FJORD CRUISE ON THE AURLANDSFJORD AND NÆRØYFJORD

A fjord cruise on the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord (UNESCO World Heritage) can be done from Flåm or from Gudvangen.

You can do this fjord cruise as a roundtrip (both ways) or one way combined with bus between Flåm and Gudvangen. Season fjord cruise: All year.

Visit Sognefjord

Visit Sognefjord is the official destination company for the Aurlandsfjord, Nærøyfjord and Sognefjord area.

Hotels and accommodation in the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord area

Overview of hotels and other places where you can spend the night in the area around the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord.

FJORDS NORWAY - Fjord Cruise on the Nærøyfjord. View from Gudvangen.
Fjord Cruise on the Nærøyfjord. View from Gudvangen.

Fjord Cruise on the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord

The Aurlandsfjord splits into two fjords at the front of Mt Beitelen. The Nærøyfjord to the right.
The Aurlandsfjord splits into two fjords at the front of Mt Beitelen. The Nærøyfjord to the right.

Book Fjord Cruise here. Here you will experience the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord (UNESCO World Heritage) in a fjord cruise from Flåm to Gudvangen.

The boats from The Fjords run on batteries that are charged with electricity from short-distance hydroelectric power. The boat trips are both sustainable, climate-friendly and silent, which makes the trips on the fjord an even better experience. This is Mindfulness in the fjords, call it Fjordfulness if you like.

Numerous wild and beautiful waterfalls and rivers characterize the landscape, crossing the rugged mountains and deciduous and coniferous forests on their way down to the fjords. Beautiful villages with a sustained cultivated landscape with remainders of old farms and mountain pastures and unique cultural monuments gives a extra dimension to the dramatic natural landscape.

A fjord cruise on the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord can be done both ways. You can start the fjord cruise from Flåm or from Gudvangen. You can do a round trip or one way only, starting from Flåm or from Gudvangen. We recommend you to do a round trip. You cruise throught the same fjords, but the experience is totally different when you cruise through the fjords the opposite way.

NOTE – Remember to book a bus ticket between Flåm and Gudvangen if you need that, you can book a bus ticket when you book the fjord cruise.

SEASON: all year.

FJORDS NORWAY - Fjordfulness - Fjord cruise on the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord is Mindfulness in beautiful and wild nature.
Fjordfulness – A Fjord Cruise on the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord is Mindfulness in beautiful and wild nature.

Pictures and video from a fjord cruise from Flåm to Gudvangen

Fjord Cruise on the UNESCO Protected Aurlandsfjord.
Fjord Cruise on the UNESCO Protected Aurlandsfjord.

Here you start at Flåm and are sailing out the Aurlandsfjord and then round Mt Beitelen and enter the Nærøyfjord.

The fjord cruise will then continue to Gudvangen at the innermost part of the Nærøyfjord. At Gudvangen you can visit Njardarheimr Viking Village.

The Fjord Cruise on the video below is from autumn, late October. Here are some words that I got from a tourist who was on the same fjord cruise that day. He posted the comment on a timelapse video I made from the fjord cruise:

– My girlfriend and I were on this cruise that day and it was truly a magical morning. The water was like glass and the rising sun kept changing the mountain views all around us as we silently glided through the fjord.

Pictures and video from a fjord cruise from Gudvangen to Flåm

Along the Nærøyfjord there are several beautiful waterfalls. This is one of them.
Along the Nærøyfjord there are several beautiful waterfalls. This is one of them.

Here you start at Gudvangen and are sailing out the Nærøyfjord and into the Aurlandsfjord to Flåm at the innermost part of the Aurlandsfjord.

Flåm is a great base for exploring the fjords, valleys, mountains and viewpoints in the area.

And the best thing of all, you can visit Flåm Bakery and have a coffee and something good to eat. If you want a great burger or pizza and something good to drink, Flåm Marina is the place to go.

Flåm Marina also has the best fjord view in Flåm. Flåm Camping and Hostel is a nice campsite within walking distance of the center of Flåm.

Flåm Railway, Fjord Cruise and other great adventures in Flåm

The Flåm Railway runs through the wild and beautiful Flåm Valley.
The Flåm Railway runs through the wild and beautiful Flåm Valley.

The picture gallery below is from an autumn trip where I walked along the Flåm valley, from Myrdal station to Flåm. It was a fantastic adventure to walk the 21 kilometer long road along the Flåm valley and to experience the beautiful valley in “slow motion”.

I spent the whole day and got to experience the wild and beautiful nature in fantastic autumn colours. Several times along the way I also could see the train on the Flåm Railway, it gave an extra dimension to the walk to see the train winding away far up the steep mountain sides.

