Undredal is a charming village by the Aurlandsfjord, famous for its traditional goat cheese, steep mountains, and breathtaking fjord views. Explore its scenic streets, the Stave Church, local culture, and the natural beauty that makes this Western Norway village unforgettable.
The movie Frozen I is inspired by this small village, with the surrounding steep mountains rising straight up from the fjord.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ROAD TO UNDREDAL – Many roads in Western Norway can be exposed to landslides and avalanches, especially in rainy and snowy weather. The road to Undredal is one of these exposed roads.
Undredal and the surrounding area
Undredal, the idyllic village by the Aurlandsfjord, is known for its many goats and the locally produced white and brown goat’s cheese.
The road to Undredal runs along the seven kilometer long Undredalsdalen valley, which runs from the intersection at Langhuso (350 masl) to Undredal by the Aurlandsfjord.
The drive along Undredalsdalen is an adventure in itself. The narrow road winds down along the Undredalselvi river with high and steep mountain sides on both sides of the narrow valley. The dairies Erna Underdal Skarsbø and Undredal Stølsysteri are both located in Undredalsdalen.
There is a good chance that you will meet a herd of goats in the middle of the road when you drive down Undredalsdalen. Goats don’t shy away, they are sociable and don’t care if you have a new and expensive car. So drive carefully, you may have to stop. And then your car can quickly become scratched or dented.
You can join Explore Undredal Tours and discover Undredal’s magic with local guides. Explore and discover Undredal Stave Church with more than 900 years of history. Take a guided tour through idyllic Undredal, hike along the Aurlandsfjord with spectacular views, or join other great guided tours in the Undredal area.
Many people just want to see and experience the beautiful fjord village and see the fjord from land, buy some goat’s cheese from Underdalsbui, or learn about the tradition in the village with the goats and the goat’s cheese with tastings at Undredal Bryggje/Café.
Other visitors come along the sea route, in a rib boat or on a guided trip in a kayak. FjordSafari based in Flåm offers trips in a Rib boat where they go ashore in Undredal and get to taste the local goat’s cheese at Undredal Bryggje.
You can both taste and buy the award-winning local goat’s cheese at the local grocery store Underdalsbui and at Undredal Bryggje/Café down by the pier. Undredal Stave Church from year 1147 AD. is Norways smallest church. In Undredal you will also find what is probably the smallest fire station in Europe.
The farm yard Hansagarden in Undredal must be experienced. They offer high-standard accommodation, short-travelled food and drinks for overnight guests and to others upon order, stories from Undredal mixed with music and tailor-made guided hikes starting from the farmstead in Undredal. The old barn Hansaløa was built in year 1880 and is one of the oldest buildings in Undredal. Hansaløa is the focal point for the culinary and cultural experiences at Hansagarden.
There is also a campsite in Undredal in addition to several other accommodation options, both in the center of Undredal and in Undredalsdalen.
Undredal Stave Church
Undredal Stave Church stands in Undredal by the Aurlandsfjord and is Norway’s smallest church with only 40 seats. The stave church had its 850th anniversary in 1997 AD. The year 1147 AD. is found in the carvings inside the church and is used as the official date of the building.
The abandoned mountain farm Nedbergo, located 530 meters above the Aurlandsfjord, had more sun than the farms down by the fjord. Those who lived there in the old days were quite wealthy.
They had to walk down the steep path to the Aurlandsfjord and cross the fjord to Undredal to go to church, and had even reserved the front benches in the church.
If they were delayed due to weather or other circumstances, the others used to wait until those from Nedbergo arrived before the worship service in Undredal could start.
Undredal Stave Church is still in use and is used both for services, baptisms and weddings.
Season 2025: There are two guides at the stave church from April 15 to September 31. Check the Explore Undredal website for opening hours. A visit or a guided tour inside the church can be booked via Explore Undredal. See the official website for season, opening hours and information about the Undredal Stave Church.
Local made White- and Brown goat’s cheese
You should taste the local made brown and white goat’s cheese that is made in Undredal. You can taste and buy the rewarded goat’s cheese at Underdalsbui and Undredal Bryggje/Café down by the pier.
Undredal has a long tradition in the production of goat’s cheese. The reason for that is of course the landscape. The goats are the best animals to utilize the resources in this steep fjord-landscape.
In the old days it was natural for the farmers to use the goat’s milk to make farm products. Undredal had no road connection, and it was easier for them to sell and distribute brown- and white goat’s cheese rather than fresh milk.
