hardangerfjord

  • Bergen, Hardangerfjord, Ulvik

    Driving from Bergen to the Hardangerfjord

    I think one of the best ways to see Norway is by car. It may seem a little intimidating at first, with all those mountain roads, ferries, tolls, and crazy expensive petrol. But if you plan accordingly and have the budget for it, you’ll get to see the best bits of nature. And one of the best things to do is driving from Bergen to the Hardangerfjord.

    There are two ways to get to the Hardangerfjord from Bergen: the Hardanger Scenic Route and the main highway to Granvin through Voss. The Hardanger Scenic Route certainly sounds appealing, but if narrow fjord-side roads make you nervous, or you’re short on time, the main highway is an excellent alternative.

    (click the image to see it larger)

    I’ve done both ways so many times; my family is from the innermost part of the Hardangerfjord so we always try to make a day of it when we are going to the farm. Also, it’s common to do day tours to Hardanger from Bergen.

    For my overview, I’ve used Granvin as the end-point. It’s not really famous for anything; it’s a crossroads. From Granvin you can head to Ulvik, Eidfjord, Utne and Odda: four very popular places to spend the night. The advantages of each of them:

    The Hardanger Bridge, which you take to Eidfjord and Odda

    Where to Stay in Hardanger

    Ulvik:

    • The famous Brakanes Hotel is a good option for the night
    • Ulvik has the apple cider route, where you can visit farms and try their produce

    Eidfjord:

    • Leads up to the famous Vøringsfossen and then the scenic road over the Hardangervidda National Park down to Oslo
    • Hardanger Nature Centre is located here
    • Beware – major cruise port!

    Utne:

    • Incredibly scenic with a historic hotel
    • The Hardanger Scenic Route continues on this side of the fjord

    Odda:

    • The Ullensvang Hotel is a historic hotel
    • The popular hike to Troll Tongue starts at Tyssedal
    • Folgefonna National Park

    If you are doing this as a day-trip from Bergen and back, it’s very easy to do both roads in one day.

    Anyway, here’s my overview of what you see when driving from Bergen to the Hardangerfjord.

    The Hardanger Scenic Route

    The Practical Info

    Distance from Bergen to Granvin: 127km / 79.1 miles
    Time from Bergen to Granvin: 2 hours 9 minutes (not including stops)
    Toll Cost: 100 NOK [mfn]https://www.fjellinjen.no/private/toll-calculator/[/mfn]
    Open All Year? Yes.

    Hardanger Scenic Route – Official Website (English)

    The turn-off to the Hardanger Scenic Route is located at a roundabout in Trengereid. Here’s what you can see, stop at, and experience as you head towards Granvin:

    Ådland Church

    Ådland Church is a historic church located just outside Samnanger community. A church as stood on this site since the 12th century and the first church was likely a stave church. A new church was built here in 1652 and then it was replaced in 1851 by the church you see today.

    The church is used for weddings, baptisms, confirmations and service takes place every other Sunday.

    Samnanger

    Samnanger is a small village around 20km (12 miles) from Bergen, though the drive is considerably longer thanks to the mountains. It is separated from Bergen thanks to Gullfjellet, the tallest mountain in the municipality. The village grew in the early 20th century thanks to the construction of hydroelectric power plants in the area.

    The body of water you’ll see here is the Samnangerfjord, which is 22km (14 miles) long and forms the southern boundary of the Bergen peninsula.

    Facilities:
    Grocery stores (SPAR and Kiwi Bjørkheim)
    Cafe/Kro (MIX)
    Petrol Station

    Mørkhølsfossen

    Mørkhølsfossen is a waterfall located alongside the road. There’s a place to park the car and go for a short 400m walk along the river.

    Facilities:
    Rest stop

    Fossen Bratte

    Fossen Bratte is a more well-known waterfall along the Hardanger Scenic Road. The waterfall is 80m long.

    During World War II, the valley was the scene of fighting when the Germans were making their way inland. There was a barrier position put up in the bend in the road where the waterfall throws itself out. If you walk to the top of the waterfall (there is a path), you’ll see a cannon and some signage commemorating the Norwegians who lost their lives here from this fighting.

    If you walk to the bottom of the waterfall, which again is on a path, you’ll come to another memorial. In 1951, a married couple were on their honeymoon when they drove off the road here. The waterfall is nicknamed the ‘bridal veil’ and many think it’s from that, but the nickname has been used since the early 20th century.

    This is a very popular stop and the carpark is tiny.

    Facilities:
    Restrooms
    Car parking

    Eikedalen

    Once you’re on the other side of the tunnel after Fossen Bratte, you’ll see many, many cabins on the hillside. This is the area known as Eikedalen and Kvamskogen, and it’s a popular ski area for the Bergen locals.

