The Hike from Tufto by the Nærøyfjord to Rimstigen Viewpoint is very steep. The two kilometer long Rimstigen Trail starts down by the fjord and ends 725 meters above it. Map to use: Nærøyfjorden 1:50000.

A guided hike up to Rimstigen and back will take you around seven hours, and the prize is a fantastic view of the UNESCO Protected Nærøyfjord. A private guide will be with you and a light meal will be served in amazing surroundings. The guided hike includes transportation from Voss, Gudvangen or Flåm to where the hike starts.

Hiking - Safety, Responsibility and Season

The nature in Norway is beautiful but also dangerous. It is important to read about your own responsibility and how to explore the Norwegian nature in a safe way.

BEFORE YOU GO HIKING – THE NORWEGIAN MOUNTAIN CODE
This hike is not suitable for children! The weather can change dramatically in the Norwegian mountains. This is why you should follow the Norwegian Mountain Code when hiking in Norway. It can change from summer and sunny weather to winter and frost in minutes! Always bring good clothes and hiking shoes. And have enough food and water in your rucksack. Due to the challenging and long hike in rapidly changing weather, we recommend you to join a Guided Tour.

NOTE! Most of the hikes described on this website are intended for experienced hikers that know the area. This is one of those hikes. We recommend to use a map and compass on this hike, it also often happens that this mountain area is shrouded in fog.

SEASON & WEATHER: Season is depending on temperature and snow. Seasons mentioned on this website are approximately dates. Hikes mentioned in this website have different seasons. See links to the various hikes to read more about the hikes and season. It is recommended to avoid hiking if there are ice and snow in the terrain and on the trails. Always make your own evaluation about the danger of landslides before and during the hike. Always check the weather before you go hiking. For safety reasons it is recommended to avoid hiking in Thunderstorms and in fog and bad weather!

Use the information you find on fjords.com at your own risk and your own responsibility. Errors and omissions may occur. Always make your own evaluation. Adapt your own risk to your own skills and by choosing where, when and how you travel. Fjords.com is not a guide or a travel planner, and the information on the pages should not be used accordingly. Marked and mentioned routes are not accurate and will also often change for various reasons, always look for updated information.

Visit Sognefjord

Visit Sognefjord is the official destination company for the Sognefjord area.

Accommodation in the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord area

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

About season and other important information

GRADING – Challenging. ALTITUDE DIFFERENCE – The hike starts down by the fjord and ends at the viewpoint at the top of Rimstigen, 725 masl.

GUIDE – We recommend you to join a Guided Tour up Rimstigen. You can book guided hikes up Rimstigen via Fjord Tours, see Fjord Tours website for information about season and the hike. A private guide will be with you and a light meal will be served in amazing surroundings. The guided hike includes transportation from Voss, Gudvangen or Flåm to where the hike starts.

SEASON – July to mid September, depending on temperature and snow. This is a avalanche and landslide-prone area, always make your own evaluation about this danger before and during this hike.

NOTE – This is a summer- and Autumn hike. We recommend to avoid this hike in the spring and during and after rainfall due to this gives a higher risk of avalanche and landslides.

NOTE – We recommend you to not hike if there are ice and snow on or above the trail. Keep in mind that if it is raining or wet on the ground, there is an extra risk of slipping and falling since the trail to Rimstigen is so steep!

NOTE – This hike is not suitable for children! This is a long, steep and demanding hike, you should be an experienced hiker to do this hike. There are several steep, narrow and exposed sections along the trail to Rimstigen.

NOTE – The road between Gudvangen and Bakka/Tufto is prone to landslides, especially in rainy and snowy weather. Some of the roads are particularly well-known for their high level of mass movements exposed over them. The road between Gudvangen and Bakka/Tufto is one of these exposed roads. Winter tires are required in winter. Read more about Tyre Requirements in Norway…

The Starting Point of the Rimstigen Hike

The Rimstigen Trail starts at Kvernaviki between Bakka and Tufto by the Nærøyfjord.

When we did the hike, we came from further out the Nærøyfjord in our kayaks, we had been staying overnight in our tent at Salthella Beach in the middle of the fjord.

The normal way is to drive five kilometers from Gudvangen at the innermost part of the Nærøyfjord towards Bakka further out the fjord. You can see a sign with directions and information about the hike just before you arrive the Tufteelvi River. There is a small parking lot at the starting point of the hike.

The Rimstigen Hike

The trail up to the Rimstigen Viewpoint is very steep, but the trail is normally in good condition with stairs of stones on parts of the trail. Due to the steep terrain, the trail goes in a zigzag pattern upwards on the south side of the Tufteelvi River which is a waterfall in the upper parts.

The trail are surrounded by forest in the lower part, but in some parts you can see the fjord. Further up there are less threes, and at the Rimstigen Viewpoint 725 meters above the fjord you are above the timberline. From there you have a fantastic view down to the Nærøyfjord and to the surrounding mountains.

The hike ends at the Rimstigen Viewpoint, and the return goes down on the same trail back to the starting point.

The hike to Rimstigen will take you around two to three hours one way. Remember to bring enough water, food and clothes on this hike. There are no rivers from where you can fill your bottles, it is too steep and dangerous terrain.

GUIDE – We recommend you to join a Guided Tour to Rimstigen. Fjord Tours arrange guided hikes to Rimstigen. See Fjord Tours website for booking and information about the hike and guiding season.

Christopher Seymour´s hike up Rimstigen

Christopher Seymour´s own words: Join me as I hike to the top of Nærøyfjord on an exhausting and breathtaking trail. I fought through cold rain, intense elevation, blistering wind and I was rewarded by some of nature’s best views. This video is a true testament to hard-fought goals and the heart of landscape photography. Video: Christopher Seymour.

Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord – What to See and Do

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 that are also included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Join a fjord safari or a fjord cruise. See the fantastic view from Stegastein viewpoint and taste the local goat cheese in Undredal. Visit the Viking village Njardarheimr in Gudvangen and experience the history and culture of the Viking Age. Flåm Railway is the train journey from fjord to mountain, perhaps the most beautiful train journey in the world. 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 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.

Accommodation in the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord area

Overview of 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.