Here is a guide to the 10 most beautiful fjords in Norway. Two of the fjords, the Geirangerfjord and the Nærøyfjord, are part of the UNESCO World Heritage. The Sognefjord is the longest fjord in Norway with its 204 kilometers.
The Western Norwegian fjords are rated as the worlds best travel destination by the magazine National Geographic Traveler.
Fjord Guide to the Western Norwegian Fjords
The fjords in Norway are known for the wild, beautiful and untouched nature. Fjords, mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, rivers, lakes and snow calls for people searching for adventure.
Fresh air, clean flowing water, silence. Hiking, skiing, surfing, speed and excitement. The fjords are also great to visit during winter. Read about the Top 10 Fjords in Norway below.
Romsdalsfjord
From snowy mountains to beautiful coastline of islands and reefs. Experience all this in one day due to the short distance from mountains to coast.
Trollstigen, The Troll Wall, Romsdalseggen, Rampestreken and Litlefjellet are great places to visit in the inner part of the Romsdalsfjord, where the fjord meets the spectacular and alpine Romsdal mountains.
Drive to the viewpoint Varden at 407 masl and take in the spectacular Molde Panoramic View towards the Romsdalsfjord and the 222 snowcapped mountains. Ona Island and Ona Lighthouse, The Atlantic Road and Midsundtrappene are attractions facing the Atlantic Ocean.
Travel green to Åndalsnes with Rauma Railway, a wild, beautiful and unique experience regardless of season. From Åndalsnes Railway Station, you can walk straight from the train and over to the Romsdal Gondola that takes you up to the city-mountain Mt Nesaksla and Eggen Restaurant.
From Mt Nesaksla you have a fantastic view towards Isfjorden, down to the Romsdalsfjord and up towards the Romsdalen Valley which you have just experienced from the train ride along the Rauma Railway. The Romsdalsfjord is located in the county of Møre og Romsdal, north in Western Norway.
Geirangerfjord
The Geirangerfjord is like a fairytale. It is unique and exceptionally beautiful. And the fjord is included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
You should take a fjord cruise or join a fjord safari. The ferry between Geiranger and Hellesylt is a great way to see the Geirangerfjord and the spectacular nature with its many waterfalls and steep mountains. You will see the waterfalls The Seven Sisters, The Suitor and The Bridal Veil from the fjord.
The Fosseråsa trail goes from the center of Geiranger via the Norwegian Fjord Centre and up to Vesterås which is a great starting point for mountain hikes in Geiranger. The Fosseråsa trail ends at Storseterfossen Waterfall.
Visit the Flydalsjuvet, Ørnesvingen and Dalsnibba viewpoints and see the iconic views of Geiranger and the Geirangerfjord. Combine a boat trip on the fjord with a hike up to Skageflå, one of the many abandoned mountain farms above the Geirangerfjord.
Take a Road Trip from Geiranger via Trollstigen to the Atlantic Road. On this tour, you will experience two National Tourist Routes and one “construction of the twentieth century” in Norway. Geiranger and the Geirangerfjord is located in the southwestern part of the county of Møre og Romsdal, north in Western Norway.
Hjørundfjord
The innermost part of the 35-kilometer-long Hjørundfjord is surrounded by steep mountains, narrow valleys, waterfalls and glaciers. In between all this, there are small idyllic villages down by the fjord, all of which are great starting points for adventures in beautiful nature.
The idyllic fjord village of Sæbø is a perfect starting point for activities and adventures in and around the Hjørundfjord. Sagafjord Hotel is located right down by the fjord at Sæbø. There you can enjoy the silence down by the fjord with the characteristic view towards the Hjørundfjord and Hustadneset with the mountains Slogen and Stålberghornet as a fantastic backdrop.
Try the world’s most famous swing at Christian Gaard Bygdetun in Trandal. A picture of a swing at Trandal on Instagram made the Hjørundfjord world famous.
The mountains surrounding the Hjørundfjord are great for hikes with fjord view. Slogen, Saksa and Urkeegga are the most popular mountains for hiking. Uteguiden organizes guided mountain hikes to Mt Saksa and Slogen, they also offer tailor-made mountain hikes to the other mountain peaks in the area.
Join a fjord cruise or a kayak trip on the Hjørundfjord. Experience beautiful Norangsdalen valley and dive into the ruins of an old mountain pasture in Lake Lyngstøylvatnet.
