance of monuments like Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V in Rabat.
Experience the stony landscape of the Agafay Desert on a camel trek, culminating in a breathtaking sunset over the High Atlas Mountains.
Admire the Islamic architecture in Marrakesh, from the grand Koutoubia Mosque and intricate Bahia Palace to the serene beauty of the Ben Youssef Madrasa.
Discover the University of al-Qarawiyyin, the world’s oldest continuously operating university, and engage in a discussion on its profound influence on global scholarship.
Wander through the labyrinthine alleyways of the UNESCO-listed Medina in Fes, where vibrant stalls overflow with textiles, spices, and artisanal crafts.