The Hjørundfjord is the “neighbour-fjord” to the more famous Geirangerfjord. The inner part of the 35 kilometer long Hjørundfjord is surrounded by steep mountains, narrow valleys and numerous rivers and waterfalls. 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.
At the innermost part of the fjord you will find the villages Sæbø, Urke, Øye and Bjørke. Øye with it´s mythical Hotel Union Øye. Maybe you will meet beautiful Linda, the ghost that lives in the hotel, in the “Blue Room”. A popular hike from Urke is to Mt Saksa, a challenging hike with a fantastic view to the Hjørundfjord.
Visit Ålesund
Visit Ålesund is the official destination company for the Sunnmøre, Geirangerfjord, Hjørundfjord and Ålesund area.
Some highlights from the Hjørundfjord area
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.
Sæbø – The idyllic village by the Hjørundfjord
The idyllic fjord village of Sæbø is a perfect starting point for activities and adventures in and around the Hjørundfjord. There is a ferry connection between Sæbø and Leknes on the other side of the fjord. There is also a ferry connection to Standal and Trandal, which are further out in the Hjørundfjord.
From Leknes, it is a short drive to Urke and Øye, which are the starting points for great guided mountain hikes to mountains such as Saksa and Slogen. From the village of Øye, you can also join a guided kayak trip on the Hjørundfjord.
On request, you can take part in a fjord cruise on the Hjørundfjord. There are departures from Ålesund, Trandal, Sæbø, Urke and Øye.
A nice mountain hike from Sæbø is the hike to Gunnarråsa (370 masl). There you can try the swing, which has one of the best views in the Hjørundfjord area. From Gunnarråsa there is a fantastic view of the fjord and the beautiful mountains that surround the fjord.
The beautiful Sagafjord Hotel is located right down by the fjord at Sæbø. The hotel is like an oasis, where 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. In addition to the hotel, there are two campsites at Sæbø, Hjørundfjord Camping and Sæbø Camping.
There is also a grocery store in the center of Sæbø, Joker Sæbø. Check the store’s website for more information on opening hours and what they have to offer. In the summer season, the store sells fishing equipment, among other things. Close to the grocery store at Sæbø, there is also a petrol station.
The worlds most stunning Swing – Trandal by the Hjørundfjord
A picture of a swing at Trandal on Instagram made the Hjørundfjord world famous. Trandal is a small and quiet village with a great view towards the fjord, and after the picture went viral, many tourists have visited the place to see the swing themselves.
Christian Gaard is the place to swing, eat and sleep. Video by photographer, filmmaker and illustrator Alex Atherton.
Fjord Cruise on the Hjørundfjord
This is a Fjord Cruise (on request) between Ålesund and Øye at the innermost part of the Norangsfjord. Departure from Ålesund, Sæbø, Trandal, Urke and Øye. Video by Norway´s best_.
Guided Kayak Trip on the Hjørundfjord
Guided Kayak Trips on the Norangsfjord and Hjørundfjord. The start of this adventure is close to Øye at the innermost part of the Norangsfjord, a branch of the Hjørundfjord. The guided kayak trips are arranged during summer.
Fjord Fishing on the Hjørundfjord
Hjørundfjord Adventures provides boats and fishing equipment for fishing on the Hjørundfjord, with or without guide. Salmon, mackerel, herring and pollock are among many types of fish that is common in the fjord.
Hjørundfjord Adventures also sell fishing licence for salmon fishing at Bjørkeelva River at Bjørke in the season between June and August.
Guided Hike the Mt Saksa (1073 masl) from Urke
The hike to Mt Saksa start at Urke down by the fjord. The mountain lies between Norangsfjorden and the Hjørundfjord, and you have the fjordview to the two fjords from the start at Urke to the summit at 1073 masl.
You walk a short distance through the forest before reaching some open land. The trail in the forest is steep but well maintained with stairs made of stone on the most difficult stretches.
Bentebu is a nice place to take a break and enjoy the fantastic view towards Norangsfjorden and Øye and the surrounding mountains. Mt Slogen is one of those mountains. We recommend to join a Guided Hike to Mt Saksa.
Norangsdalen Valley
Norangsdalen, also described as “the most beautiful valley in the world”, is a valley between Øye and Tryggestad. The valley is narrow and the surrounding mountains are steep, so steep that they built the mountain pastures into the ground so they worked as shields towards avalanche.
Lake Lyngstøylvatnet in Norangsdalen
Lake Lyngstøylsvatnet is a lake in the Norangsdalen Valley that was “created” in 1908 after a rock avalanche blocked the Norangselva River.
Today we can see the ruins after the old mountain pasture under the water, it is now a popular place for diving.
Hotel Union Øye at Øye
Hotel Union Øye is located at Øye at the innermost part of the Hjørundfjord and in the middle of the Sunnmøre Alps. This makes Hotel Union Øye the perfect getaway, all four seasons.
The hotel is a secluded, family owned boutique hotel and a favourite among adventurers exploring the fjords and mountains of Western Norway. Video by De Historiske.
Sagafjord Hotel – Sæbø
Sagafjord Hotel by the harbour at Sæbø is a modern Adventure Hotel. The hotel arrange tailored activities: Among them, Kayaking and Hiking. The hotel also arrange kayak courses.
Hjørundfjord Adventures/Hjørundfjord Hostel
Hostel and Adventure Company at Bjørke, the innermost part of the Hjørundfjord. Hiking and fishing in the fjord and the surrounding mountains.
By car through Norangsdalen Valley
Join a journey through Norangsdalen, one of the most beautiful valleys in Norway. This road trip was filmed from a car, and we drove through Norangsdalen and past Lake Lyngstøylvatnet to Øye and Urke. The drive took about 25 minutes, the film is the same length as the drive.
Driving to the Hjørundfjord
There are many ways to travel to the Hjørundfjord, one of them is with a car. This is from when I drived over Standalseidet Mountain Pass between Ørsta and Indre Standal by the Hjørundfjord.
We were heading to Trandal on the other side of the fjord, and needed to cross the Hjørundfjord by ferry from Indre Standal to Trandal and Christian Gaard.
Lake Eidsvatnet in Volda
When driving between Sæbø and Trandal I drove past Eidsvatnet in Volda. It was a beautiful day, the grass was green and the mountains were covered with fresh snow. And the lake was calm like a mirror.
Hotels and Accommodation by the Hjørundfjord
Sagafjord Hotel – Sæbø
Hotel Union Øye – Øye
Christian Gaard Bygdetun – Trandal
Hustadnes Fjordhytter – Sæbø
Hjørundfjord Camping – Sæbø
Sæbø Camping – Sæbø