    Eikedalen is the name of the ski centre that is soon on your left. It has the 10th longest chairlift in Northern Europe at a length of 1800m. The highest peak is Grøtet, which is 918m above sea level. In total, Eikedalen has a total of seven ski lifts with 12 slopes.

    Kvamskogen

    Kvamskogen is the name of the mountain plateau and region. In total, there are over 1700 cabins in this area; the third-highest concentration of cabins in the country.

    Historically, this was a mountain pasture of the farmers from Steinsdalen (where Steindalsfossen is). The farmers used the area to cut grass that would then be brought home by horses in the winter. Much of the wood the farmers needed was also here.

    The road you’re on was the main road between Bergen and Eastern Norway in 1907. From the post-war period onwards, the drive was increasingly difficult due to the number of parked cars on Kvamskogen. Even though the road has been widened and carparks added, it can still sometimes take a long time to pass through here.

    The Old Highways

    Once past Kvamskogen, the road has four tunnels as you make your way down to Steinsdalen (Stein Valley or ‘Rock Valley’). These four tunnels were built in the 1950s after the old highway was becoming increasingly dangerous.

    As you drive through the tunnels, there are openings on the side that shows the old road. The old road was built between 1903 and 1907, with large sections built by hand while workers hung from ropes. The rock in the mountain is ‘junk rock’ and is slowly breaking apart, meaning, there were lots of rockslides on the road. This is why the tunnels were built.

    After the last tunnel, there is a parking area to the right. However, when I stopped there recently the rock was crumbling under the carpark and the fence was almost hanging off the side. Not the safest spot to stop.

    Steinsdalsfossen

    This is one of the most famous waterfalls in Norway. You are able to walk behind the waterfall without (mostly) getting wet. It is at its most full in May-June when the snow is melting. The drop of the waterfall is 20m.

    Facilities:
    Toilets (closed October – May)
    Souvenir shops (two of them!)
    Coffee and snacks
    Information boards

    Norheimsund

    Norheimsund is a small town with a settlement of 4,399 inhabitants. It is the shopping hub for the outer Hardanger region and has plenty of shops and facilities. Norheimsund is also a traffic hub. From here, you can take a ferry to Utne and Odda, or take a bus to Bergen, Voss, Vikøy, Tørvikbygd, Jondal, Strandebarm and Kvinnherad.

    The town centre of Norheimsund was destroyed by a fire in 1932 and has been rebuilt in a functionalist architecture, so it’s not the most beautiful place. During World War II, the occupying forces had a large training camp in Norheimsund and defence installations were built against the fjord.

    The Hardanger Maritime Centre is a foundation that restores and protects different types of boats. It’s possible to visit the area during the summer season.

    Facilities
    Hotels (Thon Hoten Sandven)
    Shopping Mall (Straumen Senter)
    Grocery stores
    Sporting goods store
    Pubs, restaurants, cafes
    ATM
    Hardanger Maritime Museum & Maritime Centre
    Emergency room
    Petrol station

    Øystese

    Øystese is a small town just 7km (4 miles) from Norheimsund. The town is on the up and up, with a brand-new Hardangerfjord Hotel and Spa built alongside the fjord.

    There’s a quirky sculpture museum here with the works of Ingebrigt Vik. The building looks like it shouldn’t be in a small Norwegian village.

    Øystese itself is known for its furniture production, especially in tables. There’s also a printing press here, dairy factories and shops. The church was built in 1868 and is a typical 19th century church.

    Facilities
    Hotels (Hardangerfjord Hotel)
    Grocery stores
    Electronics shop
    Cafes/restaurants
    Pharmacy
    Petrol station
    Art House Kabuso
    Hardanger SkySpace

    Fyksesund Bridge

    Shortly after leaving Øystese you’ll cross the Fyksesund Bridge. It is 344m long with a span of 230m. It was opened by Crown Prince Olav on 9 Octobe 1937 and at the time it was Northern Europe’s longest suspension bridge.

    The fish farm on a gorgeous spring day

    Hardanger Akvasenter

    Immediately after the bridge is the Hardanger Akvasenter, an active fish farm that you are able to visit. The main display centre/museum is in Øystese, but if you book ahead you can have a tour of the fish farm. At the fish farm you’ll learn about how salmon farming works. The fish farm is owned by Lingalaks AS, which is responsible for the fish production in the area. It’s a family owned company that today has about 2.5 million fish in their farms and employs 40 people. If you stay at the Hardangerfjord Hotel, you can taste the salmon there.

    The view from the top of the farm

    Steinstø Farm

    Steinstø Fruitfarm has been owned by the same family for nine generations. If you visit the farm, you can learn about how the farm is run and how it was run in the past. There’s a shop by the road that sells fruits and berries as well as homemade apple juice, homemade jam, jellies, lefse, apple cake and souvenirs. There’s also a small café where you can have coffee and cake. Restrooms are under the building.

    In any case, it is possible to book a visit to the farm, but it’s often reserved for groups.

