Geirangerfjord is not only one of the most famous fjords in Norway, but also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular destination for cruise ships. The 15 km long fjord is known for its snow-capped peaks and thundering waterfalls, which can be admired especially during a boat trip from the water. Therefore, a visit to the Geirangerfjord was also part of our Norway itinerary. Everything you need to know about the journey and the activities, you will find in the following sections.
How to get to Geirangerfjord
The best way to reach the Geirangerfjord is by car or by boat. From June to August you can take the Hurtigruten from Bergen to the Geirangerfjord. The rest of the year the coastal liners dock in Ålesund instead. However, most people will travel to Geirangerfjord by car from the different regions of Norway. It is important to distinguish between roads that are only passable in certain months and those that are passable all year round.
Roads passable all year round
- Oslo via Lillehammer: Dombås – Åndalsnes – Sjøholt: approx. 8 hours, 550 km
- Oslo via Lillehammer: Lom – Stryn – Hellesylt – Stranda: approx. 9 hours, 560 km
- Bergen – Geiranger: via E39 approx. 8 hours, 430 km
- Trondheim via Molde: via E39 approx. 7 hours, 400 km
- Trondheim via Dombås: via E6 and E136 approx. 7.5 hours, 470 km
Roads only passable in summer
- Oslo via Lillehammer incl. highlight Trollstigen: Dombås – Åndalsnes – Trollstigen – Valldal: approx. 7 hours, 490 km
- Oslo via Lillehammer: Lom – Geiranger road (No. 63): approx. 6 hours, 410 km
- Trondheim via Åndalsnes incl. highlight Trollstigen: Trollstigen – Valldal: approx. 6.5 hours, 410 km
Hotel Recommendation at Geirangerfjord
Who could imagine anything better than just enjoying the view of the Geirangerfjord for hours? You sleep here in a cozy little cabin with a well-equipped kitchen.
The evening you can spend on the terrace and just enjoy this amazing view.
Cozy Cabin at the Geirangerfjord | Check Prices*
Things to do at Geirangerfjord
The fjord itself is not the only highlight. In the vicinity of the Geirangerfjord you will also find the famous mountain road Trollstigen as well as “The Seven Waterfalls” which plunge into the Geirangerfjord. We were most impressed by the viewpoint Geiranger Skywalk on the mountain Dalsnibba. At an altitude of almost 1500 m, you feel like the king of the world and have a breathtaking view of the fjord and the surrounding peaks. At places like this we are always impressed by how beautiful Norway is and we can totally understand why it is in the Top 10 countries with the best quality of life.
Dalsnibba – Geiranger Skywalk
If you take the E15 to the E63 and continue towards Geirangerfjord, you will inevitably pass another pass road that leads to the top of the Dalsnibba skywalk. The way up is with 15 € per car not quite cheap, but at a height of almost 1500 meters you not only have a great view of the Geirangerfjord, but you also have the feeling to have arrived at the true top of the world, because you are on the same level with almost all surrounding mountains and have a 360° view of countless mountain peaks covered with powdered sugar.
And of course, if you like speedy driving like I do, the drive up the mountain and back down is a lot of fun too. Sabrina unfortunately suffered a bit on the way down, but she has to go through that sometimes 😉
Flydalsjuvet Viewpoint
A free alternative for a nice viewpoint and great photo spot is the Flydalsjuvet viewpoint. Here is the, on Google Maps called “Queens Chair”, photo spot. For this you go left past the toilets and then left again until you come to the precipice. There the photographer has to stay. The person you want to photograph simply has to walk along the precipice (Caution!) until just before the boundary fence. Done!
Ørnesvingen Viewpoint
The Ørnevegen (Eagle Road) is the steepest section of the E63 towards Eidsdal. In a total of 11 serpentines, the route runs from the fjord up to an altitude of 620 meters. The name Eagle Road is due to the uppermost part of the route, which runs through an eagle area.
At the topmost serpentine the viewpoint was opened in 2006, offering a view of the town of Geiranger, some waterfalls as well as the cruise ships continuing their way along the fjord. If you look really far into the distance, you can even see the Geiranger Skywalk on Dalsnibba.
Fjord Farms
If you prefer to explore the fjord on foot, you can take a hike to a historic farm, for example. On the steep slopes of the Geirangerfjord you can still find several abandoned farms, some of which have been restored today. Even if the location seems a bit reckless, the mild climate with almost 24 hours of sunshine in summer has ensured that even southern fruits like apricots could be grown here.
You can visit the following fjord farms at Geirangerfjord:
- Skageflå farm can be reached from the fjord via a steep path. It is located on the south side of the fjord at about 250 m.
- Blomberg farm is also located on the south side of the fjord at an altitude of 452 meters. The farm can be reached by a path with a total of 28 curves.
- The farm Knivsflå is located on the north side at about 250 m by the waterfall “The seven sisters”. To reach Knivsflå you can take a sightseeing boat to a point below the farm. From there you can hike up to Knivsflå in about 45-60 minutes.
Waterfall “The Seven Sisters”
Near Knivsflå farm is the waterfall “The Seven Sisters”. The waterfalls rise from the Knivsflå rivers on the plateau above Geirangerfjord. The seven waterfalls are a breathtaking sight, especially during the snowmelt from May to July, with their fall height of about 250 meters.
The waterfalls got their name from the fact that from a distance they look like the heads of hair of 7 women. The best way to see the waterfall is to take a boat tour. From May to September, the Geiranger Fjord Service offers round trips of 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take the ferry between Hellesylt and Geiranger to explore the fjord by boat.
Gamle Strynefjellsveg
We drove over the small pass road Gamle Strynefjellsveg. The 27 km long and in winter closed National Tourist Road leads through beautiful and varied mountain landscapes and should definitely be driven. The route is simply awesome. We got off several times along the way to explore the area on foot and take photos.
The play of colors between the lush green nature, the turquoise-blue glacier water and the white peaks of the surrounding mountains create a perfect backdrop. So perfect, in fact, that it must have taken us three times as long to cover the distance as it usually does. We couldn’t get out of our amazement. You can find more information about this dream road here Gamle Strynefjellsvegen | Norwegian Landscape Route along the Geirangerfjord
Trollstigen
This serpentine road was almost on our way to Oslo. And it is quite a pleasure to drive up this road. Whereas I have to say, it’s not as much fun as driving up to Dalsnibba. On the way up, you also pass a waterfall that makes its way into the valley from the very top. At the top there are several viewpoints and also a restaurant with its own souvenir store.
In our opinion, you should definitely have taken a look at this winding road. Especially the view through the valley from the top is very impressive. But you don’t have to spend much time here.
How did you like our highlights at the Geirangerfjord? And what other recommendations do you have for us? Tell us in the comments.