The next day I joined a fjord cruise on the Aurlandsfjord and the Nærøyfjord. After buying a cup of coffee and something good to eat at Flåm Bakery, which is located right next to the pier where the fjord cruise started, I boarded the boat from The Fjords.

The Flåm Railway and the Flåm Valley in beautiful and strong autumn colours.
The Flåm Railway and the Flåm Valley in beautiful and strong autumn colours.

This boat runs on battery that is charged up on short-distance hydroelectric power. The boat trip is both climate-friendly and silent, which makes the trip on the fjord an even better experience.

The sun was shining on this autumn day. The Aurlandsfjord and the Nærøyfjord were as clear as a mirror, some banks of fog lay over the fjords and down the mountain sides, and the autumn colours were strong and beautiful. Never have I seen these fjords more beautiful than this day.

Most people who visit Flåm combine a fjord cruise on the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord with a trip on the Flåm Railway. Many of the activities and experiences in the area around Flåm are in season all year round, Flåm Railway and the fjord cruise are two of them.

Stegastein viewpoint above Aurland and the Aurlandsfjord.
Stegastein viewpoint above Aurland and the Aurlandsfjord.

So we recommend that you spend a night or more in the area so you can experience more of the wonderful nature around Flåm and the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord.

Some of the things you can do is to participate on a bus trip to Stegastein Viewpoint and a fjord safari by a rib boat on the Aurlandsfjord and the Nærøyfjord, strongly recommended. Both of these experiences starts at Flåm.

Flåm Bakery on the pier has a large selection of fresh baked goods, great coffee and homemade take away pizza. Ægir Restaurant at Flåmsbrygga in Flåm serve first-class food. There you can eat and drink like a Viking. Flåm Marina is located only a few minutes walk along shoreline from the Flåm Railway station. At Flåm Marina you can enjoy your meal with the best Fjord View there is.

Flåm Railway – Tickets: You can buy tickets for the Flåm Railway on Norway’s Best_’s website.

Flåm Railway – Season: All year. The trip with the Flåm Railway between Flåm and Myrdal takes just under an hour each way. The number of departures and the departure times vary, this depends on what time of the year it is.

From Oslo to Flåm, Flåm Railway and Fjord Cruise

Fjord Cruise - The boat leaves the Aurlandsfjord and enters the Nærøyfjord.
Fjord Cruise – The boat leaves the Aurlandsfjord and enters the Nærøyfjord.

Many who visit Flåm come to see and experience some of the most beautiful fjords in the world; the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord. A fjord Cruise on the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord can be experienced starting from Flåm and can be combined with a train journey on the Bergen Line and Flåm Railway.

Here you will experience the Aurlandsfjord and the Nærøyfjord (UNESCO World Heritage) with a fjord cruise from Flåm to Gudvangen. You can return to Flåm by bus from Gudvangen or by the same boat from Gudvangen and back to Flåm.

Fjord Cruise - The boat leaves the Nærøyfjord and enters the Aurlandsfjord.
Fjord Cruise – The boat leaves the Nærøyfjord and enters the Aurlandsfjord.

The boats from The Fjords run on batteries that are charged with electricity from short-distance hydropower. The boat trips are both sustainable, climate-friendly and silent, which makes the trips on the fjord an even better experience.

Numerous wild and beautiful waterfalls and rivers characterize the landscape, crossing the rugged mountains and deciduous and coniferous forests on their way down to the fjords.

Beautiful villages with a sustained cultivated landscape with remainders of old farms and mountain pastures and unique cultural monuments gives an extra dimension to the dramatic natural landscape.

Flåm by the Aurlandsfjord

View from Otternes Farm Yard towards Flåm by the Aurlandsfjord.
View from Otternes Farm Yard towards Flåm by the Aurlandsfjord.

Flåm is one of several fjord villages located by the Aurlandsfjord. Flåm is a fantastic starting point for many great adventures in beautiful and wild nature.

Where the Aurlandsfjord ends, the Flåmsdalen Valley starts. If the Aurlandsfjord is an adventure, the Flåmsdalen Valley is an even more beautiful adventure, and both should be experienced.

It is easy to travel to Flåm. “All roads” leads to Flåm, and you can also get there by train via the Bergen Line and Flåm Railway. If you take the Flåm Railway down to Flåm, you will experience the beautiful Flåmsdalen Valley at the same time.

You can experience and do a lot with Flåm as a starting point. A fjord cruise on the Aurlandsfjord and the Nærøyfjord or a trip on the fjord with Fjord Safari is a must. So is a visit to Flåm Bakery, located on the quay near where the fjord cruise starts.

You can see and do a lot with Flåm as a starting point. In Flåm there are many places to eat and sleep. It is also a short distance to other beautiful fjords where you can visit idyllic fjord villages and experience beautiful and dramatic nature.

Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord – What to See and Do

The storm is on its way towards the Nærøyfjord. Gudvangen is just behind the headland.
The storm is on its way towards the Nærøyfjord. Gudvangen is just behind the headland.

Flåm, Aurland and Gudvangen are perfect starting points for experiences in and around the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord, two of the world’s most beautiful and dramatic fjords. On 14 July 2005, the Nærøyfjord together with the Geirangerfjord became part of our common UNESCO’s world heritage.

From Flåm you can take part in a fjord safari or a fjord cruise on the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord. You can take this fjord cruise as a round trip (both ways) or one way combined with bus between Flåm and Gudvangen. See the great view from Stegastein viewpoint, 650 meters above Aurland. Taste the local goat’s cheese in Undredal or in Skjerdal, two villages by the Aurlandsfjord.

Flåm Railway is the train journey from mountain to fjord, perhaps the most beautiful railway in the world. You can combine this train journey with cycling along Rallarvegen which goes from the high mountains via Flåmsdalen Valley to Flåm. Aurlandsdalen Valley is one of Norway’s most popular hikes. The lower part of Aurlandsdalen, which is also the most popular, starts from Østerbø and ends at Vassbygdi in Aurland.

FJORDS NORWAY - Stegastein Viewpoint above Aurland and the Aurlandsfjord
Stegastein Viewpoint above Aurland and the Aurlandsfjord.

The Flåm Valley is a beautiful adventure. The valley between Myrdal (866.8 masl) and Flåm by the Aurlandsfjord is 18 kilometer long. The valley is narrow and the mountains are steep, and there are waterfalls and rivers wherever you turn around. Flåm Valley is a great place for hiking and biking. Flåm Zipline sends you off at over 100 kilometers per hour, you are just hanging in a thin steel wire high above the valley.

By the Nærøyfjord, we have the small villages of Gudvangen, Bakka, Styvi and Dyrdal. Styvi is the only place without permanent inhabitants during the winter, and is together with Dyrdal without road connection. Gudvangen is one of two ports where the iconic ferry trip along the inner part of the Sognefjord departs and arrives. Visit the Viking village Njardarheimr in Gudvangen and experience the history and culture of the Viking Age.

The Nærøyfjord and Aurlandsfjord are both part of the 204 kilometer long Sognefjord which is located in the northern part of the county of Vestland, in the middle of Western Norway.

Hotels and accommodation in the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord area

Overview of hotels and other places where you can spend the night in the area around the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord.

Sakte – Stay and Explore the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord 



“Sakte” is a collaboration between companies that provide adventures, accommodation, dining and short-travelled food- and products. “Sakte” are located in the area around the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord and is an offer for those who want to contribute to a sustainable society in the world heritage area.

FJORDS NORWAY - Reis Sakte - Hiking towards Skjerdal and the Aurlandsfjord
Reis Sakte – Hiking towards Skjerdal and the Aurlandsfjord

How to travel to the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord area

Many roads lead to the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord area.
Many roads lead to the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord area.

It is easy to travel to Flåm and Aurland, the Aurlandsfjord and the Nærøyfjord. Almost “all roads” go to Flåm and Aurland, and you can also travel there by train, bus and boat. It is only a short distance between the two neighboring villages of Flåm and Aurland.

You can start this fjord adventure by train from Oslo or Bergen to Myrdal station. Then you get to experience the Bergen Railway between Oslo and Bergen and Flåm Railway, one of Norway’s most spectacular railway lines, from Myrdal station to Flåm, which is located down by the Aurlandsfjord. If you take Flåm Railway, you get to experience the beautiful Flåmsdalen valley at the same time.

The nearest airport is Sogndal Airport at Haukåsen near Kaupanger. Most flights that go to and from Sogndal Airport come from and go to Oslo and Bergen. From the airport to Flåm, it is 70 kilometers by road, including a wonderful crossing of the Sognefjord by ferry. There are bus connections between Flåm, Sogndal and Bergen.

 

Here you will find an overview of recommended HOTELS in addition to SPA & BATH HOTELS and OTHER ACCOMMODATION PLACES in Western Norway. The combination of beautiful nature, activities that you can do in all four seasons and a stay at a great accommodation is unique. A stay in one of these places will do you good, both for body and mind.

There are ten restaurants that have awarded Michelin stars and Michelin awards in Western Norway. Eight of the Michelin restaurants are in Stavanger and two in Bergen. Here you will find FJORDS MICHELIN, where you will also find a list of recommended hotels in Western Norway, recommended by Michelin.

USEFUL LINKS is a list of websites with great information on Norway and the Fjords. FAQ is an overview of articles that answer the most common questions you have when planning to visit the fjords in Western Norway.

Flåm by the Aurlandsfjord – Map Overview