The dairies Erna Underdal Skarsbø and Undredal Stølsysteri make the award-winning brown and white goat’s cheese and are both located in Undredalsdalen. The Traditional Pasture Farming in Norway was inscribed in the UNESCO Heritage list on December 4, 2024. A great example of traditional pasture farming in Norway are exactly these two dairies.
At Undredal Bryggje/Café, you can get information about Undredal’s history and traditions and you will learn about local cheese production. You can also get to taste the different cheeses that are made in Undredal.
Hansagarden – Accommodation, short-travelled food and guided tours
Hansagarden is a farmstead located in the center of Undredal. Hansagarden offers high-standard accommodation, short-travelled food and drinks for overnight guests and to others upon order, stories from Undredal mixed with music and tailor-made guided hikes starting from the farmstead in Undredal.
The old barn Hansaløa was built in year 1880 and is one of the oldest buildings in Undredal. Hansaløa is the very heart of the farm yard at Hansagarden and has a very special atmosphere that must be experienced. Hansaløa is the focal point for the culinary and cultural experiences on the farm yard.
Hansagarden offers guided tours to the viewpoint Hjødna above Undredal, to Stokko which is further out by the fjord, to the abandoned mountain farm Nedbergo on the other side of the fjord and to other great hiking destinations in the area around Undredal.
This is offered both to guests and to other groups. Contact Hansagarden for more information about accommodation, short-travelled food and drinks, guided hikes and tours and season.
The fjords through four seasons – magic all year round
By the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord, nature changes its attire with the seasons – from the budding life of spring and the lush valleys of summer, to the golden hues of autumn and the quiet, snow-covered mountains of winter. Each season has its own unique character, and every journey offers memories for a lifetime.
I have travelled to the fjords of Western Norway in all four seasons, and each journey has offered its own special experiences. Spring entices with blooming orchards, green mountainsides, and mirror-calm fjords; summer with sunny days and lively fjord villages; autumn with its magical display of colours; and winter with peaceful, snow-covered landscapes.
Here you can read about four trips – one for each season – in the area around the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord.
They all rank high on my list of the most memorable fjord experiences and remind me of just how amazing the nature is, no matter what time of year you visit Western Norway.
Experiencing the fjords in the low season offers peace, better photo opportunities, and a more sustainable visit for the local community, the guest, and the environment.
A Kayak Trip on the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord
From Undredal we paddled out into the Aurlandsfjord in our kayaks. It was sun from a clear blue sky, no wind and a perfect day for kayaking.
Further out in the fjord, we rounded the foot of the Mt Beitelen and paddled into the UNESCO-protected Nærøyfjord, one of two Norwegian fjords that are part of our common world heritage.
We had three days in two of the most beautiful fjords in Norway where we did what we liked best; photography, kayaking, mountain hikes and to sleep in a tent. We couldn’t have asked for more and the weather cooperated throughout the trip.
Solvorn, Fjærland and Undredal – Vibrant Fjord Villages by the Sognefjord
The Sognefjord is the lifeblood, indeed the main artery of the villages that lie along the fjord and of the fjord people who live there. The longest fjord is the very reason why these fjord villages exist and that they are located where they do.
Solvorn by the Lustrafjord, Fjærland by the Fjærlandsfjord and Undredal by the Aurlandsfjord are three great examples of vibrant fjord villages in the area around the Sognefjord.
These fjord villages have welcomed tourists since they began visiting Norway in the 17th century. At the same time, time has in a way stood still in these beautiful fjord villages. Many of the original buildings have been preserved and refined.
Pictures from Undredal and the Aurlandsfjord
UNDREDAL – Accommodation
Hansagarden in Undredal
Undredal Leiligheter in Undredal
UNDREDAL – Useful Links
Tourist Info – Visit Undredal
The local store – Underdalsbui
Undredal Bryggje/Café – Undredal Bryggje
Church – Undredal Stave Church
Local Goat Cheese – Undredal Stølsysteri
Flåm Travel Guide – About Undredal
Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord – What to See and Do
Flåm, Aurland and Gudvangen are perfect starting points for experiences and activities in and around the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord, two of the world’s most beautiful and dramatic fjords. On July 14, 2005, the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord and the surrounding area were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the Geirangerfjord. The Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord are both branches of the 204 kilometer long Sognefjord, which is located in the middle of Western Norway.
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.
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.
