We’ve created the ultimate Norway packing list that has all the essentials, as well as what NOT to pack. Plus, we’re sharing what to wear in Norway and how to curate a perfect capsule wardrobe.
You likely landed on this article because you’re planning a trip to Norway – yay! – you’re in for one grand adventure!
If you’re feeling a bit puzzled on what to pack for your Norway trip, then you’ve come to the right place.
We’re walking you through all the travel essentials you’ll want to pack as well as what to wear in Norway so you stay cozy and comfortable. Plus, we’re sharing some packing tips if you’re renting a campervan or traveling with a child.
This article will help you narrow down what to bring and what to leave at home. Let’s get you ready to start packing!
Norway Packing List Guide
For more tips and advice on what to pack for your Norway trip, jump to the following sections (or just keep scrolling to see it all!).
What to wear in Norway
Let’s start by laying some ground rules. There are a handful of things you’ll want to keep in mind that make packing for Norway different from some other trips.
1. Bring lots of layers
Like all the Nordic countries, you can truly experience all four seasons in one day. Prepare for all temperatures, rain and shine!
Packing lots of layers in a variety of weights will help ensure you are comfy regardless of the weather.
2. Don’t forget rain gear
If you don’t experience rain on your trip to Norway, then consider yourself extremely lucky! Be sure to pack a high quality rain jacket (see our recommendations below!) as well as shoes that will work when it’s wet outside.
Hint: We both wore our hiking boots any time it was rainy (we experienced some heavy downpours!), which saved us from having to pack another pair of rain boots. It’s always helpful to have one shoe that serves multiple purposes! If you plan to do this, just be sure your hiking boots are waterproof. Speaking of which…
3. Pack good hiking boots
One of the very best things to do in Norway is hiking. It’s truly some of the best hiking we’ve done anywhere in the world!
Most hikes in Norway tend to be pretty steep, and good hiking boots/shoes are a must. (We share our recs below!)
If you are someone who likes hiking with poles, then you’ll want to pack them too!
4. Don’t forget your swimsuit & towel
While traveling in Norway, you’ll definitely want to partake in sauna culture at least once (if not a bunch!). Many hotels have saunas, and you can also book private ones all throughout the country.
You’ll want to have a swimsuit (at least one) and a towel. We forgot a towel at one of our sauna reservations and it cost 50 NOK (about $5) per towel to rent, which could add up depending on how many times you go.
5. Think of your clothing as a capsule wardrobe
Pack items that work well with each other so you can create multiple outfits from fewer individual pieces. You don’t want to overpack. Trust me.
6. Pack only enough clothes for 2 weeks
On that note, aim to only pack 2 weeks worth of clothes (yes, even if your trip is longer). Plan to do laundry during your travels if needed.
Tip: We pack these detergent sheets for doing laundry!
7. Function over fashion
In general, you will want to pack clothes that are comfortable and versatile. There’s a good chance you’ll be doing a lot of hiking and spending time outside, so your clothing choices should reflect this.
When traveling in Norway, there’s not much need for dressy clothes. Even at nicer restaurants, a pretty casual outfit (such as a sweater and jeans or leggings) is acceptable. We went to more than one “fancy-ish” dinner in hiking boots because it happened to be on a day full of hiking, and we were not the only ones!
We’d recommend bringing one outfit that feels “nice-ish”, but focusing mostly on function.
8. Adjust for the season
The clothing recommended below is what we packed for our trip in early-to-late September. I think it’s a really solid list for spring, summer, and fall. Yes, you will still need the warm layers even during the summer! That said, if you’re traveling during July and August, add a few more warm-weather items to your packing list.
However, if you are traveling to Norway during the winter months (for the Northern Lights – yay!), you’ll want to add even more warm layers, like a proper winter coat, etc.
Women’s clothing [Norway packing list]
Below, we’re sharing what we recommend packing so you’re prepared for all weather and are comfortable on your outdoor adventures throughout Norway!