    Steinstø has become very popular in recent years, so if you’re visiting in summer you may see a couple tour buses parked out the front.

    Facilities
    Cafe
    Restrooms
    Shop

    Note: Their opening hours vary quite a lot throughout the year. Check the website/Facebook page before going:

    https://www.steinsto.no/english

    Steinstø Restplace

    Steinstøberget Rest Place

    The rest area is an idyllic spot with a view over the Hardangerfjord. On a clear day, you can see the Folgefonna glacier. The area is built on two levels.

    Facilities
    Toilets
    Picnic/BBQ
    Information board

    Ålvik

    Ålvik is a small town that is known throughout Norway for its industrial site. A factory was built here at the beginning of the 20th century to take advantage of the hydroelectric power from the Bjølvo waterfalls. The factory was completed in 1919, producing calcium carbide for a time. The villages population rose from 75 to 500 following the opening of the factory. In the 1920s, the company was given major sales contracts for ferrosilicon to the British steel industry. A production line for ferrochrome was established in 1934.

    The road connection to Bergen was added in 1937.

    The plant made Ålvik the most polluted place on the Hardangerfjord and at times the whole town could be covered in smog. Government environmental regulations put pressure on the company, and ferrochrome production ended in 1979. Ferrosilicon was prioritised to comply with environmental standards and furnaces were rebuilt, making it possible to recycle excess heat.

    Stopping for photos somewhere near Ålvik. Photo taken in April.

    The factory is still the village’s main employer. It is now a subsidary of Elkem, which is owned by China National Bluestar. Today the factory recycles waste from aluminium production. The hydropower plant is now owned by Statkraft.

    The Ålvik Industrial Worker’s Museum documents the village’s labour heritage through the exposition of two restored workers apartments typical to the 1920s and 1950.

    Today Ålvik has a primary school, kindergarten, nursing home, church, library, several artists and plenty of hiking trails.

    Granvin

    You’ll drive alongside the Granvinfjord before you make it to Granvin, and this part of the drive is especially narrow! The Granvinfjord is 10km (6.2 miles) long and less than 1km wide. At the end of the fjord you can see the lumber and wood products industry, which in 2019 accounted for 80% of all industry-related employment in the area. Granvin is home to one of Norway’s few spruce forests.

    The name Granvin comes from an old farm that used to stand here. The coat-of-arms is the Hardanger Fiddle, which is representative of the folk tradition of the region.

    During World War II, there was some fighting between German and Norwegian forces here. Germans landed in Granvin on the 25th of April as part of their movement towards the military camps at Voss. Four Norwegians and at least 30 Germans fell during the fighting. The population has decreased significantly since the war. 29% of the population here commute to Voss for work.

    Granvin is an agricultural area characterised by livestock, mainly sheep. There’s a fantastic shop you should visit – Kjerland Gardsbutikk – where you can look at and buy produce from all the surrounding farms.

    Facilities:
    Rental homes
    Grocery stores
    Charging station for electric cars
    Kjerland Gardsbutikk

    The Highway Through Voss

    Here’s option two! Driving from Bergen to the Hardangerfjord through Voss is a great option ff you’re short on time or don’t want to drive on narrow roads.

    The Practical Info

    Distance from Bergen to Granvin: 129km / 80.4 miles
    Time from Bergen to Granvin: 1 hour 52 minutes (not including stops)
    Toll Cost: 72 NOK [mfn]https://www.fjellinjen.no/private/toll-calculator/[/mfn]
    Open All Year? Yes.

    The village as seen from the Hananipa hike I did a while back

    Vaksdal

    This will be the first point of interest after going through Trengereid. Vaksdal is a small community known for the Vaksdal Mill, which was established in the late 19th century using power from the nearby waterfalls. The waterfall was first utilised with mechanical transmission of power to the mill machines. Vaksdal Mill was once the largest mill plant in Northern Europe. During World War II, there was heavy fighting in Vaksdal between the 19th and 23rd of April. Three Norwegian soldiers and one civilian and a larger, but unknown, number of German soldiers fell in Vaksdal.

    Dale

    If you love knitwear, you’ll love Dale! This small village is famous for Dale of Norway, a Norwegian knitwear brand. The business was established in 1872, when industrialist Peter Jebsen (1824 – 1892, you can see his house on my Årstad walk) first established a textile factory in Dale. After World War II, the factory developed exports of its knitted sweaters. Since 1956, Dale of Norway has designed and produced official Olympic and World Championship sweaters for the Norwegian National Alpine Ski Team. They were also later chosen to design the official sweaters for the Winter Olympic Games through the IOC, with rights to use the Olympic symbols.

    It’s possible to visit the Dale of Norway factory. If you plan ahead you can take a guided tour. If you just show up, there’s a great outlet store!

    Dale has a small church, the Dale Church, which dates to 1956 and can be seen from the road.

