When to go to the Norwegian Fjords?
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Best time: June to September
At a glance
Why go to the Norwegian Fjords?
Norway's fjords are glacial valleys flooded by the sea. The ice carved far below today's ocean level, then its retreat left arms of salt water that sometimes reach more than 200 kilometres inland. The Sognefjord plunges to 1,308 metres deep, with walls rising almost as high above the water. The result: thousand-metre drops, waterfalls tumbling straight into the fjord, and farms clinging to ledges.
The region plays out between Stavanger in the south and Ålesund in the north, along some 500 kilometres of indented coastline. Two fjords are World Heritage sites, the Geirangerfjord and the Nærøyfjord. Between them, the Sognefjord and the Hardangerfjord branch into dozens of arms, with villages of a few hundred people, apple orchards, stave churches and roads that cross by ferry rather than by bridge.
This is a short-season destination. From June to September, the mountain roads are open, the boats are running and the trails are clear. Outside that window, snow closes the passes, many hotels shut up shop and the great hikes become winter expeditions. The price of July is the crowds: cruise ships land several thousand passengers a day in Geiranger and Flåm alike.
Map of the Norwegian Fjords: what is where?
The map shows the 6 places covered in this guide, to picture the distances and plan your route.
- Geirangerfjord
- Nærøyfjord and Flåm
- Sognefjord
- Hardangerfjord
- Lysefjord and Preikestolen
- Jostedalsbreen and Briksdal
How much does a trip to the Norwegian Fjords cost?
Norway is among the most expensive countries in Europe, and the fjords add ferries, tolls and boat trips. Sleeping in campsite cabins and cooking for yourself brings the bill down noticeably. The big hikes, for their part, cost only the parking, between €20 and 60 a day depending on the site.
| Style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | €100-140/day | Campsite cabin or DNT hut, supermarket shopping, shared car, hikes and scenic roads |
| Comfort | €200-280/day | Village hotel, hire car, a fjord cruise and a glacier outing |
| Premium | €450+/day | Historic waterside hotel, private glacier guide, helicopter flight or private boat charter |
Norwegian kroner are almost always paid by card, even for a ferry or a car park, often via automatic number plate recognition with an invoice sent later. Bring a card with no foreign transaction fees and register it with your car hire company. Cash is hardly used any more, except in a few self-service cabins.
Is the Norwegian Fjords safe?
The fjords pose no safety problem in the usual sense: crime is marginal and people happily leave a car unlocked in a village. The risk comes from the terrain and the weather. The big hikes, Trolltunga above all, send dozens of walkers to the rescue services every summer, almost always for the same reason: starting too late, wearing town shoes, carrying neither a torch nor warm clothes. The weather changes within an hour, with fog that wipes out the trail and temperatures close to freezing on the plateaus, even in July. On unfenced platforms such as Preikestolen or Kjeragbolten, wet rock becomes very slippery. Finally, the mountain roads are narrow, sometimes without crash barriers, and motorhomes drive slowly on them: allow plenty of time for journeys.
What to see and do in the Norwegian Fjords
- Geirangerfjord
- Nærøyfjord
- Flåm Railway
- Stegastein viewpoint
- Preikestolen
- Trolltunga
- Kjeragbolten
- Briksdal glacier
Geirangerfjord
Fifteen kilometres of World Heritage fjord, 260 metres deep, between walls more than 1,400 metres high. The Seven Sisters fall in ribbons of about 250 metres, facing the Suitor waterfall. On the ledges, the farms of Skageflå and Knivsflå, abandoned in the early 20th century, are reached by boat and then on foot. Geiranger village has a few hundred inhabitants and receives up to five cruise ships a day in summer. The Eagle Road and the Dalsnibba viewpoint, at nearly 1,500 metres, give the two best views.