Everyday clothes
- Sweaters and/or fleece in varying weights
- I wore this fleece “shacket” a lot
- This fleece pullover was my other warm layer (pictured above)
- Long sleeve shirts
- Short sleeve shirts
- Jeans and/or pants
Hiking clothes
- Shirts for hiking
- I like these tank tops a lot for layering
- This shirt is so versatile and works for hiking and everyday wear
- Leggings or joggers
- Joggers were great for both hiking and everyday wear
- I wore these leggings a lot as well
- Thermal shirt (I love this one)
Outerwear
- Puffer jacket
- Rain jacket: this is the one I wore in Norway and I really liked it (pictured above)
Footwear
- Hiking boots: These are my absolute favorite, ride-or-die hiking boots! (pictured above)
- Wool socks (these say men’s, but they also work for women!)
- Lighter-weight socks
- Comfy walking shoes (I’m obsessed with these!)
- Travel slippers
Accessories
- Winter hat: I’ve had this one for years and really like it! (pictured above)
- Lightweight gloves: this pair is made with wool and is touch-screen compatible
- Sunglasses: I’ve been wearing these for years and love that they are polarized and affordable
Miscellaneous
- Swimsuit: This is my all-time favorite swimsuit (pictured above with a li’l baby bump!)
- Lounging clothes for in your accommodation and/or pajamas
- These joggers are so cozy for lounging
- Undergarments
Men’s clothing [Norway packing list]
- Long sleeve shirts
- Short sleeve shirts
- Flannels/button ups
- Sweater or fleece
- Jeans and/or pants
- Ben is obsessed with these pants that are super comfy (and good for hiking), but also look really nice and can be dressed up. He packed 4 pairs of these pants to Norway (nothing else!) and wore them for nicer dinners as well as difficult hikes.
Hiking clothes
- Athletic shirts
- Ben loves these athletic shirts for hiking, and they’re really affordable
- Long sleeve athletic shirt pictured above (Ben, Juniper and I all have this same UV shirt and love that it works for hiking and everyday wear)
- Hiking pants pictured above (these are Ben’s obsession!)
- Thermal shirt
- This is a solid base layer and this one is a nice quarter zip (Ben loves a good quarter zip!)
Outerwear
- Puffer jacket
- Rain jacket: this is the rain jacket Ben has had for years
Footwear
- Hiking boots
- Wool socks
- Lighter-weight socks
- Comfy walking shoes (this is the pair Ben loves!)
- Travel slippers
Accessories
- Winter hat
- Lightweight gloves: this pair is made with wool and is touch-screen compatible
- Sunglasses
Miscellaneous
- Swim trunks
- Lounging clothes for in your accommodation and/or pajamas
- These joggers are so cozy for lounging
- Underwear
Travel essentials for Norway
Alright folks, get ready to take some notes!
We’ve got everything listed out that you’ll want to consider bringing to Norway. And let me tell ya, there are probably some items on here you wouldn’t have thought of…
Basics
- Passport: we like to keep our passports in a cover (like this one) so we can keep arrival documents and important business cards all together
- eSIM
- If you’ve never done this before, our guide to getting an eSIM will be super helpful!
- Travel insurance
- We have an entire guide that goes over how to choose the best policy for you in detail.
- Water bottle (I love this one because it has a built-in straw)
Packing
- Quality, hard-sided luggage (we love our Away suitcases!)
- AirTags (optional): we like to put these in our luggage to be able to track it (this is especially helpful in case of lost luggage)
- Packing cubes
- Crossbody bag or fanny pack
- Daypack that you can use for hiking (this is the one we personally used and we liked that it had a spot for a hydration bladder)
Tech
- Personal electronics: what you need will vary from person to person, but this can include a laptop, phone, chargers, etc.