    Facilities
    Roadside Cafe
    Petrol station (shell)
    Dale of Norway Factory Outlet and Museum
    Grocery Stores (Coop Extra, SPAR)

    Bolstadøyri

    Bolstadøyri is a historic spot on the old route between Voss and Bergen. Before the train link was built, transfer between the two was by horse and boat. This is where the boat journey started.

    Evanger

    Evanger is a traditional West Norwegian village. The village was destroyed by a fire on the 10th of April 1923 and was rebuilt exactly how we see it today. Because of this, Evanger town centre has been regulated as a special area of protection as a culturally and historically valuable building environment. Evanger Church escaped the fire and was built in 1851.

    After that, outside the courthouse is a monument to Knute Nelson, who was born here and emigrated to the United States in 1849. He became a lawyer and politician and was for many years a senator for Minnesota.

    Evanger is famous in Norway for its cured meats. There are several companies here that specialise in the production of traditional food.

    Facilities
    BnB
    Grocery store (Landhandleri)

    The Voss River

    The Voss River is a famous salmon river. When tourism was growing in the 19th century, English ‘salmon lords’ would travel here to catch some top-notch Norwegian salmon. The biggest salmon to be caught here was 32kg! In the last few decades, the salmon population has declined due to pollution, disease and other unknown factors.

    Voss

    Welcome to Voss! There’s a lot to do in Voss, and you could easily spend a night here.

    According to legend, the people of Voss were forcibly converted to Christianity by King Olav, who later became Saint Olav. There’s a stone cross located by the lake that is said to have been erected at this time.

    The Voss Church is built on the site of an old pagan temple. The church was built in 1277 under the instruction of King Magnus the Lawmender and it is one of the few buildings that survived the bombing of World War II.

    When Germany invaded Norway on the 9th of April 1940, Voss was the main point of mobilisation for the Norwegian Army in the West since Bergen had fallen. To break down the resistance, the Luftwaffe bombed Voss on the 23rd and 24th of April and then the surrounding countryside on the 25th of April. Nine people lost their lives and the bombings completely destroyed the wood-built town centre. You’ll notice Voss has a very concrete look today; it was rebuilt cheaply during and after the war.

    Voss is known far and wide for its extreme sports. You can do skiing, water sports, skydiving, paragliding and other adventure sports here. The brand-new Voss gondola opened in 2020 and it’s used for tourists or for hikers and skiers.

    Facilities
    All the facilities of a mid-size town (groceries, shopping, ATM, petrol station, cafes and restaurants, etc)
    Toilets available at the train station
    Voss Gondola
    Hotels (Fleischer’s Hotel, Park Hotel, the brand-new Scandic Hotel)
    Voss Folk Museum

    Skjervsfossen

    Around half-way between Granvin and Voss is Skjervsfossen. Take the detour road off the main highway for this incredible sight. It’s possible to park at the top and the bottom of the waterfall and well-worth it. There’s a network of paths and stairs so you can walk around the waterfall and surrounding area.

    The historic route is called ‘Skjervet’ and forms the old highway.

    Facilities
    Toilets (closed October-May)
    Picnic/BBQ
    Information board about the area

    Granvin Church

    Shortly before arriving in Granvin you’ll pass the Granvin Church, which was built in 1726 and represents a typical example of an 18th century church building. In 2012 the church was listed for preservation as a culturally and historically important example of the richness of decoration in early 18th century churches.

    Scenic Detour to Ulvik

    If you’re planning to go to Ulvik, there’s a scenic road you can take over the mountain (rather than going along the fjord). It begins in Granvin (there’s a sign for the turn-off) and you can stop at a viewpoint overlooking Ulvik on the way back down. The road also passed the apple cider route in Ulvik.

    Driving from Bergen to the Hardangerfjord

    In conclusion, I hope this article has given you some ideas about how to drive from Bergen to the Hardangerfjord. In any case, there are no losers. Both drives are incredibly scenic and have unique attractions.

    If you have any comments or suggestions please mention them below!

  • Bergen, Ulvik

    How to Get to the Fjords from Bergen

    How to Get to the Fjords from Bergen

    When visiting Bergen, you’ll see all of these flyers and ferries promoting day trips to the fjords. There are so many ways to get to the fjords from Bergen, and there are so many different place-names that are unfamiliar to visitors. I decided to write an overview of which areas are the best places if you want to take a day-trip from Bergen to get to the fjords. There are better tours than others, and there are more scenic places than others, but it depends on how much time you have, your budget, and your own personal interests. Here’s how to get to the fjords from Bergen!

    In this article...

    Bergen Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    What to consider

    How much time do you have?

    How much time do you have? From Bergen, you can either take a half-day trip or a full-day trip. The half-day trips take 3-4 hours, while the full-day trips take up to 12 hours. The more time you have, the more flexibility and chance you have to see the dramatic fjords. Half-day trips do not take you to the most dramatic places.