Nærøyfjord and Flåm
The narrowest arm of the Sognefjord network, 250 metres wide at its tightest, and a World Heritage site. The electric boat links Gudvangen with Flåm in two hours, with no engine noise. At Flåm, the railway climbs to Myrdal, 867 metres higher, over twenty kilometres and an hour's journey. The village lives almost entirely from tourism, with a brewery, a cruise ship quay and trails that climb the valley towards the summer pastures.
Sognefjord
Norway's longest fjord, about 205 kilometres from the sea, and its deepest, at 1,308 metres. It opens into a series of arms: the Aurlandsfjord and its Stegastein viewpoint, the Nærøyfjord, the Lustrafjord and the Urnes stave church, the oldest in the country, built around 1130. Balestrand and Solvorn line their wooden houses along the water. Local ferries cross from one shore to the other in twenty minutes and take the place of bridges.
Hardangerfjord
The country's second-longest fjord, about 179 kilometres, lined with apple orchards and cider farms that open their doors in summer. The blossom, in late April and early May, turns the shores white. To the south start the trails to Trolltunga, to the north lie the Folgefonna glacier and the Vøringsfossen waterfall, a 182-metre drop, fitted with a footbridge over the canyon. Lofthus and Ulvik make quiet bases, far from the Geiranger crowds.
Lysefjord and Preikestolen
Some forty kilometres of narrow fjord east of Stavanger, between almost vertical walls. Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) towers 604 metres above the water, on an unfenced granite platform at the end of a four-kilometre climb. Further on, the Kjerag plateau peaks at around 1,110 metres, with the wedged boulder of Kjeragbolten. Boats leave from Stavanger and Lauvvik to run along the base of the walls, which gives the true scale of the cliffs.
Jostedalsbreen and Briksdal
The largest ice cap in continental Europe, about 474 km², from which some fifty glacier tongues descend. Briksdalsbreen is reached by a three-kilometre track from the hamlet of Briksdal, an hour's walk between waterfalls and rock walls. Nigardsbreen, in the Jostedal valley, can be climbed with a guide and crampons, on outings of two to five hours. Everywhere, dated markers on the ground show the retreat of the ice since the 1990s.
How many days, and which itinerary?
A week is enough for two fjords and a big hike, without spending your days in the car. Ten to twelve days let you travel down from Geiranger to the Lysefjord, linking ferries and mountain passes.
🗺️ Day-by-day itinerary · 📓 Free printable Norwegian Fjords guide (PDF) · 🌍 All of Norway
The fjords in 7 days
Fly into Bergen, two nights in the city, then the train to Myrdal and the Flåm line. Two nights in Flåm or Aurland: a cruise on the Nærøyfjord, the Stegastein viewpoint, cycling in the valley. Next the Hardangerfjord, two nights in Lofthus or Odda, with the Vøringsfossen waterfall and, for fit hikers, a day on Trolltunga. Back to Bergen by road in three hours. Trains and boats mean you can do without a car for almost the whole route.
Geiranger and the Sognefjord (10 days)
Start in Ålesund, one night, then drive to Geiranger via the Hellesylt ferry: two nights for the Eagle Road, the Dalsnibba viewpoint and Skageflå farm. Down to the Nordfjord and the Briksdal glacier, one night, then the Sognefjord, four nights, with Balestrand, Urnes church, Stegastein and the Nærøyfjord. Finish in Flåm and take the train to Oslo, about five hours. A hire car is recommended for this itinerary.
From the Lysefjord to Geiranger (14 days)
Start in Stavanger, three nights for Preikestolen, Kjeragbolten and a boat trip on the Lysefjord. North to the Hardangerfjord, three nights, with Trolltunga and Vøringsfossen. Then the Sognefjord and Flåm, three nights, before the Nordfjord, Briksdal and Geiranger, four nights. Leave via Ålesund. About a thousand kilometres of driving, several ferry crossings, and short stages that take time because of the hairpin bends.
Getting there and getting around
Two gateways: Bergen, with direct flights from many European cities, and Oslo, with a seven-hour train to Bergen. Ålesund and Stavanger also have seasonal flights, useful for an itinerary that doesn't return to its starting point.