- Camera equipment: again, this will vary from person to person. Some people will only need their phone while others (like us!) will want to bring a camera, drone, tripod, batteries, SD cards, lens cleaner, etc.
- Kindle
- Universal adapter
- Power bank
Hygiene & wellness
- Dirty laundry bag
- Laundry detergent sheets
- Toiletries: We pack our toiletries in a bag like this one to make sure everything stays organized.
- These bottles are great for filling with shampoo, face wash, body wash, etc.
- These zip pouches are super handy for things like Q-tips, cotton pads, etc.
- Makeup basics (optional)
- Towel for saunas: this is the one we travel with because it dries quickly and is lightweight
- Homeopathic jet lag pills (optional)
- Medication: bring any prescriptions you normally take; we also like to bring a little first aid kit with a few basic medications and natural remedies
Miscellaneous
- Stuffable shopping bag
- Travel umbrella (optional)
- We brought ours but rarely used it because we preferred our rain jackets. It was often windy in addition to rain, making it tough to carry an umbrella. However, it can be handy in some situations, and the travel umbrella we linked is very compact and budget-friendly.
- Hiking poles (optional)
- If you’re someone who prefers to hike with poles, you’ll definitely want to pack them for Norway because most of the hikes are very steep. We personally aren’t hiking pole people most of the time, so we didn’t bring them and wouldn’t have wanted them. However, many hikers travel with them and this would be the place to bring them.
- AeroPress (optional)
- If you’re a coffee drinker, then we highly recommend bringing this. There were many days where we were far from any coffee shops; besides, making your own will help you save lots of money as they can add up!
- Eye mask (optional)
- I’d recommend packing a good eye mask (we love this one!) if you are traveling during the summer and will experience the midnight sun. This will be essential to getting a good night’s rest when the sun barely sets!
Norway Packing Tips
Learn from some of our mistakes we made when packing for our Norway trip. These are things you may not think about, so be sure to read carefully.
1. You won’t need cash
You can pay for basically everything in Norway by credit card, including small bakeries, campgrounds, parking, and restaurants. Throughout our 3-week trip we never once needed cash.
Good to know: American Express doesn’t work in all places, so we’d advise bringing other cards with.
That said, if you want some Norwegian krone as a souvenir, we recommend taking out money from an ATM when you arrive and using a debit card that reimburses all ATM fees. We love our Charles Schwab card for this exact purpose!
2. Bring any medicine you normally take
We didn’t follow our own advice on this one and we didn’t pack any medication for ourselves (just some remedies for our toddler).
Our experience: Unfortunately, Ben came down with a pretty bad cold early on in our trip. We went to a pharmacy in search of something similar to DayQuil, which would have alleviated his symptoms, but the pharmacist told us they don’t sell over-the-counter cold medication in Norway. Unless he went to a doctor, the only things we could purchase were a saline rinse solution and a “strong” cough drop, neither of which really helped. He pushed through and drove our campervan and hiked, but he would have felt so much better had we packed our normal “mini medicine cabinet” like we typically do!
Learn from our mistake and pack what you’d normally take in case of a cold, tummy issues, or fever.
Obviously if you come down with something more serious you’d need to see a doctor, in which case your travel insurance should kick in, but it’s nice to be able to handle the smaller illnesses on your own. (Reminder: You should never travel without travel insurance!)
3. Pack some snacks from home
Eating out in Norway is expensive, so you’ll definitely want to have some snacks to keep you satiated between meals (or even to replace some meals – we had to do this a few times when restaurants we tried to go to ended up being closed!).
We found grocery stores in Norway to have similar prices to what you’d find in the USA (for reference, we live on the west coast in Bend, Oregon); however, there were certain types of products we personally had a hard time finding.
I wouldn’t go crazy with packing tons of snacks because you’ll be able to stock up in Norway. But for things like protein bars or snacks for kids where you’re particular about the ingredients, it will save you time and energy if you bring your favorites from home.