    What is your budget?

    Any tour from Bergen is expensive, often costing between 1000 and 2000 NOK. The half-day trips are of course cheaper, varying from 450 to 700 NOK. The more money you spend, the more you’ll see. The cheaper tours may not be worth your money as they don’t take you out to the most dramatic areas.

    Can you do it yourself?

    The ‘in a nutshell’ options are not guided and use public transport, which you can book yourself. In some cases, it works out to be cheaper.

    Do you need a guide? Possibly. It depends on your interests. I’m working on writing guides to all these places, but hiring a guide in some cases is really well worth it. You want to make sure the guide knows the areas, though. If you end up with a new guide who lives in Bergen, chances are they’ve been to the fjords just a couple times.

    The reality of seeing the fjords

    Bergen is on the coast, while the most dramatic scenery is found inland. You don’t get dramatic fjords along the coastline; instead you get rocky islands and a very flat landscape. If you want to see the most dramatic bits of nature, you have to head inland. This is when a half-day becomes a full-day.

    Spending the night

    If you get the chance, opt to spend a night in one of the small villages to break up your trip. It gives you more time to see things and enjoy the nature. Try to spend a night in places like Flåm, Balestrand, Ulvik, Eidfjord, or even Voss.

    Full day trips: The Sognefjord

    The Sognefjord is the longest fjord in Norway and the second longest in the world. You won’t have time to see the whole fjord in a day, and you don’t need to. Towards the sea, it’s quite flat and rocky (and maybe a little dull). Further inland you do get the more dramatic scenery. However, visiting the Sognefjord is perhaps best when you visit the small fjord branches off it, namely the Naeroyfjord (UNESCO World Heritage listed) and the Aurlandsfjord (where Flåm is). These are the two ‘must-see’ fjords on the Sognefjord and where most tours will take you.

    Flåm Railway

    Norway in a Nutshell

    Norway in a Nutshell (NiN) is the famous day trip that will take you to some of the most beautiful places in Western Norway. It comprises of a series of public transport routes that will take you on trains, ferries and buses past dramatic scenery. It’s a great option if you really want ‘Norway in a nutshell’, but keep in mind it’s incredibly popular in summer.

    What You Do:

    • Train from Bergen to Voss
    • Bus from Voss to Gudvangen (note – you don’t stop at Tvindefossen or Stalheim Hotel)
    • Ferry from Gudvangen – Flåm on the Naeroyfjord (the true highlight!)
    • Train from Flåm to Myrdal (the famous Flåm Railway)
    • Train from Myrdal to Bergen

    The Good Bits:

    • The Gudvangen to Flåm Ferry is incredible and is the absolute best of the best when it comes to getting a true feel for the fjords. I can’t recommend it enough
    • The Flåm Railway is incredibly famous and well worth it. You see the typical West Norwegian landscape on a 55-minute train ride!

    Things to Consider:

    • The trip takes 10-12 hours and has little time to stop and relax. You are constantly on the move, and photo-stops on the trains and buses aren’t possible.
    • Besides the Gudvangen – Flåm ferry, you don’t see fjords. You’re up in the mountains
    • Consider spending a night in Flåm to make the trip more relaxing

    Balestrand

    Sognefjord in a Nutshell

    The Sognefjord in a Nutshell is run by the same team as Norway in a Nutshell (NiN from here on in), but you take a 5.5 hour ferry cruise from Flåm to Bergen instead of taking a train back. Is the Flåm – Bergen Sognefjord cruise worth it? Maybe for the first couple hours. I find long parts of it to be a little boring, and the ferry is a little basic for such a long trip. Still, though, you see most of the Sognefjord and the coast around Bergen.

    Click here to see their website.

    What You Do:

    • Train from Bergen to Myrdal
    • Train from Myrdal to Flåm (the famous Flåm Railway)
    • Ferry cruise from Flåm – Bergen

    The Good Bits:

    • Taking the Flåm Railway, of course
    • You get some time in Flåm before the afternoon cruise
    • The Flåm to Bergen cruise often has commentary and you do pass some genuinely pretty places

    Things to Consider:

    • While it’s not that much longer than NiN, it can feel it. The train from Bergen to Myrdal is long, and the ferry is even longer.
    • Consider breaking up the trip with a night in Flåm or Balestrand

    Hopperstad Stave Church in Vik

    Day cruise to Vik

    If you want to see the fjords but feel Flåm is a little too far away or crowded, you can book a day cruise to Vik, a small village on the Sognefjord. You take the Bergen – Flåm ferry but get off in Vik, and get five hours in the village to taste cheese, have soup for lunch, and have a guided tour of the Hopperstad Stave Church, possibly the oldest of the stave churches. This is all included in your ticket.

    Click here to see their website.