Drink beer at Fjordpuben in Urke. Fish salmon in Bjørkeelva River at Bjørke. Maybe you get to meet the beautiful ghost Linda if you stay overnight in “The Blue Room” at Hotel Union Øye? The Hjørundfjord is located in the southwestern part of the county of Møre og Romsdal, north in Western Norway.
Nordfjord
The mountains, glaciers, fjords and the coastline in the Nordfjord area have some of the finest scenery Norway has to offer.
Stryn Summer Ski, Hjelle and Segestad in Oppstryn, Loen Skylift and Via Ferrata, Briksdalsbreen Glacier in Olden, Lodalen Valley with Lake Lovatnet and Oldedalen Valley are all must-visit places when you are in the inner part of Nordfjord.
The Lodalen valley is like a postcard, there is beautiful and wild nature everywhere you turn. Kjenndalsstova is a great starting point for adventures on lake Lovatnet. There you can rent rowing boats and a canoes, and join guided fishing trips. They also offer boat trips with the tourist boat MS Kjenndal which runs between Kjenndalsstova and Sande by lake Lovatnet.
Rakssetra is located up on the hillside at Oppheim between Loen and Stryn. The view from Rakssetra down to Nordfjord, Oldebukta and Olden is fantastic.
Vågsøy with Kråkenes Lighthouse and Kannesteinen, West Cape and Bremangerlandet with Grotlesanden Beach are some of the most beautiful coastal landscapes in Norway. The stunning beach in Hoddevik at Stad on the west coast of Nordfjord is a popular goal for surfers all year round. Hoddevik is considered one of Norway’s best surfing areas.
Hjelle Hotel in Oppstryn, Hotel Alexandra in Loen and Knutholmen in Kalvåg are all great places to stay. Nordfjord is located in the northern part of the county of Vestland, in the centre of Western Norway.
Sognefjord
The Sognefjord, the king of the fjords, is the longest fjord adventure in Norway. The Sognefjord is 204 kilometres long and 1308 metres deep at its deepest.
Join a guided glacier walk on the Nigardsbreen glacier. Take a short hike to Mt Molden in Luster and you will get a fantastic view down towards the Lustrafjord. See the beautiful stave churches around the Sognefjord. Urnes Stave Church is one of them, it is located at Ornes by the Lustrafjord and is part of our common world heritage.
Join a fjord safari or a fjord cruise on the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord. Experience the view from Stegastein viewpoint above the Aurlandsfjord. Flåm Railway has been named one of the ten most beautiful railways in the world. This is the train journey from fjord to mountain, and many people take the train ride both ways.
In the middle of the Sognefjord, where the fjord is at its widest and the mountains starts to rise, you’ll find Balestrand, an idyllic village down by the fjord. The fjord village of Fjærland is located deep in the Fjærlandsfjord. It is so beautiful there that it is almost unreal. Fjærland is also called The Norwegian Book Town because of all the book sales in the tiny village.
Borgund Stave Church was built around year 1181 AD. and is the most visited stave church in Norway. Close by is the old Vindhellavegen Road that runs between Borgund and Husum in the Lærdalen valley in Lærdal. The old Vindhellavegen Road is part of the old King´s Road between east and west in Norway.
The Fjærlandsfjord, Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord, the Årdalsfjord and the Lustrafjord are all branches of the Sognefjord. These side fjords are perhaps even more famous than the Sognefjord itself, which is located in the middle of Western Norway. The Sognefjord is so long that it almost divides Norway in two.
Lustrafjord
The Lustrafjord and Luster area is deemed to be one of the most beautiful spots in the country. It is where the fjords meet the top of Norway and the mountains and glaciers never ends. There are many wonderful and exciting things to see and do there.
Solvorn is an idyllic village located down by the Lustrafjord. The oldest historical hotel and one of the finest, the Walaker Hotel, is located in the village. Time has in a way stood still in Solvorn. Many of the original buildings have been preserved and refined.
From Solvorn, you can take the small ferry across the Lustrafjord to Ornes and visit Urnes Stave Church and see the mighty Feigefossen waterfall which reveals itself in the spring. Urnes Stave Church is the oldest of our remaining stave churches in Norway, and is one of four world heritage sites in Western Norway.