A car remains the most flexible option, at €60 to 100 a day in summer. Crossing ferries cost €10 to 25 with a vehicle and are paid via automatic number plate recognition. Add tunnel tolls, found on almost all the main routes.
Without a car, the network combines trains, express buses and fast boats. The Bergen railway, the Flåm line and the Nærøyfjord boat form a well-oiled sequence, also sold as a ready-made package, usually slightly dearer than separate tickets.
Mountain passes such as the Snøvegen or the Dalsnibba road only open between late May and October, depending on snow. Check road conditions that same morning: temporary closures remain frequent after a late snowfall.
Where to stay in the Norwegian Fjords?
Fjordside campsites rent wooden cabins sleeping four to six, at €70 to 120 a night, kitchen included. It's the cheapest format in the region, and often the best located, right by the water with no immediate neighbours.
The historic hotels of the late 19th century, in Balestrand, Øye or Lofthus, have kept their wooden lounges and verandas: €180 to 300 a night, breakfast included and sometimes an evening buffet served early.
Hostels and hiking lodges, around Preikestolen or Trolltunga, offer dorm beds and simple rooms at €60 to 120. They serve breakfast very early, which suits six o'clock starts.
The cabins of the DNT, the Norwegian Trekking Association, scattered across the mountains, cost €30 to 60 a night for members. Many are self-service, with a standard key to collect in advance and payment left on trust.
Our places to stay, stop by stop, at three budgets →
What to eat in the Norwegian Fjords?
Fjord salmon, farmed in pens a few kilometres from your plate, is served smoked, as gravlax or grilled, for €25 to 40 a dish. Hardanger fish farms offer tours with tastings in summer.
Rakfisk and lutefisk, fermented trout and cod treated with lye, remain winter dishes that few travellers ask for twice. Tourist menus offer them mainly around Christmas, in the historic hotels.
Hardanger cider has protected designation status. Some twenty farms open their cellars between May and September; allow €20 to 30 for a guided tasting, often served with a board of cheeses and cured meats from the valley.
Outside the villages, shops are few and close early, often around 8pm on weekdays, earlier on Saturdays, and not at all on Sundays. Do your shopping in Bergen, Voss or Odda before heading up the valleys.
Entry requirements
Schengen area: an ID card or passport for EU citizens, 90 days visa-free for UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports.
Rules change: check your own government's travel advice before you go.
Frequently asked questions about the Norwegian Fjords
Which fjord should I choose for a first trip?
The Nærøyfjord and the Sognefjord from Flåm, because they can be reached by train and boat from Bergen or Oslo, without a car. The Geirangerfjord has the most vertical scenery but involves more driving. The Lysefjord suits those coming mainly for Preikestolen and Kjeragbolten.
When is the best time to visit the Norwegian fjords?
From mid-June to mid-September: mountain roads open, boats running, trails clear and up to twenty hours of daylight in June. May brings the Hardanger blossom and far fewer people, but some passes are still closed. In winter, most fjord excursions and hotels shut down.
Should I hire a car?
Not necessarily. The Bergen, Voss, Flåm and Nærøyfjord route can be done entirely by train and boat. A car becomes useful as soon as you're aiming for Geiranger, the Nordfjord or the more remote valleys. Allow €60 to 100 a day in summer, plus ferries and tolls.
Is Trolltunga accessible to everyone?
No. The classic hike is 28 kilometres return with 800 metres of ascent, or eight to twelve hours of walking. A car park higher up cuts it to around twenty kilometres. It calls for good fitness, an early start and mountain gear, between mid-June and mid-September.
How much does a fjord cruise cost?
Allow about €45 one way between Gudvangen and Flåm on the Nærøyfjord, a two-hour crossing by electric boat. Lysefjord trips from Stavanger cost around €55 for three hours. The public ferry between Geiranger and Hellesylt is much cheaper for a comparable trip.
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