April 16, 2026, 11:22 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Independence, freedom, no time pressure—and waking up every morning in a different place in the middle of nature! That’s exactly how many people imagine a vacation with a campervan. TRAVELBOOK editor Katharina Regenthal tried it herself and traveled through Norway for two weeks in a van. Her conclusion? Never again!
Traveling through Norway for two weeks, stopping and sleeping wherever you like—that’s exactly how I imagined my first vacation with a campervan. And what can I say? That’s exactly how it was—and yet I would never want to vacation like that again! I don’t regret the trip for a second. Norway is a breathtakingly beautiful country, waking up in the middle of nature is unique, and I definitely want to go back. But it will definitely not happen with a campervan. Sounds dramatic, but I think I have good reasons.
Campervan Vacations Only for Young People?
Traveling through Norway in the summer with a campervan—that was on my bucket list, and last year I was finally able to make the trip happen. Two weeks is almost too short to really make progress. In hindsight, I’m honestly glad that the vacation days were only enough for this period. But let’s start from the beginning.
We started from Berlin, heading towards Fehmarn, then crossed over to Denmark. I found it all quite exciting. I even enjoyed the first night in the small van on the thin mattress, finding it somehow cozy and snug. But with each passing night, I increasingly asked myself: What am I actually doing here? Because such a van is not really comfortable. The mattress is thin, you can’t sit upright, and it’s cramped. In my early 30s, I seem not to handle it as well anymore–maybe such a campervan trip is more for young people without back problems?!
However, the mattress or sleep quality wasn’t the real issue—my problem lay elsewhere. There are worse things than waking up somewhere in the middle of nowhere and looking directly at a lake or snow-capped mountain peaks. But what really didn’t align with my vacation expectations was the toilet situation.
No Toilet, No Me
Camping without a toilet is, let’s say, challenging. During the two weeks, we only went to a campsite twice—the other times we were in the middle of nature. Sometimes directly by the fjord, sometimes at an altitude of over 1,000 meters—and sometimes just on a gravel parking lot. Doing your business there isn’t always easy. We had a small camping toilet with us. Although I think the name doesn’t do it justice. Because it’s basically just a bucket with a toilet seat and lid. You put a bag in it, and that’s where the business goes.
So, a proper toilet doesn’t exist in such a campervan—and that’s my problem. I don’t want to have to think every morning about where or how I can go to the toilet (or into the bushes). I don’t want to think about where I can dispose of the “waste” afterward. And I don’t want to pack everything up and drive to the next public toilet. Although I must say, the public restrooms in Norway are truly amazing. Every single toilet was clean and had enough toilet paper—even the outhouse was somewhat bearable. I must also mention that I only have the comparison with public toilets in Berlin—Norway can only win there.
Of course, a campervan doesn’t have a shower or a sink either. But honestly? I could live with that. Even if showering in “summer” temperatures of around 59 degrees Fahrenheit was quite chilly—I can handle that much better than the other conditions.
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Less Flexibility, Higher Prices
A campervan has the advantage over an RV of being significantly smaller and more flexible. Often, only smaller spots were left, which were perfect for us—but wouldn’t have been enough for an RV. But you’re not really that flexible. On our trip, we also visited Oslo and Bergen—and with the van, that quickly becomes a problem. The vehicle is too tall for parking garages, but not every public parking lot is suitable for parking a van or RV. Often, reviews mentioned a high risk of break-ins.
This means you had to search for a long time to find a suitable spot. I don’t find that flexible. You’d be much more relaxed with a regular car—and you’d save money. Because on ferries, you pay based on the length and height of the vehicle.
My Conclusion
A road trip through Norway? I would do it again anytime! Vacation with a campervan? Absolutely not! However, I probably wouldn’t switch to a regular RV either. Because even though it offers more comfort and the toilet I missed so much, you’re just not flexible with it—or at least not flexible enough for me. As beautiful as nature is, I also like to drive into the city.
While traveling, I came up with an idea for a future road trip through Norway: just with a regular car. Many campsites offer the typical red cabins that you can book. Depending on the amenities, they also have their own small bathroom—or you can use the communal bathroom (which is definitely better than the bushes).
The only small downside: You have to plan and book early—and that means the route is largely set. Spontaneous changes of plans are then not really possible. But since I like to plan and it maximizes my anticipation for the vacation, it would be the perfect alternative for me.