The hike to Mt Molden gives you a fantastic view both in and out of the Lustrafjord. The locals claim this is the best view in Luster, and in Luster there are many great viewpoints.
Nigardsbreen glacier in Jostedal and Austerdalsbreen glacier at Veitastrond are two of the most beautiful and most easily accessible glaciers in Norway. Mørkridsdalen and Fortunsdalen are two classic areas for mountain hikes near Skjolden, which is located at the innermost part of the Lustrafjord. Stay at Skjolden Hotel in Skjolden, a great hotel with short-travelled food and drinks from the top shelf.
High in the Jotunheimen mountains, the Sognefjellet Mountain Road runs between the Lustrafjord and the Gudbrandsdalen Valley. The Sognefjellet National Tourist Route is the highest mountain pass in Northern Europe with its 1434 meters above sea level at the highest point. Along the road is Turtagrø Hotel, Sognefjellshytta and Krossbu where you can stay and get information and guide to Hurrungane and the mountains and glaciers around Sognefjellet, which is one of Norway’s wildest mountain areas.
The Lustrafjord is approximately 40 kilometers long and is the innermost branch of the 204 kilometer long Sognefjord which is located in the middle of Western Norway.
Nærøyfjord and Aurlandsfjord
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 fjord to mountain, 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.
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.
Hardangerfjord
The Hardangerfjord area, the orchard of Norway, is known for Summer Skiing at Folgefonna Glacier and a spectacular fruit tree blossoming in spring.
Lake Bondhusvatnet and the Bondhusbreen Glacier in Kvinnherad was one of the first places the English tourists visited when they discovered Norway in the mid 1800´s.
Drive in the Hardanger area and see the Vøringsfossen Waterfall in Måbødalen in Eidfjord, the Låtefoss Waterfall in Oddadalen and all the other great waterfalls in the Hardangerfjord area.
In summer, you can take part in a Cider Cruise on the Hardangerfjord, where you can combine a fjord cruise in beautiful nature with a visit to some of the local farms along the fjord. Remember that if you want to visit local cider producers, you must book this in advance.
Odda, in the heart of Sørfjorden, has now transformed from an industrial town into an adventure town. Trolltunga Active and Trolltunga Adventures are based at Odda, and offers guiding and equipment rental. Some of the adventures they offer are Trolltunga hikes, the Dronningstien hike, Via Ferrata Trolltunga and Tyssedal, Fjord Adventures and Winter Adventures.
Combine a fjord cruise on the Hardangerfjord with a trip to Måbødalen to see the mighty Vøringsfossen Waterfall from the new viewing platform and viewing bridge built in connection with the Hardangervidda National Tourist Route.
The Hardangerfjord is located in the county of Vestland, near Bergen, in the middle of Western Norway. Bergen is the second largest city in Norway and is known as The Gateway to the Fjords. Bergen is also the gateway to the Hardangerfjord.
Lysefjord
From island kingdom and the flat coastal area on Jæren to deep fjords and high mountains; Rogaland with Stavanger, Jæren, Dalane, Ryfylke and the area around the Lysefjord are known for the mountain formations Kjerag and Preikestolen (the Pulpit rock), Trollpikken (the Troll´s dick), Solastranden Beach and Flor og Fjære.
Preikestolen is a flat mountain plateau raging 604 meters above the Lysefjord. The plateau measures only 25 times 25 meters and with three of the edges going vertically straight down into the fjord. Stay overnight in new innovative cabins while exploring the Ryfylke area. Go on a fjord safari or take a fjord cruise on the Lysefjord.
Drive Ryfylkevegen and Jæren National Tourist Routes. Flørli is located deep into the spectacular Lysefjord, at the base of the Kjerag plateau. Flørli is popular for its 4444 steps right up the mountain, the longest wooden stairway in the world. Lysevegen road runs from Lysebotn at the innermost part of the Lysefjord to Sirdal.
The Swords in Rock monument at Hafrsfjord, five kilometer south-east of the center of Stavanger in Rogaland. This is the place where the battle of Hafrsfjord took place in year 872, when the Viking King Harald Fairhair gathered all of Norway under one crown.
The Lysefjord is 42 kilometers long and 422 meters at its deepest and is located in the county of Rogaland, near Stavanger, which is a great starting point for experiencing Ryfylke and the Lysefjord, Jæren and the other areas of Rogaland.