We were really happy we packed some clean protein bars from home, such as RX Bars, and That’s It bars for our toddler, along with some of her favorite snacks.
4. Don’t forget your toiletries
We were surprised that only one of the hotels we booked in Norway provided shampoo and body wash (despite saying they included it in the description).
We had packed our own toiletries from home for the portion of our trip we were in a campervan, so we were happy we had just enough for the hotels and Airbnbs we stayed at.
Exploring Norway in a campervan?
First off – YAY! – personally, we think a campervan is the BEST way to see Norway.
We have a whole checklist of things to bring for your campervan trip, but here are a few items you’ll want to be sure to pack (that you wouldn’t otherwise need).
- Tea: it was hard to find organic tea that we liked in the Norwegian supermarkets, so we wished we had packed some from home.
- Spices: bringing small containers of spices from home can be super helpful so you don’t waste money buying large ones you’ll throw away, and so you have the spices you like cooking with .
- I brought some of our favorite salt from home (that has lots of minerals) because I’m kind of picky about the salt we consume!
- Rubber bands: You’ll want a handful to secure any bags of food you open, like pasta, chips, cookies, etc.
- Shower shoes: you’ll want these if you plan to shower in campground bathrooms, trust me!
We even created this handy PDF downloadable checklist so you don’t forget anything. And it’s totally FREE!
For more ideas, we have an article dedicated to all of the campervan essentials you might want to have on the road with you.
Traveling to Norway with a baby or toddler?
Traveling around Norway with our toddler (she was 2.5 years old at the time of our trip) was amazing!
It was such a wonderful family trip for us, and if you’re thinking about exploring Norway with a child, we’d wholeheartedly say DO IT!
Here are some items that you’ll want to be sure to pack:
- Pack clothes and warm layers for them, just like you would for yourself
- Rain jacket (this is the rain jacket we brought for our daughter)
- Mittens, hat, boots
- Small backpack they can carry with snacks and toys
- Bring a few toys (don’t overdo this part)
- Some snacks from home (anything where you care about the ingredients or brands they’re particularly fond of)
- We also usually travel with oatmeal mix that we make (with chia, flax, coconut milk powder, peanut butter powder, dried fruit, etc.) so that we can simply add warm water for a healthy meal. This came in super handy on many mornings where it was hard to find a proper breakfast.
- A good travel stroller is a must. Don’t forget a rain cover for the stroller (even just to keep them protected from wind and chilly temps) and a cozy blanket.
- If your stroller doesn’t come with a rain cover, here is a budget-friendly universal rain cover
- This hiking carrier is what we personally brought and it was perfect for this trip
- A diaper bag fanny pack is a much better option than a full diaper bag
- If possible, book accommodations that offer a crib so you don’t have to carry around a pack and play. That said, if you prefer to bring your own, we really like this travel crib (and it’s the lightest weight one we’ve found!).
- Travel car seat and carrying case
- Note: The car seat linked above may not be available outside of the USA. Different countries have different laws regarding car seats. We’ve never had an issue traveling with ours, but be sure to do your research and decide what works best for your family.
- Seat belt lock: If you’re traveling in a campervan with a little one (we did and loved it!), we’d recommend packing one of these just in case it’s an older model vehicle or one where the bench seats installed don’t have a seat belt locking system. If you’ll be renting a car, the models should be new enough that you won’t need this.
We also have a baby travel packing checklist that is full of practical tips and advice. Click the image below to get your FREE download now!
You might also like…
- How to Plan a Trip: Your Step-by-Step Travel Planner
- Travel Insurance Comparison: Which is the Best Policy for You?
- Best Cities to Visit in Europe
- Best Time to Visit Europe: When to Go & When to Avoid!
Save this packing list on Pinterest for later!
We want to hear from you!
Do you have any questions about packing for a trip to Norway? Is there anything we missed that should be on this list? Let us know in the comments below and we will do our best to get back to you!