UNDREDAL BY THE AURLANDSFJORD

Undredal is a beautiful fjord village by the Aurlandsfjord which is part of the 204 kilometer long Sognefjord.

The movie Frozen I is inspired by this small village, with the surrounding steep mountains rising straight up from the fjord.

Visit Sognefjord

Visit Sognefjord is the official destination company for the 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.

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.

FJORDS NORWAY - The idyllic fjord village Undredal by the Aurlandsfjord.
The idyllic fjord village Undredal by the Aurlandsfjord.

Undredal and the surrounding area

Undredal Stølsysteri is idyllically located in Undredalsdalen.
Undredal Stølsysteri is idyllically located in Undredalsdalen.

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 lower part of the Undredalsdalen valley, direction upwards the valley.
The lower part of the Undredalsdalen valley, direction upwards the valley.

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.

Undredal and the Aurlandsfjord seen from the lower part of Undredalsdalen.
Undredal and the Aurlandsfjord seen from the lower part of Undredalsdalen.

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 in the Eldhuset at Undredal Brygge.

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 Brygge.

You can both taste and buy the award-winning local goat’s cheese at the local grocery store Underdalsbui and at Undredal Fjordkafé/ Eldhuset down by Undredal Brygge. 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.

Undredal by the Aurlandsfjord.
Undredal by the Aurlandsfjord.

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

FJORDS NORWAY - Undredal Stave Church in Undredal by the Aurlandsfjord.
Undredal Stave Church in Undredal by the Aurlandsfjord.

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.

View from the abandoned Nedbergo Mountain Farm above the Aurlandsfjord. Undredal in the far distance, on the other side of the fjord.
View from the abandoned Nedbergo Mountain Farm above the Aurlandsfjord. Undredal in the far distance, on the other side of the fjord.

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: There are no fixed times for guided tours of the church except for a period in the summer. A visit or a guided tour inside the church can be booked via Visit Undredal. See the official website for season and opening hours.

Local made White- and Brown goat’s cheese

Happy goat from Undredal.
Happy goat from Undredal.

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 Fjord Cafè/Eldhuset 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.

Spaghetti à la Undredal, served with local white goat´s cheese.
Spaghetti à la Undredal, served with local white goat´s cheese.

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. Eldhuset hosts the tradition of goat’s cheese and goat farming in Undredal. They offer both taste, serving, exhibitions and program.

Hansagarden – Accommodation, short-travelled food and guided tours

Hansagarden in Undredal by the Aurlandsfjord.
Hansagarden in Undredal by the Aurlandsfjord. Photo: Hansagarden.

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.

FJORDS NORWAY - From the trail towards Nedbergo. Undredal on the other side of the Aurlandsfjord.
View from the trail towards Nedbergo. Undredal on the other side of the Aurlandsfjord.

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.

A Kayak Trip on the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord

Kayaking into the Nærøyfjord.
Kayaking into the 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.

An Adventure Weekend in the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord area

Morning mood in Undredal.
Morning mood in Undredal.

This weekend in the Sognefjord area, we got to experience some of the finest that Norway has to offer.

Undredal was the starting point for our adventures that weekend. We had breakfast on the pier at Undredal, down by the Aurlandsfjord, before the fjord adventures started. It was hard to break up, we could have been there all day.

We walked along the Nærøyfjord, drove a car over the Aurlandsfjellet mountain road and kayaked on the Aurlandsfjord. What a fantastic weekend we had in the Nærøyfjord and Aurlandsfjord area.

FJORDS NORWAY - Undredal was beautiful that day...
Undredal was beautiful that day…

Solvorn, Fjærland and Undredal – Vibrant Fjord Villages by the Sognefjord

FJORDS NORWAY - Fjærland by the Fjærlandsfjord which is part of the 204 kilometre long Sognefjord.
Fjærland is located deep in the Fjærlandsfjord.

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.

FJORDS NORWAY - Ferry heading towards Ornes. The beautiful village of Solvorn can be seen on the other side of the Lustrafjord.
Ferry heading towards Ornes. The beautiful village of Solvorn can be seen on the other side of the Lustrafjord.

Pictures from Undredal and the Aurlandsfjord

Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord – What to See and Do

FJORDS NORWAY - The UNESCO Protected Nærøyfjord
Nærøyfjord.

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.

UNDREDAL – Accommodation

Undredal Camping in Undredal
Hansagarden in Undredal
Undredal Leiligheter in Undredal

UNDREDAL – Useful Links

Tourist Info – Visit Undredal
The local store – Undredalsbui
Undredal Fjord Café – Undredal Brygge
Church – Undredal Stave Church
Local Goat Cheese – Undredal Stølsysteri
Flåm Travel Guide – About Undredal

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.

There are several daily bus departures between Oslo/Bergen and Flåm.

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.

 

HOTELS - ACCOMMODATION - LINKS

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.

Undredal – Map Overview