Norway
Travel Destination – Norway
Norway is one of Europe’s most spectacular destinations, known for its deep fjords, towering mountains, glaciers, and vibrant coastal cities. Travellers can cruise through the fjords of western Norway, experience the midnight sun in summer, or witness the northern lights in Arctic regions. Oslo combines modern Scandinavian culture with historic Viking heritage, while outdoor enthusiasts are drawn to hiking, skiing, and scenic road trips through Norway’s vast national parks.
Norway has a highly developed healthcare system, excellent sanitation standards, and strong public health infrastructure. However, travellers should still take basic health precautions, ensure vaccinations are current, and prepare for environmental risks associated with outdoor travel, long flights, and changing weather conditions. With appropriate travel health preparation and sensible precautions, visitors can explore the country’s fjords, mountains, and Arctic regions safely and confidently.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
Before travelling to Norway, it is advisable to book a consultation with a travel health professional. A pre-travel medical appointment allows your doctor to review your immunisation history, ensure routine vaccinations are current, and discuss any health considerations relevant to your itinerary and planned activities.
Many visitors experience Norway through outdoor adventures such as hiking in fjord landscapes, cycling scenic routes, kayaking along the coastline, skiing in winter resorts, or driving through remote mountain regions. A travel doctor can provide practical guidance on injury prevention, cold-weather exposure, and safe participation in outdoor activities.
Ideally, travellers should arrange a travel health consultation around six to eight weeks before departure. This timeframe allows recommended vaccines to become effective and provides enough time to complete multi-dose vaccination schedules if necessary. If travel plans are more immediate, however, a last-minute consultation can still help ensure essential precautions and vaccinations are in place. It is also important to confirm that comprehensive travel insurance is arranged before departure. Insurance should include coverage for overseas medical care, hospitalisation, and emergency evacuation if required.
Insect avoidance
During the warmer months in Norway, insects such as mosquitoes and ticks are present, particularly in forested regions and coastal landscapes. Mosquito bites usually cause mild irritation, but ticks can carry infections including lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis in some areas.
Travellers planning outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, or exploring natural areas should take simple precautions to reduce insect bites. Wearing long-sleeved clothing and closed-toe footwear can help minimise exposed skin when walking through grassy or wooded environments. Applying insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus to exposed skin offers additional protection. After spending time outdoors, checking clothing and skin for ticks is an effective way to lower the risk of tick-borne illness.
Food and water hygiene
Norwegian cuisine is known for its high-quality ingredients and Nordic culinary traditions, featuring fresh seafood, wild game, berries, and classic dishes such as smoked salmon, cod, reindeer, and warming stews. Food hygiene standards and drinking water quality in Norway are exceptionally high, and tap water is safe to consume throughout the country. Despite these standards, travellers may occasionally develop gastroenteritis.
Practising good hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to prevent gastroenteritis. Washing hands with soap and water before eating or preparing food helps reduce infection risk, while alcohol-based hand sanitiser can be useful when handwashing facilities are unavailable. Choosing meals that are freshly cooked and served hot, and taking care with buffet foods that may remain at room temperature, can further minimise the likelihood of food-borne illness.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have an interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for Norway?
Measles
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Measles is a highly contagious viral disease transmitted through airborne respiratory droplets and contact with infected respiratory particles. Symptoms typically include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a distinctive rash that spreads across the body. Although Norway maintains high vaccination coverage, measles outbreaks still occur globally, including in parts of Europe. Travellers born during or after 1966 should ensure they have received two documented doses of a measles-containing vaccine before travelling overseas.
Influenza
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Influenza is a viral respiratory infection that spreads easily between people through droplets released when infected individuals cough, sneeze, or speak. Common symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, cough, and sore throat. Seasonal influenza circulates each year in Norway, particularly during the Northern Hemisphere winter months. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all travellers aged six months and older, especially those at higher risk of complications such as older adults, pregnant women, and individuals with chronic medical conditions.
COVID-19
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COVID-19 is a contagious respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and spread mainly through airborne particles and close contact with infected individuals. Symptoms may include fever, cough, fatigue, sore throat, shortness of breath, and loss of taste or smell. The virus continues to circulate worldwide, including throughout Europe. Travellers should ensure they are up to date with COVID-19 vaccination according to the Australian Immunisation Handbook. Current recommendations include six-monthly booster doses for adults aged 75 years and older and annual boosters for adults aged 65 to 74 years, with additional doses advised for some people with underlying health conditions.
Routine vaccinations
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Routine immunisations form an essential part of travel health preparation for Norway. Travellers should confirm that standard vaccines recommended in Australia are up to date prior to departure. Vaccination against diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, measles, mumps, and rubella helps reduce the risk of infection during international travel. Adults who have not received booster vaccinations for many years may require updates. A travel health consultation can review your vaccination record and provide personalised recommendations based on your age, medical history, and travel plans. Some people may be advised additional vaccinations such as hepatitis B depending on itinerary and risk factors.
Norway
Other health risks in Norway
Gastroenteritis
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Gastroenteritis can occur in Norway, although it is less common than in many international destinations due to the country’s high hygiene standards. Viral infections such as norovirus are the most frequent causes and can spread quickly in shared environments such as hotels, cruise ships, restaurants, and tour groups. Bacterial gastroenteritis can occur through ingestion of contaminated food.
Symptoms usually include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and sometimes fever. Illness often begins within one to three days after exposure. Most cases resolve within a few days, with hydration being the most important treatment. Medical advice should be sought if symptoms are severe, persistent, or accompanied by dehydration.
Lyme disease
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Lyme disease occurs in parts of Norway and is transmitted through the bite of infected Ixodes ticks, particularly in coastal and forested regions. Travellers who spend time hiking, camping, or walking in grassy or wooded environments during warmer months may be at risk.
Early symptoms may include fever, fatigue, headache, and a characteristic expanding rash known as erythema migrans, although the rash is not always present. Preventing tick bites through protective clothing, insect repellent, and regular tick checks after outdoor activities is the most effective way to reduce risk. Early medical treatment significantly reduces the chance of complications.
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
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Travellers should check the Australian Government’s Smartraveller website for the latest updates before departure. Whilst Norway is considered a safe country with low levels of violent crime, pickpocketing or bag snatching can occur in busy areas, particularly in major cities such as Oslo or Bergen and in popular tourist locations. Travellers should remain aware of their surroundings, keep valuables secure, and exercise caution in crowded public spaces or on public transport. Demonstrations occasionally occur in Norwegian cities but are typically peaceful. Visitors should avoid protest areas and follow instructions from local authorities.
Deep vein thrombosis
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Flights from Australia to Norway usually involve many hours of air travel and one or more long layovers. Prolonged periods of sitting during these journeys can increase the likelihood of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition where blood clots form in deep veins, most often in the legs, due to reduced circulation.
Maintaining movement throughout long trips can help lower this risk. Travellers should try to walk along the cabin periodically, perform simple leg stretches while seated, and drink adequate fluids to remain well hydrated. People with additional risk factors, such as pregnancy, recent surgery, or a history of blood clots, should obtain individual medical advice before departure. In some cases, healthcare providers may recommend the use of below-knee compression stockings during long-haul travel.