Million Air Winter 2022

Left and below Atlantic Ocean Road; Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo

etr li at ve eler WINTER 2022/23 153

Drive the fj ords

The dramatic Norwegian fjords are understandably popular with tourists, especially the cruise-ship crowd. For a di ff erent (and less traveled) route, jump behind the wheel of an electric Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo and weave your way through the sublime landscape with a thrilling itinerary from luxury adventure specialists 62° Nord. DAY 1-2 Fly into Ålesund and head to Storfjord Hotel. The hotel was crafted in the traditional laftehytte style (think: a wooden cabin with a fl ourishing roof garden) and is hidden among thick green forest; it overlooks a deep fjord and snow-capped mountains beyond. Head down to the hotel’s wellness area to unwind in the outdoor whirlpool set among the towering trees. Dinner is a four-course a ff air — beef tenderloin in rich-yet-sweet red wine sauce with cheesy hasselback potatoes — next to a roaring fi re. On day two, you’ll get the keys to the Porsche and your itinerary for the week with a QR code that maps out your route for each day. The fi rst route heads to the Atlantic Ocean Road but it is worth noting, dear reader, that this drive heads through Ålesund’s interior and so is not the most inspiring (we suggest playing that podcast you’ve been meaning to listen to), but it is a good chance to get better acquainted with the car before the more gripping drives later in the week. About two hours away from the Storfjord Hotel, you’ll be delivered to the famed Atlantic Ocean Road, which you might recognize from the latest Bond movie. The winding feat of engineering mastery snakes over the Atlantic Ocean and seems to stop at the end of the world. Hop out at the designated stop

and pop the Porsche’s frunk (front trunk), where you’ll fi nd a picnic. DAY 3 Today’s route is approximately four hours long, but you will undoubtedly need longer for all the unplanned stops you’ll want to make on the way. Drive to Trollstigen, or the Troll Wall — the tallest vertical rock face in Europe. Drive past gushing waterfalls as you ascend higher and higher; the Taycan handles the twisting road with ease. Park up at the top and walk along to the viewing platform to marvel at the scenery and waterfalls. What goes up must come down — you’ll drive down the other side of the Troll Wall through Valldal, which is un-touristy and peppered with traditional Norwegian cabins and has a glacial waterfall. Driving this route is seriously fun, as the roads are mostly empty (and if you miss the purr of the engine, switch ‘Sport Mode’ on and put your foot down). The roads are fl anked by mountains carpeted with thick forest and spatterings of snow and cobalt blue meltwaters. Continue onwards through the bewitching scenery of Norangsdalen, one of the narrowest valleys in Norway. Today’s journey ends at Hotel Union Øye, an endearing hotel that dates back to 1891 and is thought to be haunted (head to the library post dinner to listen to a ghost story… if you dare). DAY 4 Drive through deep valleys alongside the glassy expanse of fjords and next to mountain ranges so high that they block out the sun, before arriving at Dalsnibba mountain. Hop out to breathe in the fresh, cold air before descending the switchback pass and arriving at the town of Geiranger, which is at the head of the Geirangerfjord, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Park the car and wander through the charming town, do the ‘waterfall walk,’ and stop o ff for a moose burger and a beer. Then, drive onto the Geiranger ferry — grab a seat on the top deck and marvel at the huge tumbling waterfalls and gargantuan cli ff s.

This image Trollstigen, aka the Troll Wall Right Hotel Union Øye

Photos Alvov/Shutterstock.com, Flar Foster/Shutterstock.com, Thomas Ekstrøm