    What You Do:

    • Morning ferry Bergen – Vik (same ferry that goes to Flåm)
    • Lunch in Vik followed by cheese tasting
    • Guided tour of Hopperstad Stave Church
    • Ferry back to Bergen

    The Good Bits:

    • Hopperstad Stave Church is really worth seeing!

    Things to Consider:

    • You won’t see the dramatic scenery you think of when you hear ‘fjord’. The Sognefjord is wide and the mountains in this area aren’t as steep as what you’d see towards Flåm
    • It’s the same ferry and the same views back and forth
    • You can take a train to Voss and then a bus to Vik and save time and money if you want to see the stave church.

    Round trip cruise to Flåm

    Want to see Flåm and nothing else? Take that 5.5 hour ferry from Bergen to Flåm! You get 2 hours to explore Flåm before turning around and going back.

    Honestly? Taking that 5.5 hour ferry two times in one way sounds tedious to me. If you’re thinking about doing this one, spend the night in Flåm or do NiN.

    Click here to visit their website.

    Gudvangen

    Guided bus tour to Flåm

    What You Do:

    • Drive Bergen to Voss and then to Gudvangen via Stalheim Hotel. Then you head from Gudvangen to Flåm
    • Drive Flåm – Aurland and up to the famous Stegastein Viewpoint
    • Lunch in Flåm
    • Ferry Flåm – Gudvangen (the same very scenic ferry I mentioned above)
    • Get picked up in Gudvangen and drive back to Bergen

    The Good Bits

    • Stalheim Hotel and the view from it is INCREDIBLE. And the road down from Stalheim to Gudvangen, Stalheimskleiva, is a terrifying but excellent highlight
    • Stegastein Viewpoint is incredible
    • Lunch in Flåm!
    • The ferry cruise on the fjords is included

    Things to Consider

    • There’s no Flåm Railway included
    • Almost all of the driving is inland. You see the fjords on the cruise and at Stegastein

    Full day trips: The Hardangerfjord

    The Hardangerfjord is the second-longest fjord in Norway and is often regarded as the most beautiful fjord. It’s a popular place in the summer but generally less crowded than the Flåm area, so it’s a good alternative if you want a little more peace and quiet.

    Hardangerfjord in a Nutshell

    This is the Hardanger equivalent of NiN. While I haven’t done the program, I have been to all these places, and to be honest it looks lovely and more scenic than NiN. You take a fjord cruise that isn’t as famous as the UNESCO Gudvangen-Flåm cruise, but it is still incredibly breathtaking. Also, the scenery here is a little more varied than what you get on NiN.

    Visit their website here.

    What You Do:

    • Train from Bergen to Voss
    • Bus from Voss to Eidford via Ulvik
    • Visit the famous Vøringsfossen
    • Ferry from Eidfjord to Norheimsund
    • Bus from Norheimsund to Eidfjord

    The Good Bits:

    • Vøringsfossen is incredible
    • Cruising on the Hardangerfjord

    Things to Consider:

    • Much like NiN, it’s a lot of being shuffled around with little time to stop and appreciate nature
    • Seriously consider breaking the trip up with a night in Eidfjord
    • NiN operates all year round; Hardangerfjord in a Nutshell only operates during the summer months. There is a winter version of the tour that doesn’t have the Eidfjord – Norheimsund cruise but instead you drive from Eidfjord to Odda (this is a gorgeous drive!) and then to Rosendal, where you take the ferry back to Bergen. This ferry isn’t as scenic. See below. Click here to see the winter program.

    Kvinnherad church in Rosendal

    Boat cruise Bergen to Rosendal

    If you want to see the Hardangerfjord but save some money, you can visit Rosendal with the public ferry for a day. You get 3.5 hours in Rosendal, which has a famous manor house (Barony Rosendal) and the Folgefonna Centre which is a museum about the nearby national park. Still, 3.5 hours is a lot of time and you don’t get to see the park.

    What You Do:

    • 2 hour ferry from Bergen to Rosendal
    • 3.5 hours in Rosendal
    • 2 hour ferry back to Bergen

    The Good Bits:

    • The Folgefonna Centre is a great museum about the nature of the region

    Things to Consider:

    You don’t really see the Hardangerfjord; most of the cruise is along the coast

    There isn’t so much to do in Rosendal

    Hardanger apple farms

    Guided Bus Tour to Hardanger + Lunch and Cider Tasting

    Here’s the non-public transport option. You can join a guided bus tour from Bergen to the Hardanger region and get a chance to taste some apple cider. I wouldn’t miss this chance; the region is famous for it. And I personally love it. Bring me back a bottle, please? The bus tours from Bergen have great schedules, but it’s still a lot of driving and being shuffled about.

    What You Do:

    • Drive from Bergen to Norheimsund, stopping at Steindalsfossen on the way
    • Take a ferry from Tørvikbygd to Jondal
    • Visit some apple cider farms
    • Take the ferry back to Tørvikbygd
    • Drive back to Bergen

    Shorter Fjord Tours

    If you don’t have the time or funds to take a full-day trip from Bergen, there are some wonderful half-day options available.

    Mostraumen

    Bergen - Mostraumen Cruise

    This is a very popular tour from Bergen. You go along the coast and then through the Osterfjord towards the Mostraumen Strait. Once there, you turn around and come back to Bergen. They have two departures a day in the summer and also operate in winter. The area is scenic and gives you a glimpse into the Norwegian fjords.

    Visit their website here

    Bergen - Modalen Cruise

    This is a different company than the one mentioned above, but it seems like they go to the same place. This tour promotes itself as going all the day to Modalen, a tiny village at the end of the Mofjord (where the Mostraumen Strait is). The area around Modalen was a Viking settlement area and there is a church from 1024 located in the village (though it was rebuilt in 1622)

    Visit their website here

    Bergen RIB Boat Safari

    You can book a RIB boat safari from Bergen, which would be a lot of fun. You don’t see the fjords really; you’re more zig-zagging between islands and skerries on the coast. Still, it sounds like a good tour!

    Visit their website here.

    Half-day tour to Skjerjehamn

    The half-day tour to Skjerjehamn is a nice and popular half-day trip for those with little time, but again it doesn’t take you to the steep fjords. You take a scenic cruise along the coast to Skjerjehamn harbour, where you get to spend a little under an hour walking around before taking the same cruise back to Bergen.

    Visit their website here.

    Enjoy the fjords!

    I hope my overview has been of some use to you. I know there are so many companies offering so many variations of trips to places with strange names, but hopefully this makes it a little easier for you.

    If you’ve done one of these tours, write what you thought of it in the comments. Similarly, if you know of a great tour I haven’t mentioned please write it below.

    I hope you enjoyed my guide on how to get to the fjords from Bergen!

    Bergen Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Norway

    What is a Fjord?

    “What is a fjord?”

    This is probably one of the most asked questions I get from my tour groups. It is asked when we are out on the Naeroyfjord Cruise or sailing into Geiranger with Hurtigruten. I get it, fjords are a tricky thing to define. That is, in part, because not all fjords look like fjords (Take the Trondheimsfjord, for example). Also, Norwegians define fjords differently than other parts of the world. I’ve put together a short overview of exactly what a fjord is, and it helps 🙂

    Riding the Naeroyfjord on the very popular Gudvangen – Flåm fjord cruise. This photo was taken in May 2019.

    What is a Fjord?

    In short, a fjord is a deep, narrow and elongated sea or lake drain with steep land on three sides. There is always an opening towards the sea, often referred to as the mouth of the fjord.

    The fjords in Western Norway are typical u-shaped undersea valleys with steep mountains.


    Fjords are long, narrow inlets with steep sides or cliffs carved out by glaciers.

    UNESCO added two Norwegian fjords to its World Heritage List. This is because of how well the fjords in Norway represent the fjord definition. The two fjords are the Geirangerfjord and the Naeroyfjord. You can see their page about the fjords here.

    Sailing on the Oslofjord with DFDS. I need to take better photos of the Oslofjord!

    Not all Fjords are Fjords

    Norwegians use the term ‘fjord’ differently than we use it in English. In Norway, many lakes and bodies of water earn the title ‘fjord’. That’s because of how the word is defined.

    The word fjord is one of the Norwegian words that has made it into the English language. It comes from the Old Norse word fjordr, which means “where one fares through”. The words fare (travel) and ferry come from the same origin as fjord. When it was added into the English language, it was written as fiord as many English words don’t use fj. However, the spelling fiord is only found in New Zealand today; everywhere else uses the spelling fjord.

    In Norwegian, the word fjord references many bodies of water, inlets or channels. This is because throughout history Norwegians have used these bodies of water as a method of transport.

    The Naeroyfjord in May 2019.
    Representation of fjords around Norway

    There are many examples of this in Eastern Norway, where the land was not carved out by glaciers. Still, though, the bodies of water provide a mode of transport. For example, the Oslofjord is not formed by glaciers (it is a rift valley) and is more of an inlet. Yet it is referred to as a fjord. If you ride the Bergen – Oslo Train, you pass the Tyrifjorden, which is a large freshwater lake just outside Oslo. Lake Mjøsa, near Lillehammer, is a fjord according to the locals – it even sometimes looks like a fjord!

    Some rivers are also referred to as fjords, such as the Hallingdal River, which empties into Krøderfjorden, a freshwater lake.

    In Northern Norway, there are many fjords. Some are not considered fjords by the English definition. Glaciers carved them out, but they do not have steep sides. This is because the glaciers were deep enough to cover even the high grounds when they were formed.

    The Danes call many shallow lagoons fjords.

    Don’t think this is a method of trickery, though. When you book a trip to see the ‘fjords of Norway’ we aren’t going to take you to a freshwater lake. You go to the ‘proper’ fjords of Western Norway 🙂

    The village of Geiranger. You can almost see behind it how the glacier moved down the cliffside.
    Looking down at Geiranger and the Geirangerfjord from Dalsnibba viewpoint. This image was taken in August 2019.

    Formation of Fjords

    It is glaciers that form fjords. Glaciers are a large body of ice caused by accumulating, dense snow. Glaciers covered the Scandinavian peninsula. After each Ice Age, the glaciers melted slowly and shifted under their weight. As they would melt down to the sea, they would push rocks with them and carve the landscape.

    Here’s a YouTube video that shows it pretty well:

    https://youtu.be/NH-vnKR6A7A?t=50

    A glacier cuts and forms a U-shaped valley by ice segregation and abrasion of the rock. I.e, ice breaking off and sliding down, breaking rock off as it goes. The glaciers are already sitting in valleys with a gently sloping floor; the melting of the glacier deepens the U-shaped valley.

    Leaving Geiranger on the Geiranger – Hellesylt ferry (the best and cheapest way to see the fjord). This image was taken in July 2019.

    As the glaciers melt, the Earth’s crust rebounds. The glaciers are heavy and weigh down the earth. When the glacier melts, the land can rise. In fact, Scandinavia is rising. In some parts of Scandinavia, the land is rising faster than the sea is rising.

    The Hardangerfjord, the second-longest fjord in Norway. This image was taken from Steinstø Fruit Farm in May 2019.

    How Deep are the Fjords?

    Sometimes, you can look at the mountains on either side of the fjord to get a sense of depth. Often, the depth of the fjord is the same as the hight of the mountains. This is not true in all cases, especially the smaller fjords. For larger fjords, it gives an indication.

    The mouth of the fjord is often the shallowest part, and it’s where we find a lot of gravel and sand. Glaciers pushed the gravel here. The shallow parts are what makes the fjords calm; very very seldom will you find rough water on the fjords. For this reason, fjords are often natural harbours. That said, the entrance to the fjord is also where you find some extreme currents and saltwater rapids. For example, Saltstraumen near Bodø has the world’s strongest tidal current.

    The fjords are typically deeper than the sea they connect to.

    The Sognefjord, the longest fjord in Norway and second longest in the world. It is as deep as 1300m (4,265ft) below sea level.

    The famous ‘Trollfjord’ at the Lofoten Islands. I took this photo when I was on Hurtigruten in September 2019 – the ship goes into the fjord and does a little spin.

    Are Fjords Saltwater or Seawater?

    In short, they are both. Saltwater comes in from the sea. Freshwater comes from the connecting rivers and waterfalls, which also catch the melting snow every year.

    Skerries in the Lofoten Islands. This photo was taken in February 2019 – my first trip on M/S Trollfjord!

    What is a Skerry?

    A skerry is a small rock found in the sea. It is one of the Norwegian words that has made it into the English language – skerry comes from the Old Norse word sker.

    Skerries are most commonly found at the outlet of the fjords, or where the fjords join the sea. In many cases, they are boulders that the glaciers have pushed out as they have melted.

    Skerries line Norway’s coastline, particularly in the west. The skerries lie parallel to the coast, providing a safe channel for ships. It’s possible to travel in a protected passage along almost the entire coast of Norway, from Stavanger to North Cape (1601km / 995 miles). If you travel on Hurtigruten, you see these protected passages up close.

    The Flåm Valley seen from the Flåm Railway

    Fjord Valleys

    Travelling around Norway, you’ll notice that at the ends of fjords are often small, flat patches of land where villages have formed. Fjord-valleys are the continuation of fjords on land. They often end abruptly at steep cliffs. An excellent example of this is the Flåm Valley, which you’ll see if you take the Flåm Railway. If you’re in Hardanger, the Måbø Valley is also a great example.

    You’ll see that there are many farms along the fjords. The most arable land in Norway is along the fjords. The water is not freezing cold thanks to the Gulf Stream drifting in from the sea.

    https://youtu.be/evavlorCXzM

    A word you may see in Norway is eid – it’s often in placenames. An eid is land between a lake a fjord. When the ice was stable during a long period of melting, the land blocks the lake from emptying into the fjord. Many villages are on these plots of land, such as Eidfjord or Nordfjordeid. Eidfjord sits between the Eidfjord Lake and the Eidfjord branch of the Hardangerfjord.

    Hurtigruten at the Geirangerfjord

    See the Fjords of Norway

    There are many ways to see the fjords here in Norway. The best place to start is in Bergen. Bergen is the gateway to the fjords. From here you can take many day trips out to see the fjords depending on your budget, or you can rent a car and go see them yourself.

    I have a whole page dedicated to the fjords of Norway, which you can read here. I’ve provided an overview of each ‘must-see’ fjord in Norway, so you can plan your trip accordingly.

    Resources

    For my research, I